For 106 years, the NHL has been a sport where familiarity becomes instant. Players build bonds with teammates, management builds relationships with players, and management from other teams. Each sport goes much deeper than that. Players who made an impact on the game now have sons who play, while others who have grandparents or some other family affiliation have that same connection. That is no different for the Arizona Coyotes franchise.
Coyotes Have Deep Roots Throughout Team History
Many former players in the NHL have sons who are now in the league or who are tearing it up in the American Hockey League (AHL) or junior leagues. Former Winnipeg Jets forward Keith Tkachuk has two sons in the league now — Matthew (Florida Panthers) and Brady (Ottawa Senators). Former Los Angeles Kings goaltender Robb Stauber has enjoyed watching his son, Jaxson, play between the pipes for the Chicago Blackhawks organization. Former Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky briefly played against his brother, Keith, when Keith played for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
What about some other players who strictly have Winnipeg Jets and Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes connections in the history of the franchise? One of those family ties comes from one of the highest father/son scoring duos in NHL history, Bobby and Brett Hull.
Bobby and Brett Hull
Bobby Hull was one of the original snipers of the NHL with the Blackhawks. No other player had more of a wicked shot with more snap than Hull. He was one of the league’s best scorers in his time with Chicago and became a scoring threat whenever he took the ice. His time with the NHL ended when the World Hockey Association (WHA) formed, and that is where he began playing for the Winnipeg Jets from 1972-73 until the 1978-79 season. He would play 411 games, totaling 303 goals and 335 assists for 638 points. He was a +189, had 183 penalty minutes, and twice won the Avco World Trophy, also known as the Avco Cup, in 1976 and 1978.
Brett would follow in his father’s footsteps as he became a lethal sniper in the NHL. He led the league three times in goal scoring, with his most dominant season coming during the 1990-91 season when he totaled an unbelievable 86 goals in 78 games. Brett would be at the end of his career when he signed with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2005-06, playing in only five games, notching one assist and recording a -3 plus/minus rating.
Jack McBain and Andrew McBain
Current Coyotes forward Jack McBain is an energy guy who plays a physical role and fights when need be. He will do the dirty work every shift and occasionally gets rewarded with a goal or an assist. He’s a crucial part of the bottom six and does the little things that accomplish success without getting on the scoreboard. In his career, he has 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points and 81 penalty minutes in 105 games.
Jack’s father, Andrew, played for the Winnipeg Jets from 1983-84 until the 1988-89 season. He has comparable stats to his son, as he could put up quality points and be an agitator, fighting when the time called for it. He filled a role that most would not entertain and filled a part of the team in the mid-80s. His totals for the Jets included 408 games, 101 goals, 129 assists for 230 points, and 419 penalty minutes.
Kent Nilson and Nikolai Khabibulin
Kent Nilson was a dominant player for the WHA version of the Winnipeg Jets. A top-six forward who played an offensive role, he made something happen on every shift, as he was creative with the puck but could also put the puck in the net. His consistency is one reason he was so successful on the ice, and he provided dependability every game. He played with Winnipeg from 1977-78 until the 1978-79 season, contributing 81 goals and 133 assists for 214 points and two Avco Cups (1978, 1979).
Nikolai Khabibulin played for the Jets from 1994-95 through 1995-96 and then the Phoenix Coyotes from 1996-97 until 1998-99. One of the more underrated goaltenders in the league during his time, he stood tall between the pipes for the Jets and Coyotes. His career totals with the organization are a 126-113-30 record with a .908 save percentage, a 2.75 goals against average, and 21 shutouts.
The connection is that Kent’s brother, Robert, married Khabibulin’s daughter, Sasha.
Claude Lemieux and Jocelyn Lemieux
Claude Lemieux made a living by getting under the skin of the opposition. While that was his role, he was also productive offensively in addition to getting opponents off of their game. While most of his success came with the New Jersey Devils, he did make a stop in Phoenix and made quite the impact. Skating with the Coyotes from 2000-01 through the 2002-03 season, he would play in 164 games. His totals included 32 games and 49 assists for 81 points and 158 penalty minutes.
Jocelyn was different from his brother Claude. While he was feisty and aggressive, that is where his game stopped. His offense was not as good, and neither was his defensive game. His time in Phoenix was from 1996-97 until the 1997-98 season, when his time in the desert would end. His contributions include four goals, three assists for seven points and 27 penalty minutes in 32 games.
While having a family member in the NHL is special, the results are mixed. Brett and Bobby Hull were successful in the league, while brothers Henrik and Joel Lundqvist had different career results. There are family-related pairings to come as Coyotes prospect forward Josh Doan is ready to kick down the door and make a statement. Doan’s father, Shane Doan, was instrumental in the Coyote’s success for years, making for another potential family connection to add to Coyotes’ history.