Winnipeg Jets second-round pick, defenseman, Dylan Samberg sat down with JetsTV and answered a quick couple of questions for Jets Nation.
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Selanne Hall Of Fame Bound
Former Winnipeg Jet great and Stanley Cup champion with the Anaheim Ducks, Teemu Selanne is going into the Hockey Hall of Fame.As anyone with a memory better than 10 years (and believe me, I know that's pushing it for some of us) Teemu Selanne was one of the greatest hockey players in history. Not just in the National Hockey League, but in Finland and in international competition.
He utterly destroyed the rookie goal and points record established in the 1977-78 NHL season by Mike Bossy (enthralling Winnipeg hockey fans, as well as the rest of the hockey world with his 76 goals and 132 point output in his first season in the NHL.
He enthralled Winnipeg hockey fans for just a short two years until the idiot (then) owners of the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes had him traded to save money? To save money? Did they realize what he had just accomplished? 76 golas as a rookie? 132 points? Forget the fact that they traded future Hall-Of-Famer Teemu Selanne to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Oleg Teverdosky and Chad Kilger. Who? Exactly.Did these brain-dead, so-called "hockey men" know that he would double the gate, not to mention merchandise sales? Idiots!!!
They could have claimed the man responsible for 684 goals, 773 assists for 1457 points in 1451 games played. A mark that will not be touched in any of our lifetimes. He is the highest scoring Finn in league history. Not to mention he is also in the International Ice Hockey Federeation (IIHF) Hall Of Fame as the leading points-getter in international hockey history with 43 points.
Teemu Selanne, one of the greatest players in hockey history, and certainly one of the three greatest players in Winnipeg Jets history will be going into the Hockey Hall Of Fame along with Paul Kariya, Mark Recchi and Dave Andreychuck. Team Canada Women's gold-medal member Danielle Goyette is also being inducted.
Congrats to the Finnish Flash, Teemu Selanne. A great hockey player and an even better gentleman and ambassador for the game.
And still, forever a Jet.
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Jets Draft Picks: Rounds 2-7
After selecting big Finnish forward Kristian Vesalainen with their first pick (after trading down from 13th to 24th with Vegas to protect Toby Enstrom) the Winnipeg Jets finished their 2017 entry draft selections along with the rest of the league.
After the first round was completed, all teams reverted back to their original pre-lottery draft positions, so the Jets selected 12th in every successive rounds, barring any trades and/or selection swaps.
Round 2: Pick #12, 43rd overall: Dylan Samberg D USA 6'3 211 lbs. Hermantown, MN (High School)
Round 3: Pick #12, 74th overall: Johnathan Kovacevic D CAN 6'4 208 lbs. Merrimack
Round 4: Pick #12, 104th overall: Santeri Virtanen C FIN 6'1 194lbs. TPS JR. (FIN)
Round 5: Pick #12, 136th overall: Leon Gawanke D DEU 6'0 186lbs. Cape Breton QMJHL
Round 6: Pick #12, 167th overall: Arvid Holm G SWE 6'4 213 lbs. Karlscrona, Jr. (SWE)
Round 7: Pick #12, 198th overall: Skyler McKenzie LW CAN 5'7 154lbs. Portland WHL
And that's it for 2017. There doesn't seem to be any standouts this year. The Jets claim they got their first pick, Vesalainen, at #24 when they would have grabbed him at #13 if they were still in that slot.
Maybe the Jets have found one of those, kind of, rare diamonds in the rough like many teams have such as the Detroit |Red Wings with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. Or like the New York Rangers when they found and unselected Henrik Lundqvist. It can happen. The Jets could use one.
Here's a post-draft interview with second-round pick, Dylan Samberg on being selected by the Jets:
After the first round was completed, all teams reverted back to their original pre-lottery draft positions, so the Jets selected 12th in every successive rounds, barring any trades and/or selection swaps.
Round 2: Pick #12, 43rd overall: Dylan Samberg D USA 6'3 211 lbs. Hermantown, MN (High School)
Round 3: Pick #12, 74th overall: Johnathan Kovacevic D CAN 6'4 208 lbs. Merrimack
Round 4: Pick #12, 104th overall: Santeri Virtanen C FIN 6'1 194lbs. TPS JR. (FIN)
Round 5: Pick #12, 136th overall: Leon Gawanke D DEU 6'0 186lbs. Cape Breton QMJHL
Round 6: Pick #12, 167th overall: Arvid Holm G SWE 6'4 213 lbs. Karlscrona, Jr. (SWE)
Round 7: Pick #12, 198th overall: Skyler McKenzie LW CAN 5'7 154lbs. Portland WHL
And that's it for 2017. There doesn't seem to be any standouts this year. The Jets claim they got their first pick, Vesalainen, at #24 when they would have grabbed him at #13 if they were still in that slot.
Maybe the Jets have found one of those, kind of, rare diamonds in the rough like many teams have such as the Detroit |Red Wings with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. Or like the New York Rangers when they found and unselected Henrik Lundqvist. It can happen. The Jets could use one.
Here's a post-draft interview with second-round pick, Dylan Samberg on being selected by the Jets:
Jets Re-Sign Chiarot To Two Year Deal
In 59 games last year, Chiarot scored two goals and 10 assists for 12 points.
He is coming off a two-year, $1.7 million deal with a cap hit of $850,000.
Jets Select Fin Vesalainen With First Pick
The question now becomes, what number will he wear? True North will allow him to wear #10, as they did with Evander Kane (and Andrew Copp) and Bobby Hull's old #9. Kane did personally ask Hill for permission. Bryan Little wore #10 in Atlanta before relocating to Winnipeg in 2011, but, out of respect for Dale Hawerchuck, Little changed to his current number 18. Will Vesalainen do the same? I hope so. Personally, I don't think anyone who wears a Winnipeg Jets jersey now or in the future should wear 9, 10, 14, 15 or 25. (Hull, Hawerchuck, Ulf Nillsson, Anders Hedberg or Thomas Steen) Teemu Selanne would be a no-brainer for this list if he had played anymore time with the Jets.
The Jets won't retire any numbers in the future. They will, however, much like the Toronto Maple Leafs, have "honoured numbers" that will hang from the rafters at Bell MTS Place.
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Golden Knights Select Chris Thorburn From Jets
The 2017-18 expansion Vegas Golden Knights have their "original" NHL roster complete fresh from the National Hockey League Expansion Draft to complete the entry to the league of the new franchise.
Forward Chris Thorburn was the player the Winnipeg Jets lost to the Golden Knights last night.
Thorny, is the the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader in regular-season, all-time games played with 709. He accumulated 49 goals, 72 assists for 121 points.
Obviously, and it has since been confirmed, that Kevin Cheveldayoff (along with numerous other GMs) made a deal with Knights' GM George MacPhee to lay off selecting veteran defenseman Toby Enstrom. There may have been further discussion in the same regards towards Marko Dano and/or Shawn Matthias. The Knights get the Jets first-round pick this season (#13) and about $4 million saved, while the Jets keep Enstrom and slip way down to pick #24 (via a trade made earlier with the Columbus Blue Jackets)
So, look at it this way Jets fans, it's like we made it into the second round of the playoffs (and I would have won a bet) and wound up in 24th spot and we get to keep a veteran defenseman from being plucked from the roster. Who would the Jets have gotten at the 13th pick? The draft class is arguably a little thin this year, and the Jets aren't wanting for fire-power or a top-6 defenseman (maybe a top-4 would be nice) and other than a top-10 goalie (which wouldn't be available at 13) who did the Jets have their eyes on at the position?
So, I say good job Chevy.
The Golden Knights, not surprisingly, took three-time Stanley Cup champion, Marc-Andre Fleury from the Pittsburgh Penguins (I still can't believe that guy was available), James Neal from the Nashville Predators, Calvin Pickard from the Colorado Avalanche (Poor Avs. First they lose the number-one pick and now their best goalie that shouldn't have been available) aaannnd...that's about it. The reason being, as stated, GMs simply couldn't protect every player they wanted to. As a result, not only did the Golden Knights select Fleury from the Penguins, but they also received a 2020 second-round pick for taking the contract off of their hands.
Trades and deals resulting from the expansion Golden Knights holding all the cards (?)
So Thornburn is gone and Enstrom will be at training camp in September. I'm actually glad to say the same about Dano. He clearly has potential, and I want to see him flourish with the Jets.
Thorburn will certainly be missed in the dressing room. He didn't produce very often but when he did, they were clutch and beauty and/or lucky blasts. He was the Jets top enforcer and acquired 832 penalty minutes over the course of 10 seasons for the franchise. I liked Thorny. He is of good character and a team-player. I wish him well.
Now watch as he wins the cup with Vegas (or whoever) within three years.
Thorny, is the the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise leader in regular-season, all-time games played with 709. He accumulated 49 goals, 72 assists for 121 points.
Obviously, and it has since been confirmed, that Kevin Cheveldayoff (along with numerous other GMs) made a deal with Knights' GM George MacPhee to lay off selecting veteran defenseman Toby Enstrom. There may have been further discussion in the same regards towards Marko Dano and/or Shawn Matthias. The Knights get the Jets first-round pick this season (#13) and about $4 million saved, while the Jets keep Enstrom and slip way down to pick #24 (via a trade made earlier with the Columbus Blue Jackets)
So, look at it this way Jets fans, it's like we made it into the second round of the playoffs (and I would have won a bet) and wound up in 24th spot and we get to keep a veteran defenseman from being plucked from the roster. Who would the Jets have gotten at the 13th pick? The draft class is arguably a little thin this year, and the Jets aren't wanting for fire-power or a top-6 defenseman (maybe a top-4 would be nice) and other than a top-10 goalie (which wouldn't be available at 13) who did the Jets have their eyes on at the position?
So, I say good job Chevy.
The Golden Knights, not surprisingly, took three-time Stanley Cup champion, Marc-Andre Fleury from the Pittsburgh Penguins (I still can't believe that guy was available), James Neal from the Nashville Predators, Calvin Pickard from the Colorado Avalanche (Poor Avs. First they lose the number-one pick and now their best goalie that shouldn't have been available) aaannnd...that's about it. The reason being, as stated, GMs simply couldn't protect every player they wanted to. As a result, not only did the Golden Knights select Fleury from the Penguins, but they also received a 2020 second-round pick for taking the contract off of their hands.
Trades and deals resulting from the expansion Golden Knights holding all the cards (?)
So Thornburn is gone and Enstrom will be at training camp in September. I'm actually glad to say the same about Dano. He clearly has potential, and I want to see him flourish with the Jets.
Thorburn will certainly be missed in the dressing room. He didn't produce very often but when he did, they were clutch and beauty and/or lucky blasts. He was the Jets top enforcer and acquired 832 penalty minutes over the course of 10 seasons for the franchise. I liked Thorny. He is of good character and a team-player. I wish him well.
Now watch as he wins the cup with Vegas (or whoever) within three years.
Dale Hawerchuck To Be Enshrined In The Jets HOF
Finally!
Dale Hawerchuck, the greatest Jet ever, is finally being inducted into the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame.
Now, to be fair to True North, they only started this honour last season to show appreciation for the history of hockey in Winnipeg (the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame already honoured past teams such as the first Olympic gold medal-winning Winnipeg Falcons, multiple Memorial Cup champion-Winnipeg Braves and Monarchs and of course, the Stanley Cup winning teams of the Winnipeg Victorias along with Winnipeg Arena's original tenant in 1955-the Winnipeg Warriors)
The Winnipeg Jets 1.0 owned by Barry Shenkarow from 1979-1996 should have had Hawerchuck's number 10 hanging from the rosters much, much earlier. Hawerchuck is the all-time leading Winnipeg Jets scoring leader with 379 goals, 550 assists for 929 points in 713 games played.
It's a real historical shame that not only did Winnipeg Jets fans lose their team in 1996, but it never got to see one of (if not the) greatest player to wear a Jets uniform honoured in front of them like he should have been.
Standing alone wearing his Winnipeg Jets jersey in the middle of the ice in Jobing.com Arena (now Gila River Arena) being honoured by (at the time) the Phoenix Coyotes, to their credit, was just ridiculous for Jets fans. Then to have his name and number raised to the rafters in Coyotes colours, along with other Jets that never played a single, solitary game in Phoenix. That includes Bobby Hull and Thomas Steen, who never played for any other organization other than the Winnipeg Jets. By that logic, I'm surprised the Coyotes don't claim Teemu Selanne as one of their own. I mean, why not throw his number 13 up there as well?
This goes along with my theory on letting the Jets have their history back. Things like this wouldn't happen. So, so stupid.
But Dale "Ducky" Hawerchuck will finally be having his name and number hanging from the rafters at Bell MTS Place along with Bobby Hull, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nillsson.
I'm actually surprised Hawerchuck is being inducted by himself (there might be others added to this class before the season starts) because I fully expected Thomas Steen and Teemu Selanne to be standing at center ice with him.
Congratulations Ducky! It's about time.
Dale Hawerchuck, the greatest Jet ever, is finally being inducted into the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame.
Now, to be fair to True North, they only started this honour last season to show appreciation for the history of hockey in Winnipeg (the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame already honoured past teams such as the first Olympic gold medal-winning Winnipeg Falcons, multiple Memorial Cup champion-Winnipeg Braves and Monarchs and of course, the Stanley Cup winning teams of the Winnipeg Victorias along with Winnipeg Arena's original tenant in 1955-the Winnipeg Warriors)
The Winnipeg Jets 1.0 owned by Barry Shenkarow from 1979-1996 should have had Hawerchuck's number 10 hanging from the rosters much, much earlier. Hawerchuck is the all-time leading Winnipeg Jets scoring leader with 379 goals, 550 assists for 929 points in 713 games played.It's a real historical shame that not only did Winnipeg Jets fans lose their team in 1996, but it never got to see one of (if not the) greatest player to wear a Jets uniform honoured in front of them like he should have been.
Standing alone wearing his Winnipeg Jets jersey in the middle of the ice in Jobing.com Arena (now Gila River Arena) being honoured by (at the time) the Phoenix Coyotes, to their credit, was just ridiculous for Jets fans. Then to have his name and number raised to the rafters in Coyotes colours, along with other Jets that never played a single, solitary game in Phoenix. That includes Bobby Hull and Thomas Steen, who never played for any other organization other than the Winnipeg Jets. By that logic, I'm surprised the Coyotes don't claim Teemu Selanne as one of their own. I mean, why not throw his number 13 up there as well?
This goes along with my theory on letting the Jets have their history back. Things like this wouldn't happen. So, so stupid.
But Dale "Ducky" Hawerchuck will finally be having his name and number hanging from the rafters at Bell MTS Place along with Bobby Hull, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nillsson.
I'm actually surprised Hawerchuck is being inducted by himself (there might be others added to this class before the season starts) because I fully expected Thomas Steen and Teemu Selanne to be standing at center ice with him.
Congratulations Ducky! It's about time.
Jets Draft History 2011-2017
Here is the Winnipeg NHL Entry Draft history since the return of the team to Winnipeg in 2011.
Friday, June 2, 2017
Are The Jets Headed For Budget Issues?
Oh boy. Here we go again. Isn't this the problem the Winnipeg Jets had in the 90s? Bad Canadian dollar, high salaries and other lost revenue due to the lack of vision and greed of Winnipeg Enterprises? The only, and most specific difference, is Mark Chipman and True North Sports & Entertainment actually own the arena they occupy. That means revenue that the Jets 1.0 never got. Revenue such as parking, concessions, plus non-hockey related revenue such as concerts, circuses, awards shows (the Junos, for example) and other activities. That's the difference this time around. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have one of the richest men in the world as a co-owner. That of course being David Thomson, Third Thomson of Fleet.
Fancy title, huh? Well, it should be, his net worth is an estimated $27.2 billion. Yes, that's billion with a B.
Thompson isn't expected to just hand over cash to Mark Chipman whenever there may be a financial dip in the Jets financial fortunes, but I doubt the Jets will face the financial crisis that forced them to move like the the team that was born in Winnipeg in 1972 and was forced out to Arizona (losing eventual Stanley Cup champion and Hall of Famer and probably Jet-for-life Teemu Selanne in the process, in what was still one of the most dumbest trades in NHL history) in 1996. Afterall, in one of his rare public appearances, the Jets silent partner/owner went pretty much all-in when asked for a comment during True North's press conference in 2011. stating, in effect, the Jet are more than just a hockey team to Winnipeggers; it's a symbol of the community, their identifier. It's something that the city has rallied around since 1972 (minus of course 1996-2011) and never really let it go.
One example of that never-say-die attitude of wishing a team back is Darren Ford and his "Jets Owner" website in which he, for years, championed the return of the Winnipeg Jets, acknowledging the need for a new, stable, wealthy owner and a new, downtown, centralized arena and a salary cap. Despite a lucid, economically thought out theory on how to attract a prospective owner in an already hockey-rabid market, especially when by 2007/2008, all of Phoenix, Carolina, Florida and Atlanta were in financial turmoil, made public by the NHL or not; Ford saw the reality of a well-run hockey club in Winnipeg once again.
He received more than his fair share of criticism and mockery over the years for his prophetic vision, but on May 31, 2011, I wonder who was laughing the hardest.
When referring to the return of the team at the press conference back in May of 2011, Thomson said, "It's time."
For the life of me, I wish I could find the full quote from the press conference.
I actually just found an old article from 2011 at the HuffPost Canada, although it isn't exactly what I was looking for, meaning the Thomson quote.
So, while the Jets are in no real trouble of moving (as some nay-sayers predicted as soon as True North made the announcement about purchase and re-location) they still face the trials and tribulations of a small-market, lower-cap team. Not to mention the stigma that accompanies every players reason for not wanting to play there.
That will change. When this team is built into a contender and is finally seen as a legitimate destination for players wanting to win, the culture will be one of professionalism, dedication and victory.
But, for the sake of 80s Jets fans, let's hurry it along, shall we?
Fancy title, huh? Well, it should be, his net worth is an estimated $27.2 billion. Yes, that's billion with a B.
Thompson isn't expected to just hand over cash to Mark Chipman whenever there may be a financial dip in the Jets financial fortunes, but I doubt the Jets will face the financial crisis that forced them to move like the the team that was born in Winnipeg in 1972 and was forced out to Arizona (losing eventual Stanley Cup champion and Hall of Famer and probably Jet-for-life Teemu Selanne in the process, in what was still one of the most dumbest trades in NHL history) in 1996. Afterall, in one of his rare public appearances, the Jets silent partner/owner went pretty much all-in when asked for a comment during True North's press conference in 2011. stating, in effect, the Jet are more than just a hockey team to Winnipeggers; it's a symbol of the community, their identifier. It's something that the city has rallied around since 1972 (minus of course 1996-2011) and never really let it go.
One example of that never-say-die attitude of wishing a team back is Darren Ford and his "Jets Owner" website in which he, for years, championed the return of the Winnipeg Jets, acknowledging the need for a new, stable, wealthy owner and a new, downtown, centralized arena and a salary cap. Despite a lucid, economically thought out theory on how to attract a prospective owner in an already hockey-rabid market, especially when by 2007/2008, all of Phoenix, Carolina, Florida and Atlanta were in financial turmoil, made public by the NHL or not; Ford saw the reality of a well-run hockey club in Winnipeg once again.
He received more than his fair share of criticism and mockery over the years for his prophetic vision, but on May 31, 2011, I wonder who was laughing the hardest.
When referring to the return of the team at the press conference back in May of 2011, Thomson said, "It's time."
For the life of me, I wish I could find the full quote from the press conference.
I actually just found an old article from 2011 at the HuffPost Canada, although it isn't exactly what I was looking for, meaning the Thomson quote.
That will change. When this team is built into a contender and is finally seen as a legitimate destination for players wanting to win, the culture will be one of professionalism, dedication and victory.
But, for the sake of 80s Jets fans, let's hurry it along, shall we?
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