Random Thoughts On The Winnipeg Jets: Jan. 17

January 17, 2022 by

Mitch Kasprick is the “Motown Curmudgeon” aka “Motown Mitch”

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 won their only game this past week, defeating Detroit 3-0 in a solid road win.   This win keeps them within striking distance of the final wildcard spot in the Western Conferfence.  This was a huge win with the Jets heading out on a four-game road trip next week with games against four very tough teams.  With games in Washington, Nashville, Boston, and Pittsburgh this could be a season defining road trip and I would think four points is a must.  Right now the Jets record sits at 17-12-5 and they are 3 points out of the last wildcard position.    [Read more…]

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Random Thoughts On The Winnipeg Jets: Oct. 11

October 11, 2021 by
Mitch Kasprick is the “Motown Curmudgeon” aka “Motown Mitch”

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. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE

1. Jets:  Just in case you forgot, Mark Scheifele won’t be available for the season opener in Anaheim Wednesday night because he still has to serve one more game of his four-game suspension from last season’s playoffs.    

2. Jets:  I’d feel a lot better about Andrew Copp playing on the second line if Paul Maurice said he wanted to add a defensive presence to the line and not because he believes Copp is a top-six winger.   

3. Jets:  As of today, winger Evgeny Svechnikov is still unsigned but I think it has something to do with the salary cap and his signing is just a formality.   

4. Jets:  This made me smile.

5. NHL:  Has everybody else had enough of Evander Kane and Robin Lehner? 

6. Jets:  The Jets game versus Calgary on Wednesday night was the best Josh Morrissey has looked offensively in ages and he and Nate Schmidt seem to have developed some chemistry together.  I really liked this pairing on the second unit powerplay.

7. Jets:  Upcoming events.

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

Oct. 21 – Home opener vs Anaheim.

8. Jets:  I remember a few years back there was talk of Evander Kane to Montreal for Max Pacioretty and at that time I said a “HARD NO”.  Ask me again.  

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

Will Eric Comrie last the seaon as Jets back-up goalie?

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10. Jets:  Nikolaj “don’t call me Nik” Ehlers is playing at an elite level so far this season and I’m guessing his early start representing Denmark in Olympic qualifying has a lot to do with it.  I’m expecting big production from him early on and all season.  I think I will take a run at him tonight in our “keeper league” auction.  

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11. NHL:  While I was watching highlights of a Seattle Kraken pre-season game I felt a little bad for the hockey fans of Quebec City.  I guess the only way Quebec City is getting an NHL franchise is if the NHL puts another team in Atlanta and they have to relocate it ten years later.

12. Jets:  Wednesday’s game versus Calgary was the first game this pre-season the Jets dressed a reasonable facsimile of their opening night lineup and although Nate Beaulieu wasn’t awful he did stand out as the weakest link.  He is a battler and a team guy but right now I have him as purely a depth guy, probably 8-9 on my depth chart BUT Paul Maurice probably has him in the 6-7 slot and he’s the boss.   

13. NHL:  Why do most people including sports announcers call pre-season games exhibition games?  That is a very very old-school reference and it irritates the hell out of me.  The NFL doesn’t call them exhibition games, MLB doesn’t call them exhibition games either.  STOP IT. 

14. Jets:  I think Cole Perfetti has outplayed all of the so-called “bubble” players competing for a spot on the Jets roster and he has been better than a lot of veterans that are half-assing it through the pre-season.  It would be a shame for him not to make the Jets 22-man roster but I sort of understand if they send him to the Moose.  There is a bigger picture and I get it but I don’t have to like it.     

UPDATE: 

15. Jets:  Dominic Toninato and Nelson Nogier were placed on waivers Sunday and if they clear will be assigned to the Manitoba Moose.  Cole Perfetti, Kristian Vesalainen, and Evgeny Svechnikov have escaped the axe so far but we won’t know for sure until Wednesday.   

UPDATE: 

16. Jets:  Unless there was some underlying problem between Patrik Laine and the Winnipeg Jets that we don’t know about I wish the Jets would have invested in Laine before committing long term to Kyle Connor.  That doesn’t mean I still wouldn’t want KC but I would have prioritized the true sniper.  KC is a good enough scorer but Laine was elite and didn’t have to be attached at the hip with Mark Scheifele.

17. Jets:  In a bit of a surprise, at least for me, the Winnipeg Jets have assigned David Gustafsson to the Manitoba Moose.  This tells me they are probably going with a 22 man roster.  The good news is Cole Perfetti hasn’t been sent down as of the writing.  Hmmmmmmmmm. 

18.  Jets:  Not that I’m overly concerned about it but Connor Hellebuyck hasn’t looked great during the pre-season games he has played in.   

19. Jets:  Pierre-Luc Dubois has looked decent during the pre-season and all Winnipeg Jets fans are hoping for big things from PLD.  He will definitely be under the microscope early on this season and especially Wednesday night when the Jets play their season opener in Anaheim versus the Ducks without Mark Scheifele.    

20. CFL:  The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are now 8-1 after dominating the Edmonton Elks on Friday night.  The Bombers’ defence absolutely smothered the Elks offence for 60 minutes.  I’ve seen a lot of great Bomber defences over the years and some dominant performances but this one was one for the ages.  

PS:  Winnipeg Hockey Talk needs someone interested in writing about the Winnipeg Ice.  If you are interested contact me (Mitch) at winnipeghockeytalk@gmail.com

In memory of my friend Darryl Manchulenko.

If you have any questions, please give me a shout. You can use the comment section or use the #ASKWHTPOD hashtag on Twitter.

If you like our new format, let us know in the comment section or hit me on Twitter at WpgSportsTalk or WpgHockTalk

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

winnipeghockeytalk@gmail.com

We are looking for writers to cover the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, The Winnipeg ICE, Manitoba Bisons, Winnipeg AAA, MJHL, MMJHL, KIJHL, and Winnipeg High School or any sports team in town.

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

Thanks, Mitch

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Random Thoughts On The Winnipeg Jets: Sept. 20

September 20, 2021 by
Mitch Kasprick is the “Motown Curmudgeon” aka “Motown Mitch”

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.   

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? 

Would you want to know the vaccination status of your favourite teams players and would it change how you feel about them?

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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.

Will Eric Comrie last the seaon as Jets back-up goalie?

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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.

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In memory of my friend Darryl Manchulenko.

If you have any questions, please give me a shout. You can use the comment section or use the #ASKWHTPOD hashtag on Twitter.

If you like our new format, let us know in the comment section or hit me on Twitter at WpgSportsTalk or WpgHockTalk

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

winnipeghockeytalk@gmail.com

We are looking for writers to cover the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, The Winnipeg ICE, Manitoba Bisons, Winnipeg AAA, MJHL, MMJHL, KIJHL, and Winnipeg High School or any sports team in town.

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

Thanks, Mitc

Filed Under: Featured, Random Thoughts Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Random Thoughts On The Winnipeg Jets: Sept. 6

September 6, 2021 by
Mitch Kasprick is the “Motown Curmudgeon” aka “Motown Mitch”

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. IIHF:  It’s official, NHL players will be going to the Olympics. 

The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) announced today that they have concluded an Agreement with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) that confirms a break in the 2021-22 NHL Regular Season Schedule, subject to terms of the Agreement, in order to accommodate the participation of NHL Players in the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The Agreement allows for the possibility of a later decision to withdraw in the event evolving Covid conditions are deemed by the NHL/NHLPA to render participation by NHL Players to be impractical or unsafe. 

2. NHL:  The Montreal Canadiens have chosen not to match the Jesperi Kotkaniemi offer sheet and instead accept the compensation of Carolina’s 1st and 3rd round draft picks in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.  To be honest I wasn’t surprised by their decision. 

3. Jets:  It has been very quiet in Jetsville but now with the NHL players going to the Olympics we have 4-5 months to speculate on which Winnipeg Jets players will be participating.  

4. Team Canada:  Congrats to Team Canada!  The Canadian women have won their first women’s World Hockey Championship in almost a decade on Tuesday night when Marie-Philip Poulin sniped the game-winner seven minutes into the 3 on 3 overtime.   

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? 

Would you want to know the vaccination status of your favourite teams players and would it change how you feel about them?

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6. NHL:  Based on a lot of the contracts being signed in the last couple of years there seems to be an interesting shift in philosophy.  Players are getting paid a lot more money in their second contracts than in the past.  There are fewer and fewer bridge deals and teams are now paying for potential.  Conversely, older players are getting paid less and not being paid for past performances.  It is an interesting dynamic.

7. Jets:  I would say that Connor Hellebuyck and Nikolaj Ehlers are the only two locks to be going to the Olympics with Kyle Connor probably being close to a lock.  Others that will garner some consideration should be Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, and possibly Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk.  Of course, a lot will depend on early-season play and injuries.  Let the speculation begin. 

I see an Olympic games poll in our future.

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8. Olympics:  Here are the groups for the hockey competition in February.  

Group A:  Canada, USA, Germany, China

Group B:  ROC, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Denmark

Group C:  Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Latvia

9. NHL:  Of all the RFAs out there Jesperi Kotkaniemi is one of the last players I’d try and get to sign an offer sheet so there is little doubt that this was purely a revenge signing by Carolina no matter what they say. 

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

Will Eric Comrie last the seaon as Jets back-up goalie?

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11. Jets:  I wonder if Ville Heinola will get any consideration for the Finnish team in Beijing?  I’ve been reading that he could be a dark horse although he is way down the Finn’s depth chart but things can change real fast in the world of hockey.  

12. Jets:  Upcoming events.

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

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

Oct. 21 – Home opener vs Anaheim.

13. Jets: It’s only been a couple of days since the NHL announced they are going to the Olympics and the mock line-ups have already started and I’m seeing an awful lot of boards with Mitch Marner on it and not a lot with Mark Scheifele.  The eastern/Toronto bias has already started.  I would take Scheif over Marner ANY day of the week and twice on Sundays.   

14. IIHF:  The host team getting an automatic entry into all the Olympic events isn’t always a good idea and this year is one of those years.  It is going to be ugly when China plays Canada and the USA in hockey.  I really hope teams don’t run up the scores and then blame it on goals for and against being used as tie-breakers.  (see #8)  

15. CFL:  The Winnipeg Blue Bombers completely shut down Cody Fajardo and the Saskatchewan offence and took over first place in the west with a grinding 23-8 win in the LDC.  Zach Collaros and Andrew Harris were tough as nails while the receivers made clutch catches when called upon in a very physical game.  Also, this was certainly not the secondary we saw last week versus Calgary.  The Bombers go into the Banjo Bowl with a 4-1 record. 

*

In memory of my friend Darryl Manchulenko.

If you have any questions, please give me a shout. You can use the comment section or use the #ASKWHTPOD hashtag on Twitter.

If you like our new format, let us know in the comment section or hit me on Twitter at WpgSportsTalk or WpgHockTalk

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

winnipeghockeytalk@gmail.com

We are looking for writers to cover the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, The Winnipeg ICE, Manitoba Bisons, Winnipeg AAA, MJHL, MMJHL, KIJHL, and Winnipeg High School or any sports team in town.

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

Thanks, Mitch

Filed Under: Featured, Random Thoughts Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Random Thoughts On The Winnipeg Jets: July 5

July 5, 2021 by

Mitch Kasprick is the “Motown Curmudgeon” aka “Motown Mitch”

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:  After more off-season reflection on the Winnipeg Jets I think our fanbase and some of our media may have overrated the depth and makeup of the team’s roster.  It has been said many times in different places that if and when the Jets become legitimate SC contenders that Adam Lowry would be our 4th line center.  If we were being honest, the truth of the matter is this team had TWO 4th lines and that’s why we lost to Montreal.  I really like Adam Lowry’s line but I would consider them more of a shutdown line that chips in the odd goal here and there.  You can blame our blueline all you want but the Jets lost ONE skilled player (Mark Scheifele) and the Jets offence disappeared or shrunk like a frightened turtle  ………. cue George Costanza’s #SHRINKAGE

2. Jets:  The Seattle Kraken expansion draft protection lists are tentatively due in less than 2 weeks and Chevy is now under the microscope.  What will he and the Winnipeg Jets do?

Poll Question:  Should Kevin Cheveldayoff cut a deal with Seattle GM Ron Francis so the Jets don’t lose a player off their roster in the expansion draft? 

In the 2017 Vegas expansion draft the Jets and Vegas cut a deal where the Golden Knights would select Chris Thorburn’s expiring contract.  In the deal they flip-flopped 1st rounders with Winnipeg acquiring the 24th pick (from Vegas, from Columbus) in the 2017 NHL Draft in exchange for the 13th pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, and the Jets third-round selection in 2019. 

FYI:  If the Jets don’t cut this deal with Vegas they might have taken Nick Suzuki instead of trading down and getting Kristian Vesalainen.  It’s too early to call this deal but the early returns certainly favour Suzuki. 

Will Chevy or should Chevy cut a deal with Seattle GM Ron Francis so the Jets don't lose a player in the expansion draft?

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3. Jets:  Please Chevy, don’t overpay Andrew Copp.  Even though Copp had a good season and he is a fan fave, he is still a bottom six winger in my opinion and overpaying 3rd and 4th liner players is a recipe for disaster. 

4. NHL:  I’m a cynical person by nature so I couldn’t help but think the Jonathon Toews announcement about him having Covid-19 came at a time when the microscope is clearly on the Blackhawk organisation for all the wrong reasons.  Was Toews doing the organisation a favour by deflecting attention from the stories of sexual abuse within the Hawks organisation in 2010?  The timing sure seems fishy.        

5. Jets:  I wonder if the Jets will start their transition over to Mikhail Berdin next season or wait one more year for him?  He is only 23-years-old so there is no rush.  

6. NHL:  Habs fans dumping on Carey Price is laughable.  How do they think they got to the SC Final?  Talk about short memories.    

7. Jets:  I would like to see the Jets move Nikolaj “don’t call me Nik” Ehlers to the top line right from the get-go this upcoming season.  It is time for the team’s best winger to play with the teams best center.    

8. Jets:  Anybody else concerned about the size on the Jets back-end for next season?  I would be shocked if Ville Heinola isn’t a regular in the line-up but that only makes the size back there even smaller.  Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, and Neal Pionk are all listed at 6 feet but if you believe that you probably believe in the tooth fairy.  

9. NHL:  I bet this SC Final will have lowest tv ratings in decades and it isn’t because of the Montreal Canadiens.  I think a lot of hockey fans were turned off by Tampa’s salary cap manipulation.  I watched some of the SC Final but I also watched just as much basketball and baseball.  The only reason I tuned in was to see how my bets and fantasy players were doing.      

10. Jets:  The sooner the Winnipeg Jets commit to having 3 offensive/skilled lines the faster they will be able to contend.  Maybe that means committing to Cole Perfetti for next season.  (see #1) 

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11. Jets:  Anybody else getting  tired of seeing Charlie Huddy’s face behind the Jets bench?

12. NHL:  Key dates.

  • July 17 – Expansion draft protection lists tentatively due
  • July 21 – Expansion draft
  • July 23-24 – 2021 NHL Entry Draft
  • July 28 – Free agency opens

13. Jets:  Are Paul Maurice’s or Kevin Cheveldayoff’s jobs in jeopardy?

After being swept in the second round by Montreal should heads roll?

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14. NHL:  Why wouldn’t Jonathon Toews have spoken up sooner about having Covid-19?  His words could have carried a lot of weight in convincing people to get vaccinated.  If Covid-19 can keep an elite athlete like Toews sidelined for as long as it did it is definitely something to be concerned about and shared.  (see#4)

15. Jets:  It is going to be a hectic 3 weeks coming up for the Jets brass but the biggest day for the fans will be on July 28 when free agency opens.  We will find out how serious this franchise is about upgrading the defensive corp.     

In memory of my friend Darryl Manchulenko.

If you have any questions, please give me a shout. You can use the comment section or use the #ASKWHTPOD hashtag on Twitter.

If you like our new format, let us know in the comment section or hit me on Twitter at WpgSportsTalk or WpgHockTalk

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

winnipeghockeytalk@gmail.com

We are looking for writers to cover the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, The Winnipeg ICE, Manitoba Bisons, Winnipeg AAA, MJHL, MMJHL, KIJHL, and Winnipeg High School or any sports team in town.

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

Thanks, Mitch

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Filed Under: Featured, Random Thoughts Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

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