Saturday January 17, 2004
"Popnfresh51" notified us of an article in today's Winnipeg Sun which reports that a National Hockey League franchise has contacted city hall to inquire about the possibly relocating to Winnipeg.
Deputy mayor Dan Vandal received a phone call last week from a representative of a United States-based NHL club, who wanted further information about the possibility of Winnipeg regaining a major-league team.
The inquiry did not come from the Pittsburgh Penguins, a franchise Vandal had courted during the past few weeks. However, the St. Boniface councillor refused to reveal which team contacted his Main Street office and left the voice-mail message while he was on vacation in Costa Rica.
"They're asking, 'How serious is Winnipeg? Because we're in trouble,' " Vandal said yesterday.
Vandal has since returned the team official's call but hasn't been able to reach him. Until he does, he won't identify the club.
He confirmed "it's a team that's not doing really well" financially.
Vandal said he plans to discuss the matter with fellow members of Mayor Glen Murray's executive committee.
"Why would we give up?" he asked of The 'Peg's hopes to put an NHL team into MTS Centre, seven years after the Jets left for Phoenix in 1996.
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