Behind The Mic

As another Manitoba Junior Hockey League season begins for the Winkler Flyers the questions heading into this, and any other season for that matter are the same. Do the boys have what is takes this year? How do we get back to the way things were back in the early 90’s? I was still living in the great province of Saskatchewan when the glory days of Flyer hockey were taking place so I don’t know how that feels.

I don’t remember when the scariest players in the league were wearing orange and black uniforms, or when championship trophies were being hoisted at center ice of the Winkler Recreation Complex. But what I do know is that look in the players eyes, the talk out of the coach’s mouths, and the general feeling is that the plan is to get there again this season.

The players on the team this year don’t remember Winkler as a winning franchise. Some of the guys on this year’s Flyers roster were still in diapers when they last won a league championship. I’m sorry for making this first entry sound depressing but those are the facts.

Now every so often the right things happen at the right time to make you think, “Oh man, this could be the year.” The Flyers have a better crop of 20 year olds than they’ve had in years, the young guys are good. The rest of the division is re-building. And right now anyway, all the signs are pointing in the right direction and things are looking good.

In the end, will everything work out according to plan? I hope so.

The fans want it so bad. Every person I talk to tells me how awesome it would be if things were the same as the old days. When the team was great, the arena was full, and Flyer Pride was running through everyone that you met.

Please join me on this adventure this season and remember, we’re all on the same team. Lets all get our hands on that trophy.