The NHL Jets -- "thanks in large part to fiercely loyal communities of Winnipeg expatriates -- have increasingly carved out a niche of their own as a visiting team that can be good for the home team’s business," according to Paul Wiecek of the WINNIPEG FREE PRESS. The Flames' front office now "rank the Jets as their fourth-best draw," behind only the Maple Leafs, Canadiens and Oilers. The Jets have "long been the Coyotes’ single-best draw in a U.S. state where many Winnipeg snowbirds vacation and/or have winter homes." Jets fans also "show up in such huge numbers the Wild two seasons ago had the Canadian anthem performed in French prior to one game against the Jets just to prevent Winnipeggers in the building from announcing their presence with a full-throated 'True North!'" Meanwhile, the Canucks were "willing to oblige a rare two-game set against" the Jets this week because in Vancouver, the Jets are "box office boffo." Two home games against the Jets with Rogers Arena "full of Winnipeggers might not be great for the psyche of the Canucks players, but it certainly won’t hurt the team’s bottom line." The question "still to be answered, however, is whether there will come a time when the Jets can draw fans in visiting cities who aren’t former or current Winnipeggers." With budding superstars such as RW Patrik Laine and C Mark Scheifele, it is "not beyond the realm of possibility" the Jets at some point become like the Oilers of the '80s -- an "obscure Canadian team you desperately want to see play live because of its star power" (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 12/21).
