Ranking the top 10 Winnipeg Jets players of all time

The Winnipeg Jets have had some all-time greats suit up for the organization so we'd like to take a look back at the best of the best in Jets history.

Over the past decade, Wheeler has been the face of the Jets franchise. A member of the organization's first team in the return to Winnipeg in 2011, he has been a reliable player ever since. Wheeler served as the team's captain for six seasons before the team opted to not have a captain for this season.

Before his sons Matthew and Brady became stars in the league, Keith was known as one of the greatest Americans to ever play. As a 21-year-old, Tkachuk was named the team's captain. One of the league's best young players called Winnipeg home until the organization moved to Arizona in 1996.

For eight years and counting, Hellebuyck has been a mainstay in net for Winnipeg. As a 24-year-old, he finished second in the Vezina voting behind Pekka Rinne. Two years later, he won the award over Tuukka Rask and Andrei Vasilevskiy, becoming the first Jets goalie to win the award. He is also the franchise's leader in wins.

MacLean spent seven seasons in Winnipeg after getting traded from the St. Louis Blues. He served as a key forward throughout the 1980s, highlighted by his 1984-85 season when he accumulated 101 points. The 6-foot-2 winger also had three 40-goal seasons for the Jets.

Babych was highly coveted coming out of the junior ranks, being selected No. 2 overall by Winnipeg in the 1980 NHL Draft. And most fans would say he lived up to the hype. He immediately became a key contributor as a 19-year-old with 44 points in his rookie season. He would go on to make two All-Star appearances before he was traded to Hartford in 1985.

Nilsson emerged as a star for the Jets in the World Hockey Association (WHA). He spent four seasons with Winnipeg, leading the league in assists as a 26 and 27-year-old. He ultimately decided to pursue an opportunity in the NHL with the New York Rangers in the 1978 offseason.

When the Jets drafted Steen in the fifth round of the 1979 NHL Draft, they likely did not expect to bring in one of the best players in franchise history. But nonetheless, the Swedish center spent his entire 14-year NHL career in Winnipeg. The defensive-minded forward had his No. 25 retired by the organization in 1995.

"The Finnish Flash" is the hardest name to rank amongst Jets' greats due to his tenure with the team. He spent not even four complete seasons with the organization, but it was some of the best hockey ever played in Winnipeg. He broke onto the scene as a 22-year-old rookie by leading the league with 76 goals, which still stands as the rookie goal record. Selänne easily won the Calder Trophy. But during the 1995-1996 season, he was shipped off to Anaheim.

After 15 great seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, Hull saw an opportunity to make a payday in the WHA. The Jets ultimately agreed to a 10-year deal to make the Canadian star a player/coach. Hull instantly became arguably the league's best player, winning the Gordie Howe Trophy (MVP) in two of his first three seasons and getting the organization two AVCO cups.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 1981 NHL Draft, Hawerchuk quickly became the heart of the organization. He put up 103 points as a rookie, winning the 1982 Calder Trophy. In nine seasons with the Jets, he placed top 10 in voting for the Hart Trophy four times. He was traded in 1990 to Buffalo for a package headlined by Phil Housley and the draft pick used on Tkachuk. Hawerchuk passed away in Aug. 2020.