Winnipeg Jets (1972–96)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Winnipeg Jets are a professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
team based in
Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
. The Jets compete in the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The team is owned by
True North Sports & Entertainment True North Sports and Entertainment Limited (TNSE or TNS&E) is a Canadian company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, that owns and operates Canada Life Centre in downtown Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. The company also o ...
, playing its home games at Canada Life Centre. The franchise was established as the
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL sea ...
on June 25, 1997, and began play in the
1999–2000 NHL season The 1999–2000 NHL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Hockey League. With the addition of the expansion Atlanta Thrashers, 28 teams each played 82 games. This was the first season played in which teams were awarded a point for ...
. True North Sports & Entertainment then bought the team in May 2011, and relocated the Jets to Winnipeg prior to the 2011–12 season, making them the first NHL franchise to relocate since the
Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its 25-year existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1 ...
became the
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
in 1997. The team was renamed the Jets after Winnipeg's original WHA/NHL team, which relocated after the 1995–96 season due to financial issues to become the now-inactive Phoenix (later Arizona) Coyotes.


History


Original Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)

On December 27, 1971, Winnipeg was granted one of the founding franchises in the
World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association () was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972–73 WHA season, 1972 to 1978–79 WHA season, 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (N ...
(WHA). By 1979, many of the WHA's teams had folded, but the Jets were absorbed into the NHL along with the
Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association (1972–1979) an ...
,
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
and
Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its 25-year existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1 ...
as part of the WHA–NHL merger. In 1996, team owner Barry Shenkarow sold the team to American businessmen Steven Gluckstern and Richard Burke. Burke and Gluckstern originally planned to move the team to
Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
(which had lost the North Stars to
Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
in 1993), but eventually reached an agreement with Phoenix businessman
Jerry Colangelo Jerry Colangelo (born November 20, 1939) is an American businessman and sports executive. He formerly owned the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, the A ...
that would see the team move to
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
and become the
Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
. The original Winnipeg Jets played their last game on April 28, 1996.


Atlanta Thrashers (1999–2011)

The city of
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
was awarded an NHL expansion franchise, named the Atlanta Thrashers, on June 25, 1997. It was the second NHL franchise for Atlanta (their first being the
Atlanta Flames The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta from 1972 until 1980. They played home games in the Omni Coliseum and were members of the West and later Patrick divisions of the National Hockey League (NHL). Along with t ...
, established in 1972, who departed for
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
in
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
to become the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
). The Thrashers began play in the 1999–2000 season. In the 12 years in Atlanta, the Thrashers qualified for the
Stanley Cup playoffs The Stanley Cup playoffs () is the annual elimination tournament to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, and the league champion of the National Hockey League (NHL). The four-round, best-of-seven tournament is held after the NHL's regular s ...
once, during the 2006–07 season, and never won a playoff game. Partially due to their lack of playoff success, the team had difficulty drawing fans to attend their games in their final seasons.


Winnipeg Jets (2011–present)

Mounting losses eventually compelled the franchise to file for bankruptcy after the 2008–09 season. The team was taken over by the league before the next season began. As early as October 2009, there were rumours that
True North Sports & Entertainment True North Sports and Entertainment Limited (TNSE or TNS&E) is a Canadian company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, that owns and operates Canada Life Centre in downtown Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. The company also o ...
, the company that owns both Winnipeg's Canada Life Centre (then known as MTS Centre) and the
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL)'s
Manitoba Moose The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre. The fran ...
, had been invited to bid on the city's former franchise. TNSE submitted a series of bids for the Coyotes, which were taken seriously enough that the league drew up a tentative schedule with Winnipeg in place of Phoenix. TNSE were 10 minutes away from getting the Coyotes before the NHL shelved the bid after securing a large subsidy from the Coyotes' municipal government. In contrast to aggressive, public bids by Jim Balsillie (who had unsuccessfully attempted to use bankruptcy laws to skirt NHL rules and move the Coyotes to
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...
), the low-key approach by TNSE and its chairman, Mark Chipman, was praised by
NHL commissioner The National Hockey League commissioner () is the highest-ranking corporate title, executive officer in the National Hockey League (NHL). The position was created in 1993; Gary Bettman was named the first commissioner and remains the only person t ...
Gary Bettman Gary Bruce Bettman (born June 2, 1952) is an American sports executive who serves as the NHL commissioner, commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), a post he has held since February 1, 1993. Previously, Bettman was a senior vice preside ...
and other owners, raising their profile when the question of the Thrashers' relocation came up. On May 20, 2011, the ''
Winnipeg Sun The ''Winnipeg Sun'' is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is owned by The Klein Group circa 2024.Following its acquisition of Sun Media, opinion plus an emphasis on local news stories, and ex ...
'' confirmed that an agreement in principle had been reached for True North to purchase the Thrashers, while Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz announced that he was confident that the Thrashers' relocation to Winnipeg would soon be officially announced. On May 31, 2011, at a press conference at the MTS Centre, Bettman confirmed that the Atlanta Thrashers had been sold to True North and would relocate to Winnipeg for the 2011–12 season, pending the approval of the sale and relocation by the NHL's Board of Governors, which came at their June 21, 2011, meeting. The reported purchase price was $170 million, with $60 million going to the NHL as a relocation fee. After the announcement, True North made preparations to move the Moose franchise to St. John's,
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...
.
Season ticket A season ticket, or season pass, is a ticket that grants privileges over a defined period of time. History The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' has illustrative quotations which show the term ''season ticket'' used in the United States in 18 ...
sales began June 1, 2011, with Manitoba Moose season ticket holders having priority. The team sought to sell 13,000 season tickets in an effort to prove its viability. Within the first three and a half hours, the new franchise sold 1,870 packages to Moose season ticket holders. Season tickets opened to the general public on June 4 and sold out in 17 minutes. Once the "Drive to 13,000" was completed, True North started a season ticket waiting list, which was shut down after 8,000 people signed up in two hours. In July 2011, tickets for the October 9 home opener against the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
were listed for an average price of $1,711 on
StubHub StubHub is an American ticket exchange and resale company. It provides services for buyers and sellers of tickets for sports, concerts, theater, and other live entertainment events. By 2015, it was the world's largest ticket marketplace. While ...
, with an average selling price of $713. True North said the team's name would not be announced until after the successful completion of the season ticket drive at the earliest. The team was not to be named the Thrashers, since True North did not acquire the name in the transaction, and the rights to that name and the Thrashers logo were retained by the ownership group in Atlanta. There was considerable support in Winnipeg to reuse "Winnipeg Jets", the name of the city's original WHA and NHL franchise, though rumours spread that True North preferred "Manitoba Moose". "Whiteout" and "Falcons" were also considered, but the latter was quickly rejected in deference to Atlanta, which has another professional sports team by that name. True North kept their selection secret until the 2011 NHL entry draft in
Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...
, on June 24, when Chipman introduced general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to "make our first pick, on behalf of the Winnipeg Jets." Before the franchise relocation was officially completed, True North bought out the remaining years of general manager Rick Dudley's contract on June 4, 2011. Thrashers President Don Waddell, who had been with the franchise since its inception, had earlier announced he would not be moving with the team. Kevin Cheveldayoff, a former general manager of the
Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena ...
and former assistant general manager of the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
, was hired to replace Dudley four days later. The team also retained Marcel Comeau, the director of amateur scouting. On June 12, 2011, Cheveldayoff had Thrashers head coach Craig Ramsay reinterview for his position, then formally dismissed him as head coach eight days later. Claude Noel, who had been the head coach of the Manitoba Moose, was named head coach four days later; the other finalist for the job had been Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Mike Haviland. Charlie Huddy, Pascal Vincent and Wade Flaherty, formerly of the
Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
and Blackhawks, were named Noel's assistant coaches. The Jets made their formal regular season debut on October 9, 2011, when a sellout crowd at the MTS Centre saw the visiting Montreal Canadiens defeat the Jets 5–1, with Nik Antropov scoring the first-ever Jets goal. The opening ceremonies featured a concert by Winnipeg-based rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive, who performed " You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" with the title sung as "we just got back the Jets". Other highlights on the first Jets schedule included a home-and-home set with the Phoenix Coyotes, Winnipeg's previous NHL franchise (including a December 1 game in Winnipeg, the Coyotes' first regular season appearance in Winnipeg since vacating the city), as well as a December 17 home game against the
Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confere ...
, which was former Jet Teemu Selanne's first playing appearance in Winnipeg since being traded from the Jets in February 1996. During the summer of 2012, the Jets added Perry Pearn to their coaching staff. Larry Simmons was appointed assistant general manager, the same position he had held with the Thrashers. As the Jets inherited the Thrashers' position in the Southeast Division since the 2011–12 season, the NHL and
National Hockey League Players' Association The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA, ) is the trade union, labour union for the group of professional List of NHL players, hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the 32 member clubs in the National Hockey ...
(NHLPA) were prompted to consider realignment of teams. Beginning in 2013–14, the Jets moved to the Western Conference and play in the new-look, seven-team Central Division. The Jets fired Noel and Pearn in January 2014, with the former being replaced by veteran coach Paul Maurice. On April 9, 2015, the Jets clinched their first Stanley Cup playoff appearance since relocating to Winnipeg following a 1–0 shootout loss to the
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
. They clinched the spot after the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
defeated the
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
later in the night. Finishing the season in the second wild-card spot, they played the top-seeded
Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confere ...
in the
first round First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
. In the first playoff series that involved a team from Winnipeg since the 1996 playoffs, the Ducks swept the Jets in four games. The season following their first playoff run was a disappointment, as the Jets finished 25th overall, well out of the playoffs. Management was forced to deal with expiring contracts of two star players, electing to sign Dustin Byfuglien to a five-year extension while trading team captain Andrew Ladd to the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
at the NHL trade deadline. Despite finishing with the sixth-worst record in the league, the Jets managed to win the second overall pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft through the draft lottery, which they used to select Finnish prospect Patrik Laine. Later that summer, the team appointed Blake Wheeler as their new captain.


Playoff years (2017–present)

In the 2017–18 season, the Jets clinched their second playoff spot since relocating from Atlanta, with the help of starting goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck. On March 25, 2018, the Jets beat the
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
5–4 in a shootout, and clinched a spot in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs. On April 11, 2018, the Jets won the first playoff game in the history of the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise when they defeated the
Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
3–2. On April 20, 2018, the Jets won their first playoff series in franchise history (and the first series victory in 31 years for the city) with a 5–0 victory over the Minnesota Wild in game five of the first round series, winning the series 4–1. On May 10, 2018, the Jets made further franchise history by advancing to the Conference finals for the first time, defeating the
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
four games to three; Nashville were the defending holders of the Campbell Bowl Trophy from the previous season and holders of the
Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy () is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e., best overall record) during the regular season. If two teams are tied for the most points, then the Trophy ...
for most points in the league during the
2017–18 NHL season The 2017–18 NHL season was the List of NHL seasons, 101st season of operation (100th season of play) of the National Hockey League. With the addition of a new expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, 31 teams competed in an 82-game regular sea ...
. This would also mark the first time that either iteration of the Winnipeg Jets had advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs. Facing the
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Golden Knights compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division ...
in the conference finals, the Jets defeated the Golden Knights in the first game of the series 4–2. However, the Jets went on to lose the conference finals, with the Golden Knights defeating the Jets in the following four games in the series. In 2019, the Jets clinched the playoffs, but lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion
St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
in six games in the first round. The Jets struggled in the 2019–20 season due to the departure of many high-profile defencemen such as Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers and Dustin Byfuglien, but were still in contention for a wild-card spot when the league shut down due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. The Jets were awarded a playoff spot as part of the expanded format, but injuries to star forwards Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine in the first game of their series against the Calgary Flames in the qualifying round handicapped the team and they were eliminated 3–1 in the best-of-five series. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was also awarded the
Vezina Trophy The Vezina Trophy ( ) is awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the thirty-two List of NHL general managers, NHL general managers vote to dete ...
for being the league's best goaltender. The Jets won their fourth consecutive playoff berth in the 2020–21 season and swept the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
in the first round but were themselves swept in the second round by the Montreal Canadiens. In the 2021–22 season, the Jets finished a disappointing sixth in the Central Division, missing the playoffs. At the start of the 2022–23 season, forward Blake Wheeler was stripped of the team captaincy. The Jets then clinched the 2023 playoffs at the end of the regular season, but were defeated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the first round. Before the start of the 2023–24 season, forward Adam Lowry was appointed team captain. The Jets then clinched the second seed in the Central Division, but lost to the
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
in five games in the first round. In February 2024,
NHL commissioner The National Hockey League commissioner () is the highest-ranking corporate title, executive officer in the National Hockey League (NHL). The position was created in 1993; Gary Bettman was named the first commissioner and remains the only person t ...
Gary Bettman Gary Bruce Bettman (born June 2, 1952) is an American sports executive who serves as the NHL commissioner, commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), a post he has held since February 1, 1993. Previously, Bettman was a senior vice preside ...
stated that the threat of the Jets facing relocation was not a concern and gave a vote of confidence. During the 2024–25 season, the Jets won their first Presidents Trophy and their division championship for most wins (56), most points (116). They would then win against St. Louis Blues in the first round in seven games before eventually losing to Dallas Stars in six games.


Team information


Jerseys

No new logo and colours for the Jets accompanied the team's nickname announcement at the 2011 NHL entry draft (draft pick Mark Scheifele was presented with a generic black and silver NHL jersey and cap), but True North confirmed that they were in the process of conceiving a logo and colour scheme for the Jets, with True North's chairman, Mark Chipman, stating that the previous Jets' blue and red colours would be incorporated. The Jets unveiled their new logos and colours on July 22, 2011, three days before the team had scheduled to release them (this after team merchandise containers were broken into and a crude picture of a Jets' T-shirt made the rounds on the internet). While blue and silver are the main colour palette, the insignias are a dramatic departure from the previous Jets' logos and pay homage to the
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...
(RCAF), particularly Winnipeg's 17 Wing; the primary logo is patterned after the roundels used by the RCAF and includes a silhouette of a McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet. (Red is a secondary part of the colour scheme due to a
maple leaf The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree. It is most widely recognized as the national symbols of Canada, national symbol of Canada. History of use in Canada By the early 1700s, the maple leaf had been adopted as an emblem by ...
, the incorporation of which came with the permission of the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
.) Game uniforms for the new Jets were unveiled in September at 17 Wing; the team did not introduce a third jersey for its inaugural season due to a limited timetable. The Jets kept their existing uniforms when
Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...
took over production of NHL uniforms in 2017. Prior to the 2018–19 season, the Jets introduced their first alternate uniform, featuring aviator blue as the base colour, along with a new "Jets" wordmark, block letters and numbers, and striping inspired from the 1990–96 uniforms of the original Jets. Even though the current Jets are not historically connected with the original franchise now known as the
Arizona Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
, the team continued to pay tribute to its original incarnation on a few occasions. From 2016 to 2019, the Jets wore throwback white uniforms based on the 1973–78 design worn by the original Jets. The uniforms made its debut in the 2016 Heritage Classic and have been used during Jets Hall of Fame induction nights since. A blue version of the throwback uniforms was later unveiled, this time for the 2019 Heritage Classic. For the 2020–21 season, the Jets wore "Reverse Retro" alternate uniforms, recreating the original Jets' 1979–90 uniforms but recoloured to match the current Jets' scheme. In addition, the current Jets' 10th-anniversary logo in 2021 also served as a memorial logo to Dale Hawerchuk, whose no. 10 (in the original Jets' number and colour style) was added in lieu of the team's current logo following his death on August 18, 2020. Starting with the 2021–22 season, the Jets' blue "Heritage" uniforms were promoted to alternate status, replacing the previous aviator blue alternates. In the 2022–23 season, the Jets wore "Reverse Retro" uniforms based on the white uniforms worn by the original Jets from 1990 to 1996, again recoloured to the current Jets' scheme. In the 2023–24 season, the Jets wore special "Heritage" uniforms for three games in collaboration with the RCAF for its centennial anniversary. Nicknamed the "Forty-Eight" in tribute to the Ottawa RCAF Flyers team that won the gold medal for Team Canada in the
1948 Winter Olympics The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games (; ; ; ) and commonly known as St. Moritz 1948 (; ), were a winter multi-sport event held from 30 January to 8 February 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the ...
, the uniform featured a powder blue (nicknamed "RCAF blue") base, red and navy blue stripes, and navy blue numbers. The logo was designed by
Reebok Reebok International Limited ( ) is an American footwear and clothing brand that is a part of Authentic Brands Group. It was established in England in 1958 as a companion company to J.W. Foster and Sons, a sporting goods company which had bee ...
, the NHL and designer Linda Lynch. Reebok's lead uniform and team identity designers, Dominique Fillion and Linda Lynch, have been associated with the identity design.


Mascot

True North announced they had "recalled" their former Moose mascot, Mick E. Moose, from the AHL. Mick E. had spent the past 15 seasons with the Manitoba Moose of the International and American hockey leagues, entertaining fans at Moose games and community events. Slight modifications to the costume were made, including a new vintage leather aviator helmet." Since the start of the 2015–16 season, Mick E. Moose has served as mascot for both the Jets and the Manitoba Moose. A fan favourite, he also averages over 100 community appearances per season in Winnipeg and rural Manitoba. In the 2016 Heritage Classic, the current Jets resurrected their mascot from its original incarnation, Benny, and has since served as the team's secondary mascot.


Traditions


National anthem

Beginning in 2011, during the singing of "
O Canada "O Canada" () is the national anthem of Canada. The song was originally commissioned by Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Théodore Robitaille for the 1880 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day ceremony; Calixa Lavallée composed the music, after which French- ...
", fans commonly shout the words "True North!" (in the line "The True North strong and free") to recognize
True North Sports & Entertainment True North Sports and Entertainment Limited (TNSE or TNS&E) is a Canadian company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, that owns and operates Canada Life Centre in downtown Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. The company also o ...
. Jennifer Hanson was the Jets' regular national anthem singer for the final seven seasons of the original franchise, and performed again during the 2016 Heritage Classic Alumni Game. Stacey Nattrass (who has been uniquely known as Your Winnipeg Jets' Own) has performed the anthems at the majority of home games since 2011.


Winnipeg Whiteout

The Winnipeg Whiteout is a hockey tradition that dates back to 1987 when fans of the original Jets franchise were asked to wear white clothing at the home playoff games. It was created as a response to the "C of Red" created by fans of the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
, whom the Jets were facing in the first round of the 1987 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Jets eliminated the Flames in six games, and fans wore white for every home playoff game thereafter. Fans of the former Jets AHL affiliate, the St. John's IceCaps, also continued this tradition, as did fans of the continuing franchise in Glendale, the
Arizona Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
. It was referred to as the "Ice Cap's Whiteout" and "Coyotes Whiteout," respectively by IceCaps and Coyotes fans. The Whiteout was also used during the Canada vs Russia Gold medal game, at the 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, hosted by the city of Winnipeg. During the
2009 Calder Cup playoffs The 2009 Calder Cup playoffs of the American Hockey League (AHL) began on April 15, 2009.2009 Calder Cu ...
between the
Manitoba Moose The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre. The fran ...
and the
Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears are a professional ice hockey team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The Bears have played in the American Hockey League (AHL) since the 1938–39 season, making it the longest continuously operating member club of the league still ...
, fans were asked to wear white for game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals. The Winnipeg Jets resurrected this tradition when they qualified for the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs.


Season-by-season record

''For the full season-by-season history, see List of Winnipeg Jets seasons'' ''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''


Players and personnel


Current roster


Team captains

''Note: This list does not include captains from the
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL sea ...
.'' * Andrew Ladd, 2011–2016 * Blake Wheeler, 2016–2022 * Adam Lowry, 2023–present


Retired numbers

The previous Winnipeg Jets organization retired the jersey numbers of two players, while their successors, the
Arizona Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
, honoured the numbers of players who played for the former Jets. No numbers have been officially retired by the current franchise to date, although several members of the original franchise are honoured by the current Winnipeg Jets organization as part of its Hall of Fame (see below). The number 99 is retired league-wide in honour of
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
; this was done by the NHL at the 2000 NHL All-Star Game. Retired/honoured by the original Winnipeg Jets/Arizona Coyotes * #9
Bobby Hull Robert Marvin Hull (January 3, 1939 – January 30, 2023) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His blond hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot t ...
: Upon relocation of the team from Atlanta in 2011,
Evander Kane Evander Frank Kane (born August 2, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, and San ...
received permission from Hull to wear this number and did so until traded to the
Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...
in February 2015. Andrew Copp wore this number from 2015 to 2022. Currently, the number is worn by Alex Iafallo since 2023. * #10 Dale Hawerchuk: Bryan Little switched from number 10 to number 18 during the franchise relocation in 2011, out of respect for Hawerchuk. The current organization incorporated the number into its commemorative logo for the 2020–21 season which simultaneously celebrated the team's tenth season in Winnipeg and honored Hawerchuk, who died of cancer in August 2020. * #25 Thomas Steen: This number was worn briefly by Zach Redmond and Brett MacLean. It was last worn by
Paul Stastny Paul Stastny (; ) (born December 27, 1985) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey center who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, ...
, a close friend of Steen's son,
Alex Alex is a given name. Similar names are Alexander, Alexandra, Alexey or Alexis. People Multiple * Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people * Alex Cook (disambiguation), multiple people * Alex Forsyth (disambiguation), multiple people * Al ...
. Stastny chose the number in part because of Steen. Honoured by the Atlanta Thrashers/current Winnipeg Jets * #11
Rick Rypien Richard Joseph Rypien (May 16, 1984 – August 15, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey Forward (ice hockey), forward who spent parts of six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks from 2005 to 2011. Afte ...
: This number was not issued in honour of former Manitoba Moose player Rypien following the player's death shortly after signing with the Jets organization prior to the 2011–12 season. Nate Thompson was granted special permission to wear the honoured number after signing with the club for the 2020–21 season. The Jets and Moose also wear stickers bearing #11 on their helmets as part of the ''Project11'' initiative in support of mental health awareness. * #37 Dan Snyder: The Atlanta/Winnipeg organization did not issue this number between 2003 and 2016 following the death of Snyder in 2003. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has worn the number since 2016, having received the blessing of the Snyder family.


Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame

The organization created the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame in 2016 to honour the impact and accomplishments of the original Winnipeg Jets, and the history of professional hockey in the city. The inaugural inductees were the "HOT Line" consisting of Anders Hedberg,
Bobby Hull Robert Marvin Hull (January 3, 1939 – January 30, 2023) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His blond hair, skating speed, end-to-end rushes, and ability to shoot t ...
and Ulf Nilsson, who were inducted on October 19, 2016. Dale Hawerchuk was honoured on November 14, 2017. Lars-Erik Sjoberg and Ab McDonald were posthumously inducted on February 26, 2019. Both were captains of the team at key points of the original team's history, with the latter being the first-ever captain for the team and the former being the first captain for the team upon joining the NHL. Randy Carlyle and Thomas Steen were inducted on February 11, 2020, both serving as some of the longest tenured players in original Jets' history. Teemu Selanne and Teppo Numminen were inducted on November 17, 2022.


Head coaches

''Note: This list does not include head coaches from the Atlanta Thrashers.'' * Claude Noel, 2011–2014 * Paul Maurice, 2014–2021 * Dave Lowry, 2021–2022 * Rick Bowness, 2022–2024 * Scott Arniel, 2024–present


Franchise records


Scoring leaders

These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season. * – current Jets player ''Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game''


Single-season leaders

* Most goals in a season:
Ilya Kovalchuk Ilya Valeryevich Kovalchuk (; born 15 April 1983) is a Russian former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), winger. He played for the Atlanta Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, and Washington Capitals in ...
, 52 (2005–06, 2007–08) * Most assists in a season: Blake Wheeler, 71 (2018–19) * Most points in a season: Marian Hossa, 100 (2006–07) * Most penalty minutes in a season: Jeff Odgers, 226 (2000–01) * Most goals in a season, defenceman: Dustin Byfuglien, 20 (2010–11, 2013–14) * Most points in a season, defenceman: Josh Morrissey, 76 (2022–23) * Most goals in a season, rookie: Patrik Laine, 36 (2016–17) * Most assists in a season, rookie: Dany Heatley, 41 (2001–02) * Most points in a season, rookie: Dany Heatley, 67 (2001–02) * Most wins in a season: Connor Hellebuyck, 47 (2024–25) * Most shutouts in a season: Connor Hellebuyck, 8 (2024–25)


Broadcasters

Bell Media Bell Media Inc. (Canadian French, French: ) is a Canadian media conglomerate that is the mass media subsidiary of BCE Inc. (also known as Bell Canada Enterprises, the owner of telecommunications company Bell Canada). Its operations include nati ...
served as the initial media rightsholder for the Jets, under a 10-year deal covering both radio and television. TSN is the regional television broadcaster of the Jets for games not broadcast by
Sportsnet Sportsnet is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language Discretionary service, discretionary sports broadcasting, sports specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media. It was established in 1998 as CTV Sportsnet, a joint venture betw ...
or
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service owned by Amazon. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by ...
; games are televised on TSN3 in Manitoba,
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...
,
Nunavut Nunavut is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' and the Nunavut Land Claims Agr ...
, the
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is a federal Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of Provinces and territorie ...
(shared with the
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
and
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
outside of Manitoba), and parts of
Northwestern Ontario Northwestern Ontario is a secondary region of Northern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. Its western boundary is the ...
(shared with the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
). Initially, Jets games were carried on a dedicated feed of TSN in the team's market, "TSN Jets", which was sold as a subscription-based
pay television Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to Subscription business model, subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichan ...
service separate from the national TSN network. In 2014, with the realignment of TSN into regional feeds, Jets telecasts moved to TSN3 and the separate TSN Jets channel was discontinued. The team renewed its television rights with TSN3 on October 5, 2020. Dan Robertson and Kevin Sawyer serve as the respective play-by-play announcer and colour commentator for Jets broadcasts on TSN3, with John Lu reporting at rinkside. Previously, Dennis Beyak served as the primary play-by-play voice for the Jets until his retirement at the end of the
2021–22 NHL season The 2021–22 NHL season was the 105th season of operation (104th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league expanded to 32 teams with the addition of the Seattle Kraken. The league had an October-to-April regular season sch ...
. Beyak's previous partners include Kevin Sawyer,
Ray Ferraro Raymond Vincent Ferraro (born August 23, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current broadcaster for ESPN/ ABC and select Vancouver Canucks games on CBC Sports/Sportsnet. He played for 18 seasons in the National Hocke ...
, and Shane Hnidy. Hnidy was the team's lead colour commentator from the 2011–12 to 2016–17 seasons and has since moved to AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain to cover the
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Golden Knights compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division ...
in 2017.
Corus Entertainment Corus Entertainment Inc. (often simply known as Corus) is a Canadian mass media and television production company. The company was founded in 1987 as Shaw Radio Ltd. as a subsidiary of Shaw Communications and was spun-off from Shaw in 1999. It h ...
has held the Jets radio rights since the 2020–21 season, as part of a seven-year agreement signed in 2020. CJOB and CJKR-FM ''Power 97'' serve as co-flagships, simulcasting all games on AM and FM radio. Paul Edmonds and Mitchell Clinton (previously Mitch Thomas) serve as on-air play-by-play team. CJOB served as the radio home of their original incarnation from 1972 to 1982, and again from 1992 to 1996. (CJKR-FM solely airs Jets games in the event of scheduling conflicts with
Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division (CFL), West division. They play thei ...
football on CJOB.) CFRW, ''TSN Radio 1290'', served as the flagship radio station of the team from 2011 to 2020, with Edmonds on play-by-play alongside Brian Munz. They were occasionally joined by Beyak, who took over radio play-by-play when TSN was not involved in the television broadcast. Munz also occasionally substituted for Beyak on TSN.


See also

* List of Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets general managers * List of Winnipeg Jets draft picks * List of Winnipeg Jets players * List of Winnipeg Jets award winners


References


External links

* {{Portal bar, Ice hockey, Canada National Hockey League teams 2011 establishments in Manitoba Central Division (NHL) Ice hockey clubs established in 2011 National Hockey League teams based in Canada