Mitch Kasprick is the “Motown Curmudgeon” aka “Motown Mitch”
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. You’ve been warned.
1. Jets: The Winnipeg Jets lost their only game last week to the Philadelphia Flyers (3-1) and sent their fanbase into full tilt mode. Most Jets fans were already on the ledge but this loss really was the tipping point. The Jets record sits at 18-17-7 and they are 9 points out of the final wildcard spot and sixth in the Central Division.
2. Jets: Cole Perfetti has really made the best of his opportunity in Winnipeg’s top six playing on the wing and I wonder if being a winger is where he is best suited because of his size? I’m not sure if he’ll ever be a center at this level but we actually haven’t seen him get the chance.
3. Jets: I don’t understand why Jets fans in the Twitterverse are trying to cause a Mark Scheifele/Pierre-Luc Dubois center controversy. I’ll guarantee you neither one of them gives a shit about that and just want to win hockey games.
4. NHL: I didn’t realize the NHL All-Star super spreader event was in Las Vegas until this past Thursday and then it became clear to me why Count Chocula wouldn’t cancel the event. Heaven forbid he would take anything away from his “Golden Child” in spite of a worldwide pandemic.
UPDATE:
WOW, who could have seen this coming?
I don’t want to say I told you but … I TOLD YOU SO.
5. Jets: Lots of Winnipeg Jets fans were very emotional this past week after another loss and were calling for TNSE to blow it up and start over. In my opinion that is is a huge overreaction. This team has some terrific pieces and just needs to be retooled a bit but in my opinion, the coaching staff needs to be completely replaced first. I believe the suits behind the bench have worn out their welcome and the GM upstairs isn’t far behind. I wrote an article about the retool and if you haven’t read it you can find it >>>> here.
6. NHL: My weekly bitch-fest about NHL officiating.
The amount of hooking the officials let the Flyers get away with on Tuesday night was borderline criminal. Is it just me but doesn’t it seem like most teams get favourable officiating at home except for the Winnipeg Jets?
7. Jets: How’s Jack Roslovic doing? About the same as he was doing in Winnipeg. He is basically exactly what we all thought he was.
8. NHL: I know the analytics guys will tell you that +/- is not a very good stat for evaluating a player but can you really discount or look past a guy who is -25 halfway through the season.
9. Jets: I’m starting to wonder if Dylan Samberg is injury-prone or just a guy with bad luck. I hope he isn’t going to be one of those guys like Zach Bogosian that never plays a close to a whole season.
10. Jets: One of my favourite players in Winnipeg Jets history is Ulf Nilsson. Nilsson was the underrated player on the WHA Jets big line with Anders Hedberg and Bobby Hull but he was by far the most important player on that line. Hedberg and Hull would have never scored all the goals they did without the sweet feeds from Nilsson. Nilsson didn’t force passes through players but around them. Ulf had an uncanny vision on the ice and would look at Hull or Hedberg and they would race to a spot where Ulf would flip them the puck. It was a thing of beauty to watch him freeze a defenceman and get him flat-footed while his wingers skated to the open ice.
11. Jets: The Jets need approx 52 points in their last 40 games and Connor Hellebuyck will need to be Vezina Helle for this team to have any chance.
12. Ice: The Winnipeg ICE had their 2 games postponed this past week and their record still sits at 29-6-2-1 on the season. Edmonton has actually passed the ICE in the standings due to playing 7 or 8 more games but the ICE are still the #1 ranked team in the CHL after week 14.
Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 14
as of Feb. 2
1. Winnipeg ICE
2. Edmonton Oil Kings
3. Everett Silvertips
4. Charlottetown Islanders
5. Portland Winterhawks
6. Mississauga Steelheads
7. Quebec Remparts
8. Kamloops Blazers
9. Kingston Frontenacs
10. Sherbrooke Phoenix
13. Moose: The Moose won their only game this week, a 2-1 shootout victory over Texas and improved their record to 24-11-2-1. They sit in 4th place in the AHL’s Western Conference with a .671 winning percentage.
Special Teams:
- PP: 18.00%
- PK: 84.10%
14. Jets: The Winnipeg Jets have now reached the halfway point of the season and the big question is whether they are buyers or sellers? If you said sellers you are correct.
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15. Jets: My weekly question for Kevin Cheveldayoff and/or Dave Lowry.
Dave, why would you play Dominic Toninato or Austin Poganski over Evgeny Svechnikov? Can you really afford to sit the only bottom 6 forward with a hint of skill?
16. Jets: The Good, Better, Best this past week should be postponed for one week because of lack of content lol.
- Good: KC’s goal vs Philly.
- Better: Nothing better.
- Best: Nothing best.
