Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)
WHA powerhouse that became an NHL franchise before relocating in 1996.
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg that began in the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1972. After the WHA merged with the NHL, the club joined the National Hockey League in 1979. Their home games were played at Winnipeg Arena. The Jets were the WHA's most successful franchise, winning the Avco Cup three times (1976, 1978, and 1979) and appearing in the finals twice more (1973 and 1977). They made the playoffs every WHA season except 1974–75. In the NHL, the team struggled early, going a combined 29–106–25 through the 1979–80 and 1980–81 seasons, partly due to the 1979 expansion draft. From 1981–82 to 1987–88, the Jets made the Stanley Cup playoffs every year, but only finished with a winning record twice (1984–85 and 1986–87), which were also the only times they advanced past the first round while in Winnipeg. Financial troubles hit in the early 1990s due to free agency rule changes, a weakening Canadian dollar, and Winnipeg Arena’s age—over 40 years old—with no luxury suites and many obstructed views. Winnipeg became the NHL’s smallest market after the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995–96. After a failed 1996 plan to replace the arena, owner Barry Shenkarow sold the team to Steven Gluckstern and Richard Burke for $65 million. They eventually reached an agreement with Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo to move the team to Phoenix, Arizona, after a proposed move to Minneapolis–Saint Paul fell through. The Jets played their final home game—and final game overall—on April 28, 1996, a 4–1 playoff loss to the Detroit Red Wings. All records were retained by the relocated franchise, which competed first as the Phoenix Coyotes and later as the Arizona Coyotes. In April 2024, after years of financial instability, the Coyotes suspended operations; their players and hockey operations staff were transferred to the new Utah Mammoth, while the Coyotes’ intellectual property (name, logos, etc.) remained in Phoenix. Fifteen years later, the NHL returned to Winnipeg before the 2011–12 season after the Atlanta Thrashers relocated. The new team was granted permission to use the Winnipeg Jets name and played its first home game on October 9, 2011, at the MTS Centre.
Quick Facts
- Can Eng
- 1
- Team Name
- Winnipeg Jets
- Text Color
- #000000
- Founded
- 1972
- History
- Winnipeg Jets / 1972–1979 (WHA) / 1979–1996 (NHL) / Phoenix Coyotes / 1996–2014 / Arizona Coyotes / 2014–2024
- Arena
- Winnipeg Arena
- City
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Team Colors
- Blue, red, white / #012169 #C8102E #FFFFFF
- Stanley Cups
- 0
- Avco
- 3 (1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79)
- Division Titles
- 3 (1972–73, 1975–76, 1977–78)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Jets were granted a founding WHA franchise on December 27, 1971, with original owner Ben Hatskin. The team's first major signing was Bobby Hull, whose record $1 million signing bonus gave the WHA instant credibility. The Jets were the first North American club to seriously explore Europe as a source of talent, acquiring Swedish stars Anders Hedberg, Ulf Nilsson, and Lars-Erik Sjoberg. The 'Hot Line' of Hull, Hedberg, and Nilsson led the team to Avco Cup victories in 1976, 1978, and 1979. The Jets also defeated the Soviet Union national team 5–3 on January 5, 1978.
Upon entering the NHL in 1979, the Jets were forced to give up three of their top six scorers in the expansion draft and struggled badly, going a combined 29–106–25 over their first two seasons. However, high draft picks yielded Dave Babych and Dale Hawerchuk, and the team made the playoffs every season from 1981–82 to 1987–88. Despite regular-season success, the Jets advanced past the first round only twice, in 1984–85 and 1986–87. Financial difficulties mounted in the early 1990s due to free agency rule changes, a weakening Canadian dollar, and the aging Winnipeg Arena's lack of luxury suites and obstructed views. After a failed arena plan in 1996, owner Barry Shenkarow sold the team, and it moved to Phoenix, Arizona.
Reader's Guide
The original Winnipeg Jets hold a unique place in hockey history as the most successful franchise in the World Hockey Association. Their three Avco Cup championships and five finals appearances demonstrated the viability of the WHA as a competitive league. The team's pioneering recruitment of European players—particularly Swedes Anders Hedberg, Ulf Nilsson, and Lars-Erik Sjoberg—changed the way North American teams scouted and integrated international talent. The signing of Bobby Hull gave the WHA legitimacy and accelerated the eventual NHL–WHA merger.
In the NHL, the Jets struggled initially but built a competitive team around Dale Hawerchuk, making the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons. However, the franchise's inability to secure a new arena in Winnipeg, combined with a shrinking market and financial pressures, led to its relocation to Phoenix in 1996. The team's records were retained by the relocated franchise, which operated as the Phoenix Coyotes and later the Arizona Coyotes until suspending operations in April 2024. The NHL returned to Winnipeg in 2011 when the Atlanta Thrashers relocated and were permitted to use the Jets name, continuing the legacy of the original franchise.
Did You Know?
- The Jets were the first North American team to win a championship with a European core, according to The Winnipeg Sun.
- Bobby Hull signed a 10-year contract to play and coach with the Jets, with a record $1 million signing bonus.
- The team's final home game was a 4–1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on April 28, 1996.
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