Winnipeg Jets Greatest Players
When I think of the Winnipeg Jets, I think of white-outs, the giant picture of the Queen, and the WHA. They were perhaps the best team in WHA history, but once they joined the NHL in 1979, they never quite found the same success. WHA fans will always remember Bobby Hull, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson. As an NHL fan, I will always remember Dale Hawerchuk, Thomas Steen and ton of undersized speedballs.
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| Dave Babych - The 2nd overall draft pick in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, Babych was an early workhorse on defense and the franchises first representative at the NHL all star game.. |
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| Dave Christian - His father and two uncles competed in a total of 3 Olympics ahead of him. No wonder why long time NHL star Dave Christian considers his Olympic experience as his best memory. |
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| Kim Clackson (WHA) - Kim Clackson built up quite the reputation as a tough guy. He wasn't a very good fighter in comparison to the heavyweights, but he never backed down. |
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| Dave Ellett - Dave Ellett was an outstanding power play performer for the Winnipeg Jets.. |
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| Terrible Ted Green (WHA) - This mean-spirited rearguard was an all star and a winner, but is best remembered as the victim of an ugly stick swinging incident. |
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| Bob Essensa - Bob Essensa was a star goalie for the Jets in the 1990s. |
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| Dale Hawerchuk - A junior and international star as well, for a time in the 1980s Hawerchuk may have been the best player in the league not named Gretzky. |
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| Anders Hedberg (WHA) - Anders Hedberg teamed with Bobby Hull and countryman Ulf Nilsson to be arguably the greatest line in all of hockey in the 1970s |
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| Larry Hopkins - Larry Hopkins' famous moustache got him confused with teammate Paul MacLean. |
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| Bobby Hull (WHA) - The Golden Jet might be better known now as Brett's dad, but this Chicago and Winnipeg legend is one of the most important players in hockey history |
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| Jim Kyte - Big Jim Kyte was the first hearing impaired person to play in the National Hockey League. |
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| Morris Lukowich - Morris Lukowich was a goal scoring threat with both the WHA Jets and the NHL Jets. |
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| Dave Manson - Dave "Charlie" Manson was one of the most feared players - and better players - of his era. |
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| Dave McLlwain - Dave McLlwain will always be remembered for his incredible speed and penalty killing. |
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| Troy Murray - A hard hitting and underrated center, Troy Murray was a native Winnipeger who came home to become the Jets captain. |
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| Kent Nilsson (WHA) - Nicknamed "Magic Man" and "The Swedish Gretzky," Kent Nilsson was a joy to watch. He was skilled and creative as they come. |
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| Ulf Nilsson (WHA) - Perhaps a little more underrated than running mates Anders Hedberg and Bobby Hull, it was Nilsson's slick playmaking and defensive conscience that really made that famous line click. |
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| Ed Olczyk - Native Chicagoan Eddie Olczyk was the talk of the Windy City when he first arrived. Unfortunately the pressure proved to be too great. |
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| Rich Preston (WHA) - Rich Preston was the WHA's playoff MVP when Winnipeg won the final Avco Cup championship in 1979. |
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| Terry Ruskowski (WHA) - This heart and soul former captain of the Hawks centered the RPM line with Rich Preston and Grant Mulvey. |
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| Teemu Selanne - Will anyone ever challenge the Finnish Flash's rookie record of 76 goals? |
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| Thomas Steen - A quintessential Winnipeg Jet, the former captain is remembered as one of the most cerebral and most underrated stars of the 1980s |
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| Peter Sullivan (WHA) - A solid contributor in the World Hockey Association, "Silky" couldn't get untracked under John Ferguson's NHL watch of the Jets |
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| Tim Watters - "Muddy" was a two time Olympian overcame size issues to become a really steady NHL defender. |



