Winnipeg Jets History

[voyageur]

Update 3/22/2019

All-Time:
Games Played:
1. Thomas Steen 950
2. Dale Hawerchuck 713
3. Doug Smail 691
4. Blake Wheeler 608
5. Randy Carlyle 564
6. Teppo Numminen 547
7. Bryan Little 546
8. Ron Wilson 535
9. Paul MacLean 527
10. Laurie Boschman 526


Points:
1. Dale Hawerchuk 929
2. Thomas Steen 817
3. Blake Wheeler 566
4. Paul MacLean 518
5. Doug Smail 397
6. Laurie Boschman 379
7. Bryan Little 367
7. Mark Scheifele 367
9. Dustin Byfuglien 362
10. Morris Lukowich 345


Goals:
1. Dale Hawerchuk 379
2. Thomas Steen 264
3. Paul MacLean 248
4. Doug Smail 189
5. Blake Wheeler 185
6. Morris Lukowich 168
7. Laurie Boschman 152
8. Mark Scheifele 148
9. Teemu Selanne 147
9. Bryan Little 147
T226. Ron Hainsey 0

Assists:
1. Thomas Steen 553
2. Dale Hawerchuk 550
3. Blake Wheeler 381
4. Paul MacLean 270
5. Dustin Byfuglien 260
6. Fredrik Olausson 249
7. Dave Babych 248
8. Laurie Boschman 227
9. Randy Carlyle 226
10. Bryan Little 220


Wins:
1. Bob Essensa 116
2. Connor Hellebuyck 114
3. Ondrej Pavelec 111
4. Brian Hayward 63
5. Doug Soetart 50
5. Daniel Berthiaume 50

Shutouts:
1. Bob Essensa 14
2. Connor Hellebuyck 13
3. Ondrej Pavelec 11
4. Daniel Berthiaume 4
5. Michael Hutchinson 3
5. Al Montoya 3



Single Season:
Points:
1. Teemu Selanne 132 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 130 (84-85)
3. Dale Hawerchuk 121 (87-88)
4. Dale Hawerchuk 105 (85-86)
5. Dale Hawerchuk 103 (81-82)
6. Dale Hawerchuk 102 (83-84)
7. Paul MacLean 101 (84-85)
8. Dale Hawerchuk 100 (86-87)
9. Keith Tkachuk 98 (95-96)
10. Phil Housley 97 (92-93)

Goals:
1. Teemu Selanne 76 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 53 (84-85)
3. Keith Tkachuk 50 (95-96)
4. Dale Hawerchuk 47 (86-87)
5. Dale Hawerchuk 46 (85-86)
6. Dale Hawerchuk 45 (81-82)
7. Dale Hawerchuk 44 (87-88)
7. Patrik Laine 44 (17-18)
9. Morris Lukowich 43 (81-82)
10. Keith Tkachuk 41 (93-94)
10. Dale Hawerchuk 41 (88-89)
10. Paul MacLean 41 (84-85)

Assists:
1. Phil Housley 79 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 77 (87-88)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 77 (84-85)
4. Blake Wheeler 68 (17-18)
5. Blake Wheeler 68 (18-19)*
6. Dale Hawerchuk 65 (83-84)
7. Phil Housley 63 (91-92)
8. Dave Babych 61 (82-83)
9. Thomas Steen 61 (88-89)
10. Paul MacLean 60 (84-85)



Wins:
1. Connor Hellebuyck 44 (17-18)
2. Bob Essensa 33 (92-93)
3. Brian Hayward 33 (84-85)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 31 (18-19)*
5. Ondrej Pavelec 29 (11-12)

Shutouts:
1. Connor Hellebuyck 6 (17-18)
2. Bob Essensa 5 (91-92)
2. Ondrej Pavelec 5 (14-15)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 4 (16-17)
4. Bob Essensa 4 (90-91)
4. Ondrej Pavelec 4 (11-12)

SV% (Min 25GP):
1. Connor Hellebuyck .924 (17-18)
2. Al Montoya .920 (13-14)
2. Ondrej Pavelec .920 (14-15)
4. Connor Hellebuyck .918 (15-16)
5. Michael Hutchinson .914 (14-15)

GAA (Min 25GP):
1. Ondrej Pavelec 2.28 (14-15)
2. Al Montoya 2.30 (13-14)
3. Connor Hellebuyck 2.34 (15-16)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 2.36 (17-18)
5. Michael Hutchinson 2.38 (14-15)


* - denotes season in progress

Curious, who is the Jets all-time penalty minute leader? Off the top of my head I would say Laurie Boschman, back when 300 PIM was a standard for an NHL goon. Not that Boschman was a goon, Scotty Bowman described him as a Selke Centre in our 1987 victory over the Flames. Where would Buff be on the list?

 

[jetsforever]

End of season update. Connor Hellebuyck becomes all time winningest Winnipeg Jets goalie. :

All-Time:
Games Played:
1. Thomas Steen 950
2. Dale Hawerchuck 713
3. Doug Smail 691
4. Blake Wheeler 616
5. Randy Carlyle 564
6. Bryan Little 554
7. Teppo Numminen 547
8. Ron Wilson 535
9. Paul MacLean 527
10. Dustin Byfuglien 528

Points:
1. Dale Hawerchuk 929
2. Thomas Steen 817
3. Blake Wheeler 569
4. Paul MacLean 518
5. Doug Smail 397
6. Laurie Boschman 379
7. Mark Scheifele 371
8. Bryan Little 367
9. Dustin Byfuglien 363
10. Morris Lukowich 345

Goals:
1. Dale Hawerchuk 379
2. Thomas Steen 264
3. Paul MacLean 248
4. Doug Smail 189
5. Blake Wheeler 185
6. Morris Lukowich 168
7. Laurie Boschman 152
8. Mark Scheifele 151
9. Teemu Selanne 147
9. Bryan Little 147
T226. Ron Hainsey 0

Assists:
1. Thomas Steen 553
2. Dale Hawerchuk 550
3. Blake Wheeler 384
4. Paul MacLean 270
5. Dustin Byfuglien 261
6. Fredrik Olausson 249
7. Dave Babych 248
8. Laurie Boschman 227
9. Randy Carlyle 226
10. Bryan Little 220
10. Mark Scheifele 220


Wins:
1. Connor Hellebuyck 117
2. Bob Essensa 116
3. Ondrej Pavelec 111
4. Brian Hayward 63
5. Doug Soetart 50
5. Daniel Berthiaume 50

Shutouts:
1. Bob Essensa 14
1. Connor Hellebuyck 14
3. Ondrej Pavelec 11
4. Daniel Berthiaume 4
5. Michael Hutchinson 3
5. Al Montoya 3



Single Season:
Points:
1. Teemu Selanne 132 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 130 (84-85)
3. Dale Hawerchuk 121 (87-88)
4. Dale Hawerchuk 105 (85-86)
5. Dale Hawerchuk 103 (81-82)
6. Dale Hawerchuk 102 (83-84)
7. Paul MacLean 101 (84-85)
8. Dale Hawerchuk 100 (86-87)
9. Keith Tkachuk 98 (95-96)
10. Phil Housley 97 (92-93)

Goals:
1. Teemu Selanne 76 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 53 (84-85)
3. Keith Tkachuk 50 (95-96)
4. Dale Hawerchuk 47 (86-87)
5. Dale Hawerchuk 46 (85-86)
6. Dale Hawerchuk 45 (81-82)
7. Dale Hawerchuk 44 (87-88)
7. Patrik Laine 44 (17-18)
9. Morris Lukowich 43 (81-82)
10. Keith Tkachuk 41 (93-94)
10. Dale Hawerchuk 41 (88-89)
10. Paul MacLean 41 (84-85)

Assists:
1. Phil Housley 79 (92-93)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 77 (87-88)
2. Dale Hawerchuk 77 (84-85)
4. Blake Wheeler 71 (18-19)
5. Blake Wheeler 68 (17-18)
6. Dale Hawerchuk 65 (83-84)
7. Phil Housley 63 (91-92)
8. Dave Babych 61 (82-83)
9. Thomas Steen 61 (88-89)
10. Paul MacLean 60 (84-85)


Wins:
1. Connor Hellebuyck 44 (17-18)
2. Connor Hellebuyck 34 (18-19)
3. Bob Essensa 33 (92-93)
3. Brian Hayward 33 (84-85)
5. Ondrej Pavelec 29 (11-12)

Shutouts:
1. Connor Hellebuyck 6 (17-18)
2. Bob Essensa 5 (91-92)
2. Ondrej Pavelec 5 (14-15)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 4 (16-17)
4. Bob Essensa 4 (90-91)
4. Ondrej Pavelec 4 (11-12)

SV% (Min 25GP):
1. Connor Hellebuyck .924 (17-18)
2. Al Montoya .920 (13-14)
2. Ondrej Pavelec .920 (14-15)
4. Connor Hellebuyck .918 (15-16)
5. Michael Hutchinson .914 (14-15)

GAA (Min 25GP):
1. Ondrej Pavelec 2.28 (14-15)
2. Al Montoya 2.30 (13-14)
3. Connor Hellebuyck 2.34 (15-16)
4. Connor Hellebuyck 2.36 (17-18)
5. Michael Hutchinson 2.38 (14-15)

Interesting that Scheifele has now passed Buff and Little in points

 

[Guardian17]

 

[Guardian17]

40th Anniversary Reunion of the Winnipeg Jets last Avco Cup Championship June 1, 2019.

McVie will revisit his greatest triumph as a coach at a 40th anniversary reunion on June 1. At least 16 players are expected to join him in Winnipeg, including Kent Nilsson, Morris Lukowich and Terry Ruskowski.

McVie is the last man to coach a Winnipeg team to a pro hockey championship – 40 years ago this month he was behind the Jets bench for the last AVCO Cup title in the World Hockey Association.

FRIESEN: Jets title changed nothing, and everything, for McVie

 

[Guardian17]

 

[Guardian17]

 

[Guardian17]

The reunion will commemorate the last Winnipeg pro hockey team to win a championship. On May 20, 1979, the Jets beat Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers 7-3 to claim the Cup one last time before the WHA and NHL merged.

As they dine at the Radisson on June 1, the players will be high above the Portage Avenue parade route they took after that momentous Avco Cup win in ’79.

Four decades later, Jets final Avco Cup season still vivid for former star Lukowich

 

[True South]

Atlanta guy here...I see Winnipeg's history as the original now Phoenix history, and not Atlanta's. We have moved on, and most of the Thrashers fans are now Atlanta United football fans. Everything about the Thrashers was a horrible mistake run by people who didn't deserve to have the team in the first place. Thanks for posting the stats of the former Thrashers who are in the Jets' top 10, but they wouldn't be there without the work they did in Winnipeg with the support of all y'all.

But even when all the Thrashers players and prospects have moved on, I'll still be supporting The Jets.

 

[jetsforever]

Atlanta guy here...I see Winnipeg's history as the original now Phoenix history, and not Atlanta's. We have moved on, and most of the Thrashers fans are now Atlanta United football fans. Everything about the Thrashers was a horrible mistake run by people who didn't deserve to have the team in the first place. Thanks for posting the stats of the former Thrashers who are in the Jets' top 10, but they wouldn't be there without the work they did in Winnipeg with the support of all y'all.

But even when all the Thrashers players and prospects have moved on, I'll still be supporting The Jets.

Glad to have you here! Great avatar as well

 

[cheswick]

Curious, who is the Jets all-time penalty minute leader? Off the top of my head I would say Laurie Boschman, back when 300 PIM was a standard for an NHL goon. Not that Boschman was a goon, Scotty Bowman described him as a Selke Centre in our 1987 victory over the Flames. Where would Buff be on the list?

Boshman is first by a country mile. 1338 PIM. Tkachuk second with 792. Byfugliens 733 would rank 7th.

 

[Guardian17]

 

[DowntownBooster]

Such a talented player. It's a shame the Jets couldn't have kept him when they entered the NHL. In fact, it's a shame the team overall couldn't have remained intact after the 1978-79 season. Not only was it disappointing that Nilsson left but also that the Jets chose not to protect Terry Ruskowski instead of Scott Campbell. Ruskowski was clearly the heart and soul of the Jets when they won that final Avco Cup and it was a huge blow to the team not having him here afterwards.

 

[Guardian17]

The Winnipeg Jets won the last Avco Cup on May 20, 1979.



Troubles before Triumph: An Ode to the 1978-79 Winnipeg Jets on the 40th anniversary of their final WHA championship

 

[Jetfaninflorida]

We should also claim the Winnipeg Victorias history and hang Stanley Cup Banners.

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

The Winnipeg Jets won the last Avco Cup on May20, 1979

I was in attendance and at ice level with my older brother when the game ended. Security stopped us from rushing the ice ...... as many fans did to celebrate the win.

 

[DowntownBooster]

I was in attendance and at ice level with my older brother when the game ended. Security stopped us from rushing the ice ...... as many fans did to celebrate the win.

It's a good thing that the glass is higher now and fully encloses the rink to prevent fans from jumping onto the ice. I was in attendance for the Jets 1978 Avco Cup victory over New England. While it may have been fun for fans to rush the ice, it did take away from the experience of the players to celebrate properly and have the opportunity to skate around the ice surface with the trophy and not have to worry about some fan getting in their way or sliding into them.

 

[Guardian17]

One of Lindstrom’s most vivid NHL memories was lining up across from Bulls’ notorious goon Gilles Bilodeau.

“He’s standing there just yapping at me: ‘If you touch the puck, I’ll cut your head off.’ He was ugly to watch too. Big curly hair, no helmet and he was a big guy.

Lindstrom survived the game, but after the Bulls won, the players from both teams went to a bar near the rink.

“There, I went to the toilet and I’m standing there and one guy hit me in the back,” Lindstrom said. “I looked up and there’s Bilodeau.

“He said ‘Willy, come on, I’ll buy you a beer.’

WHA JETS REUNION: Encounter with goon Bilodeau in bar had Lindstrom running scared

 

[Guardian17]

Some of the players haven’t seen each other in 40 years.

Lindstrom’s Swedish countryman Roland Eriksson is in Winnipeg for the first time since the day the team held that 1979 Avco Cup parade down Portage Ave.

Lindstrom still thinks of Winnipeg as a second home.

He once scored five goals in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, joining Alexei Zhamnov and Patrik Laine as the only players to do that for the Jets in the NHL.

“I remember when the Suitcase came into the rink and I thought “Who is this guy? He must be some friend of the coach,’” former Jets winger Willy Lindstrom said. “He was big and overweight.

“They said ‘That’s our new goalie.’

“I was shocked. If you looked at his body you wouldn’t think he could play hockey.”

From Hall of Fame linemates to winning five championships in 10 years, Jets great Willy Lindstrom reflects on a charmed hockey career

 

[Guardian17]

1979 Winnipeg Jets reunite - kenoraonline.com

 

[Guardian17]

Classic Jets descend on Winnipeg to revisit 1979 Avco Cup win

Watching the players walk around the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame museum looking at old pictures, programs, and of course, the Avco Cup trophy, was a sight to see.

Everybody was smiling ear to ear, guys were calling each other by nicknames they likely haven’t heard in years, and they shared stories and memories with such great detail that you would’ve thought their championship run was yesterday.

"There’s just no feeling like winning a championship," the 64-year-old Ruskowski said. "It’s always in you, and it’ll always be with you. And that’s a great feeling. I sit at home and I’ll have a glass of wine with the breeze hitting my face and think about the good times here and it puts a smile on my face."

 

[Guardian17]

From left to right in the above photo: Kim Clackson, John Gray, Steve West, Roland Eriksson, Markus Mattsson, Mike Amodeo, Willy Lindstrom

"It's so important for us to have our alumni involved in what we are doing," noted Anders Strome, Director of Player & Alumni Relations with the Winnipeg Jets. "Given that these players were the last ones to win a professional hockey championship in Winnipeg, they hold a special place in the hearts of our fans. To have them come back to visit not only reconnects them with the city and our fans, but with our organization and team."

1979 Avco Cup Champion Jets visit Bell MTS Place

 

[Arthur Fonzarelli]

Such a talented player. It's a shame the Jets couldn't have kept him when they entered the NHL. In fact, it's a shame the team overall couldn't have remained intact after the 1978-79 season. Not only was it disappointing that Nilsson left but also that the Jets chose not to protect Terry Ruskowski instead of Scott Campbell. Ruskowski was clearly the heart and soul of the Jets when they won that final Avco Cup and it was a huge blow to the team not having him here afterwards.

The Jets couldn't protect Ruskowski. He wasn't their property.

As for "keeping the team together" who would you have kept? 80%+ of this team were out of professional hockey at any level within two years of the four teams being absorbed into the NHL.

I'm all for celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Avco Cup win, but let's keep it real & get the story straight once and for all. The Winnipeg Jets from 1975-1978 were one of the best teams in hockey history.

The last season the league was a shadow of itself. Six teams in the entire league, five of which made the playoffs. Winnipeg would likely have been the worst had Houston not folded & provided half their starting roster including Ruskowski, Lukowich, Preston, Gary, Terbenche, Campbell, & West.

I've mentioned this repeatedly when the topic has come up here and feel vindicated that much of this came up during interviews this past week from past players recounting how divided the dressing room was as literally half the team were Houston Aeros three months prior.

 

[DowntownBooster]

The Jets couldn't protect Ruskowski. He wasn't their property.

As for "keeping the team together" who would you have kept? 80%+ of this team were out of professional hockey at any level within two years of the four teams being absorbed into the NHL.
View attachment 233725

I'm all for celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Avco Cup win, but let's keep it real & get the story straight once and for all. The Winnipeg Jets from 1975-1978 were one of the best teams in hockey history.

The last season the league was a shadow of itself.

You won't get any argument from me about the Jets from 1975-78. I wish we could have entered the NHL with that team intact complete with the Hot Line of Hull, Hedberg and Nilsson.

My point about the Jets of 1978-79 was that they were a helluva lot better than the team that entered the NHL. Even if a bunch of those players were out of hockey within 2 years as you state, all we needed was the nucleus of that championship team. Just think how much better the Jets would have been with Ruskowski, Preston and Kent Nilsson still with the team. Perhaps things would have worked out better for Hull had the team been better from the start of the season and maybe he could have continued on with the Jets instead of being traded to Hartford.

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

Where was the jets 1.0 rookie house? They used to have a team house that all the young guys lived in.

 

[TheDeuce]

Boshman is first by a country mile. 1338 PIM. Tkachuk second with 792. Byfugliens 733 would rank 7th.

Just for comparison:

Boschman got his 1338 minutes in 8 seasons for an average of 167.25 PIM per season.

Kim "The Clacker" Clackson, in his two seasons with the WHA Jets had 413 PIM, for a stratospheric average of 206.5 PIM per season.




m.