#StayNegi: Stay Away From Nostalgia

So there seems to be a big push to have this return to these cities of failed NHL teams.  In 1999, Atlanta received the Thrashers after losing the Flames back in 1980 to Calgary.  In 1995, Denver found the NHL back with the Avalanche after their original team relocated it New Jersey in 1982.  In 2000, Minneapolis received the Wild after loosing the North Stars to Dallas in 1993.  Most recently Winnipeg saw the return of the NHL with the Atlanta Thrashers relocated there this summer.  Atlanta, Kansas City, Minneapolis, and Winnipeg aren’t the only cities that have lost NHL teams over the years, and the way things are going, it seems more cities will be joining the club. 

Yesterday, when I poopoo’d the idea that Canada should get more teams, having them return to Quebec City and Hamilton being a bad idea, it seems people didn’t like this.  But this nostalgia for hockey in cities that have already failed doesn’t make sense. 

Let’s paint a picture: You have $10.  You have a selection of albums in front of you.  Your options are Everything Goes Numb by Streetlight Manifesto or the newest Nickelback album.  YOU KNOW the Nickelback album will be terrible and yet you still insist on buying the Nickelback album. 

Replace $10 with a hockey team, the Streetlight Manifesto album with a new city and the Nickelback album with a former NHL city.  There you go.

So to those of you who want to see the return of the NHL in Quebec City, NO!  Hamilton, NO!  Anywhere else, NO!  It failed once, why do we have to go through this again?  You saw it fail in Atlanta, twice.

And would you guys quit it with the “return of----” crap?  If Quebec City gets a team, it won’t be the return of the Nordiques, much like the Winnipeg Jets did not “return”.  “We’re Back”? No, yeah sure, the NHL is back in your city but the team is still the one from Atlanta.  When the teams left for Colorado and Phoenix, the history and records went too.  When or if a team comes to town, you get the old cities history and records.  So Winnipeg, you have all the awesome thing the Atlanta Thrashers achieved.  Sorry, but that’s how it works. 

Naming the Thrashers the Jets was a nice tribute to the team that was there, but they aren’t the Jets. Getting at team in Quebec and naming them the Nordiques doesn’t mean the Nordiques are back.  Having a bulldog named Otis growing up and then naming one Otis when you’re 22 doesn’t mean you have the original Otis back.  Signing a player named Wayne Gretzky doesn’t mean you get *the* Wayne Gretzky’s talents.  Stop thinking you’re getting the Jets’ talents from the first go around.  You guys are paying crazy money for Thrasher quality hockey.  Same can be said if the Islanders relocate to Canada or Coyotes or whatever team is rumored to be leaving this week. 

The economic landscape of Quebec City hasn’t changed much in 17 years, so why are you going to buy a Nickelback album when there are other options?  

#StayNegi my friends