2007 Phoenix Coyotes

Coach Wayne Gretzky had his work cut out for him this year in Phoenix. This Coyotes team started off the NHL season slowly – particularly at home at the Jobing.com Arena. Phoenix had trouble finding winning combinations, which led to only 83 points and a shutout from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov cemented his claim to the starting spot, and provided some great highlights in the second half of the season. Radim Vrbata came through with the best offensive performance he’s had to date. We’re hoping the Coyotes can build around this talented team core to bring more excitement to Phoenix fans next season.

Though ‘Yotes fans weren’t too thrilled about the 2006-07 season, which found the Coyotes at the bottom of the Pacific Division, changes in the off season bring new hope. Adding Mike York and Radim Vrbata significantly strengthened the offense, and Wayne Gretzky should really be hitting his stride as he enters his third season as head coach. Get your tickets to the Jobing.com Arena (formerly Glendale Arena) and cheer on the Phoenix Coyotes to victory in the 2007-2008 season!

The Winnipeg Jets became charter members of the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1972. With former NHL superstar Bobby Hull as one of the team's coaches, the Jets advanced to the WHA Finals in their first season. They went on to win three WHA championships, in 1976, 1978, and 1979. Following the 1978-79 season, the Jets and three other WHA franchises joined the NHL.

After finishing fifth in its division in its first NHL season, Winnipeg won just 9 of 80 games in the 1980-81 season. In 1981 rookie sensation Dale Hawerchuk, a center, joined the Jets, and in the 1981-82 season the team won 33 games and made its first appearance in the NHL playoffs.

Winnipeg qualified for the playoffs again in 1983 and 1984, but each year the team lost in the first round. In the 1984-85 postseason, the Jets defeated the Calgary Flames in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but were defeated by the eventual NHL-champion Edmonton Oilers in the second.

Goalie Daniel Berthiaume anchored the conference's top-rated defense in the 1986-87 season. The Jets won another first-round playoff series against Calgary only to be again eliminated in the second round by Edmonton. The team qualified for the playoffs in 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1993 but was eliminated in the first round each year. The 1992-93 team was led by right wing Teemu Selanne, who was named NHL rookie of the year after breaking the league record for most goals made (76) and points accumulated (132) by a first-year player. The Jets failed to reach the playoffs in 1994 and 1995.

Following the 1995-96 season, the franchise traded Selanne to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The Jets were also sold to two businessmen, Richard Burke and Steven Gluckstern, who moved the club from Winnipeg to Phoenix and renamed it the Coyotes. The franchise acquired high-scoring center Jeremy Roenick from the Chicago Blackhawks. Roenick and left wing Keith Tkachuk sparked the Coyotes to playoff berths during the first three seasons in Phoenix, but each year the team was eliminated in the first round.

In December 2003, the Coyotes moved into the new Glendale Arena, which is also home to yet another fast-paced professional sports team, the Arizona Sting, who play indoor lacrosse. In October 2006, the venue was renamed Jobing.com Arena for its Phoenix-based sponsor. This attractive and versatile facility also welcomes top-tier concert tours, starring the likes of Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and Kenny Chesney, to name a few. Remember, Coast To Coast is here to help you find great tickets to the Phoenix Coyotes, or to the NFL's Arizona Cardinals, the NBA's Phoenix Suns, or any of the exciting concert or theater events happening in the Valley of the Sun.