Winter is finally ending, but a new whiteout has emerged thanks to the Winnipeg Jets, and it's catching everyone in its path.

Playoff pandemonium has swept Winnipeg up in excitement as the city and beyond watches the Jets in their journey to the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"Sport is a form of consumption, especially for spectators," says Dennis Hiebert, professor of sociology at Providence University College.

This is one reason behind the seemingly sudden wide-spread support coming from all areas of the country, and from the most unlikely of individuals.

"I think what pulls the marginal or the disinterested into becoming wrapped up in the spectacle is just the fact that the size of the spectacle has doubled, tripled, quadrupled," says Hiebert. "I think one of the reasons for that is because... Winnipeg is the sole remaining Canadian team in the NHL playoffs. Winnipeg now represents Canada; Winnipeg has been thrust onto the national stage."

Hiebert noted that despite the fact that Toronto, for example, is much larger than Winnipeg, yet now that they are no longer in the playoffs, all national media has instead turned to the Winnipeg Jets purely because they are the lone Canadian representatives remaining.

Not only has it brought the City of Winnipeg together, but the province is coming around our team.

The City of Selkirk hosted their own Whiteout party on Tuesday night, which was well-attended by local fans who were not able to or didn't want to drive to downtown Winnipeg.

 

Tonight's game against Nashville begins at 8:30, so the street party outside Bell MTS Place will start at 6:30.