NHL back in Winnipeg

Its official: the Atlanta Thrashers are moving to Winnipeg.

True North Sports and Entertainment hosted the press conference at the MTS centre, the arena where the team will play their games. True North has been in talks with Atlanta Spirit, the owner of the Thrashers, for weeks and has said a formal announcement would be made as soon as the deal was finalized.

Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz was delighted to learn of the news which he says will be excellent for not only the city, but for the entire NHL.

The Thrashers are the second team to leave Atlanta. In 1980 they were unable to hold on to the Flames who they sold to Calgary. Since the Thrashers started playing in 1999 they have only made the playoff once, in 2007, and were swept by the New York Rangers in the first round. This year they ended 25^th in the league with a 34-36-12 record. 

The news is amazing for Winnipeg who lost the attempt to acquire the Coyotes earlier this year after government subsidies kept them in Pheonix. Luckily the Thrashers opportunity came on the heels of the Pheonix disappointment.

A celebration for the announcement is set at The Forks in downtown Winnipeg where they live streamed the announcement.