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The Winnipeg Jets continue to navigate their storied history, and a lingering question persists regarding how to view the team’s franchise records. Should the achievements of the Atlanta Thrashers era be celebrated as part of the organization’s legacy, or should only the records from the Jets’ previous NHL stints of 1979-1996 and 2011 to the present be acknowledged?
This issue has garnered much attention, particularly as seen on Monday night when Mark Scheifele reached a significant milestone by scoring his 329th career goal.
Having been a foundational player for the Jets since their relocation, Scheifele now holds the record for the most goals in the combined history of the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise, overtaking Ilya Kovalchuk. It is worth noting that Kovalchuk’s connection to Winnipeg is nominal, as he only played against the Jets and does not have a direct association with the city’s hockey roots.
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For the time being, the record reflected in the current Jets’ history encompasses the years spent in Atlanta, making Scheifele’s record-breaking goal significant within this context. If the Jets are successful in their efforts to reclaim historical records that were left behind in Arizona amidst that franchise’s transition, the counting of Jets milestones will formally embrace the Atlanta Thrashers’ contributions.
The Winnipeg Jets are advocating strongly for the return of the original Jets records, but until that happens, the NHL will proceed with its official count that includes the team’s tenure in Georgia. Scheifele has his sights set on another ambitious goal: Dale Hawerchuk’s franchise-leading 379 goals from the old Jets era. He looks forward to the challenge and is eager to surpass this record potentially by the next season.
Should the franchises’ records merge in the future, discussions about the Atlanta connection may fade away. However, once Scheifele netted his 380th goal, he would not only achieve the distinction of being the leading goal scorer but would do so with a record unambiguous in its relevance, closing the chapter on any lingering debates regarding the franchise’s history.
Source
globalnews.ca