The Winnipeg Jets history reflects a passionate journey in the NHL, showcasing how the NHL Winnipeg Jets became a staple of Canadian ice hockey. Since their return to Winnipeg in 2011, the team has built a strong fan base, notable rivalries, and impressive playoff appearances, marking them as one of the league’s most resilient and exciting franchises.
Established
1999
City
Atlanta – Winnipeg
League History
1999 – Present / National Hockey League
Team History
2011 – Present / Winnipeg Jets
1999 – 2011 / Atlanta Thrashers
Nickname
Jets – The Winnipeg Jets are an NHL team that has been around since the 1970s, and they have a long history of success in the league. But many people don’t know how their nickname came to be.
Originally, when the team was formed in 1972, they were known as The World Hockey Association (WHA). It wasn’t until 1979 that they changed their name to The Winnipeg Jets after being acquired by local businessman Ben Hatskin. He chose this name because he wanted it to reflect his hometown's aviation industry which had seen tremendous growth during WWII due to its location near air force bases for both Canadian and American forces.
Winnipeg Jets Origin
As time went on and hockey became more popular throughout North America, so did the popularity of The Winnipeg Jets brand, with fans across Canada embracing them as one of “their teams” even though, geographically speaking, it was far away from most Canadian cities then. This newfound fame eventually led them to join up with other WHA teams like Edmonton Oilers & Quebec Nordiques when all three franchises joined together for expansion into National Hockey League (NHL) back 1982-83 season, which saw these 3 former WHA clubs become part of NHL family always!
Today you can still see evidence of this original inspiration behind their nickname: Their logo features a jet plane flying through two hockey sticks while also sporting colors similar to those used by the Royal Canadian Air Force – red, white blue - giving further tribute to military aviation roots from whence franchise originated over 40 years ago now!
Championship
Stanley Cup 0
Arena
2018 - Present / Bell MTS Place
2011 – 2017 / MTS Centre
*Atlanta*
1999 – 2011 / Philips Arena
Owner
2011 – Present / True North Sports and Entertainment
2003 – 2011 / Atlanta Spirit, LLC
1999 – 2003 / Time Warner
- 2011
- 2011
- 2011
Moving to Winnipeg
Due to financial losses and ownership struggles, the team was frequently a target of relocation rumors. In later years, reports saw the team courted by suitors intending to relocate to Kansas City, Missouri; Quebec City, Quebec; Hamilton, Ontario or Winnipeg, Manitoba. On January 22, 2011, the team’s ownership group claimed it had lost the US $130 million in the last ...
Record Sales of Tickets
Season ticket sales began June 1, 2011, with Manitoba Moose season ticket holders having priority. The team sought to sell 13,000 season tickets in an effort to prove its viability. Within the first three and a half hours the new franchise sold 1,870 packages to Moose season ticket holders. The number of season tickets sold jumped to 4,170 on June ...
MTS Centre
The MTS Centre is an indoor sports arena and entertainment venue located at 300 Portage Avenue in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The arena is the home of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League and previously served as the home of the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose (now the St. John’s IceCaps) from 2004 to 2011. Beginning in the ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Winnipeg Jets History
The Winnipeg Jets history begins in 1972 when the franchise was founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba as one of the original members of the World Hockey Association (WHA). After five seasons in the WHA, the team joined the National Hockey League for the 1979–80 season, becoming an integral part of the NHL Winnipeg Jets identity. Due to financial difficulties, the original Jets moved to Phoenix and became the Arizona Coyotes after the 1996–97 NHL season. Throughout this period, the franchise built intense rivalries, including notable clashes with the Atlanta Thrashers and the Minnesota Wild, shaping an early chapter in the Winnipeg Jets history.
In 2011, True North Sports & Entertainment purchased the Atlanta Thrashers and relocated the team back to Manitoba, where it reclaimed the name “Jets” by overwhelming fan demand. This move reignited passion for the NHL Winnipeg Jets, restoring a team that locals had long missed since 1996. Under head coach Paul Maurice, the team reached the playoffs in the 2015–16 season for the first time since returning to Winnipeg. Although they lost four games to the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference First Round, the appearance marked a milestone in the modern Winnipeg Jets history, as it was their first playoff action on home soil since the 1990s.
Since then, the NHL Winnipeg Jets have become consistent contenders in the Central Division despite operating with fewer resources than larger-market teams like the Chicago Blackhawks or St. Louis Blues. They have built strong rosters around key players such as Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine, and Jacob Trouba, ensuring the team remains competitive each season. This commitment to talent development and leadership has kept the Winnipeg Jets history alive and relevant even without the spending power of other franchises.
Jets Achievements
One of the biggest achievements in the modern Winnipeg Jets history came in the 2017–18 season, when the team reached the Western Conference Final for the first time since relocation, defeating the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators in earlier rounds. Led by stars like Blake Wheeler, Connor Hellebuyck, and Mark Scheifele, the NHL Winnipeg Jets electrified fans and reaffirmed their status as one of the NHL’s toughest teams to beat.
The franchise continues to strive for its first Stanley Cup victory, but its resilience, passionate fan base, and record of playoff appearances have cemented it as a cornerstone of Canadian hockey. With a bright future led by dynamic young players and a renewed commitment to success, the Winnipeg Jets history and the ongoing story of the NHL Winnipeg Jets remain a source of pride for both Manitoba and the league as a whole.
The return of Winnipeg Jets that Shook the NHL
Few NHL stories are as wild as the Winnipeg Jets history — a team that vanished, returned, and captured a city’s heart all over again...
Retired Number
99 / Wayne Gretzky
*Blue is this team’s history