ST. JOHN’S, Newfoundland and Labrador – Jason Jaffray admits that before this hockey season, he never envisioned himself living in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Having grown up in the western Canadian province of Alberta, Jaffray was not overly familiar with the east coast city of St. John’s. The only information he had ever heard about the city and the province was that the people were extremely friendly and welcoming, with a laid back attitude and a good sense of humour.
After only a month of living in St. John’s, Jaffray is happy to report the people of the city are everything he imagined they would be.
Jason Jaffray of the St. John%27s Ice Caps. Photo by Jeff Parsons/Courtesy St. John%27s IceCaps
“People here have definitely lived up to their reputation. Every place you go into, people are very polite and laid back. Everyone is very welcoming; they always want to know where you’re from and if you like it here,” said Jaffray.
After being named captain of the IceCaps prior to the start of the 2011-12 AHL season, Jaffray instantly became one of the club’s most recognizable players. The fact he has played 36 career NHL games and is a proven AHL point producer also endeared him to fans.
Going to the store or even walking down the street in
St. John’s, Jaffray receives plenty of hand shakes and warm greetings. Fans call him by his first name and are eager to stop and chat with the captain of the city’s professional hockey team.
“It’s normally tough to move to a
new city. You don’t know anything about the area and you usually don’t know any of the people. But from my experience so far in
St. John’s, it’s been absolutely great,” said Jaffray. “The rink is packed every night and the fans are really loud. When we walk around the city, the fans recognize us and come up to talk with us. The city is really excited to have a hockey team again and it shows. You could speak to everybody in the room, and they wouldn’t have a bad thing to say about playing in
St. John’s.”
Friends and family from back home in
Alberta often ask Jaffray how life is treating him on the east coast. He simply recommends they come to
St. John’s and find out for themselves.
“People ask me what type of city this is and it can be hard to explain unless you come here and experience the culture and style of living,” said the 30-year-old left winger. “I’m a guy from
Western Canada, and if I wasn’t playing hockey I might never be out in this part of the country. It’s definitely a good experience and I recommend anybody come out here and check things out.”
One reason Jaffray is grateful for the experience of playing in a hockey-mad market is because he has been in completely different situations in the past. Having suited up for 10 different teams since beginning his pro career in 2002, including stops in the ECHL, AHL and NHL, Jaffray has lived in cities that barely notice their local team.
“I was in a situation in Abbotsford (
British Columbia) where we drew only 2,000-3,000 a game and the draw was really the Vancouver Canucks, not the Abbotsford Heat,” said Jaffray. “But out here, this is what they live for. They live and die for their hockey and it’s great to see. Tickets are hard to come by; we’re even being hit up for tickets when we go into a store sometimes. The fan support has been amazing and as players that’s all we can ask for.”
While Jaffray got off to a slow start offensively this season, he has recently begun putting points on the score sheet on a regular basis. Often playing on a line with fellow veteran pros Jason King and Marco Rosa, Jaffray appears to be finding his groove.
“I knew Jason before I came here, having played with him in
Manitoba. And last year in
Manitoba I had a chance to play on a line with
Rosa in the last half of the year and in the playoffs,” said Jaffray. “We’re clicking a bit, but we’re still learning how to play with one another. But it’s fun to play with two skilled guys who know where to be on the ice.”
Notes: Four players who started the season with the IceCaps have recently been recalled by the Winnipeg Jets. Defensemen Mark Flood, Brett Festerling and Paul Postma, as well as Goalie Peter Mannino have been summoned to
Winnipeg after a string of injuries left the Jets’ roster depleted … The IceCaps have had little trouble selling tickets early in the 11-12 season. Through six home games, the team is averaging 6,288 fans per night, fifth best in the 30-team AHL. The average attendance for AHL games so far this season is 4,748.
Darcy.MacRae@prohockeynews.com
Related
You must be logged in to post a comment.