Throwback Thursday: This week in 1986, Winnipeg Jets draft Teppo Numminen
By Zach Laing
3 years agoWelcome back to another edition of Throwback Thursday!
This week in 1986 (June 21), the Winnipeg Jets drafted defenceman Teppo Numminen in the second round.
Drafted out of Tappara of the Finnish Elite League, Numminem had returned to his homeland of Finland for two more years before joining the Jets in 1988-89.
Having struggled in his first year only scoring 15 points in 69 games, he quickly developed into a strong option on the Jets backend.
A long 20-year-career was had for Numminen with the majority of it played in the Jets/Coyotes organization. But in 2003, the veteran defenceman was traded by Phoenix to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Mike Sillinger.
He left that club as a free agent inking a new deal with Buffalo in 2005 with whom we would retire with in 2009.
Also drafted in that 1986 draft was Pat Elynuik (1st round).
On Twitter: @zjlaing
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-89 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 69 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 36 | -11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989-90 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 79 | 11 | 32 | 43 | 20 | -4 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 1990-91 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 80 | 8 | 25 | 33 | 28 | -15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991-92 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 80 | 5 | 34 | 39 | 32 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992-93 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 66 | 7 | 30 | 37 | 33 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1993-94 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 57 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 28 | -23 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994-95 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 42 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 16 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994-95 | TuTo Turku | SM-liiga | 12 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995-96 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 74 | 11 | 43 | 54 | 22 | -4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1996-97 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 82 | 2 | 25 | 27 | 28 | -3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| 1997-98 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 82 | 11 | 40 | 51 | 30 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-99 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 82 | 10 | 30 | 40 | 30 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 1999-00 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 79 | 8 | 34 | 42 | 16 | 21 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2000-01 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 72 | 5 | 26 | 31 | 36 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001-02 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 76 | 13 | 35 | 48 | 20 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2002-03 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 78 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 30 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003-04 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 62 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 18 | -5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2005-06 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 75 | 2 | 38 | 40 | 36 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 2006-07 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 79 | 2 | 27 | 29 | 32 | 17 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 2007-08 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008-09 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 57 | 2 | 15 | 17 | 22 | -4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL Totals | 1372 | 117 | 520 | 637 | 513 | 82 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 28 |
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