The Phoenix Coyotes, now a ripe 22 years-of-age, are howling and prowling along the upper levels of the National Hockey League, and it's the most rarefied air these Coyotes have sniffed since joining the National Hockey League as the Winnipeg Jets back in 1979-80.
Under the direction of second-year coach Bob Francis and general manager Bobby Smith, the Coyotes finished the 1999-2000 season with a 39-35-8 record, but again fell short in the playoffs. In a nutshell, Francis and Smith have brought stability to a team that has had no less than 14 coaches in its 21 seasons.

The roots of the Coyotes go even further than 1979, actually tracing back to November 1, 1971 and the formation of the World Hockey Association, which included the Winnipeg Jets. More than any other team in the WHA, the Jets were about flamboyance, even signing legendary superstar Bobby Hull to a million dollar contract at the famous Winnipeg crossroads of Portage and Main.

The Jets, who also imported Swedish-born stars Ulf Nilsson and Anders Hedberg to play with Hull, won three Avco Cups, the WHA's stovepipe version of the Stanley Cup in 1976, 1978 and 1979. The three Cups gave the team a strong emotional springboard as they sped into the NHL along with the Hartford Whalers, the Quebec Nordiques and the Edmonton Oilers. Buy Phoenix Coyotes Tickets.