NHL announces consolidation of Winnipeg Jets’ franchises

Two Winnipeg franchises have officially become one.

The NHL announced on Thursday that they have merged the histories of the original Winnipeg Jets with the current iteration of the franchise, allowing the statistical achievements and records of players to play for either era of the team to be recorded together.

The Jets’ franchise record books, which previously only included stats and records from this franchise’s history as the Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets, will now also include the record books from the original franchise. Meanwhile, the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes records and statistics will remain with the dormant franchise until they are reactivated, which will then become a part of that franchise’s history.

“Today’s announcement is meaningful for our organization, our alumni and generations of Winnipeg Jets fans,” executive chairman of True North Sports & Entertainment and the Winnipeg Jets Mark Chipman said in a statement announcing the consolidation. “The Jets teams from 1979 to 1996 helped build the identity and tradition that we proudly carry forward today. For our fans, these players and these moments always have been part of the same Winnipeg Jets story, and we’re pleased that our official records now will reflect that.”

The original iteration of the Jets existed from 1979 to 1996 before they were relocated and became the Phoenix Coyotes (and later the Arizona Coyotes). However, since the Coyotes were not traditionally relocated, which would have meant that the original Jets and Coyotes stats and records would have become a part of the Utah Mammoth’s record books, and were instead deactivated, it meant that the Jets/Coyotes record books were dormant until the franchise was reactivated.

The current iteration of the Jets joined the NHL in 2011 after the Thrashers, who operated from 1999 to 2011, needed relocation. The Jets have been in Winnipeg ever since.

“Statistics and records are more than numbers – they capture the milestones, achievements and memories that define the history of our game and the communities that support it,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. “We respect the Jets’ commitment to honoring their franchise’s journey and are pleased that the full history of NHL hockey in Winnipeg now can be celebrated as one continuous story.”

With the new records in place, the Jets now have a new holder for franchise records, with Dale Hawerchuk taking the lead in goals (379) and points (929), while Thomas Steen holds the record for most assists (553). Mark Scheifele had previously held the records for goals (372) and points (907), while Blake Wheeler held the mark for assists (550). However, Scheifele needs just seven goals, 18 assists and 22 points to reach the newly-established records. Kyle Connor is also only 56 goals behind Hawerchuk’s record.