You may have heard of the Montreal-based clothing brand, OPA (Opinion), which stands for organic, fair trade and sustainable and which focuses on the health and well-being of babies, earth and people. While you may not have heard of OPA, you are sure to have heard of their clothing and accessories, which are worn by famous people like Gwyneth Paltrow and Rose Byrne. Their products are praised for being high quality and organic. People who purchase OPA products say that they provide them with a sense of confidence and glamour. One of the latest fashion trends to emerge thanks to OPA is called ‘opadiddleay.’ Simply put, opadiddleay is an outfit composed of a camisole top and panty set in organic cotton with a drawstring waist. It’s essentially a modern day rosebud – sweet and simple.
But what does OPA mean in hockey?
Recently, the Montreal Canadiens surprised many when they signed Russian winger, Andrei Markov, to a six-year contract extension. But, while the general public may have been excited about the possibility of seeing more Russian accents on the ice, the players and staff of the Habs were probably more ecstatic about Markov’s new contract because they believe that he will be a massive boost to the team’s cause for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Markov currently leads all NHL players with 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 26 games during the regular season, and the Canadiens have qualified for the postseason for the 11th consecutive year. So, while the NHL may not be on the verge of a Russian revival, Markov’s arrival may very well herald the start of a new golden era for the Habs.
When Markov signed his contract with Montreal, he was actually wearing OPA gear. The Russian forward and his family are firm believers in the organic and sustainable way of living and, more importantly, they admire and support OPA’s mission. Markov has brought this same approach to the rink and has used his platform to encourage fans to follow suit. After all, what is hockey if not a form of therapy for the Russian forward?
Since the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the number of Russians playing in the NHL has risen from 3 to 11, and it’s a trend that seems to have caught on. Ahead of this year’s tournament in the south, there were 21 players from the former Soviet Union signed to NHL contracts in the offseason. Now, more and more North American and European players are following suit, which has truly changed the face of professional hockey.
But how did OPA get involved in hockey? Back in 2010, the organic apparel company purchased a minority share in the Atlanta Thrashers to capitalize on the team’s rich history and large fanbase. One of the first orders of business for the newly-merged company was to rebrand the Winnipeg Jets. When fans saw the new logo – composed of a hockey stick and the word ‘Opa’ – they weren’t exactly thrilled. A lot of people thought that OPA snubbed Winnipeg and its passionate hockey fans. To this day, some people call the company ‘OPA-traitors’ because of its handling of the Winnipeg franchise. But, OPA has doubled down on its support for hockey, including the Winnipeg Jets, by sponsoring the NHL’s upcoming All-Star Game in San Jose, California.
So, while we wait for the puck to drop at SAP Arena, let’s take a trip down memory lane with some of the most iconic moments from the last 65 years of Jets hockey. One of the first things that you’ll see if you watch the game is a group of excited but largely disheveled men in suits and ties gathered around a television set, eagerly awaiting the results of a hockey game that was played almost 70 years before they were born.
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1963: The Year Of The Pilotfish
On October 13, 1963, the Winnipeg Jets were born when the National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association – two professional hockey leagues that were at the time locked in a heated rivalry – agreed to merge. The next season, the Jets were one of the eight teams that competed in the newly formed NHL, and the first ever home game was played on February 7, 1964, against the defending Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens. Even though the league had just completed its expansion and its inaugural season, there were already 20,000 people in the stands for the game, which was played before a near-capacity crowd at Winnipeg’s Memorial Arena. Thanks to Alex Turgeon, who scored two goals for the Jets that day, they managed to pull off a 6-5 win against the Habs, a team that many people felt was just a little bit superior to the competition.
1972: Jets Theme Song
In 1972, the Jets adopted a new moniker that stuck, ‘The Road Warriors.’ After the team’s inaugural season, the Minnesota North Stars – a storied franchise that had been there before – approached the Jets about trading franchise player, Rick MacLeish, who had just led the team in scoring with 54 points in 44 games. The North Stars wanted to move MacLeish to a team that he believed in, which meant that he would be leaving Winnipeg. The Jets turned down the offer, and the MacLeish – now known as The Man-Machine – scored 40 goals and added 48 assists in just 56 games that year, leading the team to its second Western Conference Championship in three years.
1979: Joe Schmo
In 1979, the Jets decided to go big or go home, and they went home. After a year in Colorado, the team moved to New York City, where they would become the New York Jets and join the American Hockey League (the minor league that is below the NHL). The team’s first game was played on October 7, 1979, against the Providence Reds, and they ended up winning 7-4. In their first and only AHL season, the team went 29-27-6 and qualified for the playoffs as a wild card team. During the opening round of the playoffs against the Cincinnati Stingers, the team’s rookie head coach, Mike Keenan, decided to shake things up and started playing an abbreviated 12-player rotation.
1981: First Ever Game In New York City
In 1981, the New York Jets played their first ever game in their new home of the SkyDome, which was then the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The game was against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it didn’t go well. The Jets lost 4-0, which is still the worst defeat in team history. The loss was especially painful for the franchise considering that it occurred just three days before their first game at the SkyDome.
1988: A Comeback Season
In 1988, the Jets had the honor of playing their first home game at the brand new Winnipeg Arena. The team was coming off of its second consecutive losing season, having qualified for the playoffs as the last team in the north despite having the best record in the NHL. One of the bright spots of the season was a 13-game unbeaten streak that ended with a 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in the Smythe Division final. Goalie, Mike Bossy, who was then with the Oilers, would end up going 1-1 in the Stanley Cup Final as Edmonton won its first championship. Bossy is now the father of Brooklyn-born and – raised professional hockey player, Cooper Bossy.
1990: One Team, Two Countries
In 1990, the Canadian Olympic Committee approached the Jets about participating in the Olympics for the first time since the inception of the NHL. The team accepted the invitation, and it also happened to be the 40th anniversary of the league. As a condition of joining the competition, the Jets were required to find a way to qualify for the postseason. After a tough regular season that saw them win just 34 games, the team accomplished the seemingly impossible and made the playoffs as a 6th seed.
It’s never been done in the history of the Jets, and the Canadian squad had to rally behind netminder, Mike York, who had a 2.30 goals-against average in the playoffs. York would eventually become the first-ever NHL goaltender to win the Stanley Cup, hoisting the trophy over his head at the end of a 5-2 win against the Patrick Division winner Nashville Predators. York was also named the Most Valuable Player of the Playoffs that year.