Mitch Kasprick is now the “Westdale Curmudgeon”
Odds and Ends, Thoughts, and Questions from this past week in Hockey –
Just so there’s no confusion when I’m spewing my bias, I am a fan of the Winnipeg Jets, Arizona Coyotes, Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg Ice, and all Team Canada Hockey teams.
I am NOT a fan of Gary Bettman or as I call him, Count Chocula. I am a big believer in the 7Ps or is it the 8Ps? You’ve been warned.
You can listen to a more in-depth audio version here >>> Audio Version … Podcast is now live
April 17: Start of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs
May 8: NHL Draft Lottery (7 p.m. ET)
June 3: Tentative start of Stanley Cup Final
June 4-10: NHL Scouting Combine
June 26: 2023 NHL Awards
June 28: Round 1 of the 2023 NHL Draft (7 p.m. ET)
June 29: Rounds 2-7 of the 2023 NHL Draft (11 a.m. ET)
1. Jets: The Winnipeg Jets went 2-1-0 this past week and punched their ticket to the playoffs and the best part was they did it with back-to-back wins on Monday and Tuesday night, saving their fans the angst of waiting and scoreboard watching all week. The Jets finished the season with a record of 46-33-3 for 95 points.
2. Jets: On Tuesday night the Winnipeg Jets hit the 100% mark to make the NHL playoffs. Last Monday the Jets were at 81.1%.
3. Jets: There is a segment of fans who were hoping the Jets would miss the playoffs and the organisation would do a complete teardown and start from scratch. I understand their logic but the reality says it won’t happen based on the history of Mark Chipman’s and Kevin Cheveldayoff’s running of this team so let it go, it won’t happen.
4. NHL: Once again Count Chocula’s beer-league officiating reared its ugly head! Tuesday night in St. Paul, Minnesota referees Trevor Hanson and Jean Hebert along with linesmen Trent Knorr and Jonny Murray let a very controllable game turn into a circus with missed calls and poor decisions on certain penalties that they did call. For my full rant check out the podcast.
5. Jets: Who could blame Mark Chipman and/or Keven Cheveldayoff for wanting the Jets in the playoffs? Owners and GMs always believe they have a chance once they punch their ticket to the dance plus these other reasons listed below.
- Two or three games are extra revenue for the organization.
- You just never know how far you will go even if the odds of it happening are against you.
- For Chevy, it’s about saving his job although I think he and Chipman are attached at the hip.
6. Jets: I was a little surprised to see an afternoon home game on Saturday (game 3) in Winnipeg BUT the 8:30 game on Monday (game 4) is complete BULLSHIT.
GM 1: Tuesday, April 18, 8:30 p.m. T-Mobile Arena
GM 2: Thursday, April 20, 9:00 p.m. T-Mobile Arena
GM 3: Saturday, April 22, 3:00 p.m. Canada Life Centre
GM 4: Monday, April 24, 8:30 p.m. Canada Life Centre
GM 5: Thursday, April 27, TBD T-Mobile Arena*
GM 6: Saturday, April 29, TBD Canada Life Centre*
GM 7: Monday, May 1, TBD T-Mobile Arena*
*If Necessary
TBD – To Be Determined
7. Jets: I think the Jets got a pretty good matchup for their first-round series just for the fact they dodged playing Edmonton or Colorado.
8. ICE: The Winnipeg ICE will host the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL’s Eastern Conference Semi-Final starting this Friday at the Wayne Fleming Arena on the U of M Campus.
Game 1 7:05 CT: Friday, April 14 ICE Cave inside Wayne Fleming Arena
Game 2 6:05 CT: Saturday, April 15 ICE Cave inside Wayne Fleming Arena
Game 3 8:00 CT: Tuesday, April 18 Moose Jaw Events Centre
Game 4 8:00 CT: Wednesday, April 19 Moose Jaw Events Centre
Game 5* 7:30 CT: Saturday, April 22 ICE Cave inside Wayne Fleming Arena
Game 6* 8:00 CT: Monday, April 24 Moose Jaw Events Centre
Game 7* 7:05 CT: Wednesday, April 26 ICE Cave inside Wayne Fleming Arena
* if necessary
9. Jets: I am going to enjoy these playoffs and hope the Jets can find lightning in a bottle because that’s what being a fan is all about. You never know what the future brings, a rebuild and maybe no playoffs for a few seasons is possible even if it’s a rebuild on the fly. I can’t imagine the playoffs starting this week and the Jets not playing.
10. Jets: I think this playoff series vs Vegas will be very interesting, especially for the players that were on the Jets in 2018. I’m sure Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Nik Ehlers, Blake Wheeler, Adam Lowry, Josh Morrissey, and Connor Hellebuyck feel like they have some unfinished business.
11. Jets: Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois both wanted to play with Kyle Connor so Rick Bowness put Scheif on the wing and they all said they like the idea of playing together and so far so good BUT now is time to get it done in the playoffs where it really counts.
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12. Jets: Poll question
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13. Jets: My weekly question for Rick Bowness, Kevin Cheveldayoff, or Mark Chipman.
This question is for Rick Bowness: With the playoffs now here what are your thoughts on matching lines?
14. Jets: Special Teams: Rule of thumb. Have the two red numbers (PK and PP) total at least 100% when added (as your minimum).
- PP: 23rd at 19.30% up from 24th at 19.10%
- PK: 6th at 82.40% down from 6th at 82.80%
- FO: 21st at 48.90% d0wn from 21nd at 49.00%
