WINNIPEG -- If any of the Winnipeg Jets need a lesson on the city's NHL history, teammate Derek Meech can provide it.

Meech made the club's roster out of training camp as a spare defenseman who's also capable of filling in as a forward. The Winnipeg native signed with the Jets this summer after six seasons in the Detroit Red Wings organization.

Meech does not expect to dress for the Jets in Sunday's season-opening game against the Montreal Canadiens. But he's the only member of the Winnipeg roster who was present for the city's last taste of NHL hockey in April 1996.

Just 12 years old when the original Winnipeg Jets bowed out to the Red Wings on April 28, 1996, Meech has since spent four seasons as a standout defenseman in the Western Hockey League, made his NHL debut with the Red Wings and scored his first goal in the League.

On Saturday morning, Meech recalled taking part in the city's famous white-outs for Jets games at the old Winnipeg Arena. A Dave Ellett poster adorned the wall of his bedroom -- and, like a lot of kids in Manitoba during the 1980s and 1990s, Meech lived and died with the fortunes of the local NHL club.

"I'm a [Jets] fan. I've been a fan for the past 15 years," he said.

Unlike a lot of Winnipeggers, the easy-going Meech did not harbor any dislike of the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, two powerhouse divisional rivals that tormented the Jets and their fans during the 1980s.

"I mostly just loved the Jets," he said.

Meech plans to bring his family's Jets loyalties full circle. Meech's father, brother and step-brother all took in that April 1996 game, and all three will be in the MTS Centre for Sunday's game.

It was a simple question about legendary Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom and whether Mike Babcock feels a little fortunate to coach him.

Babcock's answer gave turned out to be a sort of mission statement that assuming the Red Wings are on the downswing now is probably a mistake.

"When you get to coach an Original Six team and you get to coach the Detroit Red Wings and work for Mr. (Mike) Illitch and get to coach (Steve Yzerman) and Lidstrom and (Brendan Shanahan) and (Chris Chelios) and (Dominik Hasek), Henrik Zetterberg), Pavel Datsyuk … you've got to pinch yourself," he said. "It's a dream come true. We've got great people in this room and we've found a way to be great for long periods of time. We don't plan on letting it stop anytime soon."