The following are excerpts from interviews and emails regarding how Thrashers fans are coping six months after the announcement that the NHL team was sold and would relocate to Winnipeg:
“I love hockey and miss it a lot. My 4-year-old absolutely loves hockey and he is really bummed about the guys moving to Winnipeg. He can’t understand why a team would leave a city. ... I don’t blame the players or Winnipeg. I am happy that they got a team back; I just wish it didn’t come at our expense.” -- Brett Furber
“We’ve since adopted a coping mechanism consisting of describing Winnipeg as a 19th-century town that is just now gaining access to things like indoor plumbing, electricity and automobiles.” -- Krista Golden
“Until current ownership has nothing to do with Philips Arena, I will never be back.” -- Andy Freeman
“I gave up the NHL. ... It’s football season and I’ve moved on. It’s a shame because I was a good fan for a long time.” -- Larry Weinribe
“It pains me in a way to see the [IceForum] rink without the Thrashers' banners [and] logos, and the youth hockey program getting a rebranding, as well.” -- Andrew Stone
“The move of the Thrashers and the way it went down with ownership tanking it, the NHL giving up on Atlanta even though Phoenix clearly had less support for their league-owned team and little effort from [commissioner Gary] Bettman to foster the Thrashers as they had the Coyotes, Predators, Penguins and others, has left me jaded. ... In my house we’re sad, disappointed and somewhat jaded, and the reality is that the NHL will just be replaced by other activities and interests.” -- Jordan Hirschfield
“I feel like an entire aspect of my social and personal life is gone. The winter sport I’ve grown to love, I can barely bring myself to watch on TV anymore. The pasttime I enjoyed exposing my friends to and making new friends at disappeared overnight.” -- Lauren Godinez
“I have adopted the Preds. I attended my first game last month and I’m not used to the defense, great coaching, all this winning, and strong front-office direction!” -- Matt Gerig
“I am sure Atlanta is no longer a complete major league city. Hockey is my favorite sport. I will not abandon it, but for now, I have been robbed of a team in my city.” -- Geoff Paul
“The name Gary Bettman still causes my blood to boil as does the mention of the Atlanta Spirit Group. What’s interesting, though, is that I quickly discovered that as I pulled back from hockey, I began to lose a very strong connection or bond I have with my son. Our shared enjoyment of playing, talking and watching hockey has been such a strong part of our relationship and my abrupt termination of all things NHL created some distance between us. For that reason alone, I have begun to watch NHL Network, listen to Home Ice and follow folks again on Twitter -- just so I can talk to my son about it, and share those highlights.” -- Brian Gedeon
“I’ve tried to latch on to the Predators, but it’s just not the same. Sure, they are a team to learn about to keep up with, but they are not ‘our guys.’ There’s just not that connection with them.” -- Brad Harrison
“I was absolutely devastated when the move became official. I knew it was going to be hard, so much so that I almost dreaded the start of the season, but I think it has been even harder than I expected.” -- Dennis Wells
“I have been a Thrashers fan for many years and a former fan of the NHL for many, as well. I was absolutely devastated when the Thrashers packed their sticks and headed north. It really hit me after I left the ‘rally’ last summer. I will even admit, I shed a few tears on the drive home. It has certainly gotten easier throughout these past few months, but it still hurts. I still feel betrayed by an organization [NHL] that is willing to give up so easily on a team and without remorse for its fans. I certainly miss the Thrashers' atmosphere that was in Phillips Arena, win or lose.” -- Michael Knight
"We’re disappointed that we won’t see our hockey family that we never got to say goodbye to, but I guess the point is life goes on. I will miss watching Burmi grow up and seeing Toby, Buff, Slates, Antropov, Litts, Timmay, Pavs, Bogo and Thor, and I still get choked up every now and then when I hear about them on XM Home Ice. I got real tears when I heard an old call by Dan Kamal. ... But overall it feels empty. We have nothing left that makes us leap to our feet in excitement, and we have lots of friends that we met through hockey that we really hope to keep ties with but it's hard.” -- Brianne Turgeon
