Jets departing soon...

Posted 10:05 AM ET | Comments 1

As I watched a Detroit/Dallas game the other night, the commentators mentioned that there were a couple of former Winnipeg Jets playing that night (3, in fact). That got me thinking that it won't be too long until the last on-ice connection to the Jets will disappear. It's not nearly as historic as, say, the last helmetless player, but something I feel is worth noting.

According to my research (big thanks to hockeydb.com), the remaining active NHL players who suited up for the Winnipeg Jets are:

Stu Barnes (Dallas)
Shane Doan (Phoenix--the only player to still remain with the relocated franchise)
Dallas Drake (Detroit)
Kris Draper (Detroit)
Nikolai Khabibulin (Chicago)
Chad Kilger (Toronto)
Teppo Numminen (Buffalo)
Keith Tkachuk (St. Louis)

(this list, of course, doesn't include the will-he-or-won't-he Teemu Selanne)

Some of the former players have moved onto the broadcast booth, including:

Andy Brickley
Troy Murray
Ed Olczyk
and, of course, The Mullet himself, Barry Melrose

Others have become coaches, including:

Randy Carlyle (Anaheim)
Ron Wilson (San Jose)
Randy Cunneyworth (currently in the AHL, but for how long?)

We've even seen the second generation of the Jet legacy already. As the career of Brett Hull--son of the Golden Jet himself--wound down, we've seen the arrival of Alex Steen--son of career-long Jet Thomas.

The Winnipeg Jets are slipping away from us, into the realm of memory.

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Coming Soon: similar lists for the other relocated WHA/NHL teams: Quebec and Hartford

Filed Under: WHA Coyotes Jets Winnipeg