ANALYSIS: Scheifele rewrites Jets’ record book, but which franchise’s stats matter? – Winnipeg

As the Winnipeg Jets move forward in their history, there will always be the undercurrent of debate about the team’s franchise records. Do we recognize and celebrate the Atlanta Thrashers days as part of the organization’s past?

Or do we only acknowledge the records from the Jets’ previous NHL era of 1979-96, and then 2011 to date?

It’s certainly confusing and problematic when the two worlds collide – and lately, that’s been often – as they did on Monday night when Mark Scheifele scored his 329th career goal.

As essentially a charter member of the Jets since relocation, Scheifele is now the all-time leader in goals in Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise history, surpassing Ilya Kovalchuk, who only ever played in Winnipeg as a member of the opposition and a player the city has zero association with – other than in name recognition.

But for right now, anyway, it’s the former that is the official account of the current Jets’ history. As such, Scheifele’s new stamp on the goal mark is the standard.

If and when the Jets organization reclaims the historical annals that left for Arizona and are now in limbo with that team’s fresh start in Utah, the current baseline for Jets milestones does include the Atlanta Thrashers.

And while we understand there is a strong play being made to the NHL by the Winnipeg Jets to retrieve the old Jets records, until that is accomplished, the NHL will continue to officially work off of the team’s records that include its days in Georgia.

Now, that doesn’t mean Scheifele’s next target isn’t former Jets great Dale Hawerchuk’s 379 goals to lead the old franchise. In fact, it’s something Scheifele is eagerly looking forward to bringing down as well – perhaps as soon as next season.

And by that time there may be an official merging of the old Jets records with the new. And then we will speak of Atlanta no longer. But even then, when Scheifele scores goal 380 to surpass Ducky he will be the undisputed franchise leader in goal scoring – two times over, no less – and that relevance will no longer be open for debate.

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