I was trying to figure out how to put this review together because, more than anything, it felt like a goodbye letter to one of the last vestiges of the Atlanta Era. Bryan Little, who’s been an anchor for the Winnipeg Jets, may have played his last game. The slapshot that took him out of commission after just 7 games continues to negatively impact his health. Little and the team have said they’re waiting for further evaluation before making a decision on the future, but my gut says Bryan will need to step away from hockey. This will be a painful parting, and not at all the way I envisioned it.
Prior to injury, Little was actually having a good start to the year. His prior season was a bit rough around the edges, but he was creating quality offensive opportunities this year. Things were looking up, and then an unfortunate case of friendly fire ended his season early. Had Little managed to play the entire season, he was tracking towards a 45-50 point outing. I’m sure the point totals would have been even better than my slapdash calculations.
Sadly, this feels like the end of Bryan Little’s time in the NHL. The man who was once part of the league’s most underrated top line may need to hang up the skates. We’ll always be grateful for the hard work and quality two-way play Little brought over the years. While he was never the world’s most elite attacker, he was a reliable regular and someone you felt you could count on in a pinch. He embodied Winnipeg’s gritty and industrious spirit, and we’ll miss him greatly. Whatever the future holds, I just hope Little gets healthy soon.
