1979–80 Winnipeg Jets season
| 1979–80 Winnipeg Jets (1972–96) | |
|---|---|
| Division | 5th Smythe |
| Conference | 10th Campbell |
| 1979–80 record | 20–49–11 |
| Goals for | 214 (21st) |
| Goals against | 314 (19th) |
| Team information | |
| General Manager | John Ferguson |
| Coach |
Tom McVie Bill Sutherland |
| Captain | Lars-Erik Sjoberg |
| Alternate captains | None |
| Arena | Winnipeg Arena |
| Average attendance | 13,284 |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Morris Lukowich (35) |
| Assists | Morris Lukowich (39) |
| Points | Morris Lukowich (74) |
| Penalties in minutes | Jimmy Mann (287) |
| Wins | Pierre Hamel (9) |
| Goals against average | Markus Mattsson (3.25) |
The 1979–80 Winnipeg Jets season was the franchise's eighth season since its inception in 1972, and its first season in the National Hockey League.
After spending seven seasons in the World Hockey Association, in which the team won three Avco Cup championships, the Winnipeg Jets joined the National Hockey League, as did the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques, as the WHA disbanded.
On June 13, 1979, the Jets participated in the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft to fill out their roster, while on June 28, 1979, Winnipeg made their first ever trade, as the Jets sent Jamie Hislop to the Quebec Nordiques in exchange for Barry Legge.
On August 8, 1979, the Jets selected Jimmy Mann of the Sherbrooke Castors of the QMJHL with their first ever draft pick at the 1979 NHL Entry Draft. In the fifth round, the Jets selected Thomas Steen from Leksands IF of the SEL.
During the off-season, the club announced that Tom McVie would be retained as head coach. McVie became the Jets head coach late in the 1978-79 season, going 11-8-0 in nineteen games, followed by a record of 8-2 in the playoffs to lead Winnipeg to the Avco Cup. McVie had head coaching experience in the NHL, as he coached the Washington Capitals to a 49-122-33 record from 1975-1978.
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