Phoenix Coyotes History.
Phoenix Coyotes,
professional ice hockey team and one of five teams in the Pacific
Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).
The team formerly played in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and was named
the Jets, but in 1996 it was moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and renamed the
Coyotes. The team plays at America West Arena. Red, green, sand, sienna,
and purple are the club’s uniform colors.
The Winnipeg Jets became
charter members of the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1972. With
former NHL superstar Bobby Hull as one of the team’s coaches, the Jets
advanced to the WHA Finals in their first season. They went on to win
three WHA championships, in 1976, 1978, and 1979. Following the 1978-79
season, the Jets and three other WHA franchises joined the NHL.
After finishing fifth in its division in its first NHL season, Winnipeg
won just 9 of 80 games in the 1980-81 season. In 1981 rookie sensation
Dale Hawerchuk, a center, joined the Jets, and in the 1981-82 season the
team won 33 games and made its first appearance in the NHL playoffs.
Hawerchuk earned the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie.
Winnipeg qualified for the playoffs again in 1983 and 1984, but each
year the team lost in the first round. In the 1984-85 regular season the
Jets placed second in their division and Hawerchuk accumulated 130
points, the third-highest total in the league. Winnipeg’s offense also
featured center Thomas Steen and left wing Doug Smail. After defeating
the Calgary Flames in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the
Jets were defeated by the eventual NHL-champion Edmonton Oilers in the
second round.
Goalie Daniel Berthiaume anchored the conference’s top-rated defense in
the 1986-87 season. The Jets won another first-round playoff series
against Calgary but were again eliminated in the second round by
Edmonton. In the 1987-88 season Hawerchuk ranked fourth in the league
with 121 points. The Jets, however, lost in the first round of the
playoffs. The team qualified for the playoffs in 1990, 1992, and 1993
but was eliminated in the first round each year. The 1992-93 team was
led by right wing Teemu Selänne, who was named NHL rookie of the year
after breaking the league record for most goals made (76) and points
accumulated (132) by a first-year player. His point total ranked fourth
in the league. The Jets failed to reach the playoffs in 1994 and 1995.
Following the 1995-96 season, the franchise traded Selänne to the Mighty
Ducks of Anaheim. The Jets were also sold to two businessmen, Richard
Burke and Steven Gluckstern, who moved the club from Winnipeg to Phoenix
and renamed it the Coyotes. The franchise acquired high-scoring center
Jeremy Roenick from the Chicago Blackhawks. Roenick and left wing Keith
Tkachuk sparked the Coyotes to playoff berths during the first three
seasons in Phoenix, but each year the team was eliminated in the first
round.
|
Bierk |
Zac
|
Goal |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
Unsigned
|
|
Boucher |
Brian
|
Goal |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$2,000,000.00 |
|
Chimera |
Jason
|
Centre |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
Unsigned
|
|
Cleary |
Daniel
|
Left
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$450,000.00 |
|
Comrie |
Mike
|
Centre |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$1,700,000.00 |
|
Devereaux |
Boyd
|
Left
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$650,000.00 |
|
Doan |
Shane
|
Right
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$3,450,000.00 |
|
Ference |
Brad
|
Defence |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$1,320,000.00 |
|
Gauthier |
Denis
|
Defence |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$1,600,000.00 |
|
Hull |
Brett
|
Right
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$2,250,000.00 |
|
Hulse |
Cale
|
Defence |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$1,300,000.00 |
|
Johnson |
Brent
|
Goal |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$650,000.00 |
|
Johnson |
Mike
|
Right
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$1,900,000.00 |
|
Kolanos |
Krystofer
|
Centre |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$650,000.00 |
|
Mara |
Paul
|
Defence |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$1,500,000.00 |
|
Morris |
Derek
|
Defence |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$3,500,000.00 |
|
Nagy |
Ladislav
|
Left
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$2,100,000.00 |
|
Nash |
Tyson
|
Left
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$800,000.00 |
|
Nazarov |
Andrei
|
Left
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$700,000.00 |
|
Nedved |
Petr
|
Centre |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$2,700,000.00 |
|
Novoseltsev |
Ivan
|
Right
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
Unsigned
|
|
O'Donnell |
Sean
|
Defence |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$1,700,000.00 |
|
Radivojevic |
Branko
|
Right
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$660,000.00 |
|
Ricci |
Mike
|
Centre |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$1,500,000.00 |
|
Rupp |
Michael
|
Left
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$650,000.00 |
|
Saprykin |
Oleg
|
Left
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$1,200,000.00 |
|
Savage |
Brian
|
Left
Wing |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$3,750,000.00 |
|
Tanabe |
David
|
Defence |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
$1,000,000.00 |
|
Westrum |
Erik
|
Centre |
Phoenix
Coyotes |
Unsigned
|
|
