The Phoenix Coyotes broke into the league as the Winnipeg Jets in the 1979-80 season as one of four teams to have been taken from the WHA. The Jets would later move to Phoenix in 1996, where to this date, they have yet to advance past the first round. In their history, they have had thirteen captains.
The first team captain in the NHL chapter of their existence was Lars-Erik Sjoberg, who was previously captain in the WHA days, and would only serve one year as the captain in the NHL's Jets. Single seasons of Morris Lukowich and Dave Christian would follow before Lucien DuBlois would captain the team for two seasons. 1984 until 1989 was Dale Hawerchuk's turn with the C, and as the first superstar of the team, he was to the Jets what Wayne Gretzky was to the Oilers: they let their on-ice talents do the talking. The 1989-90 season had Hawerchuk share the C with Thomas Steen (a Jets lifer) and Randy Carlyle. After Hawerchuk was traded to Buffalo at the conclusion of the season, Steen and Carlyle would continue to share the C the following season. Eventually, the captaincy would be handed to Troy Murray, who would hold the C from 1991 until 1993, when he was traded to Chicago before the trade deadline. Dean Kennedy would finish the 1992-93 season as captain. Keith Tkachuk would take over in 1993 and would hold the C until 1995, when Kris King would finish the Jets' chapter as captain. After the move to Phoenix, Tkachuk was reinstated as captain, a role he would hold for the team's first five seasons before a trade to St. Louis in the 2000-01 offseason. Taking over was another Jet leftover in Teppo Numminen, who was never the best defenseman on the team, but was one of the most dependable. He would have the C until 2003, when Shane Doan took over. He currently holds that distinction, as well as the last player on the Coyotes to have played for Winnipeg, doing so in 1995-96.
The Jets had good teams through the 80's and early 90's. Unfortunately, playing in the same division as the Oilers at the time and greater lack of success eventually forced the move to Phoenix, in my opinion.
ReplyDelete