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Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)

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Template:Infobox DefunctNHLTeam The Winnipeg Jets were an ice hockey franchise that existed in both the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League from 1972 to 1996. In 1996, the franchise was moved to Phoenix, Arizona, due to financial troubles and became the Phoenix Coyotes.

Franchise history

WHA Winnipeg Jets (1972 - 1979)

File:Winjetslogo3.gif
The original Winnipeg Jets logo when the team joined the old WHA.

In 1972 Winnipeg was granted one of the founding franchises in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The National Hockey League had recently expanded to 16 teams, adding franchises in many hockey-hungry cities (only one in Canada), but also in Atlanta, Oakland and Los Angeles. The WHA brought major professional hockey to Ottawa, Quebec City, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and later Calgary.

The Jets' first signing was Norm Beaudin "the Original Jet" and its first major signing was Bobby Hull, also known as the Golden Jet. The move -- partially financed by the rest of the WHA's teams -- was widely seen as giving legitimacy to the WHA as a serious rival major league.

The Jets were further noteworthy in hockey history for being the first North American club to seriously explore Europe as a source of hockey talent. Winnipeg's fortunes were bolstered by acquisitions such as Swedish forwards Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson, who starred with Hull on the WHA's most famous and successful forward line (nicknamed "the Hot Line"), and defenceman Lars-Erik Sjöberg, who would serve as the team's captain and win accolades as the WHA's best defenceman. Behind these players and other European stars such as Willy Lindstrom, Kent Nilsson, Veli-Pekka Ketola, leavened by players such as Peter Sullivan, Norm Beaudin and goaltender Joe Daley, the Jets were the most successful team in the short-lived WHA. The team won three Avco Cups, including in the league's final season against Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers. The Jets made the finals five of the WHA's seven seasons and were widely considered one of the best teams in hockey, NHL or WHA, of the era.

Another notable accomplishment was the Jets' 5-3 victory over the Soviet National team on January 5, 1978, making the Jets the first club team to ever defeat the Soviet elite squad.[1]

File:Jets Jersey 1972.gif
Logo used on the Jets' jerseys from 1972-73

Career Leaders (WHA)

NHL Winnipeg Jets (1979 - 1996)

File:Winnipegjetslogo80s.gif
Winnipeg's second logo, introduced in 1973 and used when it entered the NHL in 1979 until 1990

By 1979, the vast majority of the WHA's teams had folded, but the Jets were still going strong and they were absorbed into the NHL. In doing so, they had to give up three of their top six scorers--the core of the last WHA champion--and were forced to draft 18th out of 21 teams. With a decimated roster, the Jets finished last in the league in the next two seasons, including a horrendous 9-win season in 1980-81--still the worst in franchise history. This stands in marked contrast to the other 1979 Avco Cup finalist, the Oilers, who became one of the most powerful teams the game has ever seen during the 1980s.

The Jets' first two wretched seasons did net them high draft picks, and in 1981, they drafted future Hall of Fame member Dale Hawerchuk. The team developed into a solid core of players by the mid-1980s, with Hawerchuk, Thomas Steen, Paul MacLean, Dave Babych, Randy Carlyle, Laurie Boschman, Doug Smail and David Ellett giving the Jets a solid nucleus and a chance to compete for a Stanley Cup championship. They played in the same division as the powerful Oilers and Flames (by this time in Calgary), however. Due to the way the playoffs were structured at the time, the Jets were all but assured of having to beat either the Oilers or the Flames (or both) to get to the conference finals. They finished 4th in the league in 1984-85, their best showing. They earned 96 points that season, still their best ever as an NHL team. 1987 was the last time that the Jets won a playoff series, defeating Calgary in the opening round — a drought that has continued to plague the franchise's current incarnation in Phoenix.

As the NHL expanded in the United States, operating costs and salaries grew rapidly and the Jets were unable to retain their best players. Various schemes were devised to save the team through a tremendous grassroots effort and government funds. Loyal fans raised over $13 million CAD through various fund raising events in their bid to keep the team.[citation needed] In the end, their efforts were not enough. The Winnipeg Jets played their last game on April 28, 1996 - a home playoff loss to the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 4-1. The last goal ever scored by a Jet was netted by Norm Maciver. The money that had been raised was later donated to several Winnipeg charities.[citation needed]

During their history, the Jets retired two numbers: #9, Bobby Hull, and #25, Thomas Steen. Both numbers hang in Glendale Arena with the new Phoenix Coyotes franchise. Bobby Hull's #9 jersey had been temporarily "un-retired" with the acquisition of his son Brett by the Phoenix franchise. Brett wore his father's famous jersey until his own retirement on October 152005, subsequent to which the number was re-retired.

A number of former Jets remain active in the NHL; as of the 2006-7 preseason, these included Dallas Drake, Nikolai Khabibulin, Teppo Numminen, Teemu Selänne, Keith Tkachuk, Kris Draper, Chad Kilger and Oleg Tverdovsky. Shane Doan is the last Jet to remain with the Winnipeg-Phoenix franchise.

Possible return to Winnipeg

There is much support within the city to bring NHL hockey back to Winnipeg in order to restore the pride the city had in having an NHL team. The labour dispute of the 2004-05 between the NHL and NHLPA resurrected the hopes that Winnipeg may get another franchise if a team based in the southern United States or another non-traditional hockey region was unable to attract spectators following its resolution[2].

Another possibility for the NHL to return to Winnipeg is that of an expansion team, though the NHL has stated that it has no plans for expansion in the immediate future.

During the 2006-2007 NHL All-Star Game in Dallas, Texas, Gary Bettman noted that Winnipeg could sustain an NHL team. A frenzy erupted in the local and national media and many Winnipeg businessmen expressed that they were pro-actively approaching the idea and were in the process of forming an ownership group.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals scored for, GA = Goals scored against, PIM = Penalty minutes

NHL Era

Season GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoff Record
1979-80 80 20 49 11 51 214 314 1251 5th in Smythe Out of Playoffs
1980-81 80 9 57 14 32 246 400 1191 5th in Smythe Out of Playoffs
1981-82 80 33 33 14 80 319 332 1314 2nd in Norris Lost in Round 1
1982-83 80 33 39 8 74 311 333 1089 4th in Smythe Lost in Round 1
1983-84 80 31 38 11 73 340 374 1579 4th in Smythe Lost in Round 1
1984-85 80 43 27 10 96 358 332 1540 2nd in Smythe lost Division Final (EDM)
1985-86 80 26 47 7 59 295 372 1774 3rd in Smythe lost Division Semifinal (CGY)
1986-87 80 40 32 8 88 279 271 1537 3rd in Smythe lost Division Final (EDM)
1987-88 80 33 36 11 77 292 310 2278 3rd in Smythe Lost Division Semifinal (EDM)
1988-89 80 26 42 12 64 300 355 1843 5th in Smythe Out of Playoffs
1989-90 80 37 32 11 85 298 290 1639 3rd in Smythe Lost Division Semifinal (EDM)
1990-91 80 26 43 11 63 260 288 1675 5th in Smythe Out of Playoffs
1991-92 80 33 32 15 81 251 244 1907 4th in Smythe Lost Division Semifinal (VAN)
1992-93 84 40 37 7 87 322 320 1851 4th in Smythe Lost Division Semifinal (VAN)
1993-94 84 24 51 9 57 245 344 2143 6th in Central Out of Playoffs
1994-951 48 16 25 7 39 157 177 1141 6th in Central Out of Playoffs
1995-96 82 36 40 6 78 275 291 1622 5th in Central Lost Conference Quarterfinal (DET)
Grand Total 1338 506 660 172 1184 4762 5347 27374
1 Season was shortened due to the 1994-95 NHL lockout.

Notable Players

Team Captains (NHL Era)


First round draft picks (NHL Era)

Hall of Famers

Retired numbers

Winnipeg Jets Individual Records

See also

References

  1. ^ Cole, Stephen: "The Canadian Hockey Atlas" Page 232. Doubleday Canada, 2006
  2. ^ "Would new NHL include Winnipeg?", TSN.ca, February 16, 2005, retrieved December 4, 2006, WebCited December 4, 2006
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