Please join host Harley Friesen and Winnipeg Hockey Talk owner/writer Mitch Kasprick for a more in-depth discussion of these Random Thoughts on the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, and the National Hockey League on our new WHT YouTube channel here >>>> https://www.youtube.com/@WpgHockTalk
LIVE every Monday at 7:00 pm.
This week’s YouTube show
1. Jets: Josh Morrissey’s and Kyle Connor’s Olympics sure were a bust for them. Josh hasn’t played since early in game one against Czechia, and KC has been picking slivers out of his ass from riding the pine. Connor Hellebuyck was the only one who was integral to his team’s success or failure. KC and Josh both came home with a medal, but they must feel hollow.
2. Jets: Connor Hellebuyck really needed that. He stole the Gold Medal. There is no doubt now that he can win the big game. Well done Helle.
3. Team Canada Women: In this last Olympic cycle, Team USA has definitely been the better team, but in a one-game winner-take-all, anything can happen, and although I thought Canada would lose to TEAM USA on Friday in Italy but the American’s were the second-best team on this night, and IMHO, we’re very fortunate to win the Gold Medal.
4. Team Canada Men: Canada’s men’s team has been very underwhelming and a huge disappointment IMO. How is it possible that an injury to a 38-year-old veteran derails the whole team and turns them into a one-line hockey team?
5. Moose: The Manitoba Moose played three games this past week, going 0-1-1-1 and are currently sitting with a record of 23-18-4-1, good for third place in the AHL’s Central Division with a .554 winning percentage.
6. Things that make me go hmmm: #1 
Watching this women’s team for the past couple of years, I haven’t liked their blueline, they don’t handle the puck very well, and they don’t have anyone to run the powerplay, so I can’t help but wonder if 19-year-old Chloe Primenaro could have made a difference? The braintrust decided she was too young and went with a group of veterans with experience in losing to the Americans. Primenaro would have looked good running that powerplay.
- MVP of the U18 World Championship (won Gold Medal)
- She finished off her freshman season with the Golden Gophers, tallying 31 points in 35 games, a per-game average that ranked second among Division 1 rookies.
7. Old adage time: You’ve already seen this one earlier on, but this week’s old adage is “riding the pine“.
8. Jets: The boys will be back in action again starting Wednesday night in Vancouver in their million-to-one quest for a playoff spot.
9. Put that in your pipe and smoke it: I watched the Gold Medal game and I was cheering Canada but after the USA goal in overtime I had a moment of reflection and did a complete 360 and thought of the implications for Helle shedding the “he can’t win the big one” narrative and shifted to laughing at McDavid for losing THREE big championships and his pain. My Oiler hatred runs deep, and I loved that Helle beat McDavid, so call me an A-HOLE, but that “Silver Lining” will keep a smile on my face for a while, so “Put that in your pipe and smoke it”.
LIVE every Monday at 7:00 pm.
Please join host Harley Friesen and Winnipeg Hockey Talk owner/writer Mitch Kasprick for a more in-depth discussion of these Random Thoughts on the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, and the National Hockey League on our new WHT YouTube channel here >>>> https://www.youtube.com/@WpgHockTalk
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