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.
UPDATE:
Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele has been named the NHL’s “second star of the week”. Congrats Scheif!
1. The Winnipeg Jets played some very good hockey this week going 3-0-1 and are now have an overall record of 8-7-2. They have garnered points in four straight games and six of their last seven and sit in second place in the Central Division.
2. I was okay with the Nikolaj Ehlers own goal in overtime versus the Avalanche until Jets play-by-play voice Dennis Beyak proclaimed that “Nikolaj Ehlers will have to shake that off” …. excuse me? That goal was about 5% on Ehlers and 95% on Michael Hutchinson and yet there were Jets fans on the radio call-in shows and Twitter ready to crucify Nik Ehlers. I actually had a guy tell me I know nothing about hockey if I thought that goal was Hutch’s fault.
3. Jacob Trouba is back and like most Winnipeg Jets fans I’m extremely happy to have him back and I hope he is here for many more years BUT I can’t help but feel this situation is just temporary. Jake said all the right things and I want to believe him but the truth is, I don’t.
4. I don’t get a chance to see many Jets games live (3 every two years in AZ) so Thursday in Glendale was a treat for me. I love being able to see the whole rink. I was pleased with a lot I saw and I was very disappointed by a couple of players.
5. Brandon Tanev is fast. I can’t stop being impressed by his play.
6. Nic Petan’s transition from the Moose to the Jets has been seamless and I loved his play against Arizona last week. He looks so much more comfortable than last season when he made the team out of training camp. I think he was under a lot of pressure last year and players that are used to playing in “top six” situations can’t be given forth line linemates and minutes.
I think he was under a lot of pressure last year and players that are used to playing in “top six” situations can’t be given forth line linemates and minutes.
7. I guess Paul Maurice doesn’t know anything about hockey either. (see #2)
“He threw the puck at the net. It shouldn’t have gone in” -Paul Maurice on Ehlers own goal in OT #nhljets
— M Remis (@mremis) November 12, 2016
8. If you didn’t know who the highly touted college player on the Jets was this season I think most would think it’s that #13 kid. Sorry #81. (see #5)
9. Is it just me or does it seem like the Jets have a lot of guys made of glass? The IR is getting quite a workout.
10. Burmi was out of the lineup Sunday afternoon with an “upper body injury”. Does anybody think he was actually injured or was Paul Maurice just giving him a time-out? Is this the start of the end for Alex Burmistrov?
11. The Manitoba Moose lost both their games this week in San Diego and their record has fallen to 6-5-1. No wonder, half their team is playing for the Jets.
12. Kyle Connor should be sat in a room and be forced to watch a video of Brandon Tanev. Brandon Tanev worked his butt off to make this team while Kyle Connor just floats around the perimeter doing nothing. I’ve said multiple times and I know some readers are probably sick of it BUT he needs 20-30 games in the AHL.
When this team gets healthy there is going to be some interesting roster decisions. IMO, Nic Petan and Andrew Copp deserve to be with the big club ahead of Kyle Connor.
13. I’m guessing everybody in the Winnipeg Jets dressing is pretty happy to have Jacob Trouba back in the line-up? Well, maybe not Paul Postma.
14. I really hate when Buff gets penalties for being strong or being big. It used to be that if you were small you had to earn and work for your space but Gary and his band of buffoons basically legislate space for them.
15. What’s wrong with this picture? OR, should I say, what’s right with this picture?
16. I wouldn’t blame Kyle Connor if he didn’t wander into a corner for a while after that brutal hit from behind, courtesy of L.A.’s Kyle Clifford. Thankfully the Jets’ rookie is okay. A veteran like Clifford should know better but then again he’s not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.
17. Since goaltending is such a hot button topic in this city, let’s track Helle and Hutch’s numbers for a bit. It looks like Helle is starting to claim the #1 job after four consecutive starts before their latest back-to-back where Hutch got the start on Friday.
Connor Hellebuyck: GAA – 2.70 … SV% – .908
Michael Hutchinson: GAA – 3.15 … SV% – .896
18. I believe Marko Dano is a better player than most people think. He is another player that could/should be up with the big club permanently.
19. Last week I asked … “I wonder when Quinton Howden is going to get his chance with the Jets?” … My question was answered this past weekend when he was called up for the game versus the L.A. Kings and he actually dressed.
20. Special Teams:
PP: 18th at 16.7% …. up from 26th at 10.4% last week ……… the ranking is a major improvement but the % is still weak.
PK: 17th at 81.7% …. up from 16th at 81.8% last week ……… basically the same
Overall a little better than last year.
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Thanks, Mitch
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I was just watching hi lights of last nights games (Tuesday) and although I’m not a Calgary fan, I was a bit pissed at the liberties the Wild (specifically Suter) were taking with Johnny hockey… several slashes to the hand resulting in a broken finger.
I wonder what Jet’s nation would do if it was #55 or #29 on the receiving end?
Great game by the Jets last night by the way.
Last night was a statement game for the young Winnipeg Jets.
I’m old school and if one of my guys gets injured by a cheap shot … I want revenge and PAIN to be inflicted!
Times have changed since we had guys like Tkachuk cross checking opponents across the face. (for good reason of course).
Another pleasant surprise for me has been Enstrom’s play. I’m going to have to be careful not to fall in love with this team… Lot’s of potential to be a heart breaker!
LOL … being a fan can be exhausting
#2- Mitch, I felt the same way about Ehlers O/T goal until I watched the replay a few times.
Ehlers, with two men on him, fishes the puck through the ref’s skates and fires a centring pass that goes under Enstroms stick and just misses Wheels who was breaking out from behind the net. Hutch is watching the play unfold but just as Ehlers lets the hard and sneaky pass go he is screened by Enstrom and Wheels. Hutch is hand cuffed and the puck ends up behind him. Seemed like kind of a “no fault collision” upon careful review…….. Sh*t happens.
The more I re-watched the play the more it looked like a perfect storm of bad luck. I think the fans and players just need to laugh that one off and move on.
#10 – Burmi…….beginning of the end? As Monty Python would have said “This Russian Blue is deceased, he has joined the bleedin choir invisible,……this is a dead Burmistrov!” I personally felt the “end” came for Burmi four years ago when he “hissy fitted” off to the KHL. I can not imagine what twisted, necrophiliac impulse possessed Paul Maurice to bring him back and then to keep playing him. Did PoMo have to adopt him to get him back into Canada?
I love Kyle Connor but you are “spot on” with your assessment that he needs a little seasoning on the Moose and it would be a great opportunity for him to develop some chemistry with Roslovic. If those two can click it will pay big dividends for the big club in the future, eh?
true, true and true BUT why was Hutch still on his knees?
As for Kyle College … he has ALL the tools and he is going to be a good player …. a little more compete and defensive awareness and he’s good to go …. he is light -years behind where Ehlers was at this time last year. That #29 is okay huh? LOL
Hutch only dropped to his knees when the puck streaked out from behind Wheels, who was breaking up ice. If Ehlers would have hit Wheels with the pass Wheels would have been away and the goal might have happened at the other end. Bet heavy, sleep in the street, eh. If some one could take some blame for that one, you are right, it would be Hutch but it happened so fast he could have missed it just by blinking at the wrong moment. I thought Wheeler summed it up best. When reporters asked him about it he just laughed and said “Hey, a goal is a goal.”
Ehlers does not get nearly as much love as he deserves. The compete level on that guy is through the roof. I love it when he gets that Rocket Richard look in his eyes. Hopefully some time in the Moose pasture will put a little swagger into young Connor.
as they say “shit happens” but why does it seem like it happens far too often to the Jets … I’ve seen enough crappy goals to last me a lifetime LOL