This is a look at “The Originals,” the first group of players that took to the ice as Winnipeg Jets in October, 1972. Here is a breakdown of how they were acquired and where they had played most recently before coming to the Jets for the 1972-73 season.
Of the 21 regulars that started the season, six were regular NHL players, the rest had played significant time the past season in the minor leagues.
| # | Player | |
| 1 | Joe Daley | Selected in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Signed from Detroit Red Wings, where he played the past season. |
| 2 | Bob Woytowich | Selected in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Signed from the Los Angeles Kings, after he was traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins. |
| 3 | Bob Ash | WHA rights acquired from Minnesota Fighting Saints. Played most of the past season with the Omaha Knights of the CHL. |
| 4 | Joe Zanussi | Selected in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Played the past three seasons with the Fort Worth Wings of the CHL. |
| 5 | Larry Hornung | Selected in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Signed from St. Louis Blues organization, where he had split time between the Blues, the Kansas City Blues of the CHL, and the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL for the past five seasons. |
| 6 | Steve Cuddie | Played the past season with the Cincinnati Swords of the AHL. |
| 7 | Christian Bordeleau | Rights acquired from Los Angeles Sharks for cash, August 25, 1972. Signed from Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL, where he had played the past season after being traded from the St. Louis Blues. |
| 8 | Wally Boyer | Selected by Jets in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Signed from Pittsburgh Penguins organization, where he spent all but one game of the past season with the Hershey Bears of the AHL. |
| 9 | Bobby Hull | Selected by Jets in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Signed from Chicago Blackhawks, where he had played the past season. |
| 10 | Bill Sutherland | Selected in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Signed from Detroit Red Wings organization after being traded from St. Louis Blues organization. Played most of the past season with the Tidewater Wings of the AHL. |
| 11 | Norm Beaudin | Selected by Jets in 1972 General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Signed from Minnesota North Stars organization, where he had mainly played for the Cleveland Barons of the AHL for the past three seasons. |
| 12 | Dunc Rousseau | Selected by Jets in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Played the past season with Baltimore Clippers of the AHL. |
| 14 | Ab McDonald | Selected by Jets in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Signed from Detroit Red Wings organization, where he had split time between the Red Wings and the Tidewater Wings of the AHL. |
| 15 | Garth Rizzuto | Signed as a free agent, August, 1972. Split the past season between the Seattle Totems of the WHL and the Rochester Americans of the AHL. |
| 16 | Jean-Guy Gratton | Selected by Jets in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Played the past three seasons with the Hershey Bears of the AHL. |
| 17 | Danny Johnson | Traded to Jets by New York Raiders for the rights to Mark Dufour, June, 1972. Signed from Detroit Red Wings, where he played the past season after being traded from the Vancouver Canucks. |
| 18 | Cal Swenson | Played for the past four seasons with Tulsa Oilers of the CHL. |
| 19 | Milt Black | Signed from Chicago Blackhawks organization, where he had played with the Dallas Black Hawks of the CHL for the past two seasons after being selected by Chicago in the 1969 Amateur Draft. |
| 20 | Brian Cadle | Played most of the past season with the Des Moines Oak Leafs of the IHL. |
| 21 | Freeman “Duke” Asmundson | Selected by Jets in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Played the past season three seasons with the Des Moines Oak Leafs of the IHL. |
| 30 | Ernie Wakely | Selected in General Player Draft, February 12, 1972. Signed from St. Louis Blues, where he played for the past three seasons. |