Jets fans around the world - introduce yourselves!

[Nuusku]

Another Finn reporting in. I've been following the Winnipeg Lain.. Jets a few years but obviously more closely since the Laine draft. I live in Helsinki and I'll try not to piss anyone off.

 

[Packofwolves]

Jets fan since 1972. Outskirts of Winnipeg
My First Post.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Welcome, @Packofwolves ! Like the username.

 

[MasochisticHamster]

Casual jets fan since 2011, hardcore jets fan since around 2014. First post

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Welcome, @MasochisticHamster !

 

[Packofwolves]

Welcome. Looks like 2 new posters joined today

 

[Afterburner]

 

[SirKlaus]

I've been lurking here since Laine was drafted, as he really got me hooked at 2016 WJC. Probably a very common path for new Finnish fans here. Selanne's rookie year was my first introduction to the Jets, checking the teletext feed religiously in the mornings before school, but the interest faded after the trade. Yeah I am a stargazer like many of the NHL fans outside NA I think are. I specially love pure goal scorers - what ever the sport. There's a point to this fandom though, in most cases - especially if you have played team sport yourself - when you get introduced to the team and learn about its members and dynamics and then the team goal becomes most important while you still maintain some of your fanboy attitude. It can be a thin line to walk on based on the threads I've seen here

 

[Monkey D Luffy]

Hello there Jets fans, I am an unnamed reformed former poster, lifelong Bomber and Jets fan.

 

[larmex99]

Hello there Jets fans, I am an unnamed reformed former poster, lifelong Bomber and Jets fan.

Welcome home!

 

[BoJet]

Hi there!
Another long time lurker from across the pond here. Just old enough to have barely known Jets 1.0 from Sega and Nintendo games (tbh Quebec was my favorite team then because the name sounded funny and the logo looked like an elephant). Later spent some time in Manitoba on a high school exchange.
Have to admit, winter in the prairies was maybe a bit.. traumatizing.. no.. let's just say challenging , but I've grown very fond of you friendly Manitobans out there and to this day I cherish and appreciate the great memories and friendships that have developed, especially after coming back and touring the country several times. Also due to an inherent "far-sickness" every once in a while I'm hit by a bittersweet Canadian nostalgia; most recently last year when I heard of Gord Downies passing.

Anyway, Canada's passion for hockey was something I could always relate to, I think it's only parallelled by how we feel about "soccer" over here. Goes without saying that I was pumped to hear that the Jets were coming back. So.. I'm a big fan of probably the most unsuccessful team in German pro "soccer" history. When the Jets weren't really "storming out of the gate", and having been - let's say sub-par - ever since, I could relate even more. Proud to admit that I have nourished that relationship, now having developed a full grown love/hate-relationship with the Jets - very similar to the one I have with my home team.

So this is just me sharing a moment of appreciation. So great to see how finally some major pieces fall into place. And it's been a long time coming! Looking back to where the Jets were 5 years, or even 2 years ago.. heck, 4 months ago (meaning before that game 3 timeout vs Edmonton), this winter really comes like a breath of fresh air. "Deserve" is too big of a word, but coming from someone who's passionate about his affections and had his own share of letdowns I just find it really satisfying to see the Jets finally finding some success and their fanbase getting "rewarded". And man, just thinking of the word "playoffs" gets me all jittery..

If it seems like I'm jumping on a bandwagon here.. please take my word for it. I'm not.
Not planning on posting too much in the future, just wanted to leave my mark and express my gratitude for the info and insight I find here, the countless hilarious GDTs, the shared "perversion" if you will . It's (almost) always a joy to follow the discussions here, especially when you stay up late and there's not a lot to do because you're on the wrong side of the ocean. But what do you know, turns out I'm not even the only Jets fan in my city! So yeah.. right now life as a Jets fan is bliss, even from afar. It sure looks like we're in for a fun ride! Very much looking forward to the good times ahead!

Cheers and peace ooooot!

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Welcome, BoJet!

 

[tbone1968]

Jets fan since I can remember. Born and raised in Wpg. Saw the WHA Jets and 1.0 lots growing up. Been in San Antonio TX since 1999. Not ashamed to say I shed a tear the day it was announced Winnipeg was getting the Jets back. Saw my first game of 2.0 in the Peg this past December. It was awesome. This team is really rounding into something special. Hope everyone gets back soon and gets ready for a long playoff run. Cheers and Go Jets Go !

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Welcome tbone! Nice backstory.

 

[Guardian17]

Was this thread unpinned from the top by accident?

 

[jetsfanpei]

Jets fan since the relaunch from Prince Edward Island. Flew out last year for the outdoor classic and heading back out next month to catch a few games!

 

[JohnStaymoose]

Jets fan since the first Jets game my dad every took me to at the old barn, think it was against Washington. I was probably like 4 or 5 so my memory is a little fuzzy but from what I can remember I loved it and Hawerchuck was my favorite player and that didn't change until a kid from Finland with the #13 on his back blew my mind with his amazing rookie season. Grew up in South St Vital, went to Dakota Collegiate for high school, played AA and AAA until I turned 17, played a season of Junior B with the Seals and after that season it was Beer League hockey for me. Now I live in Old St Vital with my fiance, 2 cats and a Man Cave that isn't complete yet but is looking really really good. Love you all.

Go Jets Go!

 

[SUX2BU]

Hi
A die-hard Jets fan here!
First of many posts …. look forward to discuss and debate anything Jets-related

 

[Ducky10]

Hi
A die-hard Jets fan here!
First of many posts …. look forward to discuss and debate anything Jets-related

Welcome! Looking forward to the contribution.

 

[one other person]

Hey.

I’ve been lurking here for maybe five years; since I spend a lot of time reading this stuff figured I might as well go for the full-featured experience and join. Seen mostly every game (on tv) since NHL hockey came back to Winnipeg. Will mostly sit in the back and not get in anyone’s way.

Jets are fun! Cheers to everyone here.

 

[kanadalainen]

Jets fan since 1972. Outskirts of Winnipeg
My First Post.

Welcome to the forum!

EDIT - I just noticed how far back this post was, but.... Welcome again.

 

[kanadalainen]

Hey.

I’ve been lurking here for maybe five years; since I spend a lot of time reading this stuff figured I might as well go for the full-featured experience and join. Seen mostly every game (on tv) since NHL hockey came back to Winnipeg. Will mostly sit in the back and not get in anyone’s way.

Jets are fun! Cheers to everyone here.

Welcome to this place!

 

[brock0791]

Winnipeg raised, Toronto resident now. Hope to see Earls full of Jets jerseys here March 31st

 

[FinJetster]

I thought it was about the time for this, so.. Prepare this one's a bit longer...

The year was 2001. I had to be honest, I had lost interest to the team I thought would be ”my NHL team”.
When my countryman Janne Niinimaa joined the Philadelphia Flyers and was paired with the legendary #44, Paul Coffey, behind the even more legendary “Legion of Doom”, I was sold. But all that joy only lasted for that one season, 1996-1997 it was, and by 2001 they were all gone. The last one out being “The next one” Eric Lindros himself after being forced to play by the management even despite having suffered several concussions.
This team just didn’t feel like “mine” anymore, if it ever really had.

At the same time the goalie of my home country’s favorite team, Jokerit had decided that it was time to try to make it in the NHL. And he was doing pretty well also, considering he was playing – let’s be honest – one of the worst teams in the NHL.
But Atlanta Thrashers was a young organization, so it was only natural they weren’t on the top of the greatest hockey league in the world. At first I was saddened and angry. After all, I just loved Pasi Nurminen. He wasn’t the most talented goalie in the league. But he was fierce and he was vocal and he was a fighter. He was just the perfect goalie for the young NHL-team finding its place in the league.

But I wasn’t the kind of a guy, who just changes his favorite team and jumps on the next bandwagon that goes by. I was the kind of guy who stays with the team. But still the Thrashers felt a lot more of my kind of team than the Flyers ever had. They were the total outsiders on the league. The new kids on the block. And on an almost hockey hostile market area. This kind of state of an underdog was compelling to me. Possibly because I was from a small country myself and had used to be in that same situation constantly.

In 2003 Jokerit won the Finnish elite league championship. One of the main reasons behind this was their young (19 at the time) goaltender, Kari Lehtonen. Kari was the total opposite to Pasi Nurminen. He was quite quiet, shy even. But he was also all skill. So much skill he was drafted to NHL 2nd overall that year. Better than any Finn before him. 2nd was also the spot for the Atlanta Thrashers. So Atlanta, that I was already very compelled to, now had the two of my most favorite hockey players in the whole world. Both playing for the same spot. This was it. I had made my choice. And this time around I wouldn’t be changing it.

The following years, the team had their ups and downs. Dan Snyder had passed away, which was followed by Dany Heatley (who was driving the car and causing Snyder’s lethal accident) leaving the team. Also Pasi retired from the NHL already in 2005 because of knee problems, playing his last games in 2004 (2004 – 2005 season in NHL was cancelled due to lock-out). In 2006 – 2007 Thrashers won their division and went with a full steam to the playoffs only to be swept by the Rangers on the first round. In 2010 Thrashers finally did what fans had been wanting for years and changed their GM “the Teflon Don” Waddell (“promoted” to president) to Rick Dudley. Dudley seemed to be turning things around by for example acquiring Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd. Little did we fans know, this was all meaningless as the team was already being sold and relocated.

So when the news finally broke, how did I take it? To be honest, it took me a while. I was the most pissed about the Jets owners showing door to the whole Atlanta-staff and especially Rick Dudley, who had been great for the short period he got to be the GM. In hindsight though, I think Kevin Chevaldayoff was the best replacement possible. But it took me a few months. In which I even thought, should I change my favorite team after all. I had used almost a decade to root for a team, that always was left out of the playoffs. And now I should basically “start over” from the scratch with the Jets anyways. And Minnesota Wild, for example also had couple of very good Finns playing for them (and was about to get another one in Granlund).
But it hadn’t been about where my favorite countrymen play for the longest time anymore. After all, even Lehtonen had been traded to Dallas already in 2010 (after being the fans’ punching bag and the scapegoat for the team’s terrible defense for years). Also it wasn’t about the location either, as that doesn’t matter so much when there’s already an ocean between. And even though Winnipeg was in Canada - the only country in the world more hockey nut than Finland – it was also a small market compared to likes of Toronto or Montreal. So another underdog, so to speak.
Also when Jets played in the NHL for the first time, before their relocation, there also was this Finnish dude playing. Had just won the championship for my Jokerit before coming over. So I followed the Jets a bit already back then and thought the other fans also would probably be at least ok with us Finns.

Epilogue: So after all these years. About 16 of them, if I count the Atlanta ones. With just two playoffs appearances and two sweeps a.k.a. no wins. I’ve seen almost all of these players’ whole NHL careers. Also now having again the Finnish 2nd overall draftee and another great Finn in the line-up. With the third one in the Moose and fourth one up and coming. And all this after all those, well, other ones Finns (Salmela, Miettinen, OJ etc.).

This spring – finally - feels especially good.

Ps. And yeah: Fin = my home country, Jets = obvious, (t)er = a small homage to Thrashers. Also, my profile name on several other places is ED and the "Ed Winchester" -"skit" from the Fast Show (Brittish comedy show from the 90's) is one of my all time favorites.

 

[larmex99]

I thought it was about the time for this, so.. Prepare this one's a bit longer...

The year was 2001. I had to be honest, I had lost interest to the team I thought would be ”my NHL team”.
When my countryman Janne Niinimaa joined the Philadelphia Flyers and was paired with the legendary #44, Paul Coffey, behind the even more legendary “Legion of Doom”, I was sold. But all that joy only lasted for that one season, 1996-1997 it was, and by 2001 they were all gone. The last one out being “The next one” Eric Lindros himself after being forced to play by the management even despite having suffered several concussions.
This team just didn’t feel like “mine” anymore, if it ever really had.

At the same time the goalie of my home country’s favorite team, Jokerit had decided that it was time to try to make it in the NHL. And he was doing pretty well also, considering he was playing – let’s be honest – one of the worst teams in the NHL.
But Atlanta Thrashers was a young organization, so it was only natural they weren’t on the top of the greatest hockey league in the world. At first I was saddened and angry. After all, I just loved Pasi Nurminen. He wasn’t the most talented goalie in the league. But he was fierce and he was vocal and he was a fighter. He was just the perfect goalie for the young NHL-team finding its place in the league.

But I wasn’t the kind of a guy, who just changes his favorite team and jumps on the next bandwagon that goes by. I was the kind of guy who stays with the team. But still the Thrashers felt a lot more of my kind of team than the Flyers ever had. They were the total outsiders on the league. The new kids on the block. And on an almost hockey hostile market area. This kind of state of an underdog was compelling to me. Possibly because I was from a small country myself and had used to be in that same situation constantly.

In 2003 Jokerit won the Finnish elite league championship. One of the main reasons behind this was their young (19 at the time) goaltender, Kari Lehtonen. Kari was the total opposite to Pasi Nurminen. He was quite quiet, shy even. But he was also all skill. So much skill he was drafted to NHL 2nd overall that year. Better than any Finn before him. 2nd was also the spot for the Atlanta Thrashers. So Atlanta, that I was already very compelled to, now had the two of my most favorite hockey players in the whole world. Both playing for the same spot. This was it. I had made my choice. And this time around I wouldn’t be changing it.

The following years, the team had their ups and downs. Dan Snyder had passed away, which was followed by Dany Heatley (who was driving the car and causing Snyder’s lethal accident) leaving the team. Also Pasi retired from the NHL already in 2005 because of knee problems, playing his last games in 2004 (2004 – 2005 season in NHL was cancelled due to lock-out). In 2006 – 2007 Thrashers won their division and went with a full steam to the playoffs only to be swept by the Rangers on the first round. In 2010 Thrashers finally did what fans had been wanting for years and changed their GM “the Teflon Don” Waddell (“promoted” to president) to Rick Dudley. Dudley seemed to be turning things around by for example acquiring Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd. Little did we fans know, this was all meaningless as the team was already being sold and relocated.

So when the news finally broke, how did I take it? To be honest, it took me a while. I was the most pissed about the Jets owners showing door to the whole Atlanta-staff and especially Rick Dudley, who had been great for the short period he got to be the GM. In hindsight though, I think Kevin Chevaldayoff was the best replacement possible. But it took me a few months. In which I even thought, should I change my favorite team after all. I had used almost a decade to root for a team, that always was left out of the playoffs. And now I should basically “start over” from the scratch with the Jets anyways. And Minnesota Wild, for example also had couple of very good Finns playing for them (and was about to get another one in Granlund).
But it hadn’t been about where my favorite countrymen play for the longest time anymore. After all, even Lehtonen had been traded to Dallas already in 2010 (after being the fans’ punching bag and the scapegoat for the team’s terrible defense for years). Also it wasn’t about the location either, as that doesn’t matter so much when there’s already an ocean between. And even though Winnipeg was in Canada - the only country in the world more hockey nut than Finland – it was also a small market compared to likes of Toronto or Montreal. So another underdog, so to speak.
Also when Jets played in the NHL for the first time, before their relocation, there also was this Finnish dude playing. Had just won the championship for my Jokerit before coming over. So I followed the Jets a bit already back then and thought the other fans also would probably be at least ok with us Finns.

Epilogue: So after all these years. About 16 of them, if I count the Atlanta ones. With just two playoffs appearances and two sweeps a.k.a. no wins. I’ve seen almost all of these players’ whole NHL careers. Also now having again the Finnish 2nd overall draftee and another great Finn in the line-up. With the third one in the Moose and fourth one up and coming. And all this after all those, well, other ones Finns (Salmela, Miettinen, OJ etc.).

This spring – finally - feels especially good.

Ps. And yeah: Fin = my home country, Jets = obvious, (t)er = a small homage to Thrashers. Also, my profile name on several other places is ED and the "Ed Winchester" -"skit" from the Fast Show (Brittish comedy show from the 90's) is one of my all time favorites.

Great story! Many of us have suffered long and through tough times having followed The Jets from the WHA days. This season has made it worthwhile for me. I will be flying to Winnipeg and stay as long as I need to to see their first win in 2.0 history. Got my tickets already!