Random Thoughts On The Winnipeg Jets: May 21

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 playoff run is over and what an unexpected and glorious run it was.  Winnipeg Jets 2.0 took hockey fans to a place the Winnipeg Jets 1.0 never could.  Once the dust settles, the disappointment of losing a chance to get to the Stanley Cup Finals will become easier.  The Jets were beaten by a well-coached, rested team that got great goaltending.  It happens.  I can take solace in the fact that we took out the best team in the league and made it to the third round.  We ALL would have signed up for that ride before the season started and especially after the Jets lost their first two games of the season.  I’m a little disappointed but pretty happy too.  Well done boys.  Now for an interesting off-season!       

2.  Round Three – The Western Conference Finals:  The Winnipeg Jets had a tough week losing both games in Vegas.  They actually played well enough to win either or both games but they ultimately couldn’t overcome their slow starts, a couple major brain cramps in both games, and mediocre goaltending by Connor Hellebuyck.  I truly believed game 5 back at home would be a different story and it was for the most part but they still lost 2-1.  There is absolutely no way you could have convinced me the Winnipeg Jets could possibly lose game 5.  I was not ready for today’s post to be a post-mortem.    

3.  When I tweeted this out after the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 loss on Friday night I really believed this. 

If we lose tonight, I still think we win this series. Jets need to win 1 game in Vegas, I don’t care which one it is. Bottom line is we were still the best home team in the league … Fleury looks like Pavelec out there … that shit catches up with you eventually

— X – MoTown Curmudgeon (@WpgSportsTalk) May 19, 2018

Deep down I knew it was going to be a challenge but I figured they would at least make it back to Vegas for game 6. 

4.  Central Division Champs:  Winnipeg Jets … it has a nice ring to it.        

6.  As the clock was winding down in game 5, I was still hoping for that game-tieing second goal by the Jets but my level of angst and frustration was becoming less and less because I could see this team was gassed and they had nothing left in the tank.  The seven-game series versus Nashville must have taken its toll on them and they were done. 

7.  I think Josh Morrissey had more giveaways in the Vegas series than he had in the past two seasons.  It was a rough series for Josh and his partner Jacob Trouba.  It was a rough series for all of the Jets defencemen with the relentless Vegas forecheck.  The Golden Knights did a good job pressuring the Jets defence.                                                                               

8.  Priceless moment:  This could also be called an ironic moment but Winnipeger Ryan Reaves scoring the game-winning goal that knocks out his hometown team and sending him to the Stanley Cup Finals.  Ouch!                

9.  Marc-André Fleury definitely out-duelled Connor Hellebuyck in the conference final and he was the main reason the Golden Knights beat the Jets.  Helle wasn’t very good in games 2-4 but he didn’t have to be better than MAF, he just had to be Helle.  Unfortunately, he wasn’t. 

10.  I haven’t always felt this way and I didn’t really warm up to Dustin Byfuglien until last season but in my humble opinion with his play all season and especially during this playoff run he left absolutely no doubt whatsoever who the alpha-dog on the Winnipeg Jets blueline is.  Buff actually elevated his play during the Winnipeg Jets playoff run and he was excellent.  

11.  Every Winnipeg Jets player will benefit from the experience of this season’s playoff run but especially the youngins.  My biggest fear going into the post-season was the play of Jets young players and as each round went by their mistakes got magnified.  I knew there would be growing pains.  All we can hope for is that they learn from their mistakes.  That is not a given. 

12.  Pet Peeve:  NHL officiating … blah blah blah … you know the rest.  It’s been on full display the entire playoffs and in every series but because I only care about the Jets series I think the officiating in game 4 was borderline criminal.  Tyler Myers gets a chintzy interference call early in the game that led to the first goal and although I thought it was a soft call I was expecting the standard would be the same going both ways until I saw Brayden McNabb cross-check Mark Scheifele in the face.  

13.  I think some of the so-called experts should take a better look at Jacob Trouba’s play so far in this series.  It hasn’t been very good but yet he is put on a pedestal and seems to be immune to criticism.  There are rumours out there that Jake has told his agent Kurt Overhardt he has changed his mind and wants to sign an extension with the Winnipeg Jets.  That is the good news.  The bad news could be his asking price.  It will be very interesting to see what he and his agent ask for.  In my opinion, he is not in Dustin Byfuglien’s pay range.  Trouba does some things well but he isn’t as complete a player as I previously thought he was going to become.  Stay tuned.  (see #10)      

14.  For me, this playoff season will be remembered as the year of the cross-check.  I don’t know why I’m ever surprised at NHL officiating but the amount of cross-checking being let go is absolutely amazing.   

15.  With Joel Armia and Matt Hendricks not dressed for game 4 in Vegas, the Winnipeg Jets iced their fastest lineup and once they all got skating it was very impressive to watch.

16.  The Good:

• Mark  Scheifele was excellent the entire playoffs.
• Connor Hellebuyck looked like a Vezina Trophy Finalist in the first two rounds.
• Dustin Byfuglien was a beast in every aspect of the game in all three rounds.
• Paul Stastny was a nice addition and really solidified the second line.
• Eliminating the Nashville Predators.
• The Whiteout.                              

17.  The Bad:  

• Mark Scheifele in the faceoff circle.
• Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine along the boards in their own end.
• Secondary scoring in the third round.
• The Jets PP in game 5.  It could/should have been a difference maker. 
• ZERO goals in the playoffs from Nikolaj “don’t call me Nik” Ehlers. 
• The Jets collapsing, shooting gallery style of penalty killing. (could have been in the ugly)

18.  The Ugly: 

• Connor Hellebuyck’s puck handling.
• The amount of “grade A” scoring chances the Jets gave up because of not getting the puck in deep on line changes.  
• NHL officiating. 
• The Jets second unit PP.
• Giveaways …. the Jets have been sloppy with the puck all season but were able to outscore their mistakes for the most part but the turnovers were magnified much more in the playoffs and every giveaway seemed to end up in the back of their net.       

19. Goaltending:

• Conner Hellebuyck:  9-8 … 2.36 GAA … .922 SV%             
• Steve Mason:  0-0 … 0.00 GAA … 1.000 SV% 

20.  Special Teams after three games:  Rule of thumb.  Have the two red numbers total at least 100% when added.  (as your minimum) 

• PP:  5th at 24.50% … down from 4th at 27.80%    
• PK:  9th at 76.20% … up from 12th at 72.70%  

If you are interested in writing for Winnipeg Hockey Talk or if you know somebody interested, please contact us at:

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We are looking for writers to cover the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, Manitoba Bisons, Winnipeg AAA, MJHL, MMJHL, KIJHL and Winnipeg High School.

If you have any thoughts on any of these comments or questions, please let me know.  We would love to hear your opinions.

Thanks, Mitch 

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