Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)
   HOME
*



picture info

Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. They began play in the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1972. The club joined the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1979 after the NHL merged with the WHA. Due to mounting financial troubles, in 1996 the franchise moved to Phoenix, Arizona and became the Phoenix Coyotes (now the Arizona Coyotes). The team played their home games at Winnipeg Arena. Franchise history The WHA years (1972–1979) On December 27, 1971, Winnipeg was granted one of the founding franchises in the WHA. The original owner was Ben Hatskin, a local figure who made his wealth in cardboard shipping containers. The team took their name from the Winnipeg Jets of the Western Canada Hockey League. The Jets' first signing was Norm Beaudin (earning the player the moniker of "the Original Jet"), while the first major signing was Bobby Hull. Hull's acquisition, partially financed by the rest of the WHA's teams, gave the league instant credibi ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  




1972–73 WHA Season
The 1972–73 WHA season was the List of WHA seasons, first season of the World Hockey Association (WHA). Twelve teams played 78 games each. The league was officially incorporated in June of 1971 in sports, 1971 by Gary Davidson and Dennis Murphy (sports entrepreneur), Dennis A. Murphy and promised to ice twelve teams in various markets around Canada and the United States. The league championship trophy, the Avco World Trophy, was donated by AVCO Financial Services Corporation along with $500,000. The New England Whalers won the first Avco World Trophy. 1972 General Player Draft The WHA's inaugural player draft was held in Anaheim, California on February 12 and 13, 1972. All 12 WHA franchises took part in the draft. There were no drafting constraints, and the WHA teams selected players from all levels of play, including established National Hockey League players, minor leaguers, college, junior players, Europeans, and even retired players. The first player selected in the general ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Veli-Pekka Ketola
Veli-Pekka Ketola (born 28 March 1948) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player and coach. Playing career Veli-Pekka Ketola played in the Finnish League, World Hockey Association, and National Hockey League. While Ketola was playing for the Ässät of the Finnish League, he won the league scoring twice in 1971 and 1978 and was a six-time all-star. In 1974, Ketola went to North America to play for the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association. He played just over two and a half seasons, from 1974–75 to 1976–77, for the Jets and he played the last 17 games of the 1976–77 WHA season for the Calgary Cowboys. After those three years in the WHA, he returned to Finland to once again play for the Ässät Pori. Despite being signed by the Vancouver Canucks on 6 March 1979, he didn't play for a North American team again until he played 44 games for the Colorado Rockies of the NHL during the 1981–82 season. Coaching career Veli-Pekka Ketola coached Ässät Pori ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Kent Nilsson
Kent Åke "Kenta" Nilsson (born 31 August 1956) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey centre. He played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Winnipeg Jets, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta and Calgary Flames, Minnesota North Stars and Edmonton Oilers, as well as teams across various European leagues. During his NHL career he was called "Mr. Magic" and "The Magic Man", referring to his exceptional puck skills. Wayne Gretzky commented on Nilsson's skills saying "Skills-wise he might have been the most skilled hockey player I ever saw in my entire career". In 2006, he was featured on '' HCZ'', a Swedish reality show as coach for a hockey team of non-athletes. He is currently working as a European scout for the Florida Panthers. Playing career Nilsson began his career during the season of 1973–74, playing for Djurgårdens IF during his first of four seasons in Sweden. He then came to North America, and played for the Winnipeg Jets of the World ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Willy Lindstrom
Willy or Willie is a masculine, male given name, often a diminutive form of William or Wilhelm, and occasionally a nickname. It may refer to: People Given name or nickname * Willie Aames (born 1960), American actor, television director, and screenwriter * Willie Allen (basketball) (born 1949), American basketball player and director of the Growing Power urban farming program * Willie Allen (racing driver) (born 1980), American racing driver * Willie Anderson (other) * Willie Apiata (born 1972), New Zealand Army soldier, only recipient of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand * Willie (footballer) (born 1993), Brazilian footballer Willie Hortencio Barbosa * Willy Böckl (1893–1975), Austrian world champion figure skater * Willy Bocklant (1941–1985), Belgian road racing cyclist * Willy Bogner, Sr. (1909–1977), German Nordic skier * Willy Bogner, Jr. (born 1942), German fashion designer and alpine skier * Willie Bosket (born 1962), American convicted murderer whose numerou ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Captain (hockey)
In ice hockey, the captain is the player designated by a team as the only person authorized to speak with the game officials regarding rule interpretations when the captain is on the ice. At most levels of play each team must designate one captain and a number of alternate captains (usually two or three) who speak to the officials when the captain is on the bench. Captains wear a "C" on their sweaters, while alternate captains wear an "A". Officially captains have no other responsibility or authority, although they may, depending on the league or individual team, have various informal duties, such as participation in pre-game ceremonies or other events outside the game. As with most team sports that designate captains, the captain is usually a well-respected player and a ''de facto'' team leader. Responsibilities and importance According to International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and National Hockey League (NHL) rules, the only player allowed to speak with referees about rule ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  




Lars-Erik Sjöberg
Lars-Erik "Taxen" Sjöberg (4 May 1944 in Falun, Sweden – 20 October 1987 in Uppsala, Sweden) was a Swedish ice hockey defenceman. He played in Sweden from 1962 to 1974 (Leksands IF 1962–65 and 1967–69, Djurgårdens IF Hockey 1965–67, and Västra Frölunda IF 1969–74), and in North America for the Winnipeg Jets in the WHA and NHL from 1974 to 80. Sjöberg won the Golden Puck as the Swedish player of the Year in 1968–69 and was named best defenceman at the 1974 World Ice Hockey Championships. He was the first non-North American born and raised captain in the NHL, wearing the "C" for the Winnipeg Jets during their first season in the NHL. He was nicknamed "The Professor" and "The Little General" while playing for the Jets. Sjöberg captained the Swedish national team at the 1976 Canada Cup. Sjöberg was working as a scout for the New York Rangers when he died of cancer in 1987. To honour him the Rangers each year gives out the Lars-Erik Sjöberg Award to the best ro ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Defenceman (ice Hockey)
Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the latter a reference to the blue line in ice hockey which represents the boundary of the offensive zone; defencemen generally position themselves along the line to keep the puck in the zone). They were once called cover-point. In regular play, two defencemen complement three forwards and a goaltender on the ice. Exceptions include overtime during the regular season and when a team is shorthanded (i.e. has been assessed a penalty), in which two defencemen are typically joined by only two forwards and a goaltender. In National Hockey League regular season play in overtime, effective with the 2015-16 season, teams (usually) have only three position players and a goaltender on the ice, and may use either two forwards and one defenceman, orrarelytwo defencemen and ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Ulf Nilsson (ice Hockey)
Ulf Gösta Nilsson (born 11 May 1950) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Winnipeg Jets and in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers. Career in North America Part of the first major wave of Europeans to star in North American hockey, he was a major star in the World Hockey Association from 1974 to 1978. He scored at least 114 points in each of his four seasons in the upstart league, finishing third or fourth among overall scorers every time. He led the WHA with 85 assists in 1976–77, and tied Marc Tardif for the lead the next season with 89. Along with countryman Anders Hedberg and established superstar Bobby Hull, he played a starring role as the Jets won Avco Cup titles in 1976 and 1978. In the 1976 playoffs, he scored 26 points in just 13 games and was named WHA Playoff MVP. In the summer of 1978, Nilsson and Hedberg signed with the National Hockey League's New York Rangers for $ ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Anders Hedberg
Anders Hedberg (born 25 February 1951) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who was one of the first European-born players to make an impact in North America. Along with countryman Ulf Nilsson, Hedberg signed a contract to play for the Winnipeg Jets in the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1974, after having represented both Modo Hockey and Djurgårdens IF in his native Sweden. Hedberg subsequently played during seven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers. He was twice voted best junior in Sweden and as such the only one (1969 and 1970) and is a graduate from the Stockholm School of Physical Education (GIH). Playing career Hedberg was an instant sensation in the WHA, recording 100 points in 65 games in his first season, and playing alongside established superstar Bobby Hull. He scored at least 50 goals and 100 points in his other three WHA seasons, peaking with 70 goals and 61 assists in 1976-77 despite only playing 68 games that year. ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


picture info

Bobby Hull
Robert Marvin Hull OC (born January 3, 1939) is a Canadian former ice hockey player who is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His blonde hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot the puck at very high velocity all earned him the name "The Golden Jet". His talents were such that one or two opposing players were often assigned just to shadow him. In his 23 years in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA), Hull played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Winnipeg Jets, and Hartford Whalers. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player twice and the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading point scorer three times, while helping the Black Hawks win the Stanley Cup in 1961. He also led the WHA's Winnipeg Jets to Avco Cup championships in 1976 and 1978. He led the NHL in goals seven times, the second most of any player in history, and led the WHA in goals one additional time while being the WHA's most valuable ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]  


Norm Beaudin
Norman Joseph Andrew Beaudin (born November 28, 1941) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played 25 games in the National Hockey League and 335 in the World Hockey Association, most notably for the Winnipeg Jets. He also played for the Minnesota North Stars and St. Louis Blues. He owned two hockey stores in Florida. Minor leagues After a four-year junior career, principally with the Regina Pats of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, that saw him play for the Memorial Cup in 1961 (with the Pats) and 1962 (with the Edmonton Oil Kings), Beaudin signed with the Montreal Canadiens organization, playing in 1963 with their farm team in Hull-Ottawa. The following year saw him claimed in the waiver draft by the Detroit Red Wings organization, where he spent the next four seasons, mostly with their Pittsburgh Hornets and Memphis Wings farm teams. In 1967, he was claimed by the Blues in the expansion draft, and made his NHL debut in that season, while spending mo ...
[...More Info...]      
[...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]