Random Thoughts On The Winnipeg Jets: Apr. 18

Things about the Winnipeg Jets and the NHL that crossed my mind —

Some random facts and a few thoughts from this past week about the Winnipeg Jets, the Manitoba Moose, and the National Hockey League.

Today I have posted my abbreviated “travel edition” of my random thoughts.  My wife and I were travelling back to Winnipeg from our winter pilgrimage to Arizona and in my three days in the car, my thoughts were mostly on staying on the highway.

1.  Gary and his band of buffoons have done it again.  They’ve taken a basic offside call and bastardized it into another coaching ploy and time-consuming video review.  These guys are the gift that just keep on giving.  Do they ever think of the possible repercussions of their actions?  The NHL continually underestimates the evil genius of their coaches.  Now, what? 

2.  Congrats to the Brandon Wheat Kings on their second round victory (4 games to 1) over the Moose Jaw Warriors.  The Wheaties now advance to the WHL’s Eastern Conference Final versus Red Deer or Regina (tied 3-3).      

3.  Brendan Lemieux sure didn’t look out-of-place with the Moose during his 5 game stint at the end of the AHL season did he?     

4.  Based on my playoff pools and my best chance for cashing in, I should be pulling for the New York Rangers to go deep this postseason.  Let’s go Rangers!

5.  Mark Scheifele will continue his season playing for Team Canada at the WHC in Russia.  Good luck Scheif!     

6.  IMHO, today’s goaltenders are a bunch of con artists.  They are big with big equipment but some have very little athletic ability.  The new equipment changes coming this year and next year should weed out a lot of the pretenders.

7.  I absolutely HATE these stupid NHL playoff brackets.  Just re-seed after every round like you used to and stop trying to pretend you are NCAA basketball.  It’s not a bunch of “best of ones”.  The team with the best record going into each round deserves home-ice advantage.  It SHOULD NOT be determined by a bracket.  This is what happens when you hire a clown to be the NHL commissionaire that comes from a basketball background!             

8.  Is it a coincidence that two years in a row the Jets have one of their more successful winning stretches with Toby Enstrom on the IR.           

9.  I find it funny that with the lack of fighting in today’s hockey, there are more guys with “beer muscles” and way more scrums after whistles.  The referees just need to say those dreaded three words; “let em go” and a lot of this BS would end real soon.  I’ve had enough of these yappy little lap dogs.  If you’re so bad, stop the yapping and drop your mitts!           

10.  Alexander Burmistrov has been summoned by “Mother Russia” to play in the 2016 IIHF World Championships.  

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11.  The NHL Draft Lottery will be held in twelve days on Apr. 30 and it’s 153 days (Sept. 17) until the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto.  The final rosters to be posted on June 1.      

12.  Ondrej Pavelec failed his medical and will not be playing for the Czech Republic at the WHC in Russia this May.  I wonder if this will affect his roster spot for the World Cup in September?

13.  A lot of Jets fans think Kyle Connor is a lock for a roster spot next season but I’m still on the fence and wouldn’t be surprised to see him start with the Moose. Maybe 50/50. 

14.  It looks like Austen Brassard has taken positive steps this year in becoming a solid AHL player.  IMO, he still has a long way to go to become a regular NHLer but he is a lot closer than I thought he would be when he was drafted.     

15.  If Connor Hellebuyck is ready this fall would the Winnipeg Jets subject us to another year of Ondrej Pavelec simply based on his salary?

16.  Based on the expectations of some Winnipeg Hockey fans the Jets are going to need a 26-man roster for all the prospects the fans have making next year’s team.

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

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

Thanks, Mitch 

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