Winnipeg Jets 1972-73 to 1978-79

Owners

Ben Hatskin

Bob Graham

John McKeag

Michael Gobuty

Rinks

Winnipeg Arena

Seasons & Leaders

1972-73 Record 43-31-3, 90 pts Coach Nick Mickoski Bobby Hull Goals 51, Bobby Hull 47, Christian Bordeleau Assists 65, Norm Beaudin 54, Christian Bordeleau Points 103, Bobby Hull 103, Norm Beaudin Penalty Min. 121, Steve Cuddie 75, Dunc Rousseau Wins 26, Ernie Wakely Goals Against 2.90, Joe Daley Shutouts 2, Joe Daley 2, Ernie Wakely

1973-74 Record 34-39-5, 73 pts Coach Bobby Hull Nick Mickoski Goals 53, Bobby Hull 27, Norm Beaudin Assists 49, Christian Bordeleau 48, Fran Huck Points 95, Bobby Hull 75, Christian Bordeleau Penalty Min. 85, Duke Asmundson 74, Ken Stephanson Wins 19, Joe Daley Goals Against 3.27, Ernie Wakely Shutouts 3, Ernie Wakely

1974-75 Record 38-35-5, 81 pts Coach Bobby Hull Rudy Pilous Goals 77, Bobby Hull 53, Anders Hedberg Assists 94, Ulf Nilsson 65, Bobby Hull Points 142, Bobby Hull 120, Ulf Nilsson Penalty Min. 133, Perry Miller 79, Ulf Nilsson Wins 23, Joe Daley Goals Against 3.96, Curt Larsson Shutouts 1, Joe Daley 1, Curt Larsson 1, Ernie Wakely

1975-76 Record 52-27-2, 106 pts League Champions Coach Bobby Kromm Goals 53, Bobby Hull 50, Anders Hedberg Assists 76, Ulf Nilsson 70, Bobby Hull Points 123, Bobby Hull 114, Ulf Nilsson Penalty Min. 111, Thommie Bergman 92, Bill Lesuk Wins 41, Joe Daley Goals Against 2.84, Joe Daley Shutouts 5, Joe Daley

1976-77 Record 46-32-2, 94 pts Coach Bobby Kromm Goals 70, Anders Hedberg 44, Willy Lindstrom Assists 85, Ulf Nilsson 61, Anders Hedberg Points 131, Anders Hedberg 124, Ulf Nilsson Penalty Min. 129, Dave Dunn 124, Perry Miller Wins 39, Joe Daley Goals Against 3.24, Joe Daley Shutouts 3, Joe Daley

1977-78 Record 50-28-2, 102 pts League Champions Coach Larry Hillman Goals 63, Anders Hedberg 46, Bobby Hull Assists 89, Ulf Nilsson 71, Bobby Hull Points 126, Ulf Nilsson 122, Anders Hedberg Penalty Min. 203, Kim Clackson 89, Ulf Nilsson Wins 25, Gary Bromley Goals Against 3.30, Joe Daley Shutouts 1, Gary Bromley 1, Joe Daley

1978-79 Record 39-35-6, 84 pts League Champions Coach Larry Hillman Tom McVie Goals 65, Morris Lukowich 46, Peter Sullivan Assists 68, Kent Nilsson 66, Terry Ruskowski Points 107, Kent Nilsson 99, Morris Lukowich Penalty Min. 248, Scott Campbell 211, Terry Ruskowski Wins 25, Markus Mattsson Goals Against 2.97, Gary Smith Shutouts none

Complete Roster & Regular Season Scoring Totals

Player (G: Goaltender)	Games	Goals	Assists	Points	Penalty Min.
Hull, Bobby	411	303	335	638	183
Nilsson, Ulf	300	140	344	484	341
Hedberg, Anders	286	236	222	458	201
Sullivan, Peter	313	125	170	295	107
Lindstrom, Willy	316	123	138	261	133
Beaudin, Norm	309	97	155	252	69
Nilsson, Kent	158	81	133	214	16
Sjoberg, Lars-Erik	295	25	169	194	147
Bordeleau, Christian	171	81	111	192	34
Ketola, Veli-Pekka	218	80	93	173	116
Hornung, Larry	292	28	111	139	95
Lesuk, Bill	318	55	81	136	269
Long, Barry	228	21	98	119	138
Bergman, Thommie	237	22	97	119	261
Johnson, Dan	232	53	58	111	62
Ford, Mike	179	28	79	107	158
Moffatt, Lyle	243	49	54	103	211
Guindon, Bobby	250	41	60	101	72
Lukowich, Morris	80	65	34	99	119
Ruskowski, Terry	75	20	66	86	211
Miller, Perry	188	30	56	86	298
Labraaten, Dan	111	42	43	85	51
Green, Ted	242	13	68	81	186
Huck, Fran	91	28	50	78	80
Gratton, Jean-Guy	188	31	41	72	52
McDonald, Ab	147	29	41	70	24
Asmundson, Duke	260	16	54	70	211
Spring, Dan	126	27	40	67	30
Lindh, Mats	138	33	32	65	14
Preston, Rich	80	28	32	60	88
Black, Milt	189	28	31	59	55
Rousseau, Dunc	135	26	25	51	114
Zanussi, Joe	149	7	43	50	106
Snell, Ron	90	24	25	49	40
Riihiranta, Heikki	187	10	38	48	84
Woytowich, Bob	158	8	36	44	98
Kryskow, Dave	71	20	21	41	16
Dunn, Dave	106	9	31	40	208
Ruhnke, Kent	72	19	20	39	4
Swenson, Cal	100	12	25	37	21
Ash, Bob	135	5	32	37	69
Boyer, Wally	69	6	28	34	27
Powis, Lynn	55	12	19	31	16
Sutherland, Bill	60	10	21	31	40
Rizzuto, Garth	102	13	14	27	40
Gray, John	57	10	15	25	51
Terbenche, Paul	68	3	22	25	12
Amodeo, Mike	67	5	19	24	29
Young, Howie	42	13	10	23	42
Gruen, Danny	32	9	12	21	21
Baird, Ken	49	14	7	21	29
Clackson, Kim	123	2	19	21	413
Cuddie, Steve	77	7	13	20	121
Hargreaves, Ted	74	7	12	19	15
Campbell, Scott	74	3	15	18	248
MacKinnon, Paul	73	2	15	17	70
Hicks, Glenn	69	6	10	16	48
Eriksson, Bengt	33	5	10	15	2
Beaule, Alain	54	0	14	14	24
Lawson, Danny	14	6	7	13	2
Hillman, Larry	71	1	12	13	62
Ward, Ron	14	4	7	11	2
Pratt, Kelly	46	4	6	10	50
Daley, Joe (G)	308	0	10	10	45
Cadle, Brian	56	4	4	8	39
Stephanson, Ken	29	0	7	7	74
Hargreaves, Jim	53	1	4	5	50
West, Steve	18	3	1	4	6
Ashton, Ron	36	1	3	4	66
Smith, Gary (G)	11	0	3	3	0
Davis, Bill	17	1	2	3	2
Larsson, Curt (G)	68	0	3	3	14
Neale, Robbie	7	0	2	2	4
Cole, Jim	2	0	1	1	0
Mott, Morris	2	0	1	1	5
Gibson, John	9	0	1	1	5
Odrowski, Gerry	13	0	1	1	6
Bromley, Gary (G)	39	0	1	1	0
Mattsson, Markus (G)	62	0	1	1	6
Blum, Frank (G)	0	0	0	0	0
Holden, Bill (G)	1	0	0	0	0
Legge, Randy	1	0	0	0	0
Gosselin, Rich	3	0	0	0	0
Tumilson, Gord (G)	3	0	0	0	0
Yakiwchuk, Dale	4	0	0	0	0
Shmyr, John	7	0	0	0	2
Wakely, Ernie (G)	92	0	0	0	0

Complete Playoff Scoring Totals

Player (G: Goaltender)	Games	Goals	Assists	Points	Penalty Min.
Hull, Bobby	60	43	37	80	38
Nilsson, Ulf	42	14	53	67	51
Hedberg, Anders	42	35	28	63	30
Sullivan, Peter	52	21	32	53	8
Lindstrom, Willy	49	26	22	48	50
Beaudin, Norm	31	18	19	37	14
Ford, Mike	34	5	25	30	20
Guindon, Bobby	49	17	13	30	23
Labraaten, Dan	24	8	18	26	23
Nilsson, Kent	19	5	19	24	14
Moffatt, Lyle	49	13	11	24	46
Sjoberg, Lars-Erik	52	1	21	22	32
Bordeleau, Christian	15	8	10	18	4
Lesuk, Bill	50	7	11	18	48
Long, Barry	39	3	13	16	16
Lukowich, Morris	10	8	7	15	21
Sutherland, Bill	18	5	9	14	13
Hornung, Larry	31	2	12	14	6
Ruskowski, Terry	8	1	12	13	23
Preston, Rich	10	8	5	13	15
Bergman, Thommie	13	3	10	13	8
Lindh, Mats	33	4	9	13	6
Ketola, Veli-Pekka	13	7	5	12	2
Dunn, Dave	29	5	6	11	23
Miller, Perry	20	4	6	10	27
Asmundson, Duke	29	4	5	9	21
Kryskow, Dave	9	4	4	8	2
McDonald, Ab	18	2	6	8	4
Green, Ted	39	1	7	8	30
MacKinnon, Paul	10	2	5	7	4
Zanussi, Joe	18	2	5	7	6
Lawson, Danny	13	2	4	6	6
Boyer, Wally	14	4	2	6	4
Swenson, Cal	15	1	5	6	7
Johnson, Dan	18	5	1	6	5
Black, Milt	18	2	4	6	2
Clackson, Kim	18	0	6	6	89
West, Steve	6	2	3	5	2
Eriksson, Bengt	10	1	4	5	0
Ash, Bob	17	1	4	5	6
Rousseau, Dunc	18	3	2	5	2
Riihiranta, Heikki	4	0	4	4	5
Amodeo, Mike	7	1	3	4	19
Baird, Ken	7	0	4	4	7
Powis, Lynn	3	2	1	3	7
Stephanson, Ken	3	0	2	2	10
Ruhnke, Kent	5	2	0	2	0
Hicks, Glenn	7	1	1	2	4
Terbenche, Paul	10	1	1	2	4
Campbell, Scott	10	0	2	2	25
Huck, Fran	11	0	2	2	8
Hillman, Larry	12	0	2	2	32
Gratton, Jean-Guy	14	1	1	2	4
Woytowich, Bob	18	1	1	2	4
Shmyr, John	3	0	1	1	2
Spring, Dan	4	0	1	1	0
Hargreaves, Ted	4	0	1	1	10
Cuddie, Steve	12	0	1	1	10
Rizzuto, Garth	14	0	1	1	14
Daley, Joe (G)	49	0	1	1	30
Gray, John	1	0	0	0	0
Blum, Frank (G)	2	0	0	0	0
Cadle, Brian	3	0	0	0	0
Larsson, Curt (G)	3	0	0	0	0
Snell, Ron	4	0	0	0	0
Bromley, Gary (G)	5	0	0	0	2
Wakely, Ernie (G)	7	0	0	0	0
Smith, Gary (G)	10	0	0	0	0

Complete Regular Season Goaltending

Goaltender	Games	Minutes	Goals	Shutouts	Record	Average
Daley, Joe	308	17835	1002	12	167-113-13	3.37
Wakely, Ernie	92	5498	291	6	44-40-7	3.18
Larsson, Curt	68	3820	265	1	30-30-2	4.16
Mattsson, Markus	62	3501	211	0	29-26-3	3.62
Bromley, Gary	39	2250	124	1	25-12-1	3.31
Smith, Gary	11	626	31	0	7-3-0	2.97
Holden, Bill	1	60	4	0	0-1-0	4.00
Tumilson, Gord	3	138	10	0	0-2-0	4.35
Blum, Frank (playoffs only)	-	-	-	-	-	-

Complete Playoff Goaltending

Goaltender	Games	Minutes	Goals	Shutouts	Record	Average
Daley, Joe	49	2706	149	2	30-15	3.30
Smith, Gary	10	563	35	0	8-2	3.73
Bromley, Gary	5	268	7	0	4-0	1.57
Wakely, Ernie	7	420	22	2	4-3	3.14
Larsson, Curt	3	130	7	0	2-0	3.23
Blum, Frank	2	120	15	0	0-2	7.50

History

Ben Hatskin was born and raised in Winnipeg. In his youth, he was a capable athlete who played junior-level hockey in Winnipeg, and later, six seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League during the 1940s. He was a businessman with a wide range of interests and stakes in various concerns, all the while staying involved in hockey by running the junior Winnipeg Jets. He sought a team in the National Hockey League but was overlooked in its expansions of 1967 and 1970. Hatskin was a big thinker with a reputation for stubbornness. Like his counterpart Bill Hunter in Edmonton, Hatskin had a charisma that spread beyond Manitoba's borders. When the WHA was in its infancy in early-1971, he was approached by Gary Davidson and Dennis Murphy and was immediately interested in the new league. While Davidson and Murphy get the credit for founding the WHA, it is often said that Hunter and Hatskin gave it the legs it needed to stand on its own. They (along with Bob Brownridge in Calgary) represented Canada's initial interest in the new league. They had long backgrounds in running hockey teams and understood the business as well as anyone. Most importantly, Hatskin went big immediately and pursued Chicago's Bobby Hull. While a number of star NHL players had been granted to the league's original team founders as priority rights, the players themselves were by no means (at this early stage) convinced the WHA would go. The assumption was that the stars would stay put in the NHL. Hatskin was completely serious in his pursuit of Hull. Much to the amazement of just about everyone in the new league (except for possibly Hatskin himself), Hull was receptive to Hatskin's offers. When it became clear that there was a very real chance Hatskin could pull Hull's signing off, he convinced the league members to chip in on the million-dollar signing bonus. Hull's signing on June 27, 1972, all but guaranteed the league's survival and credibility for its first season at the least. It can be fairly remarked that without Hatskin's involvement, there is no pursuit of Bobby Hull and there is no long-term viability of the fledgling WHA. The 1972-73 Winnipeg Jets needed to be constructed. Aside from Hull, the team was mostly a collection of NHLers with little distinction, and unknown juniors and minor leaguers. Out of the rough emerged a few stars. Christian Bordeleau and Norm Beaudin, both with some NHL experience, formed the forward line with Hull, and in that first season, each would score 100 or more points. Goaltender Joe Daley, also a Winnipegger who had some experience with the expansion Buffalo Sabres in the NHL, emerged as the team's goaltending star and who would play with the team during its entire 7-year run in the WHA. Hull himself was forced to sit out the first eight games of the 1972-73 season while his court case was being considered. Also the team's coach, Hull was nothing more than a man in a suit on the sidelines until he was cleared to play in early November, 1972. Nick Mickoski handled the coaching duties at first, then was the bench coach when Hull came on as a player and coach. The first-year team performed well, winning 43 games and capturig the Western Division crown. The Jets then won its playoff series to advance to the 1973 World Trophy Finals (The Avco Corporation would assume sponsorhip of the trophy about this time). Unfortunately, the opponent New England Whalers discovered the Jets' weak spot: they were a one-line team. Shut Hull-Bordeleau-Beaudin down, and the Jets could be beat, and they were, in five games. The 1973-74 team was largely the same team as the year before. Unfortunately for the Jets, the rest of the league caught up, and learned that by shuting down their top line, the Jets were easily beatable. They won 9 fewer games and were swept in the first round of the 1974 playoffs. And by 1974, the Jets were not in good shape financially. Even with Hull, the team draw average crowds at best, and there were regular inquiries from buyers about buying the Jets and moving the team. Hatskin could not support the team on his own (he headed a large group of investors). in the summer of 1974, the Jets became a publicly-owned team, a first in North-American major-league sports. People could buy a share for as little as $25. Individuals, businesses and the provincial government chipped in to keep the Jets in Winnipeg. It was also clear the team needed better players. The Jets were one of the first teams to aggressively scout Europe for talent. The Jets signed Swedes Anders Hedberg, Ulf Nilsson, Lars-Erik Sjoberg and Curt Larsson, and Finns Heikki Riihiranta and Veli-Pekka Ketola, and all contributed well for the 1974-75 club that improved to 38-35-5 and third place in the new Canadian Division. Bobby Hull scored a league-record 77 goals, including 50 in the first 50 games, equaling Rocket Richard's feat from 1944-45. Ironically, despite the improvements, the Jets failed to qualify for the 1975 Playoffs, the only season in their seven years in the WHA the Jets would stay home in April. But it was clear this is a new and improved Jets team. For the remaining four seasons, the Jets would be the class of the WHA. Bobby Hull gave up on his coaching duties, with Bobby Kromm now assuming the role. Willy Lindstrom and Mats Lindh joined in 1975-76, and the high-powered Jets won 52 games that season. Both Hull and Hedberg scored 50 or more goals, while linemate Nilsson joined the other two as 100-point producers. In the 1976 Playoffs, the Jets took apart all challengers and defeated defending champ Houston in four straight in the final round, securing their first Avco Cup Championship. The 1976-77 club fared well, but lost Bobby Hull for half the season as he suffered a broken wrist early in the year. Anders Hedberg scored 70 goals, including 51 in the Jets' first 49 games. The Jets had no trouble with the rest of the league, and went as far as the final round. However, an inspired Quebec Nordiques club bested the Jets in seven games for the 1977 crown, arguably the best final round in the league's history. The Jets spent December 1976 participating in the Izvestia Tournament in Moscow, the first North American team to take part in the USSR's most prestigious hockey tournament. It would be the start of a series of visits between teams from the WHA to Europe, and teams from Europe playing in North America. The Jets did not fare well in the Izvestia Tournament. Promised a few extra quality players from the other WHA clubs, they got none, and the travel and extra time for what was essentially an exhibition series wore on the Jets. In their first game back from Europe, the Jets were pounded 12-3 by Quebec. Bobby Kromm left the team upon the season's end. The 1977-78 team might have been the best team in the WHA's history. The Hull-Nilsson-Hedberg "Hot Line" produced hundred-point seasons for each, and a deep supporting cast included Willy Lindstrom (30 goals) and Kent Nilsson (42 goals, 107 points). Coached now by Larry Hillman, the Jets scored a league-record 381 goals and reeled off winning streaks of 11 and 15 games to run away with the league's best record. In the playoffs, the Jets put aside New England in five games to win the 1978 crown and their second in three years. Unfortunately for Winnipeg fans, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson signed to play for the New York Rangers the following season. In July 1978, the Jets essentially merged with the Houston Aeros franchise, purchasing thirteen players including Morris Lukowich, Terry Ruskowski, Rich Preston and Scott Campbell. These quality players would help balance the loss of Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg, and after just a few games into the 1978-79 season, the loss of Bobby Hull, who decided to retire. Not unsurprisingly, the "Aero-Jets" took time to meld into a cohesive unit, winning and losing games equally often. Other players stepped up: Lukowich (65 goals), Preston and Ruskowski had strong seasons, as did Kent Nilsson (107 points) and Peter Sullivan, who broke through for 46 goals. Late in the season, Tom McVie took over as coach, and the Jets signed veteran netminder Gary Smith from the failed Indianapolis club. The changes seemed to give the Jets a spark, and the team finished strongly, with 39 wins and third place. In the 1979 playoffs, the exciting Edmonton Oilers seemed to have the inside track on the championship, but the Jets channeled their winning knowledge, as well as that of the Aeros, to outplay the Oilers, and win their third Avco Cup, the last the league would offer. In February 1978, the Jets were purchased by Hockey 8 Ventures, a consortium of eight men led by Barry Shenkarow, Bob Graham and Michael Gobuty, and including Bobby Hull. This was partly to make the Jets more attractive to the NHL, as by now merger negotiations were taking place, and Winnipeg was looked at as a favorite to gain entry. In 1979, the Jets entered the NHL along with Edmonton, New England and Quebec. At first, the Jets performed poorly, including a 9-win season in 1980-81, but in time, built a strong club led by Dale Hawerchuk that made the Jets competitive, albeit with a frustrating tendency to lose in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs every year. In 1996, the Jets left Winnipeg and relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, becoming the Coyotes. The NHL would return to Winnipeg in 2011, when the Atlanta Thrashers transferred and assumed the Jets nickname. In 2024, the Arizona Coyotes franchise ceased to function after years of difficulty with its lease arrangements, and when no new arena was coming forth, the team's assets were sold to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith. The new Utah team started play in October 2024. They are considered an expansion team, not a continuation of the Jets-Coyotes franchise. The Arizona Coyotes are (as of late 2024) in a dormant state, and can be reformed if a viable ownership with a viable arena lease can be secured.

• Article: How the Jets Became a Publicly-Owned Team

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Reviews, Podcasts and Media

• Article: Color of Hockey: Alton White (The Hockey News), by William Douglas — March 8, 2020
• Review: US Sports History, by Rick Macales — Feb 6, 2021
• Podcast: Good Seats Still Available, by Tim Hanlon — Feb 28, 2021
• Podcast: Digital to Dice (Youtube), by Dave Gardner — July 3, 2022

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