Odds and Ends on the Winnipeg Jets and the NHL –
Some random facts and a few thoughts about the Winnipeg Jets, the Manitoba Moose, and the National Hockey League.
1. The Winnipeg Jets played three games last week and won them all. They now have an overall record of 46-19-10 and have punched their ticket for the Stanley Cup playoffs. They are solidly in second place in the Central Division.
2. The Manitoba Moose went one for three last week and are clinging to first place by only three points. They now have an overall record of 39-20-4-4.
3. The Winnipeg Jets won three games last week and they were all after the end of regulation play. Kyle Connor scored back to back OT winners and the Jets beat the Preds in a shootout. This is a nice change from earlier in the season when I cringed every time the game was tied after regulation time.
4. The only concern I have going into the playoffs is the Jets PP. With the games getting heavier and the officiating getting predictably worse every PP opportunity is extremely important. Before Sunday’s game against Nashville, they had scored only one PP goal in their previous nine games. The Jets scored two on the PP last night so I’m a little relieved today.
5. Anaheim Ducks goaltender, John Gibson, was absolutely magnificent on Friday night versus the Jets. He was the only reason the Ducks left Winnipeg with a point.
6. Has there ever been a fight in three on three overtime?
7. Evander Kane sure has turned out to be a nice pick-up for the San Jose Sharks.
8. The Winnipeg Jets have improved their special teams and that has been one of the big reasons for their success this season but don’t overlook their marked improvement in the faceoff circle. The Jets sit in fifth place with 52.3% winning efficiency at the dot.
9. I wonder how Alexander Radulov is enjoying Dallas?
10. Kyle Connor had a pretty good week and I’ll be surprised if he isn’t named one of the NHL’s Three Stars for this past week. Hopefully, there will be an update later this morning.
UPDATE: 11:28 AM
From the Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club, in conjunction with the National Hockey League, today announced that forward Kyle Connor has been named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week for the week ending Mar. 25/18.
Connor, 21, led the Jets to a perfect 3-0-0 record last week to help the club clinch their third playoff berth in franchise history. He recorded a pair of goals, including the overtime winner, to lead the Jets to a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. On Friday, Connor became the second rookie in NHL history to score a regular season OT goal in consecutive games when he scored in the extra frame in the 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. The Shelby Township, Michigan native scored once again and added a pair of assists in yesterday’s 5-4 shootout win over the Nashville Predators. In total, Connor had six points (4G, 2A) and a plus-five rating in the three games. He has at least one goal in five of Winnipeg’s last six games and he has seven goals and two assists over that span.
On the season, Connor has 50 points (29G, 21A) in 69 games played. He is tied for the rookie lead in goals (29), sits second among freshmen in power-play goals (7), and is fifth among NHL rookies in points (50). With his goal yesterday, Connor tied Ilya Kovalchuk for the second-most rookie goals (29) in franchise history and trails Kovalchuk by one point for third-highest point total by a freshman in franchise history (51).
11. I didn’t think Connor Hellebuyck was particularly sharp versus the Preds on Sunday night but he shut the door in the third period and overtime giving his team a chance to win and that’s what good goaltenders do.
12. Pet Peeve: Three high sticks to Patrik Laine’s face with one of them cutting him AND NO PENALTY CALL! Four sets of eyes on the ice and they all missed it or didn’t feel the need to call it but to rub a little salt into the wound they call that chincy penalty on Laine with five minutes left to play in the third period. I know it must be tiring listening to me bitch and complain about NHL officiating but if you or I were this bad at our jobs we would be unemployed. The NHL has a serious officiating problem and it is ruining a great sport.
13. Connor Hellebuyck is an amazing 7-0 on Sunday night’s Hometown Hockey on SportsNet. Maybe Ron McLean will eventually learn how to pronounce his name properly.
14. Last weeks poll question on “who is the Jets best defenceman” had some interesting results. Josh and Buff both had 40% of the vote and Jake only had 7% of the vote. I thought Jacob Trouba would be much higher.
15. Question for Kevin Cheveldayoff: How much will Patrik Laine winning the Rocket Richard Trophy cost the Jets?
16. If I was going to do a “Random Thought” about another sport, I would wonder why golf fans scream at the top of their lungs when the players walk between them as they are going from hole to hole? They look and sound like idiots.
17. At one point last week Carolina, Calgary, and Chicago were one, two, and three in the NHL in Corsi. Hmmmmm?
18. This is not a knock or a slight on Tucker Poolman but he looked like he was in way over his head in the Nashville game on Sunday night.
19. Goaltending:
- Conner Hellebuyck: 39-11-9 … 2.36 GAA … .924 SV%
- Steve Mason: 4-6-1 … 3.18 GAA … .906 SV%
- Michael Hutchinson: 3-2-1 … 3.26 GAA … .907 SV%
- Eric Comrie: 1-1-0 … 3.00 GAA … .885 SV%
20. Special Teams: Rule of thumb. Have the two red numbers total at least 100% when added. (as your minimum)
- PP: 3rd at 23.40% … down from 24.40% last week.
- PK: 5th at 82.80% … slightly down from 82.90 last week.
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Thanks, Mitch
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I 100% agree with the officiating. Its horrendous. Just be consistent. Like I heard on the radio today, all the players want is consistency good or bad. My pet peeve is letting calls go one way then calling it a minute later especially with chincy crap like Laine’s penalty after not calling 3 no brainer high sticks. Or letting the hooks and love taps go all game and calling it in the last 5 minutes. Another pet peeve, Yes Tanev’s crosscheck was a penalty but so was Ellis’s crosscheck on the pp goal the Jets got in the second. Just because the Jets scored its still a crosscheck. I hear discipline a lot but not getting the calls called one way and calling them against the Jets is not a lack of discipline. Another problem. In the game before against Nashville we had scrums face washes etc after the whistle and they took one player, a Jets player. This game they even it up even after retaliation crosschecks, punches were thrown. Nashville always getting the last punch or crosscheck and they get away with it. Its crystal clear the NHL wants Nashville in the finals because I’ve watched many games of there’s lately and they get a way with it consistently.
Corsi means nothing. Proves even less. Each game is a complete clean slate. its good radio talk.
my problem with fluctuating officiating based on the time of year is that if you build a team based on speed and skill and the officials swallow their whistles then you are screwed …. is a GM supposed to build a regular season team AND a playoff team to suit the whims of the men in stripes? … It is an embarrassment.
Exactly. How many times did you hear LA has a good playoff team if they could only get in with that team? That’s ridiculous. I agree with the hooking and holding but they can tweak that too. If you break a stick I’ll accept that but knocking it out of someone’s hands without hitting their gloves shouldn’t be a penalty. Lifting a stick without hooking them is different than placing your stick on someone’s hands or sticks and pulling back. If you lift up that’s being strong and battling shouldn’t be a penalty even if it rides up and catches their gloves. If the guy is strong and you can’t lift the stick and it ends up you hook him well you took the chance and its a penalty. Let’s start calling the first crosscheck. Not the 4th or 5th one. If you’re by a guy and you are on the ground after its tripping either with your leg or stick. Like Laine the other night, Schiefele that game in Nashville when Subban tripped him. Punching in the face call that. Interference call it. Lots of changes can be made. And don’t be afraid to change it if it isn’t working.
I agree 100%
The officiating issue starts at the bottom. There is zero development at the grassroots level- there is an hour of on-ice training then “go be the best official you can be”. It is ridiculous. The only “extra training” officials get is if they are a select few that get invited to special camps. By time they get good enough to do high-end games, the officials have had to figure it out for themselves, and can have really bad habits- positioning, attitude, game management. If you want good officials at the top, you need to get them when they are at the bottom, the same as players. Nobody gets to be elite without practice and work. Officials get very little practice, but are expected to be perfect right from the word “Go”. My 2 cents.
thanks for reading and thanks for weighing in … you’re not wrong… I like officials that were ex-players … they have a better feel for the game … I think part of the problem today is too many officials are just “text-book” referees