This section is designed to entertain as well as to make people think. Any quote related to the cause belongs here. It could relate to the return of NHL hockey to Winnipeg or to the failure of many teams down south. This section also needs your input! Please submit a "notable quote" when you come across one so that it can be added to this archive.

John Buccigross (ESPN Sportscaster) says... "If there is one unsold ticket to any Caps home game next season, the team should immediately be moved to Winnipeg. Owner Ted Leonsis could get 16,000 15-year season-ticket agreements in one day from NHL-hungry Manitobans if Ovechkin came to town."

Paul Kelly (NHLPA Chairman) says... "If a franchise is not doing all it can do to maximize revenue, that obviously affects the players. My own belief is that if a team from a nontraditional market has to relocate, it should go to one of the Canadian cities, like Winnipeg, where it would have the fan support and the revenue streams to do well."

Steve Yzerman (Retired NHL Player) says... "With the new economics the Canadian cities are thriving, so down the road I don't think (the NHL returning to Winnipeg) is unrealistic," he said. "I always enjoyed coming here. It's a real hockey atmosphere. And some of the new markets in the United States, that atmosphere isn't there yet."

Shane Doan (Former Winnipeg Jet) says... "Those are huge moments that I'll always remember," Doan said. "And I'll never forget the last game we played there before moving to Phoenix. It was the loudest building I've ever been in for a sporting event.... ever! I couldn't hear what my teammates were saying."

Dale Hawerchuk (Former Winnipeg Jet) says... "If it looks feasible, I think there's a real chance that one of these teams struggling, say in a non-hockey market in the U.S., may decide to make that move to Winnipeg."

Ron Hoggarth (Referee) says... "This is a future NHL city"

Gary Bettman (NHL Commissioner) says... "The NHL is not looking to relocate franchises and not considering expansion. But he if a franchise does have to move, there are several markets interested, including Winnipeg. I believe, in an ideal world under the partnership we have with the players and the salary cap, that Winnipeg probably could support an NHL team".

Alan Walsh (Player Agent) says... "And no matter what kind of game we get when it comes back, it's not going to be the same," hockey agent Walsh told the Los Angeles Times in January. "Florida, Atlanta, Nashville, Anaheim, Carolina—those markets are d-e-a-d dead. Put a fork in 'em, they're done."

Mark Chipman (Chairman of the MTS Centre) says... "It is feasible. Winnipeg could have a team. It depends on the price tag and if we can get the revenue to run it. It wouldn't be easy, but it's conceivable"

Jack Todd (Montreal Gazette) says... "Forget the sunbelt, Gary Bettman. You've done enough damage there. Move the Penguins and young master Sidney Crosby to Winnipeg, which never should have lost its franchise to Phoenix in the first place."

980AM Regina says... "There is no better place for the Penguins to call home than the Manitoba capital. With the new collective bargaining agreement, the league could certainly return to Winnipeg....especially now that they have a brand new NHL style arena."

	Al Strachan (Toronto Sun) says... "The Panthers now have lost 13 of their past 14 games, the most recent being the 2-1 victory by the Maple Leafs on Monday. The announced attendance of 11,215 probably wasn't even half that, despite the fact that the team is selling promotional tickets for 75 cents."
Darren's note: Even teams that boast winning records are posting similar attendences and promotions. What happens when they start losing?

Don Cherry (Hockey Night in Canada) says... "They're not building a 15,000 seat arena for the AHL. I think (a return to Winnipeg) could really happen, and it could be one of the most successful franchises in the NHL"

Sam Katz (Mayor of Winnipeg) says... "I want to see the day when... dare I say, an NHL team is beating down our door, eager to skate in front of the greatest hockey fans in the world once again."

Bill Daly (NHL VP) says... "There's no reason to think Houston or Kansas City would be considered ahead of Quebec or Winnipeg (for relocation). There are still too many empty seats in markets like Carolina and Florida, even though attendance is up in those markets"

Teemu Selanne (NHL Player) says... "I have nothing but great memories from Winnipeg and what great hockey fans and a great hockey city that is. I think Winnipeg definitely deserves a team there again."

John Davidson (Hockey Analyst) says... "I firmly believe that Winnipeg deserves an NHL franchise. I think it's time that the NHL thought seriously of relocating some of those failing teams in the U.S. markets [to cities] where the game is truly appreciated. And if Winnipeg has a new arena, it should have a shot at getting a team back"

Ron MacLean (Hockey Night in Canada) says... "How do I know? I just feel, and I've always felt somehow, that they would return to Winnipeg? And I just think based on what we've seen, it's hard to imagine all of the Sun Belt teams surviving. I could be wrong on that. But relocation might be the easiest option for Winnipeg"

Jeremy Roenick (NHL Player) says... "When we watch hockey games and see 8,000 fans in [Washington] D.C., you cringe as a player. Those cities that aren't pulling their weight in terms of drawing fans and revenue are hurting everybody as a whole, not just that city."

An annonymous elite hockey businessman says... "You know what, Winnipeg, as crazy as it sounds," the banker said when asked to name a couple of likely places for problem franchises to land. "At least everybody there is a hockey fan. Sure, the arena is small [by NHL standards], but if you could fill it every night, who cares?"

Chris Rock (Comedian) says... When asked if he'd watch hockey this year..."Maybe a little. Hockey is like heroin. Only drug addicts do heroin. It's not like a recreational drug. Hockey is kind of the same way. Only hockey fans watch hockey."

Howard Bloom (SportsBusinessNews.com) says... "If I were to pick the top-5 places to relocate a team, I would put Winnipeg at No. 1. They have an arena, it's a traditional hockey market and they have enough corporate support to make it work. There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that hockey will return to Winnipeg in the not-too-distant future. It’s a no-brainer. The NHL will return to Winnipeg. Much sooner than people anticipate"

Randy Carlyle (Coach of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks) says... "I think if there's enough will in the community and there's a commitment to doing it I don't think they can stop that city because through thick and thin, they've endured a lot of heartaches and loss of the Jets (1996) and the acquiring of them... They went through the gamut and I think they're quite prepared to do it again if it makes sense. But there has to be a will within the community to get it done."

Terry Jones (Sun Media) says... "Phoenix is one of those sun-belt franchises I can see being contracted in the next few seasons if it doesn't end up making the return trip back north to become the Winnipeg Jets again. Mike Barnett's pre-lockout moves to sign Brett Hull, Mike Ricci and Peter Nedved didn't do it. The Coyotes have already cut ticket prices on nearly 15,000 seats from 11% to 25% depending on location. More than 5,000 of their seats will be available for $15 or less U.S. per game."

David Angus (Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce) says... "Keep up the good work. The return of NHL hockey to this City would be tremendous and it is going to take a community effort to make it happen. Don't let up."

Jacques Demers (Hockey Analyst) says... "If you're spending US$18 million or you're spending US$24 million, it probably doesn't make that much difference because you're competing against US$80 million," he said. "But now if you're spending US$28-30 million, you're competing against US$34-36 million. There's only a couple of teams that will be close to the upper limit."

Blair MacKasey (Hockey Canada) says... "It would be awfully nice to see NHL hockey back in Winnipeg. The support they showed, sellouts for exhibition games, driving through snow storms to get to the (Team Canada) games in Grand Forks was incredible. It makes you wonder what the hell we're doing playing hockey in Carolina and places like that."