The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Regardless of what happened after she strolled off the ice, Jennifer Hanson always gave Winnipeg Jets fans their money's worth. The Flin Flon native's harmonious renditions of O Canada are still vividly remembered more than 15 years after the original Jets packed up and moved south. No wonder, then, that as the Manitoba capital prepares to welcome back NHL hockey, many fans are eager to see the silky-voiced songstress return to her former role at centre ice. "They have not asked me as that's not something that comes up until near the start of the season," said Hanson, who was back in Flin Flon for the recent Trout Festival, "but obviously if they do, I would be delighted to sing." Scott Brown, director of corporate communications for the Jets, said no decision has been made as to who will sing the anthems on opening night or beyond. But when those talks get underway, "a person like Miss Hanson would fall into those conversations, I would imagine," he said in a phone interview. 'Special place' Brown agreed that Hanson holds "a special place in Winnipeg hockey heritage." "Now whether or not that translates into a position singing on the first night, or beyond, we would have to have that discussion," he added. "I mean, we as an organization are currently having some discussions about how closely we are going to align ourselves with the history of the old Winnipeg Jets, which are also closely aligned with the Phoenix Coyotes currently. So as an organization, we are still assessing that." Hanson's connection to the original Jets runs deep. For seven years ending with the team's demise in 1996, she often sang the anthems at the now-demolished Winnipeg Arena. During the team's final two years, she picked up the microphone at nearly every game. The passage of time has done little to diminish her standing in the eyes of Jets fans. A YouTube video of her singing at the final home game Ð looking stunning in her trademark red dress Ð has more than 107,000 views. Elsewhere online, two Facebook pages Ð "Jennifer Hanson Should Sing The Anthem At The First Winnipeg NHL Game!" and "Bring Back Jennifer Hanson to Sing the National Anthem for the Jets" Ð have popped up. Hanson's passion for the Jets went beyond a paycheque. She was a total homer, openly rooting for a team that enjoyed only modest success. She even made a memorable appearance at a 1995 rally to save the team, singing a powerful salute to fans gathered at The Forks. Past vs. Future Yet Hanson accepts that while she is a part of the Jets' past, she may not be with them in the future. "They may be looking for a singer who can represent Winnipeg as it is now and not as it was 15 years ago," she said. Even though she now resides in Atlanta Ð the city that is coincidentally losing its NHL team to Winnipeg Ð Hanson is thrilled for the Manitoba capital. "I'm overjoyed for Winnipeg and happy for all the things it will bring the city, and hopefully the province," she said. "Living in a small city that has the NHL and the CFL will be exciting. I hope they embrace that this is a whole new era for the Jets and look to the future for inspiration, and not to the past." But for Jets fans eager to once again see Hanson bring her velvety vocals to centre ice, inspiration from the past is not such a bad thing.
