Winnipeg Jets facts for kids
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team from Winnipeg, Canada. They play in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Central Division in the Western Conference. True North Sports & Entertainment owns the team, and they play their home games at Canada Life Centre.
The team started as the Atlanta Thrashers on June 25, 1997, and began playing in the 1999–2000 NHL season. True North Sports & Entertainment bought the team in May 2011. They moved the Thrashers to Winnipeg before the 2011–12 season. This made them the first NHL team to move since the Hartford Whalers became the Carolina Hurricanes in 1997. The team was renamed the Jets after Winnipeg's first WHA/NHL team. That original team moved after the 1995–96 season due to money problems and became the Phoenix (later Arizona) Coyotes.
Quick facts for kids Winnipeg Jets |
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| Conference | Western |
| Division | Central |
| Founded | 1999 |
| History | Atlanta Thrashers 1999–2011 Winnipeg Jets 2011–present |
| Home arena | Canada Life Centre |
| City | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
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| Colours | Navy blue, aviator blue, fighter grey, red, white |
| Media | TSN3 680 CJOB CJKR-FM (Power 97) |
| Owner(s) | True North Sports & Entertainment (Mark Chipman, executive chairman & governor) |
| General manager | Kevin Cheveldayoff |
| Head coach | Scott Arniel |
| Captain | Adam Lowry |
| Minor league affiliates | Manitoba Moose (AHL) Norfolk Admirals (ECHL) |
| Stanley Cups | 0 |
| Conference championships | 0 |
| Presidents' Trophies | 1 (2024–25) |
| Division championships | 1 (2024–25) |
Contents
Team History and Journey
The First Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)
Winnipeg got one of the first teams in the World Hockey Association (WHA) on December 27, 1971. By 1979, many WHA teams had closed down. But the Jets joined the NHL along with the Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, and Hartford Whalers. This happened as part of the NHL–WHA merger.
In 1996, the team owner, Barry Shenkarow, sold the team. The new owners first wanted to move the team to Minnesota. Minnesota had lost its team, the Minnesota North Stars, to Dallas in 1993. But they later agreed to move the team to Phoenix. The team became the Phoenix Coyotes. The first Winnipeg Jets played their last game on April 28, 1996.
The Atlanta Thrashers (1999–2011)
The city of Atlanta was given a new NHL team, called the Atlanta Thrashers, on June 25, 1997. This was Atlanta's second NHL team. Their first team, the Atlanta Flames, started in 1972. They moved to Calgary in 1980 and became the Calgary Flames. The Thrashers started playing in the 1999–2000 season.
During their 12 years in Atlanta, the Thrashers only made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs once. This was in the 2006–07 season. They never won a playoff game. Because they didn't win much, fewer fans came to their games in their last few seasons.
The Winnipeg Jets Return (2011–Present)
The Thrashers team started losing a lot of money. They had to declare bankruptcy after the 2008–09 season. The league took over the team before the next season. By October 2009, there were rumors that True North Sports & Entertainment wanted to buy the team. True North owns Winnipeg's Canada Life Centre (then called MTS Centre) and the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Manitoba Moose.
True North tried several times to buy the Coyotes. The NHL even made a practice schedule with Winnipeg instead of Phoenix. True North was very close to getting the Coyotes. But the NHL stopped the deal after the Coyotes got a lot of money from their city government. True North's quiet way of trying to buy the team was praised by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. This helped them when the Thrashers needed to move.
On May 20, 2011, the Winnipeg Sun said that True North had agreed to buy the Thrashers. Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz also said he was sure the move would happen soon. On May 31, 2011, Bettman confirmed the sale at a press conference. The Atlanta Thrashers were sold to True North and would move to Winnipeg for the 2011–12 season. The NHL's Board of Governors approved the sale and move on June 21, 2011. The team was bought for $170 million. $60 million of that went to the NHL as a fee for moving the team. After this, True North prepared to move the Moose team to St. John's.
Season tickets went on sale on June 1, 2011. Manitoba Moose season ticket holders got to buy first. The team wanted to sell 13,000 season tickets to show they could succeed. In just three and a half hours, they sold 1,870 tickets to Moose holders. Season tickets opened to the public on June 4 and sold out in 17 minutes. After selling 13,000 tickets, True North started a waiting list. It closed after 8,000 people signed up in two hours.
True North said the team's name would be announced after the season ticket drive was done. The team would not be called the Thrashers. True North did not buy the rights to that name or logo. There was a lot of support in Winnipeg to use "Winnipeg Jets" again. This was the name of the city's first WHA and NHL team. But some thought True North preferred "Manitoba Moose." "Whiteout" and "Falcons" were also thought about. "Falcons" was quickly rejected because Atlanta has another pro sports team called the Atlanta Falcons. True North kept their choice a secret until the 2011 NHL entry draft on June 24. There, Mark Chipman introduced general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to "make our first pick, on behalf of the Winnipeg Jets."
The Jets played their first regular season game on October 9, 2011. A sold-out crowd at the MTS Centre watched the Montreal Canadiens beat the Jets 5–1. Nik Antropov scored the first-ever Jets goal. The opening ceremony had a concert by Winnipeg rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive. They sang "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" but changed the words to "we just got back the Jets."
In the summer of 2012, the Jets added Perry Pearn to their coaching staff. The Jets took over the Thrashers' spot in the Southeast Division for the 2011–12 season. This led the NHL to think about changing how teams were grouped. Starting in 2013–14, the Jets moved to the Western Conference. They now play in the new, seven-team Central Division.
The Jets fired coach Noel in January 2014. Paul Maurice took over. On April 9, 2015, the Jets made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since moving to Winnipeg. They lost to the Colorado Avalanche in a shootout. They got their playoff spot after the Calgary Flames beat the Los Angeles Kings later that night. The Jets finished in the second wild-card spot. They played the top-seeded Anaheim Ducks in the first round. The Ducks swept the Jets in four games. This was the first playoff series for a Winnipeg team since 1996.
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The season after their first playoff run was not as good. The Jets finished 25th overall and missed the playoffs. They had to deal with contracts ending for two star players. They signed Dustin Byfuglien to a five-year extension. They traded team captain Andrew Ladd to the Chicago Blackhawks. Even though they had one of the worst records, the Jets won the second overall pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft. They used it to pick Finnish player Patrik Laine. Later that summer, Blake Wheeler became the new captain.
Playoff Success and Challenges
In the 2017–18 season, the Jets made the playoffs again. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck helped a lot. On March 25, 2018, the Jets beat the Nashville Predators 5–4 in a shootout to secure their playoff spot. On April 11, 2018, the Jets won their first playoff game ever as the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise. They beat the Minnesota Wild 3–2. On April 20, 2018, the Jets won their first playoff series in team history. They beat the Minnesota Wild 5–0 in game five, winning the series 4–1. This was the city's first series win in 31 years.
On May 10, 2018, the Jets made it to the Conference finals for the first time. They beat the Nashville Predators four games to three. Nashville had won the Presidents' Trophy for most points that season. This was also the first time any Winnipeg Jets team had gone past the second round of the playoffs. The Jets faced the Vegas Golden Knights in the conference finals. They won the first game 4–2. However, the Golden Knights won the next four games and eliminated the Jets.
In 2019, the Jets made the playoffs again. But they lost to the St. Louis Blues in six games in the first round. The Blues went on to win the Stanley Cup that year.
The Jets had a tough 2019–20 season. Many key defensemen like Jacob Trouba and Dustin Byfuglien left. But they were still fighting for a playoff spot when the league stopped playing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Jets got a playoff spot in the expanded format. But injuries to star players Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine in their first game against the Calgary Flames hurt the team. They were eliminated 3–1 in the best-of-five series. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy for being the league's best goaltender.
The Jets made the playoffs for the fourth year in a row in the 2020–21 season. They swept the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. But they were then swept themselves by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round.
In the 2021–22 season, the Jets finished sixth in their division and missed the playoffs. At the start of the 2022–23 season, Blake Wheeler was no longer the team captain. The Jets made the 2023 playoffs but lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the first round. The Golden Knights went on to win the Stanley Cup. Before the 2023–24 season, Adam Lowry became the new team captain. The Jets finished second in the Central Division. They lost to the Colorado Avalanche in five games in the first round.
In February 2024, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said that the Jets were not at risk of moving. He showed confidence in the team staying in Winnipeg.
During the 2024–25 season, the Jets won their first Presidents' Trophy. They also won their division championship with 56 wins and 116 points. They then beat the St. Louis Blues in the first round in seven games. They later lost to the Dallas Stars in six games in the second round.
Team Information
Jerseys and Logos
The Jets did not have a new logo or colors when their name was announced. But True North said they were creating them. Mark Chipman, True North's chairman, said the old Jets' blue and red colors would be used. The Jets showed their new logos and colors on July 22, 2011. This was three days earlier than planned because a picture of a Jets T-shirt leaked online.
Blue and silver are the main colors. The logos are very different from the old Jets' logos. They honor the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), especially Winnipeg's 17 Wing. The main logo looks like the roundels used by the RCAF. It includes a shape of a McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet jet. Red is a small part of the colors because of a maple leaf. The Toronto Maple Leafs team gave permission to use the maple leaf. The new Jets' game uniforms were shown in September. The team did not have a third jersey for their first season because they had limited time.
The Jets kept their uniforms when Adidas started making NHL uniforms in 2017. Before the 2018–19 season, the Jets added their first alternate uniform. It was aviator blue. It had a new "Jets" wordmark, block letters, and stripes like the original Jets' uniforms from 1990–96.
The current Jets team is not directly linked to the original team (now the Arizona Coyotes). But they still honor the original team sometimes. From 2016 to 2019, the Jets wore white throwback uniforms. These were based on the 1973–78 design of the original Jets. They first wore them in the 2016 Heritage Classic. A blue version of these throwback uniforms was later shown for the 2019 Heritage Classic. For the 2020–21 season, the Jets wore "Reverse Retro" alternate uniforms. These looked like the original Jets' 1979–90 uniforms but in the current Jets' colors. The current Jets' 10th-anniversary logo in 2021 also honored Dale Hawerchuk. His number 10 was added to the logo after he passed away in August 2020. Starting in the 2021–22 season, the Jets' blue "Heritage" uniforms became their alternate uniforms. In the 2022–23 season, the Jets wore "Reverse Retro" uniforms. These were based on the white uniforms worn by the original Jets from 1990 to 1996, but in the current Jets' colors.
In the 2023–24 season, the Jets wore special "Heritage" uniforms for three games. This was with the RCAF for its 100th anniversary. These uniforms were called the "Forty-Eight." This honored the Ottawa RCAF Flyers team that won gold for Team Canada in the 1948 Winter Olympics. The uniform was light blue, with red and navy blue stripes, and navy blue numbers.
Team Mascots
True North brought back their old Moose mascot, Mick E. Moose. Mick E. had been with the Manitoba Moose team for 15 seasons. He entertained fans at games and events. His costume was changed a little, with a new vintage leather aviator helmet. Since the 2015–16 season, Mick E. Moose has been the mascot for both the Jets and the Manitoba Moose. He is very popular with fans. He also goes to over 100 community events each season. In the 2016 Heritage Classic, the current Jets brought back their original mascot, Benny. Benny has been the team's second mascot ever since.
Team Traditions
National Anthem
Since 2011, during "O Canada", fans often shout "True North!" This is in the line "The True North strong and free." It recognizes True North Sports & Entertainment. Stacey Nattrass has sung the anthems at most home games since 2011.
Winnipeg Whiteout
The Winnipeg Whiteout is a hockey tradition that started in 1987. Fans of the original Jets team were asked to wear white clothes to home playoff games. This was a response to the "C of Red" made by fans of the Calgary Flames. The Jets were playing the Flames in the first round of the 1987 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Jets beat the Flames in six games. Fans wore white for every home playoff game after that.
Fans of the former Jets AHL team, the St. John's IceCaps, also continued this tradition. So did fans of the team in Glendale, the Arizona Coyotes. It was called the "Ice Cap's Whiteout" and "Coyotes Whiteout." The Whiteout was also used during the Canada vs. Russia Gold medal game. This was at the 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Winnipeg. During the 2009 Calder Cup playoffs, fans were asked to wear white for game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals.
The Winnipeg Jets brought back this tradition when they made the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Season Records
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
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2020–21 | 56 | 30 | 23 | 3 | 63 | 170 | 154 | 3rd, North | Lost in second round, 0–4 (Canadiens) |
| 2021–22 | 82 | 39 | 32 | 11 | 89 | 252 | 257 | 6th, Central | Did not qualify |
| 2022–23 | 82 | 46 | 33 | 3 | 95 | 247 | 225 | 4th, Central | Lost in first round, 1–4 (Golden Knights) |
| 2023–24 | 82 | 52 | 24 | 6 | 110 | 259 | 199 | 2nd, Central | Lost in first round, 1–4 (Avalanche) |
| 2024–25 | 82 | 56 | 22 | 4 | 116 | 277 | 191 | 1st, Central | Lost in second round, 2–4 (Stars) |
Players and Team Staff
Current Roster
Updated December 29, 2022
| # | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 |  |
Mason Appleton  |
C | R | 29 | 2022 | Green Bay, Wisconsin |
| 36 |  |
Morgan Barron | C | L | 26 | 2022 | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| 77 | |
Kyle Capobianco | D | L | 27 | 2022 | Mississauga, Ontario |
| 81 | |
Kyle Connor | LW | L | 28 | 2015 | Clinton Township, Michigan |
| 2 | |
Dylan DeMelo | D | R | 32 | 2020 | London, Ontario |
| 5 | |
Brenden Dillon | D | L | 34 | 2021 | New Westminster, British Columbia |
| 80 | |
Pierre-Luc Dubois | C | L | 27 | 2021 | Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec |
| 27 |  |
Nikolaj Ehlers |
LW | L | 29 | 2014 | Aalborg, Denmark |
| 23 | |
Mikey Eyssimont | LW | L | 28 | 2021 | Littleton, Colorado |
| 89 | |
Sam Gagner | C | R | 35 | 2022 | London, Ontario |
| 19 |  |
David Gustafsson | C | L | 25 | 2018 | Tingsryd, Sweden |
| 12 | |
Jansen Harkins | C | L | 28 | 2015 | Cleveland, Ohio |
| 14 |  |
Ville Heinola | D | L | 24 | 2019 | Honkajoki, Finland |
| 37 | |
Connor Hellebuyck | G | L | 32 | 2012 | Commerce, Michigan |
| 71 | |
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby | LW | L | 27 | 2022 | Stockholm, Sweden |
| 25 | |
Karson Kuhlman | C | R | 29 | 2022 | Esko, Minnesota |
| 17 | |
Adam Lowry (A) | C | L | 32 | 2011 | St. Louis, Missouri |
| 8 | |
Saku Maenalanen |
LW | L | 31 | 2022 | Tornio, Finland |
| 44 | |
Josh Morrissey (A) | D | L | 30 | 2013 | Calgary, Alberta |
| 91 | |
Cole Perfetti | C | L | 23 | 2020 | Whitby, Ontario |
| 4 | |
Neal Pionk | D | R | 29 | 2019 | Omaha, Nebraska |
| 87 |  |
Kristian Reichel | C | R | 27 | 2019 | Most, Czech Republic |
| 33 | |
David Rittich | G | L | 32 | 2022 | Jihlava, Czechoslovakia |
| 54 | |
Dylan Samberg | D | L | 26 | 2017 | Hermantown, Minnesota |
| 55 | |
Mark Scheifele (A) | C | R | 32 | 2011 | Kitchener, Ontario |
| 88 | |
Nate Schmidt |
D | L | 34 | 2021 | St. Cloud, Minnesota |
| 64 | |
Logan Stanley |
D | L | 27 | 2016 | Kitchener, Ontario |
| 28 | |
Kevin Stenlund | C | R | 28 | 2022 | Stockholm, Sweden |
| 26 | |
Blake Wheeler |
RW | R | 38 | 2011 | Robbinsdale, Minnesota |
Team Captains
- Andrew Ladd, 2011–2016
- Blake Wheeler, 2016–2022
- Adam Lowry, 2023–present
Retired Numbers
The first Winnipeg Jets team retired two jersey numbers. Their next team, the Arizona Coyotes, also honored numbers of players from the first Jets. The current Jets team has not officially retired any numbers yet. But they honor members of the original team in their Hall of Fame.
The number 99 is retired across the entire league for Wayne Gretzky. The NHL did this at the 2000 NHL All-Star Game.
Numbers Honored by Original Jets/Coyotes
- #9 Bobby Hull: When the team moved from Atlanta in 2011, Evander Kane got permission from Hull to wear this number. He wore it until he was traded in 2015. Andrew Copp wore this number from 2015 to 2022.
- #10 Dale Hawerchuk: Bryan Little changed from number 10 to 18 in 2011 to show respect for Hawerchuk. The current team used this number in their special logo for the 2020–21 season. This logo celebrated the team's tenth season and honored Hawerchuk, who passed away in August 2020.
- #25 Thomas Steen: This number was worn briefly by Zach Redmond and Brett MacLean. It was last worn by Paul Stastny, a good friend of Steen's son, Alex. Stastny chose the number partly because of Steen.
Numbers Honored by Thrashers/Current Jets
- #11 Rick Rypien: This number was not given out to new players after Rick Rypien passed away. He was a former Manitoba Moose player who had just signed with the Jets in 2011. Nate Thompson was given special permission to wear this number in the 2020–21 season. The Jets and Moose also wear stickers with #11 on their helmets. This is part of Project11, which supports mental health awareness.
- #37 Dan Snyder: The Atlanta/Winnipeg team did not give out this number between 2003 and 2016 after Snyder passed away in 2003. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has worn the number since 2016. He got permission from the Snyder family.
Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame
The team started the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame in 2016. It honors the achievements of the original Winnipeg Jets and the history of hockey in the city. The first players inducted were the "HOT Line": Anders Hedberg, Bobby Hull, and Ulf Nilsson. They were inducted on October 19, 2016. Dale Hawerchuk was honored on November 14, 2017. Lars-Erik Sjoberg and Ab McDonald were inducted after they passed away on February 26, 2019. Both were team captains at important times for the original team. McDonald was the first-ever captain, and Sjoberg was the first captain when the team joined the NHL. Randy Carlyle and Thomas Steen were inducted on February 11, 2020. They were some of the longest-playing members of the original Jets. Teemu Selanne and Teppo Numminen were inducted on November 17, 2022.
Head Coaches
- Claude Noel, 2011–2014
- Paul Maurice, 2014–2021
- Dave Lowry, 2021–2022
- Rick Bowness, 2022–2024
- Scott Arniel, 2024–present
Team Records
Top Scorers in Team History
These are the top ten players with the most points in the team's history. Numbers are updated after each NHL regular season.
- * – current Jets player
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game
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Single-Season Records
- Most goals in a season: Ilya Kovalchuk, 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, defense: Dustin Byfuglien, 20 (2010–11, 2013–14)
- Most points in a season, defense: 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)
Team Broadcasters
Bell Media was the first company to broadcast Jets games. They had a 10-year deal for both radio and TV.
TSN broadcasts Jets games in the region. These are games not shown by Sportsnet or Amazon Prime Video. Games are on TSN3 in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and parts of Northwestern Ontario.
Dan Robertson does the play-by-play for Jets games on TSN3. Kevin Sawyer is the color commentator. John Lu reports from the rink side.
Corus Entertainment has had the radio rights for the Jets since the 2020–21 season. This is part of a seven-year deal. CJOB and CJKR-FM Power 97 broadcast all games on both AM and FM radio. Paul Edmonds and Mitchell Clinton are the on-air play-by-play team.
More About the Jets
- 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
See also
In Spanish: Winnipeg Jets para niños
