NHL News: News Conference Scheduled to Discuss Atlanta Thrashers' Future

According to the Associated Press, True North Sports and Entertainment has scheduled a news conference for noon EDT at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre to make a significant community announcement.

For those who don’t know, True North Sports is the company that has been rumored to be in negotiations with the Atlanta Thrashers ownership about a possible sale.

The potential sale would mean the team moves from Atlanta, Georgia, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and it would spell the end of the Thrashers and the rebirth of the Jets.

While Atlanta had a hard time drawing the support of the population, this move is more about the opportunity in Canada than the problems in Atlanta.

This is actually Atlanta’s second time losing an NHL franchise, the first being the Atlanta Flames, who left for Calgary in the early 1980s.

The original Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996 after economic problems cost the city their franchise.

Now that the city and community of Winnipeg is strong and thriving again, you can expect a full house in an area that lacks a true team.

True North Sports already has the MTS Centre for the Jets to use in Winnipeg, and the fan base has been very receptive to the AHL's Manitoba Moose, so the transition should be easy.

It has been shown that Canadian audiences make their franchises some of the most successful in the NHL, and Winnipeg has shown in the past they can keep a team alive.

While it is a win-win for the NHL and Winnipeg, it is a big loss to the Atlanta community.

Atlanta is not a hot-bed of action for hockey fans, but they were slowly gaining traction in the city and making an impact in the community.

The biggest loss for Atlanta in this whole deal is the good things the franchise did for the children around the city. Any time a team leaves town, they bring a lot of financial support for the community with them.

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