The Worst Jets

So, all those guarantees that the Jets were returning to town might have been a little bit premature. The situation in Phoenix is still looking pretty dire for the Coyotes, but Gary Bettman seems to be working a little bit of his magic.

I will never underestimate Bettman’s weaselness or his complete inability to ever admit that he made a mistake. He and Hulsizer have apparently struck some sort of new deal that they hope will be more favourable to the Goldwater Institute.

With this news, Jets talk has quieted down here in the Peg. Gary Lawless has given up on reaching his one Jets story a day quota for the Free Press. So what a great time to write a blog post about you guessed it…the Jets.

There’s been a lot of reminiscing recently about everyone’s fond memories of the team. Whether it be Teemu’s glove hunting, Ducky, the animated clapping hands, “Jump” or the Queen, everyone remembers the good times that the Jets provided in the NHL between 1979 and 1996 and the previous decade in the WHA.

I have all these same great memories of the team. I have great memories of heading down to the old Winnipeg Arena as a kid to see my heroes, like Teemu, Dale, Phil, Khabby, Tie, and Pokey. But I also remember the bad times. In honour of the team that when they managed to make it to the playoffs could never get past the first round…I give you the worst players to ever pull on the blue, white, and red.

I’ll preface this list by saying that this is completely subjective. My frame of reference is 1990 to 1996. I’m sure some of the worst players to play for the Jets (and likely in the NHL) were on those record breaking losing teams that the Jets put on the ice during those first couple of seasons after they entered the NHL. But, I wasn’t around back then, so I’m going to ignore them. For me, the Jets started with Hawerchuk and the legendary 1990 Oilers playoff series and ended when the team skated off the ice at the end of the 1996 Red Wings series.

So, without further ado and in no particular order, here are the worst players I that I ever saw take the ice at the Winnipeg Arena.

Sergei Bautin



A supposedly offensively-gifted defencemen and a first round pick, Bautin chocked up 30 points in 130 games with the Jets. Basically a pylon on the blue line.

Oleg Tverdovsky



He was the guy that came over for Teemu Selanne (should have traded Tkatchuk). He had a lot to live up to, which he didn't come anywhere near to. Had a semi-successful career after he left Winnipeg, though.

Russ Romaniuk

Hometown boy and that was the only reason he was with the Jets. Wouldn't have been able to crack the roster of any other team.

Doug Smail



As a kid, I just remembered hating his mustache. No other reason.

Evgeny Davydov

Another highly-touted player who never really amounted to anything in the NHL. He's mostly known for being involved in the 1987 World Junior brawl with Canada and not for his play with the Jets. I did enjoy Curt Keilbeck pronouncing his name though.