Things about the Winnipeg Jets and the NHL that crossed my mind —
Some random facts and a few thoughts from this past week about the Winnipeg Jets, the Manitoba Moose, and the National Hockey League.
1. The Winnipeg Jets ended up 2-1-0 on the week and are 21-21-3 overall but the two wins were against the right teams and although they let a point slip away versus Nashville they are within breathing distance of the final wildcard position.
2. According to Sports Club Stats: After Winnipeg’s 1-0 victory over Minnesota on Friday night, their odds of making the playoffs went from 17.8% to 23.2%. At the end of play on Saturday night, they were at 23.9% and at the end of play on Sunday night they were at 24.0%.
If you’re into sports betting, here’s a great page about NHL betting in Canada.
3. According to “NHL Insiders”, John Scott was asked by the league and by the Coyotes to decline his roster spot in the upcoming All-Star game in Nashville but he politely refused. After a trade to Montreal on Friday, he has since been dispatched to the Habs AHL outpost on “The Rock” in St. Johns, Newfoundland. You let this happen on your watch GARY! Well done!
4. I know it’s not the optimum way to play but I would rather see the Jets try to win a 1-0 or 2-1 hockey game rather than trying to outscore their opponents 5-4 or 6-5. They don’t have enough fire-power.
5. I don’t want to take anything away from the Jets’ hard earned 1-0 victory in Minnesota and especially in a back to back situation but with the lineup they dressed against the Wild they probably wouldn’t have beaten many other teams on this night. Playing without Adam Lowry, Drew Stafford, and Mark Scheifele forced them into a tight-checking, defensive game that allowed them to hang around with the Minnesota Wild.
6. It always seemed to be a foregone conclusion the two wild card teams would be coming out of the tough Central Division again this season BUT not so fast. The Pacific Division teams are definitely going to be a factor in the fight for those final two playoff spots. There is very little room for error going forward.
7. Due to a short-staffed forward group, Joel Armia got a chance to play elevated minutes on a scoring line and looked quite good. I, like most Jets fans, hope this was a glimpse into his potential going forward.
8. Is Connor Hellebuyck the undisputed #1 now?
9. The Minnesota game was the most physically involved game I’ve seen Andrew Ladd play in quite some time. Thoughts Jets fans?
10. Winnipeg Jets fans breathed a collective sigh of relief with the news Buff was going to be okay and play in Minnesota Friday after he was writhing on the ice Thursday night versus Nashville. The optics of it sure didn’t look very good at the time.
11. Congrats to Manitoba Moose goaltender, Eric Comrie, on his first professional shutout (4-0) on Wednesday night versus the Lake Erie Monsters.
12. L.A. Kings forward Anze Kopitar just signed an 8-year, $80 million contract extension! WOW! I guess when you’re an integral part of two Stanley Cup victories you can command that type of coin but no matter what anybody says, IMHO, that is TOO much money and TOO much term. Kopitar will be twenty-nine years old when this contract kicks in.
13. If the Jets were ever going to get a specialty or utility player for their roster, it should be a faceoff man. I can’t help but wonder how much a top-level face-off man would help in shorthanded and empty net situations. It sure would relieve a ton of pressure.
14. It was just about this time last year when Coyotes G.M. Don Maloney basically gifted Devin Dubnyk to the Minnesota Wild. It saved their season. IMO, if the Wild didn’t have Dubnyk they would be a pretty average team … at best.
15. The Jets next two games – Colorado Avalanche tonight and the Nashville Predators again this Thursday … Nuff said!
16. Things that make you go hmmm?: I find it almost comical that Jets fans, media, bloggers, etc debate the merits of keeping Dustin Byfuglien around while Mark Stuart still patrols the Jets blueline!
17. Winnipeg Jets Special teams update:
PK: 26th at 77.4% up from 26th at 76.1% last week
PP: 28th at 15.7% up from 29th at 15.4% last week
18. Countdown to the 2016 NHL Trade Deadline: 43 days (Feb. 29)
19. Countdown to the 2016 World Cup: 244 days (Sept. 17-Oct. 1 in Toronto) How many Winnipeg Jets do you think will be playing in this event? Wheeler? Ehlers? Scheifele? Hellebuyck?
20. As of Friday, the Arizona Coyotes have no representation at the All-Star game. Not that John Scott was a true representative. (see #3)
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Thanks, Mitch
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On point #13 I immediately thought back to when the ORIGINAL Winnipeg Jets acquired Laurie Boschman. His grit and his faceoff skills were a large part of the turn around of the 1980’s Winnipeg Jets. His scoring ability came to the forefront in Winnipeg as well. Laurie Boschman was the forward who allowed the Jets to configure line combinations successfully because he could fill every role as needed and take on all types of linemates depending on the given needs. Now where does one find the 2016 equivalent of Boschman? That’s the difficult part.
Perhaps the Winnipeg could borrow Boschman from Hockey Ministries and let him scout out the player he thinks most closely resembles himself. Perhaps the FLyers would trade the Jets Travis Konecny or Scott Laughton. They are 2 of the young guys I think of withsimilarites to Laurie. Best of luck Winnipeg Jets in the search. Excellent point Mitch on the difference making possibility of that type of player.
Mike Richards was sitting just down the road doing nothing and could have been had for ZERO …. BTW Richards was 70% on faceoffs vs the Rangers on Sunday … he won 14 draws.
3. Yep, a Bettman-blunder, alright. At 33 and not a dummy, John Scott must have thought this a swan-song, and perhaps a launch-board into his post-hockey life. I wonder who will take up JS’s cause – NHLPA?
Though it would be hard to imagine him in a 3-on-3 game, he has suffered financial loss and not for his fault. Any way you look at it, it is indeed a black-eye for the league.
7. Yep, he looks like he has potential.
8. Yep, should be. Time to hammer home that this is the ‘get-it-done’ league.
9. Coincides nicely with the upcoming trade deadline. I keep thinking Florida is willing to make a deal.
Though Colorado played a very good road game, a lot of Jet players made a lot of stupid plays!!! Also, seemed like a lot of perimeter play.
Really hard to imagine the Jets making the playoffs. We (fans) still don’t know which team will show up and the season is half over (well, we do know that specialty teams will suck).
I found the game frustrating to watch. Time to go and kick the crap out of my pillow.
#4 – Because the Jets are so offensively impotent (outside shooting, poor at screening) I guess they have to play like they have to score 5 or 6 just to score that 1 or 2. They have to press too much because they rely on rarer puck-luck.
Interesting take Greg … just having average special teams would help as well.