Would you raise Wheeler's jersey to the rafters?

[jetsmooseice]

If Scheifele retires a Jet i think his jersey gets retired especially if he keeps putting up numbers and we make a long playoff or 2 in the time he's here.

Yeah that's fair. Part of the reason why I don't see Buff or Wheeler getting the rafter treatment here is because this was just one stop for them along the way. Buff in particular, Winnipeg was just a pit stop. He won his Stanley Cup in Chicago. But with a few more years here and maybe some individual/team success, Scheif could yet qualify.

 

[SensibleGuy]

Most popular player by far. Buff the Entertainer should get raised.

Hey I loved Buff. But I think it could be argued that his bailing basically slammed whatever window we might have had shut. And I don't think his on-ice contribution overall adds up to what Wheeler brought...

 

[Albatros]

Honored number yes, retired no.

 

[KingBogo]

Honored number yes, retired no.

I like this answer. You can honour and hang a jersey without it it being retired. To date IMO the only jersey that should be retired is Hawerchuk's #10.

 

[bustamente]

TNSE to this date has not retired any Winnipeg Jets numbers. The number 10 will never be worn again and one day I expect that they will officially retire the number.

 

[Jetfaninflorida]

I wouldn't. We didn't really win much of anything with Wheeler's time in Winnipeg. We didn't win the cup, but hell, we didn't even come close. We won two playoff rounds in 17-18. Seems like eons ago. Not trying to take away from his accomplishments, it just that frankly there weren't many.

I wouldn't boo the guy either. I am not convinced that he was a great leader in the dressing room. But you can't deny his effort. He never took a shift off and gave it all he had while he was here. He should be applauded for that.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

The Jets can recognize players in the concourse. And yes I’ll be in the building tonight giving him his respect and admiration for what he has done for the community.
View attachment 760362

Good

But winning a cup is still horrible criteria. It isn't Hawerchuk's fault that we could never get past the loaded Oilers. And if we had, there was no guarantee of going on to win a Cup. By your standard we would not have a single jersey hung in our arena. And a very good chance that we never would.

It isn't Wheeler's fault that we couldn't quite do it in '18 or retain our D corps after that. And again, no guarantee that we would have gone on to win a cup otherwise either. I don't believe we had the best roster in the league in '18. That wasn't Wheeler's fault.

If you want to argue that all teams should retire fewer jerseys as a way of recognizing outstanding players that is a different story. Right now that is the league wide standard for honouring players who have played most of their outstanding careers with one team.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Buff No. Sorry. Not a chance afaic.

People are hating on Buff for retiring with a beat up body. The way it went down is 100% on Chevy for resisting Buff's original retirement suggestion.

He did Jets a favour. He left 14+ mil on the table that they didn't need to carry as LTIR or pay any of the actual money or pay any other team to take on.

And don't ignore his part in getting rid of Kane. We should build a statue of him for that alone.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

No. Simply because he didn’t bring a Stanley Cup to Winnipeg (I know we have retired numbers of players who didn’t, but I think it’s bar to be consider so)

Edit: I thought about it more, I guess so.

Edit: I thought about it again, no.

That's it, into the Gorge of Eternal Peril you go.

 

[Albatros]

Right now that is the league wide standard for honouring players who have played most of their outstanding careers with one team.

There are some questionable choices across the league to be sure, but how outstanding is Wheeler's career really, in the context of being among the titans of hockey? In a lot of regards it's quite good, quite fine, but put together it still doesn't create an exceptional story arc really worth remembering. Someone like Selänne played less than a third of Wheeler's amount of games in Winnipeg, but the story thus created is more compelling.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Hey I loved Buff. But I think it could be argued that his bailing basically slammed whatever window we might have had shut. And I don't think his on-ice contribution overall adds up to what Wheeler brought...

The man retired at a typical retirement age for hockey players. His body was getting beat up, as evidenced by the injury he came up with in the off-season. He made a choice for health the rest of his life. It might be different if he was just getting out of his contract to go someplace else. But he didn't do that.

Honored number yes, retired no.

What is the mechanism for honouring numbers without retiring them?

I like this answer. You can honour and hang a jersey without it it being retired. To date IMO the only jersey that should be retired is Hawerchuk's #10.

Is that a thing?

I would agree if it is. The teams will all have to go to 3 digit numbers eventually otherwise.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I wouldn't. We didn't really win much of anything with Wheeler's time in Winnipeg. We didn't win the cup, but hell, we didn't even come close. We won two playoff rounds in 17-18. Seems like eons ago. Not trying to take away from his accomplishments, it just that frankly there weren't many.

I wouldn't boo the guy either. I am not convinced that he was a great leader in the dressing room. But you can't deny his effort. He never took a shift off and gave it all he had while he was here. He should be applauded for that.

2018 was eons ago - in NHL years.

I don't believe in judging a players career based on team accomplishments. The GM has far more influence on that than any 1 player.

 

[Albatros]

What is the mechanism for honouring numbers without retiring them?

Is that a thing?

I would agree if it is. The teams will all have to go to 3 digit numbers eventually otherwise.

The Jets have ten honored number players at the moment, including Carlyle, Hawerchuk, Hedberg, Hull, McDonald, Nilsson, Numminen, Selänne, Sjöberg, and Steen. I think Wheeler would fit just fine in there as the 11th.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

There are some questionable choices across the league to be sure, but how outstanding is Wheeler's career really, in the context of being among the titans of hockey? In a lot of regards it's quite good, quite fine, but put together it still doesn't create an exceptional story arc really worth remembering. Someone like Selänne played less than a third of Wheeler's amount of games in Winnipeg, but the story thus created is more compelling.

We aren't talking HHOF here. Just the Jets. Or does a player need to make the HHOF to have his jersey hung from the rafters?

 

[SensibleGuy]

The man retired at a typical retirement age for hockey players. His body was getting beat up, as evidenced by the injury he came up with in the off-season. He made a choice for health the rest of his life. It might be different if he was just getting out of his contract to go someplace else. But he didn't do that.

Maybe so, but there had been no talk of retirement prior to that and if he was feeling that way he maybe could have given some sort of warning (I don't really recall any original retirement suggestion...when did that come about?). He came into camp presumably intending to be a player and then all of a sudden he's done. He really left the team in a pretty tough situation. Now I'm not saying he should be derided for that - I mean if he's done he's done. I just don't think he did enough to warrant the special honour so to speak. Especially if we're debating Wheeler's deserving that same honour...(although he does get extra points for having been instrumental in getting Kane booted.)

 

[SUX2BU]

Retire his number

 

[Bob E]

Number honoured, yes, but retired, no.

Retiring a number is an honour that should be given to players that have had a HOF career predominantly with that franchise, imo. Only Hawerchuk seems to fit that criteria for me. I would retire #10. You can pay tribute to Wheeler’s time in Winnipeg with an honoured number banner, same as Teppo and Teemu.

If Hellebuyck and Scheifele play out their contracts with the Jets and put up HOF numbers, their numbers could be retired. Definitely honoured.

 

[Eyeseeing]

I can’t make up my mind on this one.
On one hand games played, points, community involvement.
On the other hand I can’t help but feel he was a huge part of the issues that plagued the team over the last few seasons.

 

[DRW204]

Number honoured, yes, but retired, no.

Retiring a number is an honour that should be given to players that have had a HOF career predominantly with that franchise, imo. Only Hawerchuk seems to fit that criteria for me. I would retire #10. You can pay tribute to Wheeler’s time in Winnipeg with an honoured number banner, same as Teppo and Teemu.

If Hellebuyck and Scheifele play out their contracts with the Jets and put up HOF numbers, their numbers could be retired. Definitely honoured.

I like this idea, but really would you ever foresee someone rock #26 for the Jets? At that point why not just retire it . Detroit for instance haven't formally hung and retired Fedorov #91 but he was honored and no one has worn it since he left.

Helle to me is HOF bound, one of the top player at his position for years on end that will likely play his entire career as a Jet. no question his number should be retired.

 

[Bob E]

I like this idea, but really would you ever foresee someone rock #26 for the Jets? At that point why not just retire it . Detroit for instance haven't formally hung and retired Fedorov #91 but he was honored and no one has worn it since he left.

Helle to me is HOF bound, one of the top player at his position for years on end that will likely play his entire career as a Jet. no question his number should be retired.

I can see someone wear #26 down the road, absolutely. I guess I haven’t bought into Wheeler being that type of player where no one wants to wear #26. Same as Bryan Little, his career ended prematurely but I would think someone will wear #18 in the future. Same for Ladd and #16.

We all know Little changed his number from #10 to #18 to honour Hawerchuk. I don’t see that happening with #26. But we’ll see.

Wheeler was a very good player but not a HOF great player imo.

 

[JetsFan815]

I like this idea, but really would you ever foresee someone rock #26 for the Jets? At that point why not just retire it .

I thought the same about Buff and #33 but we had a backup Big Save Dave rocking the #33 jersey so who knows?

 

[White Out 902]

I'm absolutely shocked at the amount of yes votes

 

[igorulanov]

Elite effort with elite skill. Usually top 3 on team for these throughout much of his career.

At his peak, he was one of best PF in the league (maybe even the best at certain times?)

I first voted no, but he meets the standard established by TN. I'm fine with that.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Maybe so, but there had been no talk of retirement prior to that and if he was feeling that way he maybe could have given some sort of warning (I don't really recall any original retirement suggestion...when did that come about?). He came into camp presumably intending to be a player and then all of a sudden he's done. He really left the team in a pretty tough situation. Now I'm not saying he should be derided for that - I mean if he's done he's done. I just don't think he did enough to warrant the special honour so to speak. Especially if we're debating Wheeler's deserving that same honour...(although he does get extra points for having been instrumental in getting Kane booted.)

There had to be a first time it was discussed. Nothing is ever discussed before the first time it is discussed.

It was reported to have been discussed between Chevy and Buff in the off-season. Chevy persuaded him to give it some time to see if he might change his mind. I don't recall him coming to camp at all.

Wheeler's honour and Buff's should not be tied together. Buff's should not be coloured by his retirement. He didn't 'quit' on the team. He retired - with at least one nagging injury that would have prevented him from playing anyway. The story around that injury is a little murky.

 

[UFO]

only if he doesnt score against us as a Ranger.