Winnipeg Jets History

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EPISODE 318: The WHA & Original NHL Winnipeg Jets - With Geoff Kirbyson — Good Seats Still Available

We head "True North" to the Canadian province of Manitoba this week in search of heretofore undiscovered historical nuggets from the WHA and original NHL versions of hockey's Winnipeg Jets - with veteran journalist/author Geoff Kirbyson. Kirbyson's accounts of the Jets' early years in the

goodseatsstillavailable.com

 

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Great podcast on the loss and return of the Winnipeg Jets.

Episode 1 - Homecoming: The Return of the Winnipeg Jets

May 31, 2011 will be a day forever circled in Winnipeg Sports history but the story of how the NHL returned to the city, who’s heart it had broken 15 years before, starts long before that. Sara Orlesky has had a front row seat to the story and wit...

www.buzzsprout.com

Homecoming: The Return of the Winnipeg Jets - Episode 1 | Winnipeg Jets

Homecoming: The Return of The Winnipeg Jets is a four-part audio documentary hosted by Jets Sr. Host/Producer Sara Orlesky. The series will reflect on the lead-up to the NHL’s return to Winnipeg and the milestones of the first season. From the stories of those who worked quietly and tirelessly...

www.nhl.com

 

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[Doctor Coffin]

Mike Smith got him fired. He would constantly be in Shank's ear, manipulating the situation behind the scenes, even implying that Fergie had early onset dementia at one point. Ferguson would never forgive Smith for the remainder of his life. Mike Smith then was the interm GM, but convinced Shankerow to let him become the full time GM.

We all know how that worked out. Smith drafted fairly well initially in 1989 and 1990. However, after that it was a disaster. 25 year old Sergei Bautin in the 1st round? We could have picked him in the 5th round, as their was no interest in him. Aaron Ward at #5 overall in a stacked 1991 Draft, and Mats Lindgren in 1993 didn't help.

On top of that, Smith was determined to pick Russians, since they "were cheaper to afford." Then some of his trades were head shakers. He drove Hawerchuk out of town, and told him during the 80s, that if he were GM, he would have chosen Bobby Carpenter in 1981. Smith also drove Housley out of Winnipeg, after the two nearly came to blows at a Jets Christmas party in 1992. The return on Housley was poor. He traded Stu Barnes for a journeyman. He traded Kris Draper for $1. He benched Bob Essensa, when he was a Vezina candidate in 1991-92, due to contact disagreements in the playoffs, for Rick Tabaracci, Essensa never recovered and lost his confidence.

I recall The Hockey News stating in the fall of 1991, ranking the prospects on all teams. #1 was Winnipeg, #2 was Detroit. If the Jets had kept their prospects going into the mid 90s, I am convinced they would have been contenders, whether they were in Winnipeg or Phoenix. By the time Smith was given the pink slip in late January 1994, the Jets were dead last in the Western Conference.

I agree with all of this.

The worst GM in Jets history.

The worst GM in Blackhawks history, too, as far as I'm concerned. A devious, smarmy, condescending know-it-all with no credible basis for any such airs. Burning most of the lousy Hawks' then-high draft choices on guys like Pavel Vorobiev. The fiasco that was Alpo Suhonen's aborted coaching tenure. All the awful trades, such as Doug Gilmour and J.P. Dumont for Michal Grosek, Bryan McCabe for Alexander Karpovtsev and a draft pick which he of course burned on another random Russian who never played for the club. Denigrating and dawdling with negotiations with the team's best and most-popular player, Tony Amonte during a contract year, and eventually getting nothing for him when he walked as a free agent during the offseason. Being in Smithov's presence and hearing the guy speak for ten seconds was enough to make one want to run away and take a hot shower. How this guy continued to get hired was baffling to me, especially by such old-school types as Pulford and Wirtz. Brian Sutter hated him. To Smith it seemed the primary consideration for a player's appeal was if his passport was issued by the Soviet Union. Ah yes, the doughy Marlboro Man Sergei Bautin....when Detroit inexplicably took him on in the Essensa trade, he was always too winded to take a full shift even in practice. Smith always took his locker room snitch, Kris King (yes, the same guy that's now part of the infamous "Toronto war room"), with him wherever he went, too.

Here's another question for those knowledgeable with the Jets' situation in the mid '90s, though. What role, if any, did former mayor Susan Thompson have in the original team staying as long as they did and eventually leaving?

 

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Here's another question for those knowledgeable with the Jets' situation in the mid '90s, though. What role, if any, did former mayor Susan Thompson have in the original team staying as long as they did and eventually leaving?

The problem the Jets had in the 90's is they did not have a modern building and they did not receive any revenues from concessions, parking etc.

 

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