WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets are exploring a move of their AHL farm team from St. Cheap Archie Manning Jersey . Johns, N.L., to Thunder Bay, Ont., after a deal was announced to build a new $106-million "event centre" in the Lake Superior community. But Mark Chipman, chairman of True North Sports and Entertainment, which owns both the Jets and AHL franchise, suggested Tuesday it wasnt quite yet a done deal yet. "This is a very preliminary step," he said in a video statement on the teams website. "Its something that were going to explore. "Theres a lot of work to be done for it to become a reality." But former Newfoundland premier Danny Williams, president of the St. Johns IceCaps, told radio station VOCM in St. Johns on Tuesday he will be looking for another team to bring to the island. "We will be actively seeking another affiliation and another franchise," he said while suggesting hed like to see the IceCaps remain until 2017 if that could be arranged, two years past the end of the current deal. Williams said it wasnt a surprise but he learned of the latest decision only the night before. The franchise is owned by True North Sports and Entertainment, the parent company of the Winnipeg Jets. "Weve been informed of this process over the last six months as well so it didnt blindside us," Williams said later, adding he was also pleased Chipman was offering to help St. Johns land another farm team, but one attached to an eastern NHL cub. "The difference is now that Winnipeg has moved to the Western Conference," he said of the teams desire to relocate the team. Chipman pointed to travel issues as the reason to consider the move. "Its just simply geography, nothing more than that," he said while stressing its not guaranteed to happen. "It remains to be seen whether this will occur or not. Were hopeful that it will." The team had regular sellouts in St. Johns, alth
