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.
Today’s thoughts are sponsored by the word ENOUGH!
1. Jets: The Winnipeg Jets went winless on this road trip, bookending two losses with an overtime loss and a shootout loss. It’s hard to be overly critical with the effort in most of the games but this team just lacks any type of killer instinct. They have had multiple chances to extend leads but they let teams hang around and eventually lose. The Jets record sits at 17-14-7 and they are 3 points out of the last wildcard position.
2. Jets: The NHL is in transition again and bigger, tougher, hockey is slowly coming back. The Jets have some terrific skill but our skill is soft outside of PLD and the captain. The Jets do have a nice mix of size and skill but they don’t seem to be hard to play against anymore.
3. Jets: I was beyond pissed off after Saturday’s game versus Boston and I know I shouldn’t tweet went I’m mad because I vent bigtime.
I know I sound like a broken f’n record (or CD) LOL, but this team’s refusal to shoot the puck makes me crazy where I say trade them all for straight line players that go to the net, it is so exhausting watching this team some games, these guys won’t shoot until they’re losing
— MoTown Curmudgeon (@WpgSportsTalk) January 22, 2022
How is it possible with the forwards this Jets team can put on the ice that they generate ONE SHOT in three powerplay chances in the third period versus Boston? ENOUGH of Jamie Compon, let’s get a new PP coach.
4. Jets: I’ve watched enough of Dylan Samberg in college and in the AHL to know the Winnipeg Jets drafted a good one. I’ve been very high on him and have waited patiently for him to get his chance with the big club and he hasn’t disappointed. Samberg has 5 games under his belt and I’m pleasantly surprised at how seamless his transition has been to the NHL. I don’t think he should ever see the AHL again.
5. Jets: It seems like ages ago but CONGRATS to Cole Perfetti on scoring his first NHL goal last week versus Washington. And, it was a beauty.
6. NHL: My weekly bitch-fest about NHL officiating.
Dmitry Orlov got two games for this knee-on-knee check on Nik Ehlers. Big WHOOP. What good does that do the Jets after the fact? The Jets needed one of the 4 striped clowns on the ice to call the major penalty. Those officials never called a penalty on a play where Orlov was suspended by the league. Referees Reid Anderson and Jon McIsaac along with linesman Bevan Mills and Libor Suchanek needed to make that call. ENOUGH of officials not being publicly accountable. Coaches and players are. ENOUGH of the kid gloves when it comes to NHL officials.
The number of games that Dmitry Orlov should be suspended for this hit on Nikolaj Ehlers is ________ games?
(he will have a hearing with @NHLPlayerSafety today)
CC: @TimCPeel20 pic.twitter.com/lwUJdUtPWb
— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) January 19, 2022
Officials Dean Morton and Kevin Pollock should have to face the media after a game like that in Pittsburgh and explain to Jets coaches, Jets players, and Jets fans WTF they were watching? I’ve seen some one-sided officiating in my years and this one was right up there. It was a joke and makes me hate Gary Bettman and his league so much that they think that was acceptable. A couple of the Jets penalties were a little ticky-tacky but I can live with those. What really pissed off Jets fans was all the infractions they let go by the Penguins. I’ve had ENOUGH of Count Chocula’s beer-league officiating.
Amazing Penguins didn’t commit slash, hook, high stick, hold, trip, or interference penalty v Jets. Referees Dean Morton and Kevin Pollock did call too many men penalty and meaningless roughing penalty on Crosby at end of OT. No wonder Pens shook hands with official after game
— Joe Pascucci (@Pascucci015) January 23, 2022
7. Jets: We, as Jets’ fans, seem to be overly protective of our faves and brutally critical of our not-so-faves. Our fanbase seems to have a problem with the truth and is oversensitive to criticism of its top players. Sometimes the truth is not a criticism it is just an observation. The plain truth is Connor Hellebuyck hasn’t been himself. Don’t get me wrong, Helle has played some strong games this season but he is nowhere close to his best. He has been inconsistent and the victim of some bad luck but he has also given up more soft goals in the first half of this season than the last three seasons total. I have complete faith in Helle and I have no doubt he’ll be there when needed. This team only goes as far as Connor Hellebuyck takes them. He is and always has been the straw that stirs the drink.
8. Jets: ENOUGH ENOUGH ENOUGH ENOUGH ENOUGH ENOUGH F’N ENOUGH already of Andrew Copp and his stone hands on the #1 powerplay. And while we’re at it, ENOUGH of trying to make two powerplays. Let’s try something different and try making ONE F’N GOOD UNIT like all the other good teams. WTF does this team think they need to reinvent the wheel? Am I angry? HELL YA.
9. Jets: Poll Question Did anybody pick 2 points?
Loading ...
10. Jets: If you don’t like Pierre-Luc Dubois and love his game we can’t be friends. YES, I have a man crush on PLD.
11. Jets: Basically every game on the last road trip the Jets got off to good starts but as the games wore on the special teams (mostly the PP) started to become a factor. The failure of the Jets’ special teams is killing the Winnipeg Jets. They kill momentum and frustrate the team and it’s time for more new voices in my opinion. I don’t give a shit how nice our assistant coaches are and how we’re a big happy family, this is a performance-based business and the performance of the special teams is screaming for new voices. ENOUGH with settling for mediocrity. (see #3)
12. Ice: The Winnipeg ICE won 2 of their 3 road games last week improving their league-leading record to 29-6-2-0 on the season. I don’t know what’s going on with the CHL’s rankings but these are the latest rankings I could find. I would be shocked if Everett (27-7-2-2) hasn’t moved into the second position ahead of Edmonton (27-9-2-1).
Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings
1. Winnipeg ICE
2. Edmonton Oil Kings
3. Kingston Frontenacs
4. Charlottetown Islanders
5. Kamloops Blazers
6. Everett Silvertips
7. Sherbrooke Phoenix
8. North Bay Battalion
9. Quebec Remparts
10. London Knights
13. Moose: The Moose lost the last game of their road trip but came home and swept the first-place Chicago Wolves 4-3 (OT) and 3-1 with a roster depleted by call-ups and Covid-19. This Moose team just keeps on churning out points no matter who is in their patchwork lineup. Head Coach Mark Morrison and his staff are doing one helluva job on the farm. Their record has improved to 22-10-1-2 overall and they sit in 3rd place with a .671 winning percentage in the AHL’s Western Conference.
14. Jets: I’m very hard on Josh Morrissey but I thought Sunday versus Pittsburgh was one of his better games of the season. That is the Josh we need to see more of in the second half of the season.
15. Jets: My weekly question for Kevin Cheveldayoff and/or Dave Lowry.
It’s quite obvious the Jets have no confidence in Eric Comrie (out with Covid) so when are you going to acquire another goalie.
16. Jets: The Good, Better, Best this past week.
- Good: Cole Perfetti’s first goal and his growth. He looks like a top-6 forward.
- Better: Kyle Connor keeps generating scoring chances.
- Best: Pierre-Luc Dubois’s 200 ft. game is evolving nicely. It’s not perfect but he is working hard at it and he is a pleasure to watch.
Hi Mitch
I agree with your assessment of Samburg. He’s gotten better with each game.
But what about Declan Chisholm? One game is a really small sample size. But in that game against Detroit he led the team in Corsi and was 4th in Expected Goals. The Jets could use his high-end skating and puck skills.
Hey Claude, thanks for stopping by …. ya he was good and he will be in the mix in the future … I had Samberg #1 … Heinola #2 and the others not far behind … if you count Nogier the Mosse have 4 more guys with NHL potential … it will be interesting to see how Chevy uses his assets in trades … throw Stanley, Schmidt, Morrissey, DeMelo into the mix as well.
Time to move on from Chevy, give a new GM the ability to bring in his own coaches and yes I mean more than 1. Make non emotional decisions at the deadline. We try so hard to get players here and then coddle them. Time to get results so they want to be here.
Hey Ian, thanks for visiting … I totally agree but to be honest I think one of the biggest problems might be Mark Chipman … TNSE is a bigtime org that still has AHL/IHL values … Its time to be tougher and more cutthroat.
TNSE needs a President of Hockey Ops between ownership and the GM
Hi Mitch…
#6- I have long since advocated that refs be held accountable for their performance. I get that there are many occasions when border-line calls get them in hot water with the home fans, but c’mon…some non calls lead me to believe that they’re too dependent on replays and the Dept. of Player Safety to sort it out.
#8- Lets load the #1 PP unit and get it done already! One unit is better than two diluted units. And SHOOT THE DAMN PUCK!!!
#10- The more I see of PLD, the more I like him and his style…he’s come miles since last year and I have no regrets about the trade.
#15- I think Helly looks tired at times, but due to his workload, I’m going to cut him some slack. If Comrie isn’t the answer, Chevy needs to get ahead of Edmonton in acquiring a goalie.
Thanks for hearing my tirades…cheers!
Hey Les … thanks for reading and I’m glad I can make you vent too LOL … If Helle is tired now he will be dead on his feet if we don’t get him some help … the 2nd half schedule is going to be brutal.