History of Winnipeg Jets in Timeline

The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team in the NHL, competing in the Central Division of the Western Conference. Owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, they play their home games at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. The team is a prominent fixture in Winnipeg's sports scene and the NHL.

1948: Jets "Heritage" Uniforms Tribute to the RCAF Flyers

In the 2023-24 season, the Winnipeg Jets wore special "Heritage" uniforms for three games in collaboration with the RCAF for its centennial anniversary. Nicknamed the "Forty-Eight" in tribute to the Ottawa RCAF Flyers team that won the gold medal for Team Canada in the 1948 Winter Olympics, the uniform featured a powder blue base, red and navy blue stripes, and navy blue numbers.

December 27, 1971: Winnipeg Granted WHA Franchise

On December 27, 1971, Winnipeg was granted one of the founding franchises in the World Hockey Association (WHA).

1972: CJOB Serves as Radio Home

CJOB served as the radio home of the Winnipeg Jets' original incarnation from 1972 to 1982.

1973: Jets Throwback Uniforms

From 2016 to 2019, the Winnipeg Jets wore throwback white uniforms based on the 1973–78 design worn by the original Jets.

1979: Jets "Reverse Retro" Uniforms

For the 2020–21 season, the Winnipeg Jets wore "Reverse Retro" alternate uniforms, recreating the original Jets' 1979–90 uniforms but recoloured to match the current Jets' scheme.

1982: CJOB Serves as Radio Home

CJOB served as the radio home of the Winnipeg Jets' original incarnation from 1972 to 1982.

1987: Winnipeg Whiteout Tradition

The Winnipeg Whiteout is a hockey tradition that dates back to 1987 when fans of the original Winnipeg Jets franchise were asked to wear white clothing at the home playoff games.

1990: Jets Retro Uniforms Recoloured

In the 2022-23 season, the Winnipeg Jets wore "Reverse Retro" uniforms based on the white uniforms worn by the original Jets from 1990 to 1996, recoloured to the current Jets' scheme.

1990: Inspiration from the 1990-96 uniforms of the original Jets

Prior to the 2018-19 season, the Winnipeg Jets introduced their first alternate uniform, featuring aviator blue as the base colour, along with a new "Jets" wordmark, block letters and numbers, and striping inspired from the 1990–96 uniforms of the original Jets.

1992: CJOB Serves as Radio Home

CJOB served as the radio home of the Winnipeg Jets' original incarnation from 1992 to 1996.

April 28, 1996: Original Winnipeg Jets Play Last Game

The original Winnipeg Jets played their last game on April 28, 1996, before relocating to become the Phoenix Coyotes.

1996: CJOB Serves as Radio Home

CJOB served as the radio home of the Winnipeg Jets' original incarnation from 1992 to 1996.

1996: Jets Retro Uniforms Recoloured

In the 2022-23 season, the Winnipeg Jets wore "Reverse Retro" uniforms based on the white uniforms worn by the original Jets from 1990 to 1996, recoloured to the current Jets' scheme.

June 25, 1997: Atlanta Thrashers Franchise Established

On June 25, 1997, the Atlanta Thrashers franchise was officially established, marking the beginning of the team that would eventually become the Winnipeg Jets.

1999: Whiteout at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

The Whiteout was also used during the Canada vs Russia Gold medal game at the 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, hosted by the city of Winnipeg.

2000: Number 99 Retired League-Wide

The number 99 was retired league-wide in honour of Wayne Gretzky by the NHL at the 2000 NHL All-Star Game.

2006: Thrashers Qualify for Playoffs

In 2006, the Atlanta Thrashers qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in their history, though they did not win any playoff games.

2008: Thrashers File for Bankruptcy

In 2008, mounting losses led the Atlanta Thrashers franchise to file for bankruptcy, resulting in the league taking over the team before the subsequent season.

October 2009: Rumors of True North Bidding for Coyotes

In October 2009, rumors emerged that True North Sports & Entertainment had been invited to bid on the Phoenix Coyotes, potentially relocating them to Winnipeg.

2009: Whiteout in Calder Cup Playoffs

During the 2009 Calder Cup playoffs between the Manitoba Moose and the Hershey Bears, fans were asked to wear white for game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals.

May 2011: True North Buys Team and Relocates to Winnipeg

In May 2011, True North Sports & Entertainment acquired the Atlanta Thrashers and made plans to relocate the team to Winnipeg for the 2011-12 season.

May 20, 2011: Agreement Reached for True North to Purchase Thrashers

On May 20, 2011, an agreement in principle was reached for True North to purchase the Atlanta Thrashers, paving the way for their relocation to Winnipeg.

May 31, 2011: Thrashers Relocation to Winnipeg Confirmed

On May 31, 2011, the NHL confirmed the sale of the Atlanta Thrashers to True North and their relocation to Winnipeg for the 2011-12 season.

June 1, 2011: Season Ticket Sales Begin

On June 1, 2011, season ticket sales began for the relocated Winnipeg Jets, with priority given to Manitoba Moose season ticket holders.

June 4, 2011: Rick Dudley Contract Bought Out

On June 4, 2011, True North bought out the remaining years of general manager Rick Dudley's contract before the franchise relocation was officially completed.

June 12, 2011: Craig Ramsay Reinterviewed

On June 12, 2011, Kevin Cheveldayoff had Atlanta Thrashers head coach Craig Ramsay reinterview for his position.

June 21, 2011: NHL Approves Thrashers Relocation to Winnipeg

On June 21, 2011, the NHL's Board of Governors approved the sale and relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg, solidifying the return of the NHL to the city.

July 2011: High Ticket Prices on StubHub

In July 2011, tickets for the Winnipeg Jets' October 9 home opener against the Montreal Canadiens were listed on StubHub for an average price of $1,711, with an average selling price of $713.

July 22, 2011: Jets Unveil New Logos and Colours

On July 22, 2011, the Winnipeg Jets unveiled their new logos and colours. This occurred three days earlier than the scheduled release, after team merchandise containers were broken into and a picture of a Jets' T-shirt was leaked online.

October 9, 2011: Jets Regular Season Debut

On October 9, 2011, the Winnipeg Jets made their formal regular season debut at the MTS Centre, losing to the Montreal Canadiens 5–1. Nik Antropov scored the first-ever Jets goal.

2011: Fans Shout "True North!"

Beginning in 2011, during the singing of "O Canada", Winnipeg Jets fans commonly shout the words "True North!" to recognize True North Sports & Entertainment.

2011: Winnipeg Jets Name Revealed

During the 2011 NHL entry draft on June 24, 2011, it was announced that the relocated Atlanta Thrashers would be named the Winnipeg Jets, reviving the name of the city's original WHA and NHL franchise.

2011: CFRW Serves as Flagship Radio Station

From 2011 to 2020, CFRW, TSN Radio 1290, served as the flagship radio station of the Winnipeg Jets.

2011: Hnidy Becomes Lead Colour Commentator

Shane Hnidy was the Winnipeg Jets' lead colour commentator from the 2011–12 to 2016–17 seasons.

2012: Perry Pearn Added to Coaching Staff

During the summer of 2012, the Jets added Perry Pearn to their coaching staff.

January 2014: Jets Fire Noel and Pearn

In January 2014, the Winnipeg Jets fired head coach Claude Noel and assistant coach Perry Pearn, replacing Noel with veteran coach Paul Maurice.

2014: Jets Telecasts Move to TSN3

In 2014, with the realignment of TSN into regional feeds, Winnipeg Jets telecasts moved to TSN3, and the separate TSN Jets channel was discontinued.

April 9, 2015: Jets Clinch Playoff Appearance

On April 9, 2015, the Winnipeg Jets clinched their first Stanley Cup playoff appearance since relocating to Winnipeg, following a 1–0 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche and a Calgary Flames victory over the Los Angeles Kings.

2015: Mick E. Moose Serves as Mascot

Since the start of the 2015–16 season, Mick E. Moose has served as mascot for both the Winnipeg Jets and the Manitoba Moose.

2015: Winnipeg Jets Resurrect the Whiteout

The Winnipeg Jets resurrected the Winnipeg Whiteout tradition when they qualified for the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs.

October 19, 2016: Inaugural Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame Inductees

On October 19, 2016, the "HOT Line" consisting of Anders Hedberg, Bobby Hull and Ulf Nilsson were the inaugural inductees into the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame.

2016: Jets Win Second Overall Pick

Despite finishing with the sixth-worst record in the league, the Jets managed to win the second overall pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft through the draft lottery, which they used to select Finnish prospect Patrik Laine.

2016: Jets Wear Throwback Uniforms

From 2016 to 2019, the Winnipeg Jets wore throwback white uniforms based on the 1973–78 design worn by the original Jets. The uniforms debuted in the 2016 Heritage Classic and have been used during Jets Hall of Fame induction nights since.

2016: Jets Resurrect Original Mascot

In the 2016 Heritage Classic, the current Winnipeg Jets resurrected their mascot from its original incarnation, Benny, and he has since served as the team's secondary mascot.

2016: Jennifer Hanson Performs at Heritage Classic Alumni Game

Jennifer Hanson, the Winnipeg Jets' regular national anthem singer for the final seven seasons of the original franchise, performed again during the 2016 Heritage Classic Alumni Game.

2016: Hnidy Leaves Position

Shane Hnidy was the Winnipeg Jets' lead colour commentator from the 2011–12 to 2016–17 seasons.

November 14, 2017: Dale Hawerchuk Honoured

On November 14, 2017, Dale Hawerchuk was inducted into the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame.

2017: Hnidy Moves to AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain

In 2017, Shane Hnidy moved to AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain to cover the Vegas Golden Knights.

2017: Jets Keep Existing Uniforms

In 2017, the Winnipeg Jets maintained their existing uniforms as Adidas took over production of NHL uniforms.

March 25, 2018: Jets Clinch Playoff Spot

On March 25, 2018, the Winnipeg Jets beat the Nashville Predators 5–4 in a shootout, clinching a spot in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs.

April 11, 2018: Jets Win First Playoff Game

On April 11, 2018, the Winnipeg Jets won the first playoff game in the history of the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise when they defeated the Minnesota Wild 3–2.

April 20, 2018: Jets Win First Playoff Series

On April 20, 2018, the Winnipeg Jets won their first playoff series in franchise history (and the first series victory in 31 years for the city) with a 5–0 victory over the Minnesota Wild in game five of the first-round series, winning the series 4–1.

May 10, 2018: Jets Advance to Conference Finals

On May 10, 2018, the Winnipeg Jets advanced to the Conference finals for the first time in franchise history, defeating the Nashville Predators four games to three. This marked the first time that either iteration of the Winnipeg Jets had advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs.

2018: Jets Introduce Alternate Uniform

February 26, 2019: Lars-Erik Sjoberg and Ab McDonald Posthumously Inducted

On February 26, 2019, Lars-Erik Sjoberg and Ab McDonald were posthumously inducted into the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame.

2019: Blue Throwback Uniform Unveiled

In 2019, a blue version of the throwback uniforms was unveiled by the Winnipeg Jets, this time for the 2019 Heritage Classic.

2019: Jets Lose to St. Louis Blues in Playoffs

In 2019, the Winnipeg Jets clinched a playoff berth but lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in six games in the first round.

2019: Jets Struggle After Defence Departures

The Winnipeg Jets struggled in the 2019-20 season due to the departure of many high-profile defencemen such as Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers and Dustin Byfuglien.

February 11, 2020: Randy Carlyle and Thomas Steen Inducted

On February 11, 2020, Randy Carlyle and Thomas Steen were inducted into the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame.

August 18, 2020: Dale Hawerchuk Memorial Logo

In 2021, the current Winnipeg Jets' 10th-anniversary logo served as a memorial logo to Dale Hawerchuk, whose no. 10 was added in lieu of the team's current logo following his death on August 18, 2020.

October 5, 2020: Television Rights Renewed with TSN3

On October 5, 2020, the Winnipeg Jets renewed its television rights with TSN3.

2020: Hellebuyck Wins Vezina Trophy

In 2020, Winnipeg Jets' goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was awarded the Vezina Trophy for being the league's best goaltender.

2020: Corus Entertainment Holds Jets Radio Rights

Since the 2020-21 season, Corus Entertainment has held the Winnipeg Jets radio rights as part of a seven-year agreement signed in 2020.

2021: Dennis Beyak Retires

Dennis Beyak served as the primary play-by-play voice for the Winnipeg Jets until his retirement at the end of the 2021–22 NHL season.

2021: Jets Make Playoffs

In the 2021–22 season, the Jets finished a disappointing sixth in the Central Division, missing the playoffs.

2021: Heritage Uniforms Promoted to Alternate Status

Starting with the 2021-22 season, the Winnipeg Jets' blue "Heritage" uniforms were promoted to alternate status, replacing the previous aviator blue alternates. Also, the current Jets' 10th-anniversary logo in 2021 also served as a memorial logo to Dale Hawerchuk, whose no. 10 was added in lieu of the team's current logo following his death on August 18, 2020.

November 17, 2022: Teemu Selanne and Teppo Numminen Inducted

On November 17, 2022, Teemu Selanne and Teppo Numminen were inducted into the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame.

2022: Wheeler Stripped of Captaincy

At the start of the 2022–23 season, forward Blake Wheeler was stripped of the Winnipeg Jets' team captaincy.

2022: Jets Wear Reverse Retro Uniforms

In the 2022-23 season, the Winnipeg Jets wore "Reverse Retro" uniforms based on the white uniforms worn by the original Jets from 1990 to 1996, recoloured to the current Jets' scheme.

2023: Jets Wear Special "Heritage" Uniforms

In the 2023-24 season, the Winnipeg Jets wore special "Heritage" uniforms for three games in collaboration with the RCAF for its centennial anniversary.

2023: Jets Clinch Playoffs

The Winnipeg Jets clinched the 2023 playoffs at the end of the regular season but were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the first round.

February 2024: Bettman Gives Vote of Confidence

In February 2024, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stated that the threat of the Winnipeg Jets facing relocation was not a concern and gave a vote of confidence.