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: First off, kudos to TNSE and Mark Chipman on the whole Dale Hawerchuk ceremony and statue unveiling. It was first-class and very well done.
2. Jets: Some Jets fans love to criticize Logan Stanley’s skating and agility but if you watch Jonathon Kovacevic, he isn’t exactly Kurt Browning on the ice.
3. Jets: The Winnipeg Jets have now played 4 pre-season games and I must say I’ve been impressed with a couple of under-the-radar free agent signings by Chevy this summer. Saku Maenalanen (29)and Kevin Stenlund (26) are a couple of 6’4 wingers with NHL experience that use their size well. I like Maenalanen very much and I would take him over Dominic Toretto in a heartbeat. OKAY, OKAY it’s Toninato. It’s quite obvious who my whipping boy is this season. He’s not fast and he’s not furious and he bugs me because he does nothing to move the needle on this team and I hope Maenalanen bumps him down to the Moose where he belongs
4. Jets: For me, Mason Appleton is like that comfy t-shirt you wear, I like the way he plays and I like him and Adam Lowry together.
5. Jets: Are the Jets a better team with or without Blake Wheeler?
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6. Jets: I have been a supporter of Jansen Harkins for quite some time but my patience with him is wearing thin. It is time to shit or get off the pot and do something. I see a lot of competition for that 3rd-line LW position. TICK-TOCK.
7. Jets: The Jets have an interesting decision to make with Brad Lambert. I don’t know if Chevy has made a commitment to the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds to park him there for a year or if they are thinking about sending him to the Manitoba Moose. The upside of sending him to the Moose is if he is playing well in the AHL they can call him up whenever they want. I’ve changed my mind and now leaning towards the AHL.
Mitch Kasprick Sept. 26
There now seems to be a question of whether 2022 1st round, 30th overall forward Brad Lambert is better off being with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose or the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. For me, it’s a no-brainer. It is his first year playing in North America and he’s better off getting lots of icetime and PP time in junior. I don’t see what the rush is.
8. Jets: My weekly question for Kevin Cheveldayoff, Mark Chipman, or Rick Bowness.
Are players going to make this team based on merit or the fact that they aren’t waiver-exempt?
9. Jets: You can say whatever you want about Mark Chipman and TNSE but they have done one helluva job preserving and honouring the hockey history in Winnipeg with the WHA and NHL 1.0 Winnipeg Jets. Remember that Winnipeg Jets 2.0’s history started in Atlanta but the only lineage they acknowledge there are their team records.
10. Jets: I can hardly wait to see what Brad Lambert looks like in two years with another 10-15 lbs added and with 2 years of hockey in North America (WHL or AHL) under his belt. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself but Lambert could be the steal of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Thank you, Andrew Copp. Thank you, New York Rangers.
11. Jets: What do you think of Chevy’s work this offseason?
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12. Jets: Important Dates:
October 5: Home preseason game #3 vs Calgary
October 14: Regular season home opener vs NYR.
13. Jets: Although Eric Comrie proved me wrong and exceeded mine and most fans’ expectations I feel more confident in David Rittich as Helle’s backup this season. I know this doesn’t make much sense so it must be the fact that he is an NHL veteran. For some reason, I never really embraced Comrie.
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15. Jets: Cole Perfetti is looking more and more comfortable playing on the wing with PLD and Blake Wheeler and I think if he plays the whole season on that line and gets some PP time whether it is 1st or 2nd unit he should be capable of 50-55 points.
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The only reason Stanley makes the opening day lineup over 54 and 14 is because he is not waiver exempt. He has 100 games under his belt and has shown really no development. Give either of those other two 20 games in a row and the difference will be obvious
him and Kovacevic …. this no way to run a hockey team …. you make the team on your own merit … 14 and 54 were better last year and should have played