Former Winnipeg Jets captain and fan-favorite gets huge Hall of Fame honor
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Daniel Lucente
Jan 20, 2026 (3:16 PM)
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Photo credit: Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images
The shoutout making the rounds today is simple, congrats to former Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd on his induction into the British Columbia Hockey Hall of Fame.
It was announced Monday as part of the BC Hockey Hall of Fame's 2026 class, and Ladd is right at the center of it.
The induction ceremony is set for July 11 in Penticton, which gives this some runway to build into a full-on celebration.
For a Jets page, the angle writes itself, Ladd was the first captain of Jets 2.0, the guy who had to make «new» feel like «normal» fast.
That's why the congratulatory post hits, because it isn't just about points or trophies, it's about being the face of a reset.
Ladd is 40 now, a Maple Ridge, BC kid, drafted in 2004 in the first round, fourth overall, by the Carolina Hurricanes.
He left junior as a heavy, honest winger, and he stayed that way, straight lines, hard corners, real minutes.
Even before Winnipeg, the résumé was loud, two Stanley Cups, and a reputation as a coach's best friend when games got tight.
In 2010-11 with Atlanta, he wore the C and put up 29 goals, 30 assists, 59 points in 81 games, that's captain production, not just captain vibes.
Andrew Ladd, Winnipeg Jets captain accomplishment
As a Jets fan, I still remember how steady he felt, like the room could breathe because he was out there.
In 2011-12, his first season in Winnipeg, he played all 82 games and scored 28 goals with 22 assists for 50 points, while taking the hard matchups nightly.
By 2014-15 he hit another gear, 24 goals, 38 assists, 62 points in 81 games, and that season still feels like the first real «we belong again» moment.
Across the Atlanta and Winnipeg chapters, he logged 429 games with 139 goals, 166 assists, 305 points, and those totals underline how much of the franchise story he carried.
His value was never just the top-six slot, it was the way he played the net front, killed plays early on the backcheck, and made the blue line's life easier.
This Hall of Fame nod feels like British Columbia claiming one of its own, but it also reflects back on Winnipeg, because captains set culture more than they set line combos.
Ladd settling in Kelowna after his career makes the moment even cleaner, it's a community honor for a guy who lived the grind.
So yeah, congrats are in order, and when July 11 rolls around, I hope Jets fans take a second to smile and remember what it took to get the second act started.
Also read on HockeyLatest :
Winnipeg Jets tease a big announcement coming later today
Winnipeg Jets tease a big announcement coming later today
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 20|97 ANSWERS Former Winnipeg Jets captain and fan-favorite gets huge Hall of Fame honor Should hockey fans celebrate Andrew Ladd's British Columbia Hockey Hall of Fame induction? | ||
| Yes | 71 | 73.2 % |
| No | 26 | 26.8 % |
| List of polls | ||