Top 5 Reasons You Can’t Blame the Atlanta Thrashers for Moving to Winnipeg

June 21, 2011, 10 years ago: The Atlanta Thrashers announce they are moving, becoming the new Winnipeg Jets.

The Thrashers were an expansion team that began play in the 1999-2000 season. In 2006-07, they won the Southeast Division. But they got swept by the New York Rangers in the 1st Round of the Playoffs, and that was the only time in 12 seasons that they made the Playoffs.

The team was sold to True North Sports & Entertainment, which was trying to bring the NHL back to Winnipeg, after the original Jets were moved in 1996, becoming the team now known as the Arizona Coyotes.

This was the 2nd time Atlanta had lost an NHL team. The Atlanta Flames were an expansion team that began play in 1972, and were moved to Calgary in 1980. Now, the city had lost an NHL team again.

How could that have been allowed to happen -- twice?

Top 5 Reasons You Can’t Blame the Atlanta Thrashers for Moving to Winnipeg

5. Winnipeg. Canadian cities love hockey. Maybe Winnipeg hadn't won the Stanley Cup since 1902, with the Winnipeg Victorias; but the old Jets won the the World Hockey Association title in 1976, 1978 and 1979. And Winnipeg teams had won the Memorial Cup, the championship of Canadian junior hockey, in 1921, 1923, 1935, 1937, 1941, 1943, 1946 and 1959. Winnipeg hosted one of the 1972 Canada-USSR "Summit Series" games, despite not having an NHL team.

One of the reasons the old Jets moved was that the Winnipeg Arena, built in 1954, was considered substandard. But a replacement, now named the Canada Life Centre, opened in 2004, with all the amenities. So if an NHL team was going to move, Winnipeg was a fitting place.

4. The Sun Belt. Southern cities shouldn't have hockey.

3. The Atlanta Flames. They were better than the Thrashers, and they failed. They made the Playoffs in 6 of their 8 seasons, and were above .500 in 5 of the 8, but they never developed a big enough fan base. Since the NHL had already failed there once, maybe it was a bad idea to give it a second chance.

2. Money. The Thrashers lost $130 million in their last 6 seasons. Why? Because hardly anybody cared. Because...

1. Atlanta. It's a rotten sports city. Don't tell me Atlanta United have set MLS attendance records: Once they've had, and seen, 3 years of poor play, Georgians won't be caught dead at a professional soccer game.

VERDICT: Not Guilty.