Laine & Matthews: More Comparisons

Just a quick post about another comparison between the Jets' Patrik Laine and the Maple Leafs Austen Matthews and how they're doing so far from NHL.com.

Lowly Sabres Defeat Jets

This was a game the Jets should have won.  And not just on paper.  The Jets have a bunch of skill, yet no defensive acumen it seems.  With Jack Eichel and Evander Kane out and ith Patrik Laine on a points run, this should have had a different outcome.

With two goals by Buffalo's Kyle Okposo and hard forechecking by the Sabres, along with some frustrating give-a-ways by the Jets, the Sabres outhustled the Jets for a 3-1 win.
This one was painful to watch.  The Jets went a disgusting 0-8 on the powerplay that has continued to be a real and growing concern.

Laine was kept in check.  Wheeler continues to fight his present goal-scoring drought, and while the goals against situation has midly receded, the strong goaltending the Jets were hoping for in their two young rookies has come to fruition as the Jets brass-and Jets fans-might have hoped.  With a fresh, new lower-body injury to Tyler Myers, the Jets defence was to be tested.  It was, and it failed.

Is this the beginning of another season where the Jets simply cannot put together a three or more game-winning streak?  They didn't all last season except for the last four games when they already were out of the playoff picture, then won all four.  Of course, that little stretch of success got the Jets the lottery balls they needed to jump from picking #6 in the draft to #2 of which, of course, they used to select Patrik Laine.

The point is, you're supposed to beat the teams that have less points than you or that you are, at least on paper, better than.  This was one of those games.

They better get it together.  Ovechkin and the Capitals are next.

Ovechkin Praises Laine

Washington Capitals star and future Hall of Famer, Alexander Ovechkin recently praised Winnipeg Jets rookie Patrik Laine on his skill set and says the young forward can potentially, with his shot and hockey sense, "score 50 or 60 goals."

Coming from a player of Ovi's obvious and proven talent, this is a heavy endorsement.

Trouba U.S. Bound?

In the ongoing soap opera that is the Jacob Trouba trade request from the Winnipeg Jets, it seems not only that his original "positioning" and "usage" complaint that every Jets fan, hockey insider and commentator know is a farce (since the team you're playing for determines your "usage" for one) but now, according to TSN and The Hockey News Jim McKenzie, Trouba apparently doesn't want to play in Canada.

If a guy who doesn't want to play for a team that guarantees him as a top two pairing defenceman, about 18-20 minutes of ice time and powerplay time, meanwhile complaining about not being used right; he can sit home and rot.  Now he allegedly doesn't even want to play for a Canadian team? See ya.

If you've been following the Trouba debacle, as every Jets fan (and obviously every NHL general manager) has, you'll know that the Jets are looking for a player in similar age and ability, and have been ever since Trouba's agent made the trade request on behalf of his client back in May.  Hence, the drawn out shenanigans and media circus that has followed.  Obviously, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is taking his time in getting what he needs for Trouba.  Talks with Detroit, Boston, Toronto, Arizona, Philadelphia and others have apparently fallen through, for now, so it looks like if Trouba doesn't decide to take a bridge deal by December 1st, he will sit the rest of the season.  He may still be able to play in Europe, but with the Jets retaining his rights and not wanting Trouba to possibly injure himself while overseas, thereby losing any upper hand in a potential deal, that probably will not come to fruition.

The Jets hold all the cards and Trouba and his agent know it.  So do all the other NHL GMs.  He isn't going anywhere until Cheveldayoff says so.  Trouba is a seemingly irreplaceable player that is supposed to develop into a top six or even top four defenceman, even though his ice time increased but his production has declined in the last two seasons.

The best Trouba can hope for, and what will probably end up happening is he will re-sign with the Jets for a one-year deal, then be traded either after the new year, before the trade deadline, or during the off-season. Much like what happened  to another client of Trouba's agent, Kurt Overhardt's recently:

In 2011, Brandon Dubinsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets held out from the Phoenix Coyotes only to later sign a deal worth $3.7 million, and then get traded to Columbus.  All within a few weeks of re-signing.

Trouba will be traded.  It may not (but probably) be this year, but he will no longer be a member of the Winnipeg Jets come July 1, 2017.  Let's just hope Chevy can swing a deal like he did with Buffalo that brought the Jets Myers, Stafford and Brendon Lemieux.  Whatever deal he can swing, let's hope he doesn't give in and whatever deal he can partner into, let's hope it benefits the Jets for years to come.

Interest In Pavelec?

It looks like some western conference teams have been "kicking the tires" in an apparent interest in acquiring Moose goaltender Ondrej Pavelec.

The Los Angeles Kings, who lost all-star Jonathan Quick to a serious groin injury that may require surgery, have said to have had an interest in Pavelec but have salary-cap issues that could create a roadblock.
L.A. has about $US1.5 million in cap space available, and Pavelec, who was reassigned by the Jets to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose prior to the regular season, has a cap hit of US$3.9 million in the final year of his current contract.

A possible solution could involve putting Quick on long-term injured reserve (which could provide some cap relief) or structuring a possible deal would be one in which the Jets would retain some of Pavelec’s salary.

The Kings simply didn't claim Pavelec on waivers when the Jets demoted him to the Moose because of Pavelec's US$4.5 million salary in this, his last year under contract with the Jets.
But it's clearly not just his contract that are scaring any suitors away.  His numbers ranked somewhere around 60th overall?  Not among starting goaltenders mind you, but among all NHL goalies.  Jets fans all love Pavy.  Well, a lot of Jets fans love Pavy.  We all know he has been consistently inconsistent his whole NHL career.  But we also all know he can steal games.  He did just as much in the last 8-10 games of the 2014-2015 season that launched the Jets into the playoffs.  He made some amazing saves against the Ducks in losing effort in four games in the first round sweep to Anaheim.

Could Pavelec help the Kings?  Can he help anyone in this point in his career?  Tim Thomas did.  He came back late in his career to help the Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cups.  No Pavelec is no Thomas.  Just putting the thought out there that Pavelec isn't totally done in the NHL.  Yeah.  He probably is.  But who knows?

Jets Blank Avs

The first winning streak of the season for the Winnipeg Jets has begun.  With tonight's 1-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche, it represents the first shutout for a Winnipeg goaltender for 2016-2017, the first back-to-back win and the first winning streak at, well, two.
Hey, it's a start.

Micheal Hutchinson recorded the goose egg for the Jets, while Shawn Matthias netted the game's only goal on assists from Joel Armia and Joshua Morrisey. It was Hutchinson's first shutout since January 15, 2015 against Columbus.

Patrik Laine was held scorless while garnering only two shots on net.  This doesn't include a shot from just over the Jets side of center that went of the side of the net while the Avalanche had pulled Semyon Varlamov late in the third.

Jets Return To Win Column With Win Over Stars

In a much stronger effort than under the sun of the Heritage Classic, the Winnipeg Jets handled one of the central division's big dogs with relative ease in a 4-1 defeat of Tyler Seguin and the Dallas Stars.

Patrik Laine added his fifth and sixth goals both on the powerplay.  Kyle Connor netted his first NHL goal.

Oilers Spoil Party

In a game that was supposed to have a Jets victory to complete a wonderful Heritage Classic weekend in Winnipeg, the Edmonton Oilers had different plans and spoiled the celebration weekend with a 3-0 victory on Sunday.

The Jets simply couldn't get anything going and to say the ice didn't tilt their way, is not without litteral contemplation.  It didn't seem to bother the Oilers, but it seems to me there was a whole lot of bouncing pucks out there.  How many times did the puck jump over Jets sticks at the most inopportune moments?

The Oilers just seemed more hungry, more disciplined and their stars outshone our stars.  Patrik Laine was held pointless in a game that he should have been able to display his skills to the world.  Not that he didn't already do that in the comeback game against the Maple Leafs, but this was supposed to be Winnipeg's weekend showcase (as indeed it was the actual Heritage Classic game notwithstanding) in general and Laine's in particular.

Not that it was Laine's fault.  He can't win every game by himself.  The Jets do have some skill in their arsenal as well.  Names like Wheeler, Byfuglien, Scheifele, Ehlers and Connor.  The goal lamp shouldn't have gone cold behind Oilers goalie Cam Talbot.  But none of the boys on this night could solve Talbot.  Again, the erant passes and so many giveaways is what really did the Jets in, but to have so many little chances, not shots on goal, but chances with the skill on the ice is something I am still scratching my head over.

Jets Alumni Do City Proud

What a sweet shot.  Laurie Boschman and Teemu Selanne - Forever a Jet.

Ah.  Sweet revenge.  It matters not that it came 16 years or so later and that most of the rosters on both sides are grandfathers.  The Winnipeg Jets 1.0 boys of my childhood finally took out the 1980's Wayne Gretzky-led Edmonton Oilers in front of all the world to see.

After a three-goal lead collapsed in the second period-just as I thought the Jets were going to get a taste of their own medicine-Teemu Selanne, the hero of he 1.0 90's Jets, was tripped by Craig Simpson (in a Homer-like move) to give the Finnish Flash a penalty shot to win it very late in the third.  Of all people to give a game-winning breakaway opportunity to, you give it to Teemu Selanne (well, either him or Hawerchuck)  O.k.  I'll take that.  Selanne pops one under Curtis Joseph's glove, wins it 5-4 with his second goal and in a game that really means nothing, except it kinda does, Selanne finishes a script (?) that would have been forever lore if this had any modern day significance.


It was just cool to see, even if the clock didn't stop and any penalty was awarded as a penalty shot. 

Dave Ellet (#2) and Teemu Selanne (#13)

It was nice to see my adolescent-age hockey heroes back together for what will surely be the last time these guys play together on a stage such as this ever again.  Laurie Boschman, Dougie Smail, Thomas Steen, Dave Babych, Dave Ellet and Bob Essensa along with Hawerchuck and Selanne, who I finally got to see play on the same line together.  Even my favourite #12, Morris Lukowich looked like he didn't think it was a just a meaningless exhibition game, as he was racing down his old hunting ground on the left wing creating chances often.  Even original Jet, and the man John Ferguson gave up to originally acquire Boschman, Willy Lidstrom, had a funny on-air moment with commentator Scott Oake.  As Oake was asking Lidstrom about being traded to the Oilers and going on to win multiple Stanley Cups, Lidstrom's line was hitting the ice and he simply said, "I gotta go play."

Even the practice jerseys are a beauty.

Overall, I enjoyed it.  It was nice to see Winnipeg on the radar if only for two days by the NHL.  Other than the obvious and inevitable attention going to be paid to Patrik Laine, the Jets (and most western teams to be fair) don't get paid all that much attention by the league, but to the Jets in particular.  This game between the stars of the past and tomorrow afternoon's game between the stars of the present looks good on Winnipeg and True North Sports & Entertainment.  It indeed has a rich hockey heritage and championships to prove it including Stanley Cups, Memorial Cups, Allan Cups, world championships and an Olympic gold medal.

Not bad, eh? 





 

Check out Richard Brignall's Forgotten Heroes:  Winnipeg's Hockey Heritage.  It is the premier history of amateur and professional hockey in Winnipeg.  Then you can see how this celebration weekend in Winnipeg is a modern, living compendium to that history.

Now let's see if our present-day heroes can make it much more sweeter by taking down the still hated Edmonton Oilers tomorrow afternoon.

Go Jets Go.

Selanne: Winnipeg Is A Very Special Place For Me

Teemu Selanne, the 1993 NHL rookie of the year and National Hockey League record-holder of 76 goals for an NHL freshman and forever a Jet, is back in Winnipeg for the Heritage Classic and caught up with TSN's Darren Dreger to give his feelings on the alumni game, Patrik Laine and what the city of Winnipeg still means to him.

The link to the interview can be found here:  http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/selanne-on-winnipeg-it-s-a-very-special-place-for-me%7E977760

Laine Wins First Battle

Although both players down-played the importance of their first head-to-head meeting, Austen Matthews and Patrik Laine, the apparent future hall of famers that went one-two in this past July's NHL Entry Draft, put on a show at the MTS Centre last night that went from bad to worse or from rags to riches, depending on which team had you laughing by the end of the second period, or by the end of the third.

Although this was a game that the Jets had absolutely no business winning, they managed to pull together their second come-from-behind overtime win.  They were sloppy for half the game.  They left Hutchinson out to dry twice and for the fourth straight game they gave up four goals.  If it weren't for Laine, the Toronto fan base and media would be securing the parade route. 

As for the "competition" between the boys wonder?  Matthews ended up getting only one point last night  An assist on a nice feed to William Nylander on the power-play for Toronto's third goal.



Laine on the other hand?  Well he kind of got the first of many hat tricks of his career.  The third goal being the overtime winner.  Again, it wasn't four goals, but it has been four goals in four games, including a game-tying goal and a game winner and an assist on a game-tying goal.  So four goals and an assist each for Matthews and Laine thus far.  Five points a piece.  However Laine has a game-winning goal and has been more of a key player in his teams victories.  On that tie-breaker alone, I give the edge to Laine and by his team beating Matthew's, I say Laine wins the first battle.

Laine vs Matthews: The Comparison

It's not as if this hasn't been done before, but for this post, I want to defer to an article on NHL.com comparing Winnipeg's Patrik Laine and Toronto's Austen Matthews after their debuts.  I suppose every hockey reporter will be doing the same around mid-season.  But alas...

My own thing is this:  Different players. Different style of play.  Laine is a pure goal scorer, while Matthews is probably the more all-around player.  Not necessarily the better player, but I think he gets the nod for his back-checking.  Laine, however, is no slouch on the defensive side of the game either.  After only three games, it's impossible and presumptuous to predict who is the "better" player.  Certainly one of these guys-barring injury-will claim the Calder trophy.  I say Laine, my bias notwithstanding.  Both are probably already headed to the Hall of Fame (presuming?) and they will probably always be linked to each other like Gretzky and Lemieux or Crosby and Ovechkin.

Austin has his four-goal debut in a losing cause.  Laine has his first NHL goal plus an assist in a winning cause.  Wednesday, they meet head-to-head for the first time at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.  Let's see who leads his team to victory more convincingly.

Alumnis Excited To Be Back

Already in and around the city of Winnipeg ahead of the scheduled October 22nd NHL Heritage Classic Alumni Game, members of the Winnipeg Jets "classics," are heavily anticipating the reunion game between themselves and their old nemesis of the 80s (and for some older members of the Jets alumni; even the 70s of the WHA) the Edmonton Oilers.

Doing different appearances around southern Manitoba for some of the many True North-led charities (with Mick E. Moose in tow) such past Winnipeg Jets players such as Morris Lukowich, Laurie Boschman, Jim Kyte and Kris King, as well as team captain Dale Hawerchuck, have been in town for over a week to take in some early festivities, re-acquaint themselves with their old teammates as well as the city.

Some 75 invitations went out to former Jets players, coaches and other dignitaries.  50 were accepted.  So you can be sure the Jets of old are hankering to get at those Oilers one last time.  Some may even forget it's an exhibition.

Lukowich himself says he's thrilled for he opportunity.

I'm really looking forward to both games.  The "real" game on Sunday will be instense and exciting.  But the nostalgic promises of the alumni game on Saturday has some real emotional bearing for a lot of people.  For the Jets 1.0 classics to emerge victorious, Selanne's the key.  You see he's a little younger than most of the Oilers.  Maybe he can use that dominant speed to tap in a couple and be our ace-in-the-hole.

Little Injured, Out Indefinately

Winnipeg Jets forward Brian Little, who missed the last 25 games of last season with a compressed vertebrae on a dirty hit from the Tampa Bay Lightning's  Anton Stralman (a hit that was not called and ultimately resulted in coach Paul Maurice's ejection, by the way) will be out of the Jets lineup indefinitely with a lower-body injury suffered in the first period in the home opener against the Carolina Hurricanes.



Alexander Burmistrov is figured to be slated into the lineup Monday against Boston.

Laine Scores In Debut; Jets Come From Behind, Beat Canes in OT

Well it wasn't four goals on five shots to start a career, but it was a big goal and an assist for Patrik Laine to help the Winnipeg Jets come back from three goals down in the third period to win their NHL season-opener 5-4 in extra time over the Carolina Hurricanes.

It took the young Finn a while to get going, but in the third period, when his team needed him, he unloaded a wicked wrist-shot on the power-play to help the Jets reduce the Hurricanes lead to 4-3 about 30 seconds after captain Blake wheeler scored a short-handed goal to make it 4-2.  A couple of minutes later and Matthew Perrault scored with just over a minute remaining in the third period, with an assist from Laine, to tie the game and allow Blake wheeler to feed Mark Scheifele the cross-crease pass for the win in overtime.

Starting Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was weak in net.  There was two goals he should have had and even Ondrej Pavelec would have made those saves.  I'm afraid without the comeback by the Jets and timely goals by Laine, Perrault and Wheeler, this would have been an embarrassing loss.

But as it is, Patrik Laine has his first NHL goal out of the way with many more to come, I'm sure.  The more he gets comfortable with his new teammates and his role, the Alexander Ovechkin comparisons may continue.

Pavelec Among Seven Sent Down To The Moose

Pending waivers, long-time starting Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec has been sent down to the Manitoba Moose along with seven skaters.  Forwards Nic Petan, Andrew Copp, Anthony Peluso, Chase DeLeo and Marko Dano.  Defencemen Brian Strait and Julian Melchiori have also been cut from the opening-night roster.

This has been something Jets fans have been clamouring for for some time now.  With the youth movement in full swing in Winnipeg, compounded by Pavelec's dwindling save percentage and increase in his goals against average, not to mention his $4 million cap hit; the Jets finally demoted their long-time go-to guy in net.

This will not be a permenent stay for Pavelec.  Although he is being a total professional and is carrying himself as the team player he always has been, Pavelec will be called back when one of the young bucks taking his place falters.  And it will happen.  Micheal Hutchinson may stay in the show with the big club for the long haul, but Connor Hellebyuck will need some seasoning and isn't quite the saviour in goal everyone seems to be making him out to be.  At least not in this early phase of the new season.

The wins should go up for the Manitoba Moose now that Pavelec is there.  He surely is meant to be a mentor to Eric Comrie, the real goalie of the Jets future.  Pavelec is not there to gain experience or to get himself back into game-shape.  He's there because he's just not good enough to help the Winnipeg Jets achieve their goals.  Pavelec may be draft fodder for the new, and as yet unnamed Las Vegas team.  Come next June, don't expect Ondrej Pavelec to be employed in any way, shape or form by the Winnipeg Jets.  His contract is up at the end of this season and with his $4 million and change salary, no other team wanted to claim him off waivers.  If he doesn't go to Las Vegas, the next time you hear the name Ondrej Pavelec (if at all) it may be in the KHL, or the Czech elite league.

Another Nine Re-Assigned From Jets Training Camp Roster

Quinton Howden, Eric Comrie, J.C. Lipon, Jack Roslovic and Logan Stanley highlight the names of nine Jets prospects that have been re-assigned to the Manitoba Moose or sent back to their junior teams.

Value For Trouba

So now that Winnipeg Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba has made a public request for a trade, what would be the value of a 22-year-old right-handed shooter that is projected to be a top-four defender?

Mind you, Trouba can still sign with the Jets and this all goes away.  However since he has made his feelings known to the Jets brass since May, I doubt this will turn out right for Jets fans.  Unless of course Kevin Cheveldayoff can make the right deal that would have a similar player coming back to the Jets.
What would a deal that would benefit the Jets look like?

Lets see...

Teams that come up in the scenario so far (at least theoretically) are:

Edmonton Oilers - Does Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli have an interest in Trouba?  Well, judging by the fact Oilers coach Todd McLellan who was the bench boss for Team North America for the World Cup of Hockey tournament and he didn't insert Trouba into the line-up until Aaron Eckblad went down with a neck injury says a lot about how he feels about Trouba's talents.  if they were to do a deal with the Jets, Darnell Nurse or or Oscar Klefbom would have to be in the discussion.  However, in a few years when the Oilers re-sign Connor McDavid and other up-and-comers such as Leon Draisaitl, Trouba's salary could be the deal breaker here.

Philadelphia Flyers - The Flyers do have a couple of left-handed defencemen in their system.  Russian junior Ivan Provorov and another Manitoba native, Elkhorn-born Travis Sanheim.
Provorov is a Western Hockey League defenceman of the year with the Brandon Wheat Kings, so the Flyers would probably balk at him being part of any trade anyway.  However Flyers GM Ron Hextall must have watched the World Cup of Hockey and had visions of sugar plums in his head at the thought of pairing up Trouba with Calder trophy finalist Shayne Gostisbehere.  The down side to this deal is that the Flyers are already hard up against the cap, so the Jets would have to take a substantial salary in return.

Colorado Avalanche - Back in the summer, there were rumblings of a possible straight-up player-for-player trade of Trouba for Matt Duchene.  That may be still in the works, as long as Cheveldayoff doesn't show all his cards and try to deal Trouba too quickly, as I suspect he won't as time is on the Jets side right now.  Duchene is under contract to the Avs for three more seasons at $6 million annually.  No team really wants to trade within their own division, especially if the player going the other way may come back to bite you in the behind in a tight divisional race.  But if this is the right deal for the Jets, Cheveldayoff won't hesitate in pulling the trigger.

Boston Bruins - The Bruins pretty much started this whole thing when rumors started circulating that the Bruins were considering an offer sheet for Trouba that would have had the Bears give up their next four first-round picks in the Entry Draft until 2021.  That would have been the very best case scenario for the Jets and not much of a decision for Kevin Cheveldayoff.  I mean, who wouldn't take that deal?  Bruins GM Don Sweeney would have to be the first in line, kicking the tires, sort of speak, wouldn't he?  One would think Torey Krug would have to be part of this deal that would have to include a draft pick or prospect.  The Bruins however, would have to consider the salary cap as due to past deals in the last two seasons, they don't have much leeway in that department.

Arizona Coyotes - Mike Stone might be an interesting trade for the Jets as well as the Coyotes.  Stone is a native-Winnipegger which True North always finds appealing, and he is entering his final year in his current contract with Arizona as he will become a unrestricted free agent come July 2017.  The Coyotes also have a number of prospects, but not many left-handed defencemen the Jets would fit into their needs right now. Perhaps a trade package with a pick and a prospect might interest Cheveldayoff, but this seems to be a player-for-player now situation.

Detroit Red Wings - This one makes the most sense geographically speaking for Trouba.  Not that he has much control in where he gets traded, but being from Michigan, this could be the best projected destination for the young blue-liner.  Trouba would certainly be paired with and work well with Mike Green.  How about a package involving Danny DeKeyser?  The Jets have an obvious interest in DeKeyser as they tried to sign him as a free agent out of college.  His cap hit is $5 million per for the next six years.

Toronto Maple Leafs - The Leafs have more than a few prospects in their cupboard, in fact judging from the list of "experts" that rank the NHL's best prospect pools, the Leafs are in the top three most times.  One name that stands out is Jake Gardiner.  Throw him in a package for Trouba and Lou Lamoriello may just bite.

The Rangers and Canucks are also said to be interested in making a deal with Winnipeg for Trouba, but they have issues with cap space as well.

An article by Lyle Richardson over at The Hockey News has more.

Jets Cut 17 From Training Camp Roster

The Winnipeg Jets have cut their roster down from approximately 60 invitees to 43 after re-assigning 17 players to the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose or back to their respective junior teams.