Winnipeg Jets History

[Jets4Life]

Reading this and just got to the 1985 playoffs. I like how in 2021 with footage of the 1985 playoffs easily accessible on YouTube, a writer writing a history book on the team still can claim the Whiteout started in 1985 instead of 1987.

Was Geoff Kirbyson the author?

A half dozen of us showed him YouTube videos of the 1985 vs 1987 playoffs, and politely explained that the Whiteout was in response to the "C of Red' which started in 1986. In other words, irrefutable proof the Whiteout began in 1987. In fact, a song came out before the 87' playoffs began, which was a spoof off of Wang Chung's late 1986 hit song "Everybody Have Fun Tonight." Retitled "Everybody Wear White Tonight." He implied we doctored the videos, insisted the song titled "Everybody Wear White Tonight" came out in 85 (the Wang Chung song/album was released fall of 1986), and stubbornly clung to the false narrative that the Whiteout began in 85.

I would not bother buying or reading anything from Kirbyson. We could write Jets history better than him. Even today, if one asks him when the Whiteout started, his reply is "Buy my book to find the truth."

 

[nabby12]

For Stastny fans, I just dropped this article on Anton Stastny discussing him and his brothers defection from Czechoslovakia. Enjoy!

Why We Defected

 

[Guardian17]

10 years ago on September 6, 2011.

The Winnipeg Jets unveil their jerseys.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-jets-unveil-new-jerseys-1.1051695

Winnipeg Jets unveil uniforms

 

[Guardian17]

 

[These Are The Days]

Hey can I ask you guys a stupid question? As a hockey nerd I got to know Jets 1.0 to a fairly good degree and loved the tradition and players you guys had. Enough that I even brought them back in the old NHL games on the Xbox when I was a kid. But there's a question that bugs the shit out of me and maybe someone can answer it.

Had Hawerchuk not gotten hurt in the opening series with Calgary in 84-85 do you think it would've made any difference vs the Oilers in the next round? It was the best year and best team that 1.0 ever had and I'm curious if they stood any chance vs Gretzky and the boys at full health

 

[Arthur Fonzarelli]

Hey can I ask you guys a stupid question? As a hockey nerd I got to know Jets 1.0 to a fairly good degree and loved the tradition and players you guys had. Enough that I even brought them back in the old NHL games on the Xbox when I was a kid. But there's a question that bugs the shit out of me and maybe someone can answer it.

Had Hawerchuk not gotten hurt in the opening series with Calgary in 84-85 do you think it would've made any difference vs the Oilers in the next round? It was the best year and best team that 1.0 ever had and I'm curious if they stood any chance vs Gretzky and the boys at full health

The 84-85 Jets finished the season as the hottest team in the NHL, not losing in their last 13 games which included a 9 games winning streak.

They'd been a .500 hockey club in January, & went 21-7-6. Over the same time frame the Oilers went 19-11-6.

The Jets record against the Oilers was 3 wins & 5 losses in 84-85. With that said the Jets won the last 3 games they played against Edmonton, which included a 6-5 win for the Jets the last game of the season.

The Jets with Hawerchuk certainly had a chance against Edmonton.

 

[Guardian17]

St. James Civic Centre rink to be named after Ab McDonald.

 

[Arthur Fonzarelli]

Reading this and just got to the 1985 playoffs. I like how in 2021 with footage of the 1985 playoffs easily accessible on YouTube, a writer writing a history book on the team still can claim the Whiteout started in 1985 instead of 1987.

Also feel like the book could have used a better editor. For example, was it really necessary to repeat the exact same story how Nilsson was the first to use the "Forsberg" move 200 pages apart? With the same quotes!?

I could have sworn this book came out years ago, but I notice its release date is February 2021? Is this a reprint?

If it is indeed a new release, then shame on Kirby for continuing to revise the history of the white out.

Forget Youtube, as a Free Press employee with access to their archives, its inexcusable for this book to go to print with such a glaring error.

Considering "Everybody Where White Tonight" is a parody of Wang Chung's September 1986 single, clearly this is from the 1987 playoffs.

 

[Jets4Life]

Hey can I ask you guys a stupid question? As a hockey nerd I got to know Jets 1.0 to a fairly good degree and loved the tradition and players you guys had. Enough that I even brought them back in the old NHL games on the Xbox when I was a kid. But there's a question that bugs the shit out of me and maybe someone can answer it.

Had Hawerchuk not gotten hurt in the opening series with Calgary in 84-85 do you think it would've made any difference vs the Oilers in the next round? It was the best year and best team that 1.0 ever had and I'm curious if they stood any chance vs Gretzky and the boys at full health

The series may have gone 5 or 6 games, but there was no way the Jets were getting past the 85' Oilers. They were one of the most stacked teams in NHL history.

 

[voyageur]

The series may have gone 5 or 6 games, but there was no way the Jets were getting past the 85' Oilers. They were one of the most stacked teams in NHL history.

The Oilers were Gretzky-Kurri, Messier-Anderson, Coffey as their main horses. Good defense with Lowe, Huddy, Fogolin, Gregg. Napier and Krushelnyski were scorers. Jets had traded Willie Lindstrom for Boschman, and that was a good trade for us. Boschman was a thorn in Gretzky's side, in the shadow days of hockey.

Jets had a good top line, Brian Mullen-Hawerchuk-Mac Lean, Steen was a strong 2nd line centre. Dougie Smail was big for us. Jets had their best defense of the 80s with Ellett, Carlyle, Babych and Watters, and Jim Kyte was a mean sob out there.

The biggest difference was always goaltending. Oilers had Fuhr, Moog who were among the best in the .890 save % days. Brian Hayward was a long line of Jets goalies (if you can name all the Jets goalies of the 80s you deserve a prize) who couldn't stop Gretzky and Oilers.

I think the 87 Oilers team was stronger than this one. As for the Jets next year Babych gets trade, Hayward goes into the .840 territory, and Barry Long gets fired, as the Jets go from a 96 point season to 59, proving that any coach only goes as far as their goaltending. After 1985, if Hawerchuk had been healthy, I think the Jets best shot at the Oilers was 1990.

 

[Guardian17]

Ten years ago on September 20, 2011.

The Jets play their first exhibition game in Winnipeg.

Mark Scheifele scores 2 as Jets win first exhibition game 6-1 over Blue Jackets | Globalnews.ca

 

[nabby12]

My latest article on NHL History with Ty Di Lello features an interview with Keith Tkachuk talking about his Winnipeg days:

Keith Tkachuk: In His Own Words

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

I could have sworn this book came out years ago, but I notice its release date is February 2021? Is this a reprint?

If it is indeed a new release, then shame on Kirby for continuing to revise the history of the white out.

Forget Youtube, as a Free Press employee with access to their archives, its inexcusable for this book to go to print with such a glaring error.

Considering "Everybody Where White Tonight" is a parody of Wang Chung's September 1986 single, clearly this is from the 1987 playoffs.

I am not one to be relied upon for memory recall, and I could be completely incorrect, but for some reason I believe the whiteout did happen on one occasion prior to 1987.

I don't think it was called the whiteout, but I have some vague recollection that we did it once in 85, in the playoffs against the Flames, prior to 87 when it officially became the whiteout.

Or maybe I am old and senile.

 

[Ludwig Fell Down]

The Oilers were Gretzky-Kurri, Messier-Anderson, Coffey as their main horses. Good defense with Lowe, Huddy, Fogolin, Gregg. Napier and Krushelnyski were scorers. Jets had traded Willie Lindstrom for Boschman, and that was a good trade for us. Boschman was a thorn in Gretzky's side, in the shadow days of hockey.

Jets had a good top line, Brian Mullen-Hawerchuk-Mac Lean, Steen was a strong 2nd line centre. Dougie Smail was big for us. Jets had their best defense of the 80s with Ellett, Carlyle, Babych and Watters, and Jim Kyte was a mean sob out there.

The biggest difference was always goaltending. Oilers had Fuhr, Moog who were among the best in the .890 save % days. Brian Hayward was a long line of Jets goalies (if you can name all the Jets goalies of the 80s you deserve a prize) who couldn't stop Gretzky and Oilers.

I think the 87 Oilers team was stronger than this one. As for the Jets next year Babych gets trade, Hayward goes into the .840 territory, and Barry Long gets fired, as the Jets go from a 96 point season to 59, proving that any coach only goes as far as their goaltending. After 1985, if Hawerchuk had been healthy, I think the Jets best shot at the Oilers was 1990.

That 1990 series still kills me. I thought for sure they were finishing the Oilers off in game 5. Then I thought the Bruins were poised to beat Edmonton after being overmatched in '88, and that did not work out so well either.

In my faulty recollection, I seem to recall Messier scoring a shorthanded goal in Game 5 to turn momentum. But I can't find a box score and now am not sure if I am just making that up 30+ years later.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

Actually, the more thought I have put in to this, I am positive the whiteout occurred prior to 1987.

1 reason, I was at the second playoff game against the Flames that year, remember wearing my white Club Monico sweater for the whiteout which I had gotten in grade 8 (1985)

But the biggest reason I believe it was 85, was I remember distinctly during the warm up, a fan threw a rubber chicken at Tim Hunter, who turned down a fight with Jim Kyte in the previous game. The crowd went nuts, we all stood up and didn't sit for the remainder to the game.

Jim Kite did not play in the playoffs in 1987. He did play 8 playoff games in 85.

I do not think it was officially called the whiteout in 85, just a promo to try to get everyone wearing white.

Anyone recall that game, with Kyte, Hunter and the rubber chicken?

 

[Jets4Life]

I am not one to be relied upon for memory recall, and I could be completely incorrect, but for some reason I believe the whiteout did happen on one occasion prior to 1987.

I don't think it was called the whiteout, but I have some vague recollection that we did it once in 85, in the playoffs against the Flames, prior to 87 when it officially became the whiteout.

Or maybe I am old and senile.

It never happened in 1985. Quite a few of us viewed every single game from the 1985 playoffs. There was no organized effort to dress white whatsoever. The Whiteout was created in response to the "C of Red" during the Flames 1986 playoff run. I remember it vividly.

All one has to do is Youtube the games against Calgary and Edmonton in the 1985 or even 1986 playoffs. Fans dressed no different, compared to the regular season. Perhaps you may be thinking of Quebec or Washington, who incidentally had their own "whiteouts" during the 87' playoffs.

 

[Jets4Life]

Actually, the more thought I have put in to this, I am positive the whiteout occurred prior to 1987.

1 reason, I was at the second playoff game against the Flames that year, remember wearing my white Club Monico sweater for the whiteout which I had gotten in grade 8 (1985)

But the biggest reason I believe it was 85, was I remember distinctly during the warm up, a fan threw a rubber chicken at Tim Hunter, who turned down a fight with Jim Kyte in the previous game. The crowd went nuts, we all stood up and didn't sit for the remainder to the game.

Jim Kite did not play in the playoffs in 1987. He did play 8 playoff games in 85.

I do not think it was officially called the whiteout in 85, just a promo to try to get everyone wearing white.

Anyone recall that game, with Kyte, Hunter and the rubber chicken?

I obviously do not think you are lying, but sometimes people's memories fade with time. YouTube videos of the 1985 playoffs vs Calgary and Edmonton do not.

It's similar to when you said that the Jets gave Keith Tkachuk the captaincy in 1993, to "appeal to American investors." The problem is that the Jets had signed a deal with the Provincial Government in 1991, that would cover the Jets losses from the 1991-95 seasons, on the condition that they not move the team, and only look for local ownership. Additionally, Tkachuk was stripped of the captaincy in 1995, and it was rewarded to a non-American when the Jets were in the process of selling to a US market. It just does not add up. If what you said was correct, the captaincy would have either been kept on Tkachuk, or rewarded to Ed Olczyk, if the Jets were determined to punish him due to his holdout at the start of the season, while keeping the "C" on an American-born NHL player.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

I obviously do not think you are lying, but sometimes people's memories fade with time. YouTube videos of the 1985 playoffs vs Calgary and Edmonton do not.

It's similar to when you said that the Jets gave Keith Tkachuk the captaincy in 1993, to "appeal to American investors." The problem is that the Jets had signed a deal with the Provincial Government in 1991, that would cover the Jets losses from the 1991-95 seasons, on the condition that they not move the team, and only look for local ownership. Additionally, Tkachuk was stripped of the captaincy in 1995, and it was rewarded to a non-American when the Jets were in the process of selling to a US market. It just does not add up. If what you said was correct, the captaincy would have either been kept on Tkachuk, or rewarded to Ed Olczyk, if the Jets were determined to punish him due to his holdout at the start of the season, while keeping the "C" on an American-born NHL player.

I did not think that story up, that was a direct story from Dean Kennedy, told to an entire dressing room during the Mike Keane Charity hockey tournament.

Not sure why Dean would lie about that to an entire dressing room??

And I did google the Jets Flames 1985 playoffs, and cannot find any footage of our 2 home games, if you find them please point them out.

I know why the whiteout was created, and that it was officially called the whiteout in 87.

Like I said, it was a one game thing and I am not 100% sure. I remember Kyte, the rubber chicken, and Kyte did not play in the 1987 playoffs. I am ok with being wrong here.

 

[Jets4Life]

I did not think that story up, that was a direct story from Dean Kennedy, told to an entire dressing room during the Mike Keane Charity hockey tournament.

Not sure why Dean would lie about that to an entire dressing room??

And I did google the Jets Flames 1985 playoffs, and cannot find any footage of our 2 home games, if you find them please point them out.

I know why the whiteout was created, and that it was officially called the whiteout in 87.

Like I said, it was a one game thing and I am not 100% sure. I remember Kyte, the rubber chicken, and Kyte did not play in the 1987 playoffs. I am ok with being wrong here.

It's not really complicated to find footage of the 1985 playoffs between Winnipeg vs Calgary or Edmonton:





As for the Kennedy story, Barry Shankerow would have been in direct violation of a legal agreement with the Province of Manitoba, if he attempted to sell the Jets before May of 1995. From everything I have read or heard, Shankerow wanted the team to remain in Winnipeg, and only pursued outside interests, once it became clear that no local ownership groups had come forward at the end of the agreement with the Province of Manitoba.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

It's not really complicated to find footage of the 1985 playoffs between Winnipeg vs Calgary or Edmonton:





As for the Kennedy story, do you have any proof? Barry Shankerow would have been in direct violation of a legal agreement with the Province of Manitoba, if he attempted to sell the Jets before May of 1995. From everything I have read or heard, Shankerow wanted the team to remain in Winnipeg, and only pursued outside interests, once it became clear that no local ownership groups had come forward at the end of the agreement with the Province of Manitoba.

Proof? I listened to him tell the story, I do not have to prove anything. I trust Dean can recollect his hockey history accurately and I know he has more insight into what was going on with the team than yourself.

Shankerow owned the team and could do whatever he wanted to do. Naming Keith captain violated nothing since his reasoning was not publicly known. Naming Keith captain in his sophomore season made little sense as Keith was hardly a leader at that point in his career, and it raised many eyebrows in the dressing room.

And I had Shankerow as a guest speaker at UofW in 1993, where he clearly stated without a new arena deal he would have to sell the team, and any potential local buyer would need a new area for the team to be viable and remain in Winnipeg. He stated that he could sell out every home game, go all the way to a cup final and he would still lose $$ because of the Winnipeg Enterprise arena deal.

So in1993 the writing was already on the wall, and Shankerow had already started to realize moving the team was probably his only option.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

Found this on Reddit:

It was never about jerseys. It started in 1985 when they promoted the “Good Guys Wear White” which changed to the Whiteout 2 years later when playing Calgary and their C of Red.

Found this in the Winnipeg Free Press:
Apr 2015: Whiteout born over lunch at Rae & Jerry's

Complicating matters slightly during their lunch at Rae & Jerry's was the fact they had to come up with something quickly and do it inexpensively. Oh, and the Jets had already come up with a clunker of their own -- wear red, white and blue. Sure, those were the Jets colours at the time, but making a statement with three different colours was going to be impossible.
Luckily, the seeds of what would become the whiteout were sown a couple of years before and when Palson proposed the whiteout name and a campaign to back it up, Hanson loved it.
Two years before on April 7, 1985, the Jets had tied the Calgary Flames 4-4 on the last day of the season, setting up a best-of-five Smythe Division semifinal between the two teams to start three days later.

 

[Skidooboy]

Found this on Reddit:



Found this in the Winnipeg Free Press:
Apr 2015: Whiteout born over lunch at Rae & Jerry's

owww...lots of crow to be eaten.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

owww...lots of crow to be eaten.

Yup.
I thought it happened prior to 1987 but it was not called the whiteout

 

[Jets4Life]

Found this on Reddit:



Found this in the Winnipeg Free Press:
Apr 2015: Whiteout born over lunch at Rae & Jerry's

So you believe a reddit post over actual YouTube videos. Got it.

If you bothered to follow the thread, people have pointed out that it is the Winnipeg free Press that is mistaken. Mr.Kirbyson works for the Free Press, and wrote the article that you link to. He is the one that has perpetuated the false rumors.

It amazes me that some would discredit video evidence, over some anonymous reddit post, and a Free Press writer who is too stubborn to admit his mistakes

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

So you believe a reddit post over actual YouTube videos. Got it.

If you bothered to follow the thread, people have pointed out that it is the Winnipeg free Press that is mistaken. Mr.Kirbyson works for the Free Press, and wrote the article that you link to. He is the one that has perpetuated the false rumors.

It amazes me that some would discredit video evidence, over some anonymous reddit post, and a Free Press writer who is too stubborn to admit his mistakes

Lol, Spare me, revise history however you want. I believe the WFP over you, and you accusing a story as false does not make it false. What is your proof here, Wang Chung didnt release their song till 86? Lol that is hilarious since the song had nothing to do with the first promo.

It was done in 85, called something different, but it was a wear white to the game promo. There are plenty of people wearing white in the video, it was not a big promo and it was a one time deal.

What amazes me is that someone actually thinks a reputable reporter would trump up a false version and actually put a name to it, for what exact purpose only you probably pretend to know.

The detail he put in to this apparent lie is absurd, came up with a fake name to it, had dates to it, put lots of effort in to a false story which reporters normally do lol.

And I guess Dean Kennedy is a liar as well, seems like you are the only legit person around here.