1978-79 Winnipeg Jets
Record: 39-35-6, 84 pts
When a team finishes first during the regular season, skips through the playoffs winning eight of nine games, and then adds the contracts of 13 players to its roster plus several promising amateur draft selections, you'd think they'd be a cinch for the whole bundle again the following season. Right, Winnipeg Jets?
Wrong! Because although the Jets did receive the contracts of 13 members of the Houston Aeros and although they did manage to sign some promising junior players who had been claimed in the early rounds of the National Hockey League draft, they have lost the heart of their team, Swedish stars Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson, have seen two other key players, left winger Dan Labraaten and goaler Gary Bromley, slip away, and have two inspirational players in Bobby Hull and Ted Green, either or both on the verge of retirement. The Jets will be good, possibly great, but not the dominant force which ruled the WHA in 1977-78.
Last year the Jets set a league record with an amazing 381 goals, while at the same time they finished second in goals allowed to New England, giving up just 270. Their record of 51-27-2 included the league's longest winning streak a stretch of 15 games.
But they will be without the 63 goals and 122 points of Hedberg, and the 126 points, including 89 assists, picked up by Nilsson. Not to mention that the two Swedes were the clubs leading playoff scorers with 15 and 14 points respectively.
Labraaten, who missed nearly half the season with a broken leg but still had 18 goals, will also be dearly missed. It was Labraaten who replaced Hull the year before on the club's big line and did an excellent job. He's off to Detroit, while Bromley, who had 25 wins in 39 appearances for the Jets with a 3.30 goals-against average, has left for Vancouver in the NHL, leaving 35-year-old Joe Daley, who produced a 3.30 average last year in 37 games as the number one backstop.
These losses won't exactly make the Jets powder puffs. Far from it, in fact. Their star-studded lineup still includes Lars-Erik Sjoberg, named the league's best defenseman, who had 11-39-50 stats last year; Barry Long, another rearguard who played his best hockey ever with 7-24-31 offensive record and selection to the second=team All Stars; and Rookie-of-the-Year Kent Nilsson, one of eight players to crack the century mark in scoring with 42 goals and 65 assists.
Whether or not Hull and his 46 goals and 71 assists will be back, the Jets have Willy Lindstrom and Pete Sullivan, who came out to deep slumps in the second-half of the season to finish with 30 and 16 goals, and 20 goal men Dave Kryskow and Robert Guindon, who had eight goals in the playoffs and was named the Most Valuable Player of postseason action.
When you add impressive Houston forwards such as Andre Lacroix (36-77-113), Don Larway (24-35-59), John Gray (35-23-58) and rugged Cam Connor (21-16-37, 217 penalty minutes), plus the exciting Terry Ruskowski-Rich Preston-Morris Lukowich line, you can certainly see the potential for an explosive offense.
Ruskowski had 72 points last year, Preston 50 including 25 goals, and Luckovich sniped 40 goals, although there is a chance he might wind up with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who hold his NHL rights.
Second-year-man Scott Campbell (8-29-37) and Paul Terbenche should bolster the Jets defense, which also has Kim Clackson (203 penalty minutes in 52 games) and Dave Dunn returning once again.
One of the areas of greatest accomplishment for the Jets was in signing top junior prospects who spurned NHL offers. No less than four top-flight players selected in the first two rounds of the NHL draft inked contracts with the Jets.
On defense there's Paul MacKinnon, captain of the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario League, who was chosen in the second round by Washington. Left winger Glen Hicks of Flin Flon, who scored 50 goals and 69 assists plus 225 penalty minutes, was selected in the second round by Detroit, while a pair of centers, 6-4, 200-pound Dale Yakiwchuk (32-52-84) from Portland, and 6-1, 190 pound Ron Carter from Sherbrooke of the Quebec League, who was second in goals in Canadian junior hockey with 88, plus 86 assists, were both second round picks of the Montreal Canadiens and chose to sign with the Jets instead.
There is no doubt that the Jets will be in the running for the top spot in the WHA for the 1978-79 season. Whether they can get the cohesiveness necessary to outlast Edmonton is the question. Put them down for second this year.
Game Log ... (@ away game, * overtime)
Player Scoring
Goaltending
Transactions
• Glenn Hicks, Paul MacKinnon signed to contracts, Jun 1978
Splits versus opposing teams, home and away, and by month
_______________________________________
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• Article: Color of Hockey: Alton White (The Hockey News), by William Douglas — March 8, 2020
(c) Scott Surgent
Finish: 2nd, League
Playoffs: Won AVCO Cup Championship
Coach: Larry Hillman (28-27-6), Tom McVie (11-8-0)
Jets Preview, 1978-79 • The Hockey News 1979 Yearbook
no.
Date
Opponent
Score
w-l-t
pts
gf-ga
no.
Date
Opponent
Score
w-l-t
pts
gf-ga
1 Oct 13 @ Birmingham *5-4 W 1-0-0 2 5-4 41 Jan 20 @ Quebec 1-10 L 19-17-5 43 160-154
2 Oct 14 @ Indianapolis 6-3 W 2-0-0 4 11-7 42 Jan 21 Quebec 3-1 W 20-17-5 45 163-155
3 Oct 15 Cincinnati 3-4 L 2-1-0 4 14-11 43 Jan 24 @ Cincinnati 5-5 T 20-17-6 46 168-160
4 Oct 18 New England 4-4 T 2-1-1 5 18-15 44 Jan 27 @ Quebec 4-2 W 21-17-6 48 172-162
5 Oct 22 Edmonton 2-6 L 2-2-1 5 20-21 45 Jan 28 @ New England 6-8 L 21-18-6 48 178-170
6 Oct 25 Birmingham 7-2 W 3-2-1 7 27-23 46 Jan 30 @ New England 2-5 L 21-19-6 48 180-175
7 Oct 27 @ New England 6-4 W 4-2-1 9 33-27 47 Jan 31 Edmonton 6-3 W 22-19-6 50 186-178
8 Oct 28 @ Indianapolis 2-3 L 4-3-1 9 35-30 48 Feb 2 Edmonton 4-2 W 23-19-6 52 190-180
9 Oct 29 Indianapolis 3-3 T 4-3-2 10 38-33 49 Feb 4 Cincinnati 8-1 W 24-19-6 54 198-181
10 Nov 3 @ Edmonton *3-4 L 4-4-2 10 41-37 50 Feb 7 Birmingham 3-2 W 25-19-6 56 201-183
11 Nov 5 Indianapolis 6-2 W 5-4-2 12 47-39 51 Feb 9 @ Cincinnati 0-4 L 25-20-6 56 201-187
12 Nov 7 @ Quebec 2-1 W 6-4-2 14 49-40 52 Feb 10 @ New England 2-7 L 25-21-6 56 203-194
13 Nov 9 @ Birmingham 5-6 L 6-5-2 14 54-46 53 Feb 14 @ Cincinnati 5-1 W 26-21-6 58 208-195
14 Nov 10 @ Cincinnati 2-3 L 6-6-2 14 56-49 54 Feb 16 @ Birmingham 1-2 L 26-22-6 58 209-197
15 Nov 12 Quebec 4-6 L 6-7-2 14 60-55 55 Feb 17 @ Cincinnati 4-6 L 26-23-6 58 213-203
16 Nov 15 @ Quebec 2-5 L 6-8-2 14 62-60 56 Feb 18 New England 1-7 L 26-24-6 58 214-210
17 Nov 17 Cincinnati 10-6 W 7-8-2 16 72-66 57 Feb 20 @ Cincinnati 2-5 L 26-25-6 58 216-215
18 Nov 19 Indianapolis 5-2 W 8-8-2 18 77-68 58 Feb 21 New England 5-2 W 27-25-6 60 221-217
19 Nov 22 @ New England 2-5 L 8-9-2 18 79-73 59 Feb 23 @ Birmingham 1-9 L 27-26-6 60 222-226
20 Nov 23 @ Indianapolis 5-1 W 9-9-2 20 84-74 60 Feb 25 @ New England 7-5 W 28-26-6 62 229-231
21 Nov 26 @ Quebec 2-2 T 9-9-3 21 86-76 61 Feb 27 Birmingham 2-5 L 28-27-6 62 231-236
22 Nov 29 New England 4-2 W 10-9-3 23 90-78 62 Mar 2 New England 1-4 L 28-28-6 62 232-240
23 Dec 1 Cincinnati 5-6 L 10-10-3 23 95-84 63 Mar 6 @ Birmingham 4-5 L 28-29-6 62 236-245
24 Dec 3 @ Quebec 3-5 L 10-11-3 23 98-89 64 Mar 7 @ Cincinnati 5-3 W 29-29-6 64 241-248
25 Dec 7 @ Indianapolis 9-4 W 11-11-3 25 107-93 65 Mar 11 Quebec 7-2 W 30-29-6 66 248-250
26 Dec 10 Quebec 4-4 T 11-11-4 26 111-97 66 Mar 14 Quebec 2-4 L 30-30-6 66 250-254
27 Dec 14 Soviet All-Stars 3-4 L 11-12-4 26 114-101 67 Mar 16 Cincinnati 5-3 W 31-30-6 68 255-257
28 Dec 17 Cincinnati 6-3 W 12-12-4 28 120-104 68 Mar 18 Birmingham 4-2 W 32-30-6 70 259-259
29 Dec 22 @ Edmonton 5-4 W 13-12-4 30 125-108 69 Mar 21 Edmonton 4-7 L 32-31-6 70 263-266
30 Dec 26 Edmonton 5-3 W 14-12-4 32 130-111 70 Mar 23 @ Edmonton 6-4 W 33-31-6 72 269-270
31 Dec 27 @ Edmonton 3-5 L 14-13-4 32 133-116 71 Mar 28 Cincinnati 6-3 W 34-31-6 74 275-273
32 Jan 1 Czechoslovakia 3-3 T 14-13-5 33 136-119 72 Mar 30 Quebec 0-2 L 34-32-6 74 275-275
33 Jan 7 Quebec 3-2 W 15-13-5 35 139-121 73 Apr 1 @ Quebec 7-3 W 35-32-6 76 282-278
34 Jan 9 Edmonton *4-3 W 16-13-5 37 143-124 74 Apr 4 New England 2-4 L 35-33-6 76 284-282
35 Jan 12 @ Birmingham 3-1 W 17-13-5 39 146-125 75 Apr 6 Birmingham 1-2 L 35-34-6 76 285-284
36 Jan 13 @ Birmingham 3-1 W 18-13-5 41 149-126 76 Apr 8 New England 6-4 W 36-34-6 78 291-288
37 Jan 14 @ New England 4-2 W 19-13-5 43 153-128 77 Apr 10 @ Edmonton 6-4 W 37-34-6 80 297-292
38 Jan 16 @ Edmonton 1-3 L 19-14-5 43 154-131 78 Apr 11 Birmingham 2-1 W 38-34-6 82 299-293
39 Jan 17 Edmonton 3-6 L 19-15-5 43 157-137 79 Apr 15 Birmingham *5-4 W 39-34-6 84 304-297
40 Jan 19 Cincinnati 2-7 L 19-16-5 43 159-144 80 Apr 18 @ Edmonton 3-9 L 39-35-6 84 307-306
pos.
Player
D Amodeo, Mike
D Campbell, Scott
D Clackson, Kim
G Daley, Joe
D Davis, Bill
C Eriksson, Bengt
D Gibson, John
C Gosselin, Rich
LW Gray, John
D Green, Ted
LW Guindon, Bob
LW Hicks, Glenn
LW Hull, Bobby
LW Lesuk, Bill
RW Lindstrom, Willy
D Long, Barry
LW Lukowich, Morris
D MacKinnon, Paul
G Mattsson, Markus
LW Moffat, Lyle
C Nilsson, Kent
RW Preston, Rich
C Ruskowski, Terry
D Sjoberg, Lars-Erik
G Smith, Gary
C Sullivan, Peter
D Terbenche, Paul
C West, Steve
C Yakiwchuk, Dale
Goaltender
Daley, Joe
Mattsson, Markus
Smith, Gary
• Scott Campbell, John Gray, Morris Lukowich, Rich Preston, Terry Ruskowski and Steve West signed to contracts Aug 1978 from defunct Houston
• Bobby Hull announced retirement, Oct 1978
• Bengt Eriksson signed to contract, Jan 1979
• Gary Smith signed as free agent from defunct Indianapolis, Feb 1979
• John Gibson signed to contract, Mar 1979
opponent
overall
gf-ga
home
gf-ga
away
gf-ga
Birmingham 8-6-0 46-46 5-2-0 24-18 3-4-0 22-28
Cincinnati 7-7-1 68-60 5-3-0 45-33 2-4-1 23-27
Edmonton 7-7-0 55-63 4-3-0 28-30 3-4-0 27-33
Indianapolis 5-1-1 36-18 2-0-1 14-7 3-1-0 22-11
New England 6-7-1 52-63 3-3-1 23-27 2-4-0 29-36
Quebec 6-6-2 44-49 3-3-1 23-21 3-3-1 21-28
Touring Teams 0-1-1 6-7 0-1-1 6-7 0-0-0 0-0
October 4-3-2 38-33 1-2-2 19-19 3-1-0 19-14
November 6-6-1 52-45 4-1-0 29-18 2-5-1 23-27
December 4-4-1 43-38 2-2-1 23-20 2-2-0 20-18
January 8-6-2 53-62 4-2-1 24-25 4-4-1 29-37
February 6-8-0 45-58 4-2-0 23-19 2-6-0 22-39
March 6-5-0 44-39 4-4-0 29-27 2-1-0 15-12
April 5-3-0 32-31 3-2-0 16-15 2-1-0 16-16
• 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
WHA Fact Book, 2nd ed
Complete WHA, 11th ed