Winnipeg deserves its team [Hawerchuk]
http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Win...831/story.html
"I think they could do it, now," he says. "For a number of reasons. The league went back to Minny and it worked. They've got a new building (in Winnipeg), around 15,000 seats, right? I like that building size. You create a demand for tickets at that size. You might have a waiting list for tickets. And that's always a healthy situation.
"Would you rather have 15,000 seats filled in a 15,000-seat building or half that in a bigger arena somewhere else?
"People talk about the old rink not being full at the end, but that was a time when a lot of teams weren't selling out their buildings. Montreal. Vancouver. Calgary. Edmonton. Not just Winnipeg.
"The dynamics are so different than back in the late '80s. The dollar's better. Now, there's so much more coverage. So much more interest. Good, in-your-face advertising.
"I know in my day we traded for a lot of hockey players who really weren't too interested in being a Winnipeg Jet," he counters. "Once they brought their families and moved in, they loved it. It's the type of place where a team can get real close. The single guys, married guys with kids. We did everything together."