In May 2011, the Thrashers were sold to Canadian - based ownership group True North Sports & Entertainment. The group moved the franchise to Winnipeg, Manitoba, which became the second incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets. The sale and relocation were approved by the NHL on June 21, 2011. With the sale and relocation of the team, Atlanta became the first city in the NHL 's modern era to have two ice hockey teams relocate to different cities. In both cases, the team moved from Atlanta to Canada; the city 's previous NHL team (the Atlanta Flames) moved to Calgary, Alberta, in 1980 to become the Calgary Flames.
when did the atlanta thrashers became the winnipeg jets
May 2011