Meet The Jets

They are the beloved hockey team of the NHL's smallest market. They lost their team for 15 seasons due to economic forces. They got them back and are now stronger than ever. Their home playoff games are a sea of white jerseys and hot noise. They're deep in talent and have been built carefully and allowed to season for this very moment. They're the Winnipeg Jets and they're now in the Western Conference Final meeting the upstart Vegas Golden Knights.
Vegas held a 2-1 edge over the Jets in regular season play. Vegas finished third in the Western Conference Standings behind the Nashville Predators and Jets, respectively.
The original Jets (Jets 1.0) came into the NHL as part of the WHA merger. Jets 2.0 were formerly the Atlanta Thrashers. Owner Mark Chipman purchased the franchise in 2011 and relocated it to Winnipeg and reinstated the Jets name. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff drew up a draft and develop blueprint and stuck with it - refusing to trade off picks and prospects to try and get better quickly. He waited and did his work patiently and the result is an organization deep in talent at the NHL and AHL levels.

Here's a look at the Golden Knights opponent in the WCF.
Meet the Jets:
Big Buff
The Jets are driven by a number of players and among their most impactful is defenseman Dustin Byfuglien. Hard hitting and hard shooting - the 6-5 and 260-pound Byfuglien can wreak havoc on an opponent. He's fast, powerful and can be mean.
The captain
Blake Wheeler can do it all. He can play the power forward game using his 6-4 and 225-pound frame but Wheeler also has big-time speed. He led the Jets with 91 points in the regular season and has 15 so far in the playoffs.
The first round pick
Mark Scheifele was the first player ever selected by the Jets 2.0 taken in the first round. Scheifele was selected 7th in the 2011 Entry Draft. He's the epitome of the Jets draft and develop plan. They sent him back to junior hockey twice before finally opening a roster spot for him. He leads the Jets with 11 goals and 16 points in the playoffs. He's fast and big and is the team's franchise center.
Vezina candidate
Another member of the Jets draft and develop plan, goalie Conor Hellebuyck was a late round pick who the Jets brought along in the AHL before bringing him permanently to the NHL. This has been his breakout season and his .924 save percentage earned him a nomination for the Vezina. He's been strong in the playoffs too and is key for the Jets who play an aggressive style and sometimes leave Hellebuyck to fend for himself.
The shooter
The Jets moved up to No. 2 in the draft lottery in the summer of 2016 and landed Finnish prodigy Patrik Laine. Perhaps the best shooter in the game today, Laine scored 44 goals in the regular season and is dangerous whenever he has the puck on his stick.
Team USA
The Jets have 11 American born players on the roster including Wheeler, Byfuglien and Hellebuyck.