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If MEC had been successful in raising sufficient capital to purchase the Jets and secure private and public sector funding for the construction of a new arena, the Jets would have played in Winnipeg for the 1996-1997 season and beyond. This is a story, strictly fictional, of one potential account of what would have happened in the 1996-1997 season, the 25th of the Jets proud history, the season that was never played.
The Jets 25th Season Date Event
June, 1996 Long time NHL veteran and Winnipeg Jet Randy Gilhen announces his retirement. In addition the Jets drafted three hot prospects in 1st round of the draft; Zack Taylor, Tommy Oliver and Jason Scott from Angel Grove, CA. Taylor, a speedy center, can also play two-way hockey; Oliver is a winger who can play on either side of the center, as well as make good plays; and Scott was a bruising defenseman who can make the big hits look real painful. They will start their NHL careers immediately.
July, 1996 Amid much speculation and rumor regarding the future of the coaching staff, Winnipeg Jets General Manager John Paddock announces that Head Coach Terry Simpson will return for the 1996-1997 season. Simpson will be assisted by former Jet Paul MacLean and fellow former Jet Randy Carlyle. The Jets announced the formation of Jets Broadcasting, Inc., which will handle all the production of the radio and television broadcasts for Winnipeg Jets games, both home and away. Jets Broadcasting grants CJOB rights to carry radio broadcasts produced by Jets Broadcasting and grants each of CKND and CKY a fifteen game package of televised games to be produced by Jets Broadcasting and aired by each station. Jets Broadcasting also announces that they have hired Curt Keilback to again become the Voice of the Jets, and that color commentary will be provided by Randy Gilhen, who retired as a member of the Jets.
August, 1996 The Jets announce that in honor of their 25th season, that they will wear a new third jersey in 10 selected home games this coming season. The jersey will be a replica of the style worn by the Jets during the 1978-1979 season, when they last competed in the now-defunct World Hockey Association.
September, 1996 Training camp opens for the Jets 25th season with two notable absences. Alexei Zhamnov is unsigned, unable to come to contract terms with the Jets, but since he is a restricted free agent, is not able to sign with another NHL team without the Jets getting five first round draft choices as compensation from the team that signs him. Kris King, visibly annoyed that teammate Teemu Selanne received a long-term contract extension one year earlier and Keith Tkachuk's four-year extension amid rumors that the prior ownership group wanted to trade him, announces that he will not report to the Jets until they "show me the proper respect someone of my stature deserves". The Jets counter that they will not discuss King's contract until he reports to training camp.
October 2, 1996 The Jets trade the rights to Alexei Zhamnov to the Chicago Blackhawks in a three team trade that sees the rights to Vladimir Tsyplakov, also a restricted free agent, go to the Blackhawks from the Los Angeles Kings, while the Jets receive defenseman Phillippe Boucher from the Kings, and center Jeremy Roenick and goaltending prospect Billy Cranston from the Blackhawks. Cranston becomes the backup for workhorse Nikolai Khabibulin, while Boucher and Roenick prepare to join the Jets for their first game of the season in Hartford. The Jets also announce the signing of free agent forward Ed Olczyk, who has been waiting for an offer from an NHL team, as well as Wesley Collins, a defensive standout from Harvard University.
October 3, 1996 Kris King reports to the Jets and pronounces himself fit enough to play as the Jets board the plane for their season opening game in Hartford.
October 5, 1996 Prior to the Jets first game of the season in Hartford, Kris King throws a temper tantrum in the visitors' dressing room after seeing his jersey without the familiar 'C' on it. King confronts Head Coach Terry Simpson who informed him that Keith Tkachuk will start the season as the team captain. King storms out of the meeting and draws a 'C' in chalk on his jersey, then puts on the jersey and goes out for the warmup. The Jets go on to drop a 4-2 decision to the Whalers. Zack Taylor has a goal and an assist for the Jets,as well as Teemu Selanne, Keith Tkachuk has an assist, while King registers no points and no shots on goal. He is noticeably out of shape as the game goes on and does not see the ice in the final ten minutes of the game. King offers only a terse 'no comment' to reporters after the game.
October 6, 1996 The Jets announce that Kris King will be fined an undisclosed amount for his actions on the prior night.
October 7, 1996 The Jets battle the Boston Bruins to a 2-2 tie. The Jets, with goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin on the bench for an extra attacker, score in the final minute of the third period to come away from Boston with one point. Taylor again had a good game, with two goals including the game tying goal, Tkachuk, the Massachusetts native had two assists Kris King is a healthy scratch. Head Coach Terry Simpson tells reporters that King is not in game shape. King does not attend the game and misses the team flight back to Winnipeg.
October 9, 1996 The Winnipeg Free Press runs a front page article, authored by Scott Taylor, extolling the virtues of former Jets co-owner and president Barry Shenkarow. The Free Press promises that this article is the first in a series of a lengthy "exposé" on the Jets ownership.
October 10, 1996 The Jets open the home portion of their 25th season wearing their new third jersey. A full house at the Winnipeg Arena sees the Jets beat the Sharks 5-1 thanks in part to Zack Taylor's hat trick and assist, Tommy Olliver's goal and two assists, and Keith Tkachuk's goal and assist. Former Jet Ab McDonald, the Jets first captain, is on hand to drop the puck at the pre-game ceremonial faceoff. Kris King is back in the Jets lineup and is soundly booed by the crowd. Television cameras show a sly grin on King's face as the crowd expresses itself.
October 15, 1996 After numerous delays, ground is broken at the site of the new Manitoba Entertainment Complex in downtown Winnipeg. Premier Gary Filmon, Mayor Susan Thompson, Jets General Manager John Paddock, along with members of MEC and Jets players are present at the ceremony. NHL President Gary Bettman is invited, but declines, citing a prior engagement.
October 20, 1996 Prior to the Jets game against the Florida Panthers, the Jets honor one of the best lines in hockey history, as they raise a banner to the rafters of the ShenkArena in honor of the "Hot Line". Anders Hedberg, Ulf Nilsson and Bobby Hull are on hand as Winnipeggers and the Jets pay their respects to these legends of the WHA. The Jets go on to win 5-4 in overtime, but not before blowing a two goal lead late in the third period, as goaltender Billy Cranston has a forgettable performance in his first action of the season. Keith Tkachuk's goal in OT was the dramatic climax, while Jason Scott picked up his "Gordie Howe Hat Trick," a penalty, an assist, and a goal. Zack Taylor and Teemu Selanne has a goal each, with Taylor getting three assists, and Jeremy Roenick had a goal.
October 23, 1996 For the 15th consecutive day, the Winnipeg Free Press runs a front page article condemning the Jets ownership. This article, along with the prior 14 articles, suggests that the members of the MEC are 'leeches' and 'grossly incompetent'. Scott Taylor personally lobbies NHL President Gary Bettman for the league to seize control of the Jets franchise and place Barry Shenkarow in charge. MEC and Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club file legal action in Court of Queen's Bench against the Free Press and Taylor, alleging libel and slander, and ask the court to enjoin the Free Press from running any future such articles.
October 24, 1996 Court of Queen's Bench refuses to grant the injunction against the Free Press, but strongly cautions the Free Press that MEC and the Jets have shown "strong cause" for their lawsuit. The Jets announce that Scott Taylor's media credentials will be revoked.
October 25, 1996 For the first time since October 8, no article appears in the Winnipeg Free Press regarding the Jets ownership or former co-owner Barry Shenkarow. The Free Press announces that Scott Taylor has been named Sports Editor.
November 1, 1996 The Jets close a four game road trip with a 7-2 loss in Calgary to the Flames. Kris King scores his first two goals of the season in the loss, the Jets fourth straight.
November 2, 1996 Kris King announces that he is walking out on the Jets, disgruntled over lack of progress on a new contract. "It's all bulls***", he told reporters. "They tell me that I'm their franchise player, and they don't want to pay me like one. I think I've earned the right to be paid among the best players in this game.", he added.
November 3, 1996 The Jets tie Montreal 4-4 at the Winnipeg Arena. The biggest cheer of the night from the home crowd came for the announcement that Kris King was not dressed. The even biggest cheer was the debut of Wesley Collins, who scored two goals while Jeremy Roenick and Tommy Oliver scored two as well. Prior to the game, Scott Taylor is escorted from the Winnipeg Arena by force as he attempts to enter the building with a ticket he purchased. The Jets offer him his money back and tell him not to come back.
November 4, 1996 After a meeting with Jets General Manager John Paddock, Kris King announces that he is rejoining the team. He further announces that he will no longer be speaking to the media. "You guys are just out for blood", he said to a reporter as he left the interview room.
November 6, 1996 The Jets come through with a hard fought win against the Dallas Stars at the Winnipeg Arena, beating the Stars 3-2. Surprise starter Billy Cranston backstops the Jets to the much-needed victory, earning his first win as a Jet. Zack Taylor adn Ed Olczyk delivered the goals in the second period, but Keith Tkachuk's third period goal proved to be the winner.
November 15, 1996 Winnipeg Free Press beat writer Tim Campbell is asked to continue the paper's crusade against MEC and the Jets ownership and refuses. He is fired later in the day.
November 16, 1996 Tim Campbell is hired by the Winnipeg Sun as their new beat writer to follow the Jets.
November 18, 1996 The Jets drop a 5-2 decision to the Detroit Red Wings at the Winnipeg Arena. The Jets laid an egg in front of a big crowd and were treated to frequent booing throughout the third period.
November 19, 1996 Struggling with a 5-10-3 record, Jets General Manager John Paddock relieves Head Coach Terry Simpson of his duties. Simpson's replacement is current assistant Randy Carlyle, while Randy Gilhen moves down from the broadcast booth to fill the vacant assistant coaching position. Jordy Douglas becomes the new color commentator on both radio and television broadcasts.
November 20, 1996 The Jets are spanked 7-0 by the Colorado Avalanche at McNichols Arena in their first game under new Head Coach Randy Carlyle. After the game, Carlyle closes the dressing room to reporters and proceeds to unleash a verbal barrage that could be heard across the rink.
November 23, 1996 The Jets return home and beat the New York Islanders 6-1 at the Winnipeg Arena. The Jets win for the first time under new Head Coach Randy Carlyle.
November 24, 1996 Craig Janney, struggling with only one goal and five assists, is traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a seventh round draft choice in the 1997 Entry Draft.
November 28, 1996 A snowstorm dumps 30 cm of snow on Winnipeg. The New Jersey Devils, already en route, are forced to circle above the city for three hours as a runway is cleared at the Winnipeg International Airport for them to land. The Devils arrive at the Winnipeg Arena two hours before game time, but not before grabbing a pre-game meal at McDonald's. The Jets proceed to whip the lethargic Devils 12-1 before a crowd of 845, despite the fact that over 12,000 tickets were sold. Zack Taylor has a career high five goals, while Keith Tkachuk, Teemu Selanne and Dallas Drake score two goals each.
November 30, 1996 The Jets beat the Calgary Flames 5-2 at the ShenkArena for their fourth straight win. Zack Taylor, dubbed "The Zack Attack" by teammates anf fans, scored two goals, while Wesley Collins, Jeremy Roenick, and Tommy Oliver scored a goal each.
December 2, 1996 Kris King calls a press conference to publicly request a trade. King calls Jets General Manager John Paddock a "liar" for failing to reward him for his contributions to the Jets. When asked where he would like to be traded to, he replies, "Somewhere with some night life, this stinkin' town's dead. Did someone close the mill?".
December 7, 1996 The Jets broke a two game losing streak with a solid 6-2 win over the New Jersey Devils in the Meadowlands. The Devils outshoot the Jets 51-14 on the night, but are foiled by Nikolai Khabibulin. Defenseman Jeff Finley nets the first hat trick of his NHL career. Zack Taylor had two goals, while Jeremy Roenick had one.
December 10, 1996 The Jets recall goaltender Parris Duffus from the Minnesota Moose of the IHL to replace Nikolai Khabibulin, who has a slightly injured groin. After Billy Cranston becomes ill before the game, Duffus starts and backstops the Jets to a 3-2 win over the Islanders on Long Island. It was Duffus' first NHL game and victory, but he is returned to the Moose the next day.
December 20, 1996 The Jets drop a 7-3 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the sold out Winnipeg Arena to extend their most recent losing streak to four games.
December 22, 1996 The Jets break their four game losing streak with a 6-5 overtime win over the Calgary Flames. Keith Tkachuk scores two goals in the final minute of the third period to tie the game, then Teemu Selanne sets up Zack Taylor for the game winner in the extra period.
December 31, 1996 The Jets close out 1996 with a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks at the Winnipeg Arena. After the game, Kris King, in a routine roadside check, records a blood-alcohol level of .10, double the legal limit in Manitoba. When officers arrest him, he is belligerent and takes a punch at one of the policemen.
January 1, 1997 Jets General Manager John Paddock arranges for bail to be posted for Kris King, who spent the night in jail, and declines to comment publicly on the matter, citing that "the matter is before the courts". King accompanies the Jets to Chicago to start a road trip.
January 9, 1997 The Jets play their first home game since Kris King's arrest and play the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-4 tie at the Winnipeg Arena. The chants of "Whiner" and "King Sucks" were frequently heard all night long.
January 14, 1997 Jets General Manager John Paddock calls a press conference to announce that he had traded Kris King and Dallas Drake to the New York Rangers for three first round draft choices and winger Niklas Sundstrom.
January 15, 1997 In their first game since the trade of Kris King, the Jets win 4-2 over the St. Louis Blues at the Winnipeg Arena. Newly signed minor league free agent Adam Park scores one goal and records an assist in the victory. Park had been playing with the IHL's Minnesota Moose before getting the call from the Jets. Ironically, it was rumored that the Minnesota Moose were going to move to Winnipeg had the "Save the Jets" efforts been unsuccessful.
January 25, 1997 The Jets bring back many of the members of their Avco Cup championship teams as part of season-long celebrations of the Jets 25th season. Former Jets who attended the reunion were such names as Peter Sullivan, Morris Lukowich, Scott Campbell, Joe Daley, Bobby Hull, Anders Hedberg, Ted Green and Willy Lindstrom. The group was saluted with a five minute standing ovation prior to the game against the Vancouver Canucks, which the Jets won 5-3. The Jets, fittingly, used this occasion as one of the games that they elected to wear their third jersey to pay homage to their proud WHA past. The game marked the Jets third straight victory since the Kris King trade.
February 8, 1997 In one of the most highly anticipated games in Winnipeg sports history, the Jets played host to Kris King and the New York Rangers. Scalpers were getting between $100 and $200 for tickets before the game. The song "King Busters" became an instant hit on every radio station in Winnipeg in the week preceding this game. King scored a goal and an assist for the Rangers, but the Jets prevailed 5-3 in their seventh victory in the nine games since King was traded.
February 18, 1997 The Jets continue to be one of the hottest teams in the NHL, crawling back to within three games of .500 at 25-28-5, as they beat the Los Angeles Kings 6-1 at the Winnipeg Arena. ESPN sends a crew to Winnipeg and the Jets are featured on a "SportsCenter" segment entitled "Addition by Subtraction".
February 24, 1997 Jets General Manager John Paddock announces that he has traded the Jets' 2nd round choice in the 1997 Entry Draft along with defenseman Deron Quint to the New York Islanders for rugged winger Todd Bertuzzi.
February 26, 1997 Jets General Manager John Paddock announces that he has traded the Jets' 5th round choice in the 1997 Entry Draft to the Tampa Bay Lightning for winger Shawn Burr. Later that day, Paddock announces another trade, this time sending Mike Stapleton and the Jets' 6th round choice in the 1997 Entry Draft to the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Doug Bodger. The Jets respond with an energetic effort in Calgary, as they edge the Flames 4-3.
February 27, 1997 A fight-filled affair in Vancouver ends with a dramatic 6-5 overtime win, as Todd Bertuzzi's shot is tipped by Zack Taylor with three seconds remaining in the extra period. The Jets record now stands at 28-28-6, the first time the Jets have been at the .500 mark since the beginning of the season.
March 2, 1997 The Hockey News announces that the Jets will be featured on the cover of their next edition. The turnaround of the Jets is the talk of the NHL. A sellout crowd greets the Jets as they return home and the team responds with a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. The Jets office sends out playoff invoices to season ticket holders, something that was inconceivable months earlier.
March 3, 1997 After a lengthy trial, Court of Queen's Bench rules in favor of the MEC and Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club in their action against the Winnipeg Free Press and Scott Taylor for libel and slander. The plaintiffs are awarded $5 million in general damages and $10 million in punitive damages. The Free Press immediately appeals the judgment, calling the decision a "gross miscarriage of justice".
March 10, 1997 The Jets host the Ottawa Senators before another crowd in excess of 15,000. The Jets win 3-0 over the Senators and announce that only scattered single seats remain for each of their last seven regular season home games. The Jets are the talk of the town, as they move three games above the .500 mark at 32-29-6, a season high.
March 27, 1997 After a brief two game losing streak, the Jets sweep a home and home series with the Toronto Maple Leafs to pull four games over .500 and remain in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.
March 29, 1997 The Jets beat the Edmonton Oilers at the Winnipeg Arena by a score of 5-3. The game is again a sellout and the Jets announce that with all the remaining regular season home games sold out, that they will set a franchise record for attendance in a single season.
April 7, 1997 The Jets battle the Dallas Stars to a 2-2 tie at the Winnipeg Arena in the last regular season home game. The Jets set a single season team record for attendance, averaging 13,801 fans per game, beating the prior high of 13,694 set in the 1985-1986 season.
April 11, 1997 With only a single win needed to clinch home ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Jets end the regular season with losses in Vancouver and Edmonton to finish with a 38-35-9 record. The Jets will play the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and are the fifth seed in the Western Conference.
April 12, 1997 The Jets sell out all three potential home games of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
April 16, 1997 The Jets visit the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim to start their first round series against the Mighty Ducks. Despite yielding two goals to Paul Kariya, the Jets come through with a 4-2 win.
April 18, 1997 The Jets play Game 2 of their first round series against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The Ducks and the officials are not as kind to the Jets, as the Ducks win 5-1. Paul MacLean launches various verbal tirades at referee Kerry Fraser, who is too busy looking at himself in the mirror. Carlyle screams loudly about how Teemu Selanne is being mugged by the Ducks, but his tirades go unnoticed until the next day, when he is fined $5,000 by the NHL for "abuse of officials".
April 20, 1997 The Jets return home for Game 3, with the series tied 1-1. A raucous crowd at the Winnipeg Arena, most of whom clad in white, roars with a volume never heard before. Trailing 2-1 midway through the third period, Niklas Sundstrom steals the puck at the blue line from Oleg Tverdovsky and walks in alone on Ducks goaltender Guy Hebert. Sundstrom finds the five hole on Hebert to tie the game, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Hopes are dashed later, however, as Paul Kariya finds Steve Rucchin alone in front of Nikolai Khabibulin, who makes no mistake as time winds down in the second overtime period.
April 22, 1997 A determined group of Jets come out strong for Game 4, but overexuberance costs them early on, as Paul Kariya sets up Jari "King of the Empty Net" Kurri and Brian Bellows to give the Ducks a 2-0 lead at the first intermission. The Jets pick away at the lead, and go ahead in the third on a Wesley Collins shot from the point that eluded Guy Hebert. The victory is sealed with an empty net goal by Zack Taylor, with an assist to Nikolai Khabibulin.
April 24, 1997 The Jets return to the Arrowhead Pond for Game 5, but spend most of the night in their own end, under siege by Paul Kariya and the Ducks. Being outshot 31-12 early in the third period, Head Coach Randy Carlyle calls a time out to give Nikolai Khabibulin a rest during a Ducks power play. Less than a minute later, after the Jets kill the penalty, Teemu Selanne takes a pass from Zack Taylor and beats Guy Hebert with a wicked slapshot. That would be the game's only goal as Khabibulin is named the game's first star.
April 27, 1997 Faced with the opportunity to win their first playoff series since 1987, the Jets do not disappoint the sellout crowd, as they punish the Mighty Ducks 7-2 in a game that features as many fisticuffs as goals. Five game misconducts and over 150 penalty minutes were assessed, leaving only a handful of players left at game's end to shake hands. The series win was the Jets first ever NHL playoff series win against a team other than the Calgary Flames.
April 28, 1997 A half hour after Select-A-Seat opens, tickets sell out for all three potential home games in the next round. Many fans camp out in front of the Winnipeg Arena to ensure their spot in line.
May 2, 1997 The Jets open their second round playoff series at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit against the Red Wings. Hopes are high but fade gradually, as the Red Wings control most of the game and take Game 1 by a 3-1 margin. Chris Osgood's shutout is broken with just under two minutes to play in the third period as Ed Olczyk scores his first goal of the playoffs.
May 4, 1997 The Jets go down 2-0 in the series to the Red Wings in a mirror image of Game 1. The Jets only muster 14 shots on goal and go down meekly 3-0 to the Red Wings. Jason Scott slugs it out with Darren McCarty in the only event that gets the Jets players standing up at the bench. The dressing room door is closed to the media for more than a half hour after the game, after which few players were left to speak to reporters.
May 6, 1997 The Jets two losses in Detroit do not dampen the spirits of the Winnipeg Arena crowd, nor the spirits of the Jets themselves as they take the ice for Game 3. Surprise starter Mike Vernon is blitzed early and often by the Jets and is pulled before the first intermission as the Jets cruise to a 6-1 win. Zack Taylor leads the Jets with two goals and an assist.
May 8, 1997 The Jets are faced with a much more determined Red Wings team for Game 4, but are held in the game by Nikolai Khabibulin. Captain Keith Tkachuk scores early in the third to break a 2-2 tie and it holds up as the Jets even the series.
May 10, 1997 The Jets respond with a much better effort in Detroit than in Games 1 and 2, but still find themselves trailing 2-1 in the third period. Chris Osgood stones Teemu Selanne on a breakaway, then the Red Wings come back on a two on one, where Steve Yzerman beats Nikolai Khabibulin to put the game away.
May 12, 1997 Facing elimination in Game 6, the Jets throw everything but the kitchen sink at Chris Osgood, but he and the Red Wings defense hold the Jets at bay. The 2-2 tie at the end of the first intermission holds until the 10:49 mark of the first overtime period when Zack Taylor shoots through a screen and beats Osgood to tie the series.
May 15, 1997 Game 7 was all the Jets needed to woalm scoring from in it, due to the brilliant stops from Billy Cranston and the goals scored by Zack Taylor, the Jets pull out a win against the Red Wings, 5-0, They move on to the Western Conference Finals.
May 20, 1997 With everything in place, the Winnipeg Arena played host to the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Final. The Jets played a determined game one at the Winnipeg Arena. Zack Taylor broke a 0–0 tie at 1:13 of the first period to give Winnipeg a 1–0 lead, but a goal by Joe Sakic just 27 seconds later, and one by Mike Ricci at 6:13 gave Colorado a 2–1 lead that they would not relinquish. Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy made 34 saves in the victory.
May 23, 1997 In game two, Colorado led 2–0 but Winnipeg pulled to within one on a power-play goal by Jeremy Roenick at 16:51 of the second period. The Jets then went on to score three times in the third period to win 4–2 and tie the series at one game apiece. Patrick Roy made 36 saves in the loss.
May 26, 1997 In game three at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, the Jets got two goals from Zack Taylor and went on to win 2–1.
May 29, 1997 Winnipeg, with Zack Taylor and Teemu Selanne with hat tricks, won game four over the Avs, 6–0, in an obvious statement to Colorado. Jets goaltender Billy Cranston made 19 saves in the shutout Winnipeg now led the series three games to one.
June 1, 1997 Embarrassed and frustrated after such a lopsided loss in game four, Colorado came right back in game five with a 6–0 win of their own. Patrick Roy stopped all 32 shots he faced. Claude Lemieux and Joe Sakic both scored two goals. The Avalanche now trailed in the series three games to two.
June 3, 1007 In game six on Tuesday, June 3, the Jets looked to close out the series. Teemu Selanne's goal at 6:11 of the third period gave Winnipeg a 2–0 lead. Scott Young pulled Colorado to within one, on a goal at 14:48, but the Avalanche could not score the equalizer, and Zack Taylor sealed the game for Winnipeg with an empty-net goal at 19:30. The Jets won 3–1 and took the series four games to two.
June 7, 1997 Game one in Philadelphia took place exactly 10 years to the day after the Flyers' emotional seventh-game loss to the Edmonton Oilers in the 1987 Final. Winnipeg never trailed in the game. Winnipeg led 2–1 after the first period, 3–2 after the second, and Keith Tkachuk scored the fourth goal at 0:56 of the third period. Zack Taylor scored the winner and was named the game's first star.
June 10, 1997 Tommy Oliver scored an unassisted goal at 1:37 of the first period and Jeremy Roenick scored a power-play goal at 9:22 of the first period to give the Jets a 2–0 lead before Rod Brind'Amour scored a pair of power-play goals late in the first period to tie the score. In the second, Niklas Sundstrom scored the game-winning goal at 2:36 and Oliver scored his second goal of the game at 9:56 of the third and the Jets won a second consecutive 4–2 victory and a 2–0 series lead heading back to the Winnipeg Arena.
June 12, 1997 John LeClair scored at 7:03 of the first period to give the Flyers their first lead of the series. Two minutes later, Wesley Collins scored on the power-play to tie the score. Zack Taylor scored two minutes later to put Winnipeg ahead for good in the game. Todd Bertuzzi scored later in the first to give the Jets a 3–1 advantage. The Jets tacked on two more in the second and added one in the third for a decisive 6–1 win and a three games to none series posted a 4-point night and was named the game's first star. In his post-game comments, Flyers head coach Terry Murray was quoted as saying the team was "basically in a choking situation," which many writers, broadcasters, fans as well as Flyers management took to mean Murray called out his own players as chokers. The manner in which they played compounded by the insurmountable series deficit along with the Jets' seeming dominance in stretches of the first two games as well as most of game three lent credence to the claim. However, with a decade in between, it is more likely Murray equated the 3–0 series hole as being stuck in a room without oxygen where it's hard to breathe, rather than an explicit implication of his players.
June 15, 1997 The Jets controlled the game from the get-go, forging ahead 1–0 after one period and employing the left-wing lock to keep the Flyers' mix of big and speedy forwards at bay. Ed Olczyk's second-period tally effectively sealed the deal. The journeyman faked out Flyers rookie defenseman Janne Niinimaa inside the blue line, swooped around him, then did a quick cutback in front of Hextall in his crease to slip the puck into the net. Eric Lindros would score his lone goal of the series with 15 seconds to play. The 2–1 win brought Winnipeg its first Stanley Cup, Winnipeg's first major title since the Avco Cup years. Zack Taylor led the Jets in playoff scoring with 20 goals and 15 assists, winning his first Conn Smythe Trophy win as the playoffs MVP.
July, 1997 A finalist for the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year, Jets Head Coach Randy Carlyle beat out Ted Nolan of the Buffalo Sabres. In addition, Zack Taylor picks up the Hart, Calder, Art Ross, and Pearson awards while Kaith Tkachuk pick up the Lady Byng Award, Jason Scott picks up the Norris Trophy, and Tommy Oliver recieves the Selke Trophy. Dale Hawerchuk announces his retirement and subsequently the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club announces that they will retire #10 in Hawerchuk's honor at a home game next season. For the home opener, the Jets will also hang the Western Conference and Stanley Cup championship banners high up in the rafters at the Winnipeg Arena.