Portrait of Queen almost ready to reign over Winnipeg Jets fans once again
She's tucked away in a secret location in Winnipeg now, but a local artist and two businessmen are working hard to put the Queen back where she belongs, gazing down at the city's loyal fans.
For 20 years, the five-by-seven-metre painting's home was near the rafters of the old Winnipeg Arena.
After the building was torn down, the portrait languished in a storage facility near Toronto.
She took the odd hockey puck in the mouth, thanks to the hockey players.
Amanda Von Riesen, the artist devoting her skills to the painting, says the Queen is pretty much ready to hear 'Go Jets Go' once again.
"We might have to do a little more touch-ups," she said. "We don't want to touch the painting at all much because it is an original."
Boychuk says the Queen might not make the Jets' first playoff game, but he hopes she will make some of the playoff games.
He says he wouldn't charge a dime to deliver the painting to the owners of the Winnipeg Jets.
"If True North had wanted it, it would be there right now," he said.
CBC's calls to True North Sports and Entertainment were not returned.
Boychuk says if True North isn't interested, he'd like some financial help to recover his costs for buying, moving, fixing and storing the Queen.
He says any business that wants to pitch in would be part of the excitement.
"If it means we need to get it and hoist it up at the right, secure location at Portage and Main, that might be where it happens. Lots of opportunities for business people in Winnipeg to be the first ones to put it up," he said.