The Return of NHL Hockey And Why It Is Important

I'm sure the National Hockey League has lost some fans. There was a period before the last lockout where I wasn't much of a fan anymore. The game that is played on ice had become slow and plodding. Then it again became entertaining and fans flocked to it.

A lot of people are saying that the fans should just walk away. If you want to go ahead. Professional sports produce a product. If you don't like it then don't consume it. However, as an entity professional sports teams create a sense of identity. They bring people together. They are a uniting force.

When you see someone wearing gear from your favourite team, especially if you are not in that team's city, you feel a bond. You come together to cheer. You form alliances and have debates all about why you do or don't like a team or player. It is unscripted human drama.

Most of all, being the fan of professional sports is fun. It's an escape from the drudgery of daily life. It's a fantasy that we can believe in and be a part of. It is a coming together of humanity for the collective experience. It's an ice-breaker. 

There are few things more fun than being in a city during a long play-off run. It brings a sense of optimism and hope. It gets people excited.

If you don't ever watch another NHL game in your life that's your choice but I will. Go Jets Go!

13,000

I don't live in Winnipeg anymore, for the most part I don't miss it. I do miss my friends. That being said, I wish I would have been in Winnipeg last week.

The return of NHL hockey to the Manitoba capital has been nothing short of special. In less than seven days it was announced the Atlanta Thrashers would be relocating to Winnipeg and 13,000 season tickets were sold. There were doubters but the residents of Winnipeg said give us a team and when it happened, they responded.

Anyone who lived in Winnipeg when the Jets left and has been around since knows the city has changed. Enough of the changes are good and I think the Winnipeg citizenry realizes if you want things in your city they must be supported. They also know if you don't have things in your city it is not as good a place to live.

Winnipeg has a sense of community. It has always been strong and will get stronger with NHL hockey. The people will feel like their city matters. They will be known for more than just crime and poverty. They have something else to rally around.

I will admit that hockey is not my favorite sport. Football will always be the game in my mind but I also have a place for hockey.

With NHL hockey in Winnipeg it makes it a place to be, and hopefully it will help a city feel important again.

Go Jets Go!

In April of 1996 I went to what has been the last Winnipeg Jets hockey game. After a fifteen year hiatus profession hockey is returning to the Manitoba capital.

Winnipeg is not the same city as when pro hockey left. There is a definite sense of community in Winnipeg. There is a definite love of hockey there too. I think the Jets leaving the city made people realize they need pro sports to make a sense of community.

There are some upsides. Winnipeg already has a better team than Edmonton. It is easier to get excited about hockey if you have a local team. It's fun to be part of a team.

I don't know if I will ever live in Winnipeg again. A lot of me friends do and I'm happy they get a team again. Who knows what the future brings but it will include NHL hockey in Winnipeg.

Go Team!

The NHL playoffs are well underway and quite exciting. There have been some excellent games and series, sparking a lot of debate and discussion. These are the things of great bar room stories.

It is rather amazing if you consider how invested we are in sports.

We argue for hours about who was the best of all time, who is the best right now, what our team has to do to get or stay on top.

We build opulent stadiums and arenas to play the games. We buy merchandise. We go to sports bars. We travel to other cities to see our teams play.

We are invested in sport.

Why?

It's won't stop world hunger. It won't stop the fighting in Afghanistan. It won't fix deteriorating roads.

Why? Sport brings community together. It gives all of us a common conversation to have. It provides us with a common goal. It makes us feel like we belong.

There is nothing like being in the stands when a great moment happens.

I was there when Teemu Selanne scored his first playoff hat trick. I was there when Milt Stegall broke the touchdown record.

I will have these memories with me forever.

I feel part of something bigger because of my love of sport. I always have something to talk to my friends and strangers about.

We must embrace sport. We must live it. We must be part.

Go Team!