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:  The Winnipeg Jets didn’t have a great week going 1-3 but they did play some good hockey in every game but just not for 60 minutes.  They have gone stretches playing the type of game Rick Bowness wants but it hasn’t been consistent although encouraging.  The Jets have another tough week with four games with three on the road.  Their record currently sits at 2-3-0. 

2. Jets:  On one of the Avalanche goals Wednesday night the puck was just inside the Jets’ blueline and Scheif couldn’t quite get it out but instead of KC being there to help he blew the zone and the puck ended up in our net.  You just can’t do that crap after a long shift and especially against the Nathan MacKinnon line.  KC should have been there to help get the puck out and live to fight another shift.  These are the little things the Jets need to be better at.        

3. Jets:  I’ve really liked the Jets play 5v5, for the most part this season but it is like watching a bad re-run the way the special teams are killing them.  It is early in the season but the Jets are in the bottom third in both categories in the NHL.

4. Jets:  There is never a good time to be without one of your top players but there couldn’t be a worse time to be without Nikolaj “don’t call me Nik” Ehlers right now for the Jets?  With the team having a new coach, a new system, a tough opening schedule, and trying to win back the fans they’ve lost, the Ehlers injury doesn’t help.    

5. Jets:  If I was being honest right now I’d rather have Jacob Trouba instead of Neil Pionk and Ville Heinola.

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6. Moose:  The Manitoba Moose are off to a nice start with a 4-0-1-0 record after 5 games.  Janzen Harkins is playing well and the Moose are getting contributions up and down the lineup.  Like I said a couple of weeks ago, they will be a fun team to watch this season.

7. Jets:  I like the options the Winnipeg Jets now have on their 4th line, it took 12 years to figure it out but I believe the Jets have finally got it right.

8. ICE:  The Canadian Hockey League announced their Week 1 edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2022-23 season.  The Winnipeg ICE are still ranked #1 in the CHL with an 11-1-0 record.  The ICE have one more road game left after having to play their first thirteen games on the road.  The ICE are off to a very impressive start to their season and are on a mission. 

Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 3

as of Oct. 19 

1. Winnipeg ICE
2. Sherbrooke Phoenix
3. Quebec Remparts
4. Seattle Thunderbirds
5. Portland Winterhawks
6. Gatineau Olympiques
7. Kamloops Blazers
8. Mississauga Steelheads
9. Ottawa 67’s
10. Red Deer Rebels
HM. Windsor Spitfires
HM. Halifax Mooseheads
HM. Everett Silvertips

9. Jets:  The play that Cole Perfetti made on PLD’s goal on Saturday night was a glimpse into the future of his game.  Perfetti is going to put up huge assist numbers if he doesn’t end up in a body bag from all the hits from behind he takes. 

10. Jets:  Brendan Dillon is slowly becoming my favourite defenceman on the Jets.  He is a better skater and puck handler than I remember when he was with Washington and San Jose and he makes a lot of punishing hits without taking himself out of the play and he’ll drop the gloves.  My kind of player.

11. Jets:  This week’s Random Thoughts got hijacked by my hatred of NHL officiating and the Toronto Maple Leafs.  I know it’s low-hanging fruit but they both make it so easy.  

12. Jets:  I would like to see Jets PP#1 try Adam Lowry as their net-front presence and encourage more shots from the point, no matter who the defenceman is.  They all shoot the puck well enough to make it work.  I’m already sick of the over-passing.  The Jets need more traffic in front of the eyes of opposing goaltenders.

13. Jets:  It only took me 3 weeks into the season to start venting about the NHL officiating.  The interference call on Josh Saturday night was a real weak and the Leafs getting a PP after Perfetti gets hit from behind was a joke.  At times, NHL officiating can take the enjoyment out of watching their games.  If I didn’t bet on games or wasn’t involved in hockey pools or have this website,  I’m not sure I’d watch as much as I do.  NHL officiating is getting worse instead of better and it’s not just me that sees it.

Jets fans have every right to be angry. Hot garbage officiating.

— Scott Billeck (@ScottBilleck) October 23, 2022

This is PLD’s way of saying the officiating was dog shit without getting fined.

Pierre-Luc Dubois trying not to talk about tonight’s officiating.

“I don’t want to get fined.” #NHLJets

— Scott Billeck (@ScottBilleck) October 23, 2022

14. Jets:  I don’t usually pay attention to the broadcast crew on most nights BUT Craig Simpson made me want to puke during the HNIC broadcast Saturday night.  He has his head so far up the Leafs nation’s ass that it was embarrassing. 

15. Jets:  My weekly question for Rick Bowness, Kevin Cheveldayoff, or Mark Chipman.

Cole Perfetti was hit from behind AGAIN and I believe that is 4 times in 5 games.  I’m wondering if it is time to start complaining to the league and lobbying for suspensions on these hits.  At this rate, Perfetti won’t last till American Thanksgiving. 

16. Jets:  Saturday night’s Jets game made me wonder how Toronto would react to playing in the Central Division with teams like Dallas, St. Louis or Minny.  The Leafs actually called up Wayne Simmonds and Kyle Clifford from the AHL so they could have them in their lineup versus the big, bad, Jets.  News flash, the Jets haven’t been big or bad for quite some time.