As deadline day looms, we may welcome some new faces in, and see some current faces depart. For now, let's reminisce and take a look back at some of our favourite’s to dawn the Jets jersey in the 2.0 era.
10) Jim Slater (2011-2015)
JIM SLATER?! JIM SLATER?! Yes. A staple of the “GST line,” Slater was a weapon in the face-off circle and an original member of the 2.0 Jets.
9) Mark Stuart (2011-2017)
Heart of a champion, blocked shots like a warrior. We love and respect the passion that Stu brought to the game, and the fearlessness that he played with. His professionalism and character made him a great teammate and a fan favourite.
8) Tobias Enstrom (2011-2018)
Undersized, not under skilled. As an original member of the 2.0 Jets, Toby played 401 regular season games for the squad, always with a smile on his face and always bringing consistent play that could be relied on.
7) Joel Armia (2015-2018)
As the so called “forgotten piece” in a trade that brought Drew Stafford and Tyler Myers to Winnipeg from Buffalo, Armia quickly made a name for himself with his hustle and aggressive forechecking. He was an integral part of the forward depth that came up clutch for the Jets in their 2018 playoff run.
6) Andrew Ladd (2011-2016)
As the first captain of our 2.0 Jets, we felt it only fitting to have him on this list. We remember the leadership and experience that he brought to our team, and the ridiculous offensive numbers that he put up alongside Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little. As a side note, we appreciate that the draft pick we received in trading him to the Blackhawks turned into Logan Stanley.
5) Chris Thorburn (2011-2017)
His heart of gold combined with his willingness to stand up and fight for his teammates quickly led to Thorbs becoming a fan favourite in Winnipeg. In 396 games for the Jets he generated 470 penalty minutes, proving he was never afraid to drop the mitts, even if it was with a much bigger opponent.
4) Brandon Tanev (2015-2019)
As an undrafted free agent out of Providence College, Brandon Tanev first cracked the lineup for his hustle and grit, which he brought every second he was on the ice. After establishing himself as a regular, his offence slowly started to come, and he scored 4 big goals for the Jets in their 2017-2018 playoff run. We love how hard he went into the corners against bigger guys and how much passion he brought to the game. We miss him.
3) Ben Chiarot (2013-2019)
After appearing in just a single game for the Jets in the 2013-2014 season, Benny made the leap to becoming a regular blue-liner for the team the following season. In the 305 regular season games he played in with the Jets, he brought physicality and consistency with his play. You may be questioning why we have him ranked so high on our list, but we deemed it necessary given how much he loved our city and wanted to remain a piece of our team.
2) Patrik Laine (2016-2021)
We can all remember where we were the evening we found out that the Jets would have the second overall pick of the NHL draft in 2016. Uncertain of exactly who the team would end up with, we knew it would be a game-changing superstar. What we didn’t know however, is how much the city would fall in love with Patrik Laine. While his ability to score goals needs no mention, it was his personality and youthfulness that really captured the hearts of Jets fans. We miss him already, and wish him the best in the future.
1) Dustin Byfuglien (2011-2019)
Sure, the way it ended was frustrating and sad. We all wish it would have ended differently. However let’s not let the bitter breakup overshadow the impact that Big Buff had on our organization and our city. A character on and off the ice, we all cheered and felt exhilaration as Buff destroyed opponents with bone-crushing hits, letting opposing teams know that the Jets were not to be messed with. Looking back, we realize how lucky we are to have had a man like Buff representing our city.
Do you agree with our picks?
Let us know who we missed!
- JetEffect