[calgaryred]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

Wrong.

It's been proven time and time again that a pro sports team's impact on the local economy is grossly overrated. If the Coyotes leave for Winnipeg, life will go on in Glendale. They will not lose "millions" in taxpayer money as they proclaim. I still can't believe people actually buy that argument.

When the Jets left in 1996, the city did not go into a huge recession. The city did not become like Detroit, and have a mass exodus of people leaving for other parts of Canada. Life went on, and now Winnipeg is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada (for the last three years, at least).

Winnipeggers want an NHL team because, unlike Phoenix, we are passionate about hockey, and people would actually go to the games. It would be a huge morale boost to the city. Besides, I do not recall cities with NHL teams losing tens of millions of dollars each when the 2004-05 season was cancelled. All they have to do is go out and buy an AHL team to fill the loss of the Coyotes. Most people in Arizona probably would not even notice the change in the quality of hockey.

i agree Phoenix would be great for the IHL or AHL, Atlanta on the other hand should just get out of the hockey business.