Atlanta Thrashers want to return for 2021 to help Canadian clubs!

As you know there is bad news looming that the National Hockey League may be forced to move its Canadian teams down to the U.S. if it can’t come to agreements with provincial health authorities between now and the planned league start date of Jan 13th, 2021, however one former NHL team is willing to help.

That’s right : the Atlanta Thrashers published an hilarious post on Friday morning, stating they would be happy to welcome the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets in their city for the 2020-21 season. As you know the Atlanta Thrashers were first known as the Atlanta Flames back in 1972, and were sold and relocated to Winnipeg in 2011. 

This would just be epic! 

Other cities are reportedly hoping to reach out to the NHL in order to offer up their buildings as possible destinations for the Canadian teams to play. Insider Bruce Garrioch has reported that he wouldn’t “be surprised if officials from Kansas City, Milwaukee, Austin, Texas and Orlando reached out to the league to offer up their buildings as possible destinations for the Canadian teams to play. The T-Mobile Center in Kansas City can seat 17,000 for hockey and a small percentage of fans have been attending NFL games there.”

Nothing is set in stone of course, but you have to admit this would be quite interesting to see. However, it would remain terrible news for all Canadian clubs to be relocated for the upcoming season. Fans have been hoping to see these teams play in their home cities or, at the very least, in hubs in Canada. While it is well-known that the league would prefer to have its seven Canadian teams play out of their own city and arena for the shortened season and to limit travel within the country, thereby getting around Canadian and American border restrictions, this plan requires the approval of health authorities from five different provinces, something that has been difficult to attain. The COVID-19 situations in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia are vastly different and changing seemingly everyday. This has made it extremely difficult for the league to negotiate its protocols.

Let’s see if we can the “Thrashers” back for this already strange season.