The Current Jets Roster may be the Best Winnipeg Jets Team Ever in the NHL

[garret9]

Yo I wrote something.

Last night was a glorious night for hockey in Winnipeg. Yes, the Jets lost in shootout and only picked up one point in the standings. The Los Angeles Kings though lost to the Calgary Flames in regulation time, which means the Jets are going to the big show.

The Winnipeg Jets are going to the playoffs, and they may be playing there with the best Winnipeg team to ever play in the NHL.

We will show you why after the jump.

http://jetsnation.ca/2015/4/10/the-...e-the-best-winnipeg-jets-team-ever-in-the-nhl

Click to read more...

 

[Yukon Joe]

How can you not figure that the Bobby Hull-led Jets of the WHA were the bets Winnipeg Jets team of all time?

 

[Hammer Slammer]

How can you not figure that the Bobby Hull-led Jets of the WHA were the bets Winnipeg Jets team of all time?

Because the title says "in the NHL"

 

[pegjets]

I think a bit too premature Garret - don't start writing like Gary for headlines

 

[garret9]

I think a bit too premature Garret - don't start writing like Gary for headlines

Obviously regular season haha

 

[garret9]

How can you not figure that the Bobby Hull-led Jets of the WHA were the bets Winnipeg Jets team of all time?

Did I say they weren't... It's "Ever in the NHL"


See where it starts:

 

[cbcwpg]

JMO, but the 1984–85 Winnipeg Jets were the best Jets team ever in the NHL.

That team had Stanley Cup written all over it.... until during the third game of Calgary's first round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets. In that game, Jamie Macoun cross-checked Dale Hawerchuk, resulting in a broken rib. Hawerchuk missed the remainder of the playoffs. If not for that injury, IMO this Jets team could have beat the Oilers and have gone on to win the Cup.

We still owe Calgary one.

 

[Jets4Life]

How can you not figure that the Bobby Hull-led Jets of the WHA were the bets Winnipeg Jets team of all time?

Several reasons, but off the top of my head:

-The WHA was inferior to the NHL
-The talent pool was diluted since pro hockey went from 6 to 32 teams in only 7 years.
-players today are bigger, faster, stronger, and have better training than the 70s
-No players from Iron Curtain countries (Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, etc) were in the WHA or NHL
-very few Scandinavians (a dozen?) were playing in the NHL in the 70s

Jets of the late 70s would be lucky to win 5 games in today's NHL.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Did I say they weren't... It's "Ever in the NHL"

But that's just it - I was taking issue with where you started.

 

[Jets4Life]

JMO, but the 1984–85 Winnipeg Jets were the best Jets team ever in the NHL.

That team had Stanley Cup written all over it.... until during the third game of Calgary's first round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets. In that game, Jamie Macoun cross-checked Dale Hawerchuk, resulting in a broken rib. Hawerchuk missed the remainder of the playoffs. If not for that injury, IMO this Jets team could have beat the Oilers and have gone on to win the Cup.

We still owe Calgary one.

The Oilers were at their prime, and would have beaten the Jets easily. With Hawerchuk in the lineup, we may ahve stole a game or two, but Edmonton would ahve had no problem with us. The 80s Oilers were arguably the best dynasty in the history of hockey.

Having said that, the 84-85 Jets were very talented. Offensively, they were better. Hawerchuk, Steen, MacLean, Mullen, Boschman. Defensively, it's fairly even, as the Jets had Babych, Ellett, Carlyle, Watters, and Wilson. Todays Jets had better goaltending, as Hayward and Behrend were never good goalies.

 

[garret9]

But that's just it - I was taking issue with where you started.

Well that's not what you argued, and kind of silly. I'm talking NHL for a reason.

It's also something I have no data on.

 

[garret9]

Am I a heretic for pointing out that the 84-85 Jets had an inflated shooting percentage?

 

[LucianoBorsato]

JMO, but the 1984–85 Winnipeg Jets were the best Jets team ever in the NHL.

That team had Stanley Cup written all over it.... until during the third game of Calgary's first round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets. In that game, Jamie Macoun cross-checked Dale Hawerchuk, resulting in a broken rib. Hawerchuk missed the remainder of the playoffs. If not for that injury, IMO this Jets team could have beat the Oilers and have gone on to win the Cup.

We still owe Calgary one.

right on the money here. 84-85 jets were freaking fantastic, for those of us who remember it. That dirty SOB Macoun, that cross-check is imprinted in my brain for eternity. I'm proud of these current boys and I am hoping they can become the best Winnipeg NHL team ever, but that remains to be seen.

 

[scelaton]

Several reasons, but off the top of my head:

-The WHA was inferior to the NHL
-The talent pool was diluted since pro hockey went from 6 to 32 teams in only 7 years.
-players today are bigger, faster, stronger, and have better training than the 70s
-No players from Iron Curtain countries (Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, etc) were in the WHA or NHL
-very few Scandinavians (a dozen?) were playing in the NHL in the 70s

Jets of the late 70s would be lucky to win 5 games in today's NHL.

You speak with great authority. Tell us, how many of the WHA Jets games did you actually watch?
Or are you relying on advanced stats?
Did you know that 2/3 of the famous Hull line("Hot Line") was Scandinavian, along with their most talented D-man? I believe the WHA Jets had a total of 6 European starters.
The WHA Jets defeated the Soviet National team in 1978, making them the first North American team to defeat the best of the Soviet Union. That includes the NHL.
The WHA was inferior to the NHL in general, but the Jets team in its prime was fantastic and an absolute blast to watch.

 

[Koonta]

Am I a heretic for pointing out that the 84-85 Jets had an inflated shooting percentage?

It was the 80's, every team had an inflated shooting percentage

 

[garret9]

It was the 80's, every team had an inflated shooting percentage

Sorry, should I say relative to league.

 

[Huffer]

The Oilers were at their prime, and would have beaten the Jets easily. With Hawerchuk in the lineup, we may ahve stole a game or two, but Edmonton would ahve had no problem with us. The 80s Oilers were arguably the best dynasty in the history of hockey.

Having said that, the 84-85 Jets were very talented. Offensively, they were better. Hawerchuk, Steen, MacLean, Mullen, Boschman. Defensively, it's fairly even, as the Jets had Babych, Ellett, Carlyle, Watters, and Wilson. Todays Jets had better goaltending, as Hayward and Behrend were never good goalies.

The Oilers were only 5-3 against the Jets that year. While the Oil had Gretzky, the Jets had 6 30 goal scores to the Oilers 5, and the Jets had 8 guys with 50 or more points to the Oilers 7.

Never know which way that series would have gone but it would not have been easy for the Oilers.

I wonder how that series would have gone with a healthy Hawerchuk and Gretzky out?

 

[angrymnky]

Todays Jets had better goaltending, as Hayward and Behrend were never good goalies.

Hayward wasn't that bad. His save% that year was league average or a little higher among starters I believe.

 

[DEANYOUNGBLOOD17]

You speak with great authority. Tell us, how many of the WHA Jets games did you actually watch?
Or are you relying on advanced stats?
Did you know that 2/3 of the famous Hull line("Hot Line") was Scandinavian, along with their most talented D-man? I believe the WHA Jets had a total of 6 European starters.
The WHA Jets defeated the Soviet National team in 1978, making them the first North American team to defeat the best of the Soviet Union. That includes the NHL.
The WHA was inferior to the NHL in general, but the Jets team in its prime was fantastic and an absolute blast to watch.

It's funny you mentioned that Jet game Jets (WHA) vs Red Army .... As I was at that game. I was also in attendance when they won the Avco Cup ....... Tried to get on the ice to celebrate the win after the game but an usher stoped me.....

 

[Ducky10]

Am I a heretic for pointing out that the 84-85 Jets had an inflated shooting percentage?

The years directly on either side of that year were dramatically different that's for sure.

The 84-85 team might have been the most " successful" team to date but I don't believe it was the best. The current team seems much more sustainable to me.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

Did anyone else see the DownGoesBrown Video Breakdown today?

Breaks down that 84-85 team.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nhl-grab-bag-a-replay-conspiracy/



some great snippets.

As we covered a few days ago, the 1984-85 Jets were (and still are) the best team in Winnipeg’s NHL history, so we can forgive their fans for being a little bit excited back then. No doubt this video will feature plenty of incredible saves, hits, and goals!

Well he disagrees.

• Like many highlight videos of the era, this one seems to have been made from about four actual games. That’s fine, though, because this is 1985, so that will translate to roughly 400 goals scored.

• It takes us all the way until 1:05 to get to our first hit that would merit a suspension in today’s league, which I think may be a record for one of these highlight packages. And for the second week in a row, it’s a Quebec Nordique getting two-hand punched in the head. Stop making everyone do that, Nordiques players.

• Note that at the 1:45 mark, one of our highlights — a play that needed to be counted as being among the very best of the entire season — is of a Jets goalie making the save on an unscreened slap shot from the top of the faceoff circle. The 1980s were so fun.

• Our final clip is of Hawerchuk scoring on a 2-on-1 against the Oilers in what I feel confident saying was a losing cause, since I have no recollection of the Jets ever beating the Oilers during the entire decade.

 

[garret9]

I know. I'd argue with him but I already know his response.

 

[heretik27]

Am I a heretic for pointing out that the 84-85 Jets had an inflated shooting percentage?

Whoa now, let's not say things we can't take back.

 

[razorsedge]

Can't wait till the Jets win a Stanley cup so we can bury any memory of the WHA like the Oilers did.

 

[PhilJets]

probably the most balance team

but that Hawerchuk led team probably will go head to head with the current Jets roster.