Flames or Jets? who do you want in the playoffs?

[stevrock]

I'm actually wondering.. What makes Edmonton sooo much better than Winnipeg?
Swaggerville was started by the players (Willis, Hefney, Johnson, Suber), not the fans (though they certainly latched onto it).

Honestly, I find that Oilers fans including myself are some of the most insufferable out there at times. At least they're no different than every other fan base.

It was pretty bad up until a few years back. Every year it was, "your team sucks, we have a bunch of high draft picks!" and, "this is our year!".

I still get the odd fan saying that thenoilers have more cups than my team, but i usually shoot that down pretty quickly.

 

[Shredator]

Jets. Only reason I'd want the Flames in there so they 0 chance at winning the lottery.

If they were to just miss the playoffs, then win the Mcdavid sweepstakes... that might be the end of me.

but, otherwise, the Jets.

This is exactly how I feel. I want the flames in the playoffs so they CANT win Mcdavid.

I want the Jets in the playoffs because I like the Jets.

 

[Replacement*]

Huh, that's an interesting take. I've only been to Edmonton once, and I thought it was a really nice-looking city. Definitely more visually appealing than Winnipeg.

But Winnipeg's heyday was in the 1920's, so I have a hard time believing that Winnipeg's decline has influenced how people think in this city, especially among the younger generation. Either way, I certainly don't get the same vibe as you do from Winnipeg's inhabitants (in my entirely unbiased opinion).

I can understand if there's some dislike for the Jets' team though, especially considering how many (older) Winnipeggers hate the Oilers, dating back to the old Jets 1.0 days.

You're correct in stating that Winnipegs heyday was in the 20's but Winnipeg remained a very significant City in Canada, and in the west for long after that. Also, being located in Central Canada was a bureaucratic hub of this country with countless civil servants that could easily have felt that they are in a central and important place in the middle of the biggest nation on Earth. With the intersection of Portage and Main oft considered the 0 mile point to go in any direction. Not to mention that the very history of this nation, the founding of it, the exploration of it, the fur trading of it went through hubs like Winnipeg which could be considered the spine of the nation.

Heres historical population census;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_Canadian_cities_by_census

Winnipeg was still the 4th most populated City in the Nation as recently as 1956-1960 and then relatively speaking went south to obscurity. This being within the lifetimes of a considerable population that is still residing in Winnipeg and that would have instilled some of this imperious Winnipeg mystique into their children. You agreed that an older generation that learned to hate the success of the Oilers, and even Calgary Flames could influence a younger generation. Of course they could too if they equally despised the shifting civic importance of cities in this nation. In that respect, more than any, given its relative decline and forgotten empire Winnipegers could easily despise other cities and be green with envy.

There was a time, and it was even within my lifetime where Winnipeg was considered the quintessential Canadian City for good or bad. From a hockey perspective was even the home of our National hockey squads.

 

[phrenssoa]

You're correct in stating that Winnipegs heyday was in the 20's but Winnipeg remained a very significant City in Canada, and in the west for long after that. Also, being located in Central Canada was a bureaucratic hub of this country with countless civil servants that could easily have felt that they are in a central and important place in the middle of the biggest nation on Earth. With the intersection of Portage and Main oft considered the 0 mile point to go in any direction. Not to mention that the very history of this nation, the founding of it, the exploration of it, the fur trading of it went through hubs like Winnipeg which could be considered the spine of the nation.

Heres historical population census;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_Canadian_cities_by_census

Winnipeg was still the 4th most populated City in the Nation as recently as 1956-1960 and then relatively speaking went south to obscurity. This being within the lifetimes of a considerable population that is still residing in Winnipeg and that would have instilled some of this imperious Winnipeg mystique into their children. You agreed that an older generation that learned to hate the success of the Oilers, and even Calgary Flames could influence a younger generation. Of course they could too if they equally despised the shifting civic importance of cities in this nation. In that respect, more than any, given its relative decline and forgotten empire Winnipegers could easily despise other cities and be green with envy.

There was a time, and it was even within my lifetime where Winnipeg was considered the quintessential Canadian City for good or bad. From a hockey perspective was even the home of our National hockey squads.

I'm impressed with your knowledge of the city. Even most young adults in Winnipeg are oblivious to the history of Winnipeg and the importance it used to carry on a national scale. I just don't think you're correct in assuming that most of us even care about its relative insignificance nowadays.

Beyond that, I don't know one hockey fan under the age of 30 in Winnipeg who actively dislikes the Oilers. From what I understand (as I was not around for the Jets 1.0 days), the Oilers were one of the main obstacles to the Jets' success in the late 80's / early 90's. The Jets often met the Oilers in the playoffs and could never get past them. The Jets were even believed to be Stanley Cup contenders in 1990, but were eliminated by the Oilers in the first round after blowing a 3-1 series lead.

I don't think it's a question of jealousy. From what I can tell, it was just a rivalry more than anything else.

 

[Replacement*]

I'm impressed with your knowledge of the city. Even most young adults in Winnipeg are oblivious to the history of Winnipeg and the importance it used to carry on a national scale. I just don't think you're correct in assuming that most of us even care about its relative insignificance nowadays.

Beyond that, I don't know one hockey fan under the age of 30 in Winnipeg who actively dislikes the Oilers. From what I understand (as I was not around for the Jets 1.0 days), the Oilers were one of the main obstacles to the Jets' success in the late 80's / early 90's. The Jets often met the Oilers in the playoffs and could never get past them. The Jets were even believed to be Stanley Cup contenders in 1990, but were eliminated by the Oilers in the first round after blowing a 3-1 series lead.

I don't think it's a question of jealousy. From what I can tell, it was just a rivalry more than anything else.

Thanks, I love history, and Canadian history and I have a particular bent to the nation that imo was best defined by places and events in Winnipeg and including the Winnipeg riots and Winnipeg General strike. I feel as if the countries best political leanings were built of such stuff and feel more endowed to that than anything that Alberta presently represents (American values).

I also love Train travel, land exploration, driving. Winnipeg is quintessential to any view of Canada in any traditional mode of transport. I think flight has misplaced what our country and world is. People should experience geography and heritage more. Winnipeg is a great example of that.

Furthermore musically such offspring as Neil Young, BTO, and the vibrant 60's culture that along with Yonge Street in Toronto that defined this nations music for decades. Fascinating. Winnipeg was indie, grunge, musical awakening which foretold decades of subsequent music/culture trends. People should be proud of that alone and I still feel that vibe in certain areas of Winnipeg and for instance funky Osborne village.

We'll disagree on young peoples feelings. I think a lot of people in Winnipeg clutched to the modernity and rebirth facilitated by such investments as MTS. People like the modern aspects in it, downtown revitilizing, or of the condo rebirth in older financial districts and loft conversions and so on. People in Winnipeg are embracing nouveau urban as much as anywhere and a central tenet in that is living in modern revitalized, relevant cities. I can only hope that your city will be better in preserving historical heritage which was pretty much erased from the map in Edmonton due to boom decades.

Anyway its somewhat of human nature to want to be part of a vibrant place. Civic pride is really borne of that feeling.

Hell, I'm getting sentimental, maybe I'll dig deep and even cheer for Winnipeg in the playoffs.

 

[Aerchon]

Still can't bring myself to root for any kind of success in Calgary.

I am torn between wanting them to just miss the playoffs and miss out on McDavid

or

Just making the playoffs and getting swept by whoever they face and have no chance at McDavid.

Winnipeg has quietly become a real western conference playoff level team. Big and disciplined. Don't really like them but as Canadian teams go suppose I wouldn't oppose them having success.

 

[rboomercat90]

The Jets were considered Stanley Cup contenders in 1990? Sorry, I don't remember that. Maybe in Winnipeg and possibly Calgary (they gave the Flames fits in those days) but certainly not anywhere else. They did take the Oilers to a fifth game that year but that was more about the turmoil surrounding the Oilers than anything Winnipeg had to offer. The team was still trying to find their way post Gretzky. Fuhr was suspended that year forcing the team to go with Ranford and he was really shaky starting the playoffs. It would have been a huge upset if the Jets had won that series and they wouldn't have been given much of a shot going any further than that. Hardly Stanley Cup contenders back then. I would think this years team gives them the best shot they've ever had. They're a scary bunch now.

 

[phrenssoa]

The Jets were considered Stanley Cup contenders in 1990? Sorry, I don't remember that. Maybe in Winnipeg and possibly Calgary (they gave the Flames fits in those days) but certainly not anywhere else. They did take the Oilers to a fifth game that year but that was more about the turmoil surrounding the Oilers than anything Winnipeg had to offer. The team was still trying to find their way post Gretzky. Fuhr was suspended that year forcing the team to go with Ranford and he was really shaky starting the playoffs. It would have been a huge upset if the Jets had won that series and they wouldn't have been given much of a shot going any further than that. Hardly Stanley Cup contenders back then. I would think this years team gives them the best shot they've ever had. They're a scary bunch now.

Interesting, thanks for the insight. I was born in 1993 so I probably don't know nearly as much about the old Jets as some of you. This is all information that I've gathered from older Jets 1.0 fans, so it was probably bias talking.

Either way, my point stands in that the Oilers were often what stood in the way of the Jets advancing any further than they did in the playoffs.

 

[MoneyGuy]

I'd love for the Flames to lose the last playoff position on a tie breaker.

 

[Playa Hejda]

I'd love for the Flames to lose the last playoff position on a tie breaker.

As nice as that thought is the Flames have 37 regulation wins to the Kings 35, so it seems unlikely. Fun fact: the Oilers have 42 in the last 2 years... which is almost as many as the Rangers have this season.

#VisuallyBetter

 

[Mav3rick07]

The Jets by far.


I have absolutely no beef with the Jets. In fact, I might even cheer for them in the playoffs. When I started watching NHL(1997ish), the Jets were no longer in the league so I haven't witnessed any rivalry between the Oilers and Jets to actually dislike the Jets.

I cheer against the Flames like it's a religion. It's pretty fun and easy when you live in Calgary.

 

[Seedling]

Jets. Tonight's game was awesome.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I don't care as long as they both somehow pass the Pens... which likely isn't happening.