Jets happy to be back in Winnipeg

The 11-year-old boy spent many nights during cruel winter months in Winkler, Manitoba, with his ears pressed against the radio or his eyes focused on the television following his beloved Winnipeg Jets.

And then his NHL heroes were gone, off to Phoenix, and the young boy had perhaps his first experience with heartbreak.

"I was really disappointed when the team left," Eric Fehr said. "It was something I grew up watching, and I kind of idolized those guys, so when they left it was a really tough time for me. I didn't follow them to Phoenix."

Fehr was proudly wearing a Winnipeg Jets jersey as he spoke after a morning workout Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center.

"It's a bit of a different logo," the 26-year-old left winger said. "They're trying to establish their own identity, but at the end of the day it's still the Winnipeg Jets, and it's something I dreamed I'd be a part of when I was younger. And now I'm living it."

After 15 years, Winnipeg, a city of about 650,000 that sits on the eastern edge of the Canadian prairies in Manitoba and has an average high temperature in January of 9.1 degrees, is back in the NHL. The reincarnated Jets, formerly the Atlanta Thrashers, made their first appearance in Philly Thursday night against the Flyers. It was the first time since March 16, 1996, that Winnipeg had played here.

"The fans were really disappointed 15 years ago when the team left, and I think they're going to make it their job to make sure they never leave again," Fehr said. "They're really excited, and we're happy to play for them."

It would be an understatement to say the Jets have been welcomed back to Winnipeg with open arms. The hardy folks from a wind-whipped city that will freeze nostrils in a blink have greeted them with open wallets as well. When the club was preparing to sell season-ticket packages, they figured it would take seven to 10 days to reach the goal of 13,000 for an arena - MTS Centre - that seats 15,400. They reached 13,000 in 17 minutes.

"The people in Winnipeg have been in a frenzy ever since they learned the team was coming," coach Claude Noel said.

On the first day of rookie camp for the Jets, 2,000 fans showed up to watch players who wouldn't play for the club this season.

"Our first preseason game, the fans didn't stop cheering for 10 minutes when we took the ice for warm-ups," Fehr said.

Fehr, who is out while recovering from a shoulder injury, thought he'd gone to hockey heaven after he was traded to Winnipeg by Washington. "It's something I never dreamed could happen," he said.

Andrew Ladd, the 25-year-old team captain who has played for Stanley Cup champions in Carolina under Flyers coach Peter Laviolette and Chicago in 2010, said opening night in Winnipeg will always be memorable.

"It was kind of like a playoff game or the Winter Classic," he said. "It had such a bigger feeling to it than most home openers."

While an NHL player in Atlanta could go out on the town without getting so much as a second glance, Ladd said that's not the case in Winnipeg.

"It's a pretty drastic change in terms of recognition," he said. "Now, you go to the grocery store to pick up some food, and you're getting recognized. It's good. It's fun to have that. The support we're getting is unbelievable, and it's going to be a fun place to play."