WINNIPEG –The Winnipeg Jets had a .006 per cent chance of making the playoffs going into Thursday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. By the third period that slim chance disappeared.
Three straight seasons, three unsuccessful drives to the playoffs since returning to Winnipeg, another letdown by the team and for its unwavering fans.
Halfway through the season, the Jets were in shambles but that was until there was a coaching change. Paul Maurice came in and changed the culture of the team. The Jets won nine of their next 11 and the playoffs were once again within reach. But after the Olympics the team took a nosedive.
“It was sad. Honestly,” said one young Jets fan waiting outside the MTS Iceplex. “But things happen… there has to be a loser and there has to be a winner.”
Fans knew a rebuild would take three to five years when the Jets returned but losing can wear on even the most the die-hard fans.
“The honeymoon is over let’s be honest,” said Jim Toth, host of 680 CJOB Sports Show. “It was over probably last season when they didn’t get into the playoffs again but I think the fans are die-hard fans.”
It’s now three straight seasons in Winnipeg, seven in a row as a franchise since Atlanta with no playoffs. Despite the disappointment, fans still believe their dedication will one day pay off.
“Just because they’re not doing too well doesn’t mean we’re not going to support them,” said one fan.
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