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. You’ve been warned.
1. Jets: Nobody hates losing to Montreal and Toronto more than I do but it’s hard to complain about winning 10 out of 13 after wins in Ottawa and Philadelphia. The good guys are tied for first in the Central Division with Dallas with a record of 31-16-1. By the way, this is also the best record in the Western Conference.
2. Jets: Five games in eight nights. Real nice NHL.
3. Jets: I complimented Mark Scheifele last week and he proceeds to play his worst game of the year in Toronto.
4. Jets: I also complimented Neil Pionk on a couple of good games and he reverted back to Neil Pylon.
5. Jets: Is it just me or do the Jets shooters miss the net more than any other team in the NHL?
6. Jets: The best trade rumours out there linked to the Jets I’ve heard are Chicago’s Jonathon Toews and San Jose’s Timo Meier. Meier would have to be a pure hockey trade and could be the right-winger the Jets are looking for long-term.
7. Jets: If the asking price for Jonathon Toews is a 2nd or 3rd-round pick I’d be all-in just for his face-off ability.
The asking price is reportedly a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick. If so, seems worth it for a few months rental of NHL’s top face-off man (63.87%) who can still provide some offence (his 13 goals this year would be 4th on #NHLJets, 27 points would be 5th). https://t.co/dz7BM7xeK7
— Mike McIntyre (@mikemcintyrewpg) January 21, 2023
8. ICE: The Winnipeg ICE are back to #1 in the latest Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2022-23 season. The WHL has FIVE teams ranked in the Top 10. The good thing is 3 of the 5 are in the WHL’s Western Conference.
Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 15
as of Jan. 18
1. Winnipeg ICE (30-5-1-0)
2. Quebec Remparts (32-6-1-2)
3. Seattle Thunderbirds (30-7-1-1)
4. Ottawa 67’s (30-7-1-1)
5. Halifax Mooseheads (28-7-4-1)
6. North Bay Battalion (29-10-0-1)
7. Kamloops Blazers (25-8-4-2)
8. Saskatoon Blades (27-8-2-1)
9. Windsor Spitfires (26-9-3-1)
10. Gatineau Olympiques (26-11-4-2)
9. Jets: Adam Lowry is in a major goal-scoring slump (21 games, Dec. 11) and I think it’s affecting his whole game. Right now he is going through an uncharacteristic stretch of poor play.
10. Jets: ‼️ The people have spoken ‼️
Helle is OFFICIALLY headed to Florida alongside Josh Morrissey, to represent YOUR Winnipeg Jets at the 2023 @NHL All-Star game 🤩 pic.twitter.com/pFwVLhwg9l
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 20, 2023
11. Jets: Could you image Jonathon Toews not waiving his no-trade clause to come home to Winnipeg? (see #7)
12. Jets: Poll question-
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13. Jets: Watching Cole Perfetti and Kyle Connor defend in their own end is painful to watch and it’s even worse if Neil Pionk is on the ice. They put a lot of pressure on Pierre-Luc Dubois defensively.
14. Jets: My weekly question for Rick Bowness, Kevin Cheveldayoff, or Mark Chipman.
This is a question for Chevy. How are contract negotiations going with the Pierre-Luc Dubois camp?
15. Jets: Special Teams: Rule of thumb. Have the two red numbers (PK and PP) total at least 100% when added (as your minimum).
- PP: 12th at 23.80% down from 10th last week at 24.20%
- PK: 2nd at 83.80% down from 3rd last week at 83.90%
- FO: 24th at 48.30% up from 24th last week at 47.90%
16. Jets: Goaltending:
- Conner Hellebuyck: 23-12-1 … 2.39 GAA … .924 SV% … 3 shutouts
- David Rittich: 8-4-0 … 2.62 GAA … .908 SV%
