NHL Heritage Classic

I S S U E # 2 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2016 I T ' S A C A N A D I A N T H I N G , E H ? 3 MAKING MEMORIES W e're going into overtime to celebrate Manitoba's hockey heritage this fall, with five special inserts to kick off the season. As the Winnipeg Jets prepare to write a new chapter in the city's rich hockey history with the Tim Hortons Heritage Classic and alumni game, our second insert recalls highlights from the past, including a chat with Original Jet Norm Beaudin and a salute to our first national champs, the Winnipeg Victorias. Meet us back here as the celebration continues on Oct. 6 & Oct. 20 and Nov. 3. After all, it's a Canadian thing, eh? Winter is Coming... ISSUE #2 OF 5 COUNTDOWN TO THE 2016-17 SEASON T he Winnipeg Jets kick off the regular season Oct. 13, when the team hosts the Carolina Hurricanes at MTS Centre. But there's still plenty of preview action for fans who can't wait to get back to the rink. Tonight at 7 p.m., things get a little Wild when the Jets host Minnesota. Tomorrow at 7 p.m., Winnipeg's Heritage Classic opponents, the Edmonton Oilers, make their first appearance, and on Monday at 7 p.m., the Jets play host to the Ottawa Senators. GOT YOUR TICKET? G o to ticketmaster.ca to buy tickets for Manitoba Moose and Winnipeg Jets games, including the 2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Investors Group Field on Oct. 23, and the Heritage Classic Alumni game on Oct. 22. Visit moosehockey.com for information about special offers and promotions for Manitoba Moose games, and see the Winnipeg Jets website at jets. nhl.com for information about exclusive pre-sale opportunities for JetsMail subscribers and the Winnipeg Jets SeatExchange, which allows fans to buy individual game tickets from season ticket holders. M ark Chipman is part of hockey history in Manitoba. Now the usually reserved co- owner of the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets may downplay accolades that come his way for returning the Jets to the city in 2011, but his passion for hockey runs deep even if he's not a rah-rah guy. He does let some of that love of the game show, especially when it comes to the city hosting the 2016 Tim Hortons Heritage Classic between the Jets and Edmonton Oilers. Standing on a stage at the corner of Portage and Main on Aug. 5, when rosters for the Oct. 22 alumni game were announced, Chipman was excited to see the estimated 2,500 fans and curious passersby. "Of all the events that we could have landed, it was the one that allowed us to just do a real proper and full honouring of the Winnipeg Jets and their history," Chipman told reporters when asked why he bid for the Classic. "And it so involves our fans. So I think that's what it was about. A (NHL) draft would be fun to do some day, but to me this was by far the best way to celebrate the heritage of our hockey. And it's sort of already exceeded my expectations of how it could develop." Born in 1960 in Winnipeg, Chipman was like a lot of other Canadian youngsters, playing hockey and cheering for the Jets from the World Hockey Association days and then the NHL club. He remembers former WHA Jets star Bobby Hull signing his contract at the iconic corner in 1972, and then former captain Dale Hawerchuk doing the same in 1981 for his NHL deal. Noting the "original brilliance" of those events, Chipman said he wanted to wait for the club to do something unique and worthy of another official team announcement at the intersection. Of course, when Chipman's True North Sports & Entertainment, with Canadian billionaire businessman David Thomson, bought the NHL Atlanta Thrashers in May 2011, the news sparked hockey fans to converge at the corner for impromptu celebrations. But seeing Hawerchuk at the spot again as he announced the alumni team that he'll captain next month was also a good day for Chipman. "For me, Dale, he's what catapulted the NHL version of the Winnipeg Jets and he continues to be a great ambassador for our brand and our team," Chipman said, noting Hawerchuk, a centre, coached current Jets centre Mark Scheifele with the Ontario Hockey League's Barrie Colts. The Oilers alumni team will be captained by Wayne Gretzky, and both rosters are filled with household hockey names. Winnipeg's 23-man roster will include the likes of Finnish Flash Teemu Selanne, Eddie Olczyk, Dave Babych, Kris King, Bob Essensa, Teppo Numminen, Morris Lukowich and Thomas Steen. "They all carry so much importance to the history of the team. I could say great things about all of them," Chipman said. The Oilers' star-studded cast also features Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, Dave Semenko, Grant Fehr, Curtis Joseph and even current Jets assistant coach Charlie Huddy. Over the 30 seasons of Edmonton versus Winnipeg hockey history, the Jets are 85-99-8 all-time against the Oilers franchise. Chipman had input into the jerseys being worn for the Oct. 23 Classic regular-season NHL game, a combination of the original one from 1972, with the crest that was worn for the longest time. He once wore hockey jerseys, but the St. Paul's High School grad admitted in one newspaper story that he wasn't a very good player. His father suggested he concentrate on football and it was good advice. Chipman received an athletic scholarship to the University of North Dakota, where he played receiver and was a backup quarterback. He even had a tryout with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1983 and got into an exhibition game, but was cut by then- head coach Cal Murphy. With degrees in economics and law, Chipman moved to Florida to be a criminal prosecutor, but returned to Winnipeg in 1988 to join the family's car dealership business. He renewed his love of the Jets and was one of thousands of fans hit hard by the franchise's move to Phoenix after the 1995 -96 season. But Chipman helped ensure pro hockey would remain in Winnipeg. He was part of a group that purchased the then-International Hockey League Manitoba Moose in '96, joined forces with Thomas to build the MTS Centre that opened in 2004 and then the pair became the co-owners of the Thrashers. After moving the team to Winnipeg, they were astute enough to re-name it the Jets before the 2.0 version hit the ice for the 2011-12 season. And so Jets' history lives on, and will be celebrated in late October. ❚ Mark Chipman at the Heritage Classic press conference at Portage and Main on Aug. 5. The executive chairman of the board of True North Sports & Entertainment and Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club wanted to wait for a truly special occasion to hold an event at the famous intersection. Photo by WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A WINNIPEG Classic CHIPMAN WAITED FOR A SPECIAL JETS MOMENT TO HOLD A PORTAGE & MAIN EVENT By Judy Owen for the Winnipeg Free Press "Of all the events that we could have landed, it was the one that allowed us to just do a real proper and full honouring of the Winnipeg Jets and their history..."

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