The 1972–73 Winnipeg Jets season was their first season in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Jets' first player signed was Norm Beaudin ("the Original Jet") and their first major signing was Bobby Hull.
Offseason
Bobby Hull Long unhappy because of his relatively poor salary in the period when he was hockey's preeminent superstar, Hull responded to overtures from the upstart World Hockey Association's Winnipeg Jets in 1972 by jesting that he'd jump to them for a million dollars, a sum then considered absurd. Gathering the other league owners together to contribute to the unprecedented amount on the grounds that inking such a major star would give instant credibility to the new rival league that was competing directly against the entrenched NHL, Jets' owner Ben Hatskin agreed to the sum and signed Hull for a contract worth $1,000,000 over ten years. Although his debut with Winnipeg was held up in litigation by the NHL, Hull instantly became the WHA's greatest star.
Regular season
When the Jets played their first game on October 12 in New York against the Raiders, the Jets were without Bobby Hull. He was in court battling his former team, the Chicago Black Hawks over his new contract. The Jets would still win that first game 6–4. Three days later, the Jets would make their home debut losing to the Alberta Oilers 5–2. Bobby Hull won his court battle and joined the Jets 15 games into the season. Bobby Hull captured the WHA's first MVP award, by scoring 51 goals. The Jets won the Western Division with a 43–31–4 record.
Season standings
Schedule and results
| 1||W|| October 12, 1972 || 6–4|| align="left"| @ New York Raiders|| 1–0–0
| 2||W|| October 13, 1972 || 4–3|| align="left"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints|| 2–0–0
| 3||L|| October 15, 1972 || 2–5|| align="left"| Alberta Oilers|| 2–1–0
| 4||L|| October 17, 1972 || 2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Alberta Oilers|| 2–2–0
| 5||T|| October 20, 1972 || 1–1|| align="left"| Minnesota Fighting Saints|| 2–2–1
| 6||W|| October 22, 1972 || 6–3|| align="left"| Philadelphia Blazers|| 3–2–1
| 7||W|| October 24, 1972 || 5–3|| align="left"| Philadelphia Blazers|| 4–2–1
| 8||W|| October 27, 1972 || 4–2|| align="left"| Chicago Cougars|| 5–2–1
| 9||W|| October 29, 1972 || 5–3|| align="left"| Houston Aeros|| 6–2–1
| 10||L|| October 31, 1972 || 1–3|| align="left"| @ Chicago Cougars|| 6–3–1
| 11||L|| November 1, 1972 || 0–3|| align="left"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints|| 6–4–1
| 12||L|| November 3, 1972 || 6–9|| align="left"| New York Raiders|| 6–5–1
| 13||W|| November 5, 1972 || 3–1|| align="left"| New York Raiders|| 7–5–1
| 14||L|| November 6, 1972 || 2–6|| align="left"| @ New England Whalers|| 7–6–1
| 15||L|| November 8, 1972 || 2–3|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques|| 7–7–1
| 16||W|| November 9, 1972 || 4–1|| align="left"| @ Ottawa Nationals|| 8–7–1
| 17||L|| November 10, 1972 || 1–5|| align="left"| Minnesota Fighting Saints|| 8–8–1
| 18||W|| November 12, 1972 || 5–2|| align="left"| Los Angeles Sharks|| 9–8–1
| 19||W|| November 14, 1972 || 8–0|| align="left"| Los Angeles Sharks|| 10–8–1
| 20||L|| November 15, 1972 || 1–3|| align="left"| @ Alberta Oilers|| 10–9–1
| 21||W|| November 17, 1972 || 5–1|| align="left"| @ Los Angeles Sharks|| 11–9–1
| 22||W|| November 19, 1972 || 4–3|| align="left"| @ Los Angeles Sharks|| 12–9–1
| 23||W|| November 21, 1972 || 4–2|| align="left"| @ Houston Aeros|| 13–9–1
| 24||L|| November 23, 1972 || 5–6 OT|| align="left"| @ Houston Aeros|| 13–10–1
| 25||W|| November 24, 1972 || 5–3|| align="left"| Quebec Nordiques|| 14–10–1
| 26||W|| November 26, 1972 || 4–1|| align="left"| Quebec Nordiques|| 15–10–1
| 27||W|| November 28, 1972 || 3–0|| align="left"| Alberta Oilers|| 16–10–1
| 28||T|| November 30, 1972 || 3–3|| align="left"| @ Alberta Oilers|| 16–10–2
| 29||L|| December 1, 1972 || 3–4|| align="left"| Ottawa Nationals|| 16–11–2
| 30||W|| December 3, 1972 || 5–1|| align="left"| Minnesota Fighting Saints|| 17–11–2
| 31||L|| December 5, 1972 || 2–4|| align="left"| Quebec Nordiques|| 17–12–2
| 32||W|| December 6, 1972 || 7–1|| align="left"| Chicago Cougars|| 18–12–2
| 33||W|| December 8, 1972 || 6–2|| align="left"| Houston Aeros|| 19–12–2
| 34||W|| December 9, 1972 || 3–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Cleveland Crusaders|| 20–12–2
| 35||L|| December 11, 1972 || 3–4|| align="left"| @ New England Whalers|| 20–13–2
| 36||L|| December 13, 1972 || 4–7|| align="left"| @ Philadelphia Blazers|| 20–14–2
| 37||L|| December 15, 1972 || 4–6|| align="left"| @ Philadelphia Blazers|| 20–15–2
| 38||W|| December 17, 1972 || 4–3|| align="left"| @ New York Raiders|| 21–15–2
| 39||L|| December 21, 1972 || 0–3|| align="left"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints|| 21–16–2
| 40||L|| December 22, 1972 || 2–3|| align="left"| @ Chicago Cougars|| 21–17–2
| 41||W|| December 26, 1972 || 3–2|| align="left"| Chicago Cougars|| 22–17–2
| 42||L|| January 1, 1973 || 3–7|| align="left"| @ Alberta Oilers|| 22–18–2
| 43||W|| January 7, 1973 || 6–2|| align="left"| @ Minnesota Fighting Saints|| 23–18–2
| 44||W|| January 10, 1973 || 6–1|| align="left"| Alberta Oilers|| 24–18–2
| 45||W|| January 12, 1973 || 5–3|| align="left"| Cleveland Crusaders|| 25–18–2
| 46||W|| January 14, 1973 || 3–1|| align="left"| Cleveland Crusaders|| 26–18–2
| 47||W|| January 16, 1973 || 3–1|| align="left"| Minnesota Fighting Saints|| 27–18–2
| 48||W|| January 19, 1973 || 6–2|| align="left"| New England Whalers|| 28–18–2
| 49||L|| January 21, 1973 || 2–7|| align="left"| New England Whalers|| 28–19–2
| 50||L|| January 23, 1973 || 4–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Cleveland Crusaders|| 28–20–2
| 51||L|| January 24, 1973 || 1–6|| align="left"| @ New England Whalers|| 28–21–2
| 52||T|| January 26, 1973 || 2–2|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques|| 28–21–3
| 53||W|| January 28, 1973 || 5–4|| align="left"| @ Ottawa Nationals|| 29–21–3
| 54||L|| February 2, 1973 || 3–4|| align="left"| Alberta Oilers|| 29–22–3
| 55||W|| February 4, 1973 || 5–3|| align="left"| @ Alberta Oilers|| 30–22–3
| 56||L|| February 7, 1973 || 2–5|| align="left"| @ Houston Aeros|| 30–23–3
| 57||W|| February 8, 1973 || 3–1|| align="left"| @ Houston Aeros|| 31–23–3
| 58||W|| February 10, 1973 || 6–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Los Angeles Sharks|| 32–23–3
| 59||W|| February 11, 1973 || 3–0|| align="left"| @ Los Angeles Sharks|| 33–23–3
| 60||W|| February 15, 1973 || 7–2|| align="left"| @ Chicago Cougars|| 34–23–3
| 61||W|| February 16, 1973 || 7–0|| align="left"| Houston Aeros|| 35–23–3
| 62||W|| February 18, 1973 || 4–2|| align="left"| Houston Aeros|| 36–23–3
| 63||W|| February 25, 1973 || 5–3|| align="left"| Philadelphia Blazers|| 37–23–3
| 64||W|| February 27, 1973 || 5–1|| align="left"| Chicago Cougars|| 38–23–3
| 65||W|| March 2, 1973 || 2–1|| align="left"| Los Angeles Sharks|| 39–23–3
| 66||W|| March 4, 1973 || 2–1|| align="left"| Los Angeles Sharks|| 40–23–3
| 67||L|| March 6, 1973 || 2–5|| align="left"| @ Ottawa Nationals|| 40–24–3
| 68||W|| March 8, 1973 || 7–4|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques|| 41–24–3
| 69||L|| March 10, 1973 || 2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Raiders|| 41–25–3
| 70||L|| March 11, 1973 || 2–11|| align="left"| Cleveland Crusaders|| 41–26–3
| 71||L|| March 14, 1973 || 5–7|| align="left"| New England Whalers|| 41–27–3
| 72||L|| March 16, 1973 || 1–6|| align="left"| Ottawa Nationals|| 41–28–3
| 73||L|| March 18, 1973 || 2–4|| align="left"| Ottawa Nationals|| 41–29–3
| 74||T|| March 22, 1973 || 1–1|| align="left"| Alberta Oilers|| 41–29–4
| 75||W|| March 25, 1973 || 8–4|| align="left"| New York Raiders|| 42–29–4
| 76||W|| March 28, 1973 || 4–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Chicago Cougars|| 43–29–4
| 77||L|| March 30, 1973 || 2–4|| align="left"| @ Cleveland Crusaders|| 43–30–4
| 78||L|| April 1, 1973 || 2–4|| align="left"| @ Philadelphia Blazers|| 43–31–4
Legend:
Playoffs In the playoffs, the Jets would beat the Minnesota Fighting Saints in 5 games. In the second round of the playoffs, the Jets beat the Houston Aeros in 4 straight to reach the Avco World Trophy finals. In the finals, the Jets were beaten by the New England Whalers in 5 games.
| 1 || April 6 || Minnesota Fighting Saints || 1–3 || Winnipeg Jets || 1–0
| 2 || April 8 || Minnesota Fighting Saints || 2–5 || Winnipeg Jets || 2–0
| 3 || April 10 || Winnipeg Jets || 4–6 || Minnesota Fighting Saints || 2–1
| 4 || April 11 || Winnipeg Jets || 3–2 OT || Minnesota Fighting Saints || 3–1
| 5 || April 15 || Minnesota Fighting Saints || 5–8 || Winnipeg Jets || 4–1
| 1 || April 20 || Houston Aeros || 1–5 || Winnipeg Jets || 1–0
| 2 || April 22 || Houston Aeros || 0–2 || Winnipeg Jets || 2–0
| 3 || April 24|| Winnipeg Jets || 4–2 || Houston Aeros || 3–0
| 4 || April 26|| Winnipeg Jets || 3–0 || Houston Aeros || 4–0
| 1 || April 29 || Winnipeg Jets || 2–7 || New England Whalers || 0–1
| 2 || May 2 || New England Whalers || 7–4 || Winnipeg Jets || 0–2
| 3 || May 3 || New England Whalers || 3–4 || Winnipeg Jets || 1–2
| 4 || May 5 || Winnipeg Jets || 2–4 || New England Whalers || 1–3
| 5 || May 6 || Winnipeg Jets || 6–9 || New England Whalers || 1–4
Legend:
Awards and records Bobby Hull, Gary L. Davidson Award
Player statistics
Forwards + Regular season Player Bobby Hull 63 51 52 103 37 Norm Beaudin 78 38 65 103 15 Chris Bordeleau 78 47 54 101 12 Dan Johnson 76 19 23 42 17 Ab McDonald 77 17 24 41 16 Milt Black 75 18 16 34 14 Wally Boyer 69 6 28 34 27 Dunc Rousseau 75 16 17 33 75 Cal Swenson 77 7 21 28 19 Jean-Guy Gratton 71 15 12 27 37 Bill Sutherland 48 6 16 22 34 Garth Rizzuto 61 10 10 20 32 Freeman Asmundson 76 2 14 16 54 Brian Cadle 56 4 4 8 39
Defencemen Scoring + Regular season Player Larry Hornung 77 13 45 58 28 Joe Zanussi 73 4 21 25 53 Steve Cuddie 77 7 13 20 121 Bob Ash 76 3 14 17 39 Bob Woytowich 62 2 4 6 47John Shmyr 7 0 0 0 2
Goaltending Player Joe Daley 29 1718 17 10 1 2 2.89 Ernie Wakely 49 2894 26 19 3 2 3.15 Gordon Tumilson 3 138 0 2 0 0 4.34
References
External links Jets on Hockey Database Jets on Sports Encyclopedia