The Story of the Original Winnipeg Jets | NHL History Documentary
In this video, we dive deep into the rich history of the original Winnipeg Jets, one of hockey’s most beloved lost franchises. From their roots in the WHA (World Hockey Association) to joining the NHL in 1979, the Jets carved out a reputation as a small-market team with big talent, passionate fans, and unforgettable moments. The franchise produced legends like Dale Hawerchuk, while battling powerhouse teams like the Oilers and Flames during the 1980s and early 1990s. But the story of the Winnipeg Jets is also one of heartbreak. Struggles with arena revenue, small-market economics, and league pressures eventually led to the team relocating in 1996, becoming the Phoenix Coyotes (later Arizona Coyotes, now the Utah Mammoth). Still, the passion of Winnipeg’s hockey fans never faded, and the NHL would return to the city in 2011, with the Jets being reincarnated and becoming a mainstay in the league today. This video explains the history of the original Winnipeg Jets from their creation until their relocation. Like and subscribe for more!
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23 Comments
It's an good thing that Hockey came back to Winnipeg.😀👍🏒
How do you think the Jets are going to do this NHL season? Let me know
Excellent video ! Thanks. I went to many an OG Jets game in the 80s and 90s.
Glad Winnipeg got a team again and hope Quebec does as well one day.
Geoff Kirbyson, an author and hockey historian from Winnipeg, wrote a book called Broken Ribs and Popcorn.
In 1985, the Jets did real well in the regular season, and beat the Flames in the first round. However, Jamie Macoun gave Hawerchuk a vicious cross check, and he broke his ribs. Without him, they got swept by the Oilers in the Smythe finals.
In 1990, they were up 3-1 on the Oilers. They lost game five in Edmonton, and tied game six at 3-3. Then, a fan threw popcorn on the ice after a whistle (on a play at the blue line. He was unhappy with the refs). That stopped the momentum from the comeback (the crowd was going crazy before that incident. It took a while to clean up the popcorn), and the Oilers went on to win the game and the series.
Fabulous video! I look forward to watching your stuff when it comes out!
Utah is a new franchise. Arizona is still a franchise. Some in Winnipeg want the records back, officially.
Also, the original Winnipeg Jets were a junior team in the WCHL.
Another good video!
jets 1.0 were never wanted by nhl and were raped of all of their talent upon entering nhl. had jets wha avco cup champs remained together they could have rivaled oil as '80's dominant team. then bettman used small market economics to force winnipeg out of nhl as fodder for his 'cost certainty/cap' owners lost a season for. and bettman needs to give jets 1.0 history back to winnipeg. why should it be forgotten in the dustbin with the failed az. yotes sorry franchise that doesn't exist anymore?
bettman never wanted winnipeg back in the nhl and his behaviour at their return and at the presser to announce move of thrash to winnipeg was fkn pathetic. an anti canadian prikk at his best. and why fkn phx.? coangelo duped bettman into thinking the az. desert was a great spot for an nhl team when in reality yotes were up against it from the start playing out of suns arena not retrofitted for nhl as suns tenant. that began the big $$$-losses for sorry ass yote franchise. i was glad winnipeg a real nhl city with real fans got a second nhl chance despite bettman's hatred of winnipeg.
Such a waste of an NHL market. They need to move to Houston so they can pull their own weight and make the league some real money and more fans. Winnipeg can always have a relocated ECHL team.
I know how Jets fans must have felt getting face-palmed by Gretzky and the Oilers every year.
I grew up rooting for a very good Cleveland Cavaliers team that had to beat Michael Jordan and the Bulls to get to the NBA Finals.
(Spoiler: They never did.)
that 90's logo was pure gold…love those uniforms
That WHA team was a powerhouse!
Great video, the Jets should've never moved in the first place. I know the Canadian dollar was/is weak + Manitoba's crappy economy, but IDK, I'm gonna get hate, but I kinda feel like the American ego also took a part in the jets and Nordiques moving. Like I'm glad we have the Jets back, but why the fuck hasn't the Nordiques return yet? Yet the NHL puts teams literally anywhere in the south US. I'm not saying American entitlement is the reason, but it rubs me the wrong way a bit.
0:25 It’s sad that the original Winnipeg Jets left Manitoba although I’m relieved the NHL allowed a new incarnation of the Jets to set up shop in Manitoba.
No cups…and no cups.
such a nice logo. that crap they have now sucks
You're a smart guy and deserve a lot more subscribers for these videos.
bring back the cleveland crusaders. forced to st. paul so failed golden seals could be dissolved as barons. fighting saints were similar to jets and had two lives.
Hey, WInnipegger born and raised and forever a Jets fan, just want to say great work with very accurate history and very well presented i really liked this video <3 thank you for putting my little city on the map this time
Great video. I didn't know that the Jets were originally supposed to be heading to Minneapolis, before Phoenix became plan B.
The original Jets got off to a very bad start by protecting Morris Lukowich and Scott Campbell as their two priority picks, rather than Kent Nilsson and Terry Ruskowski. Its like Quebec protecting journeymen defencemen Gary Lariviere and Paul Baxter instead of their superstar, Real Cloutier because they traded a first round pick to Chicago for to not claim. That first round pick ended up being Denis Savard! Whoops.
Interesting this pops into my feed when I am visiting Winnipeg for the long weekend. Good video.