McKenzie: Winnipeg "might be the best hockey city in Canada"

Bob McKenzie was on Vancouver’s TSN 1040 on Tuesday morning.

On how much it would mean for a great hockey town like Winnipeg to finally get back into the playoffs:

“Well, you’re right. It might be the best hockey city in Canada. It certainly, in terms of the game experience going to a game – and because the rink is small, it only holds 15,000 – I mean, that place rocks like no other rink in Canada rocks for the Jets. And they’re energized.

“I watched a game... between Winnipeg and Chicago and my goodness, what a good hockey game it was. First 20 minutes was the best period of hockey I’ve seen this year. It was fast and it was physical.

“I think what’s really got the Jets fans excited is also the way they’re playing. Now, outside of this four-game losing streak which obviously has them concerned coming out of the All-Star break, this team plays hard. They really are physical and they’re in your face and aggressive. Paul Maurice has done a really nice job of creating an identity.

“And when big Byfuglien gets rolling back there and starts knocking people all over the ice... Everyone saw the footage during the All-Star weekend of him man-handling the L.A. Kings that game. Drew Doughty. Down. Kopitar. Down. Anybody within 30 feet of him, he was just pounding them to the ground.

“They’re fun to watch and they’re exciting. But I’ll tell you what. With great excitement also comes the possibility for great disappointment. And if they don’t make the playoffs after having been in a playoff spot for the better part of this year? My goodness. The disappointment and the resentment and the anger will be equally as passionate as the excitement I think that they’ve got when they’re going good.”

Source: TSN 1040/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey

Nichols on Hockey

Nichols on Hockey

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Nichols on Hockey

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