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:  They Jets opened their pro mini-camp on Thursday with their main camp officially starting this Thursday.  

2. Jets:  Update for Jets fans wanting to attend training camp, the IcePlex will be open to watch practice but there are rules. 

There is no actual entry allowed into the rinks but you can watch from the common area and social distancing will be required and enforced.  Before you get pissed off at the IcePlex or the Jets this is not a team rule but an NHL rule.

3. Jets:  Catching up on some older Jets news, the Jets put Joona Luoto on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract.  I never understood his signing from day one.  Luoto was a bottom six forward in a weak league in Finland but he was going to be a NHLer?

4. Jets:  First day of camp and Paul Maurice announces this.  I hope I’m not reading too much into it.   

Nathan Beaulieu has the green light. He’s 100% healthy, Paul Maurice says. #NHLJets

— Scott Billeck (@ScottBilleck) September 16, 2021

5. NHL:  The NHL sent a memo updating vaccination requirements to its teams:

“Any person whose job, role, position or access entails or entitles them to have personal interactions (within 12 feet) with Club Hockey Operations personnel (including Players) are required to be Fully Vaccinated.”  

The first thought that came to mind was why is everybody involved with the teams required to be vaccinated with the exception of the players?  This makes ZERO sense to me.  Then this got me wondering if I would want to know which players on my team weren’t vaccinated and how I would feel about them if I knew? 

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6. Jets:  The Jets might have the deepest defenceman prospect pool in the NHL with players like Ville Heinola, Dylan Samberg,  Johnathan Kovacevic, Leon Gawanke, Declan Chisholm, Nelson Nogier and lets not forget about Sami Niku.  The Manitoba Moose are definitely solid on the back end for the upcoming 2021-22 season.

UPDATE:

On Monday afternoon, Sami ​Niku placed in waivers to terminate contract.

7. Jets:  Upcoming events.

Sept. 23 – Main camp opens. 

Sept. 26 – First pre-season game vs Ottawa.

Oct. 13 – First regular-season game at Anaheim.

Oct. 21 – Home opener vs Anaheim.

8. Jets:  I have a funny feeling Evgeny Svechnikov is going to be the steal of the off-season for the Winnipeg Jets or maybe I’m just hoping he is.   

9. Jets:  Going into camp most Winnipeg Jets fans think this is the biggest talking point.

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10. CFL:  The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are 6-1 and definitely the class of the CFL to date but I don’t think they’ve even started playing their best football yet.  I don’t think they have had a game where all three phases of their game were on point and lets not get into their kicking game.

In memory of my friend Darryl Manchulenko.

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Thanks, Mitc