Post by bigchris on Nov 25, 2004 16:46:45 GMT -5
When we talk about the rise of the Winnipeg Jets in the 1970's and the lasting impact they made on hockey in North America and around the World, we talk about the players usually. Hull, Hedberg, Nilson, Lindstrom, Sjoberg, etc. We also tend to mention the builders and coaches once in a while. (Bob Kromm, Tom McVie. Benny Hatskin, Bob Graham, etc.) However, the one guy we always seem to forget was probably more responcible for our success and our impact around the world than any of the aforementioned. That is former Jets team doctor and player personel man Dr. Gerry Wilson.
Outside of being former Calgary Flame and moose player Cary Wilson's father, Dr. Wilson was largely responcible for scouting and attracting the cream of the crop of the almost completely untapped European hockey world to play for Winnipeg. Wilson, after scouting a then past his prime Lars Erik Sjoberg and the many great young players in Sweeden and Finland, convinced Jets management to come to Scandinavia to see for themselves what great talent was out there. Hatskin, Hull and Bob Graham were more than impressed with what they saw and allowed Wilson to look into the plausability of signing them. He succeeded beyond their wildest dreams and became the Jets' main European birddog for the next 4 years attracting some of the greatest European talent outside of the Soviet Union to the Jets organization.
Interestingly, his name is never mentioned with the other Jet luminaries. However, read the publications about the WHA Jets such as the Jets 10th Anniversary book, the 1976 Avco Cup championship book or the newspaper reports about the man when he died and you can see that Gerry Wilson's place in Jet history should be aknowledged and appreciated.
Outside of being former Calgary Flame and moose player Cary Wilson's father, Dr. Wilson was largely responcible for scouting and attracting the cream of the crop of the almost completely untapped European hockey world to play for Winnipeg. Wilson, after scouting a then past his prime Lars Erik Sjoberg and the many great young players in Sweeden and Finland, convinced Jets management to come to Scandinavia to see for themselves what great talent was out there. Hatskin, Hull and Bob Graham were more than impressed with what they saw and allowed Wilson to look into the plausability of signing them. He succeeded beyond their wildest dreams and became the Jets' main European birddog for the next 4 years attracting some of the greatest European talent outside of the Soviet Union to the Jets organization.
Interestingly, his name is never mentioned with the other Jet luminaries. However, read the publications about the WHA Jets such as the Jets 10th Anniversary book, the 1976 Avco Cup championship book or the newspaper reports about the man when he died and you can see that Gerry Wilson's place in Jet history should be aknowledged and appreciated.