Jets Destroy Stanley Cup Champs

Sorry for the lack of posts for the last few games, but my schedule has been somewhat chaotic.  However, if there was a game I could have chosen to return to blog on, there couldn't have been a better one.

If it weren't for a chincy penalty call on Bryan Little, allowing Evgeny Malkin to score a power-play goal, Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets would have had a perfect shutout game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

As it is, we'll have to settle for a nice 7-1 shellacking of the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions.

This should be remembered a one of the greatest games in Winnipeg Jets 2.0 history.  At least of the regular season variety.  Captain Blake Wheeler scored three goals in 4:20 of the first period, establishing a new franchise record for the fastest hat trick, previously owned by Ilya Kovelchuck in 6:51.  It was Wheeler's first hat-trick as a member of the Jets.

Andrew Copp opened the scoring with his first of the season.  Joel Armia scored his second, creating another franchise record, in addition with Wheeler's hatty, for the fastest four goals in a period, surpassing the Atlanta Thrashers record of 4:54.

Rookie Brendan Lemieux scored his first NHL goal, with his father, former NHLer, Claude in attendance; while Mark Scheifele added his fourth of the season.

Connor Hellebuyck continues to shine and is no doubt at least 50% responsible for the the Jets six wins, making 31 saves on the evening.

This was clear-cut dominance by the Jets from the opening face-off.  They were relentless, hard-hitting and fast.  They forced the Penguins to make mistakes and after the fourth goal by the Jets, you can see the wind was sucked out of the Pens sails that chased goaltender Matt Murray from the net.

Jets Play Desperate, Ugly Hockey In Loss To Jackets

Riding a three-game win streak into this game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, with a clearly struggling Steve Mason in goal for the Jets, the home team were forced to play catch-up after a scoreless first period and didn't look as though they wanted to be in the building.

The Jets continue to make mistakes in the defensive zone, while the $4 million man, Mason still doesn't seem to be the guy the Jets hoped he was going to be when they signed him to a two-year deal back in July.

It was ugly all-round.

Connor Recalled To Replace Injured Perreault

With forward Mathieu Perreault sidelined with a lower-body injury, Kyle Connor has been re-called from the Manitoba Moose.

Jets Go Over .500 With Wins Over Canucks, 'Canes

After starting the season at 0-2, including an embarrassing 7-2 loss at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Winnipeg Jets have a record of 3-2, going above .500 for the first time this season and already getting that elusive three-game winning streak that eluded them all of last year.

After dispatching the Edmonton Oilers with their first win of the 2017/18 campaign, the Jets finished up their west-coast road trip with a win over the Vancouver Canucks 4-1, then went home to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes, 2-1.

Jets Down Oilers For First Win

I really need to stop making predictions about the Jets.  Just when I think they're going to get their butts handed to them, they go and defeat the Connor McJesus led Edmonton Oilers (oh praise be) on the road no less, 5-2, and (almost) totally redeem themselves for their malfeasance in their fist two games.

Mark Scheifele notched his third goal in as many games, plus two assists; Blake Wheeler got three assists, and the tonight's hero, Nikolaj Ehlers got his second NHL hat-trick, and a natural hat-trick at that-plus an assist on Dimitri Kulikov's first goal as a Jet, for a four-point night.

Although Connor Hellebuyck still has an issue with his five-hole, he was near brilliant tonight, making 37 saves, 21 in the first period alone.

0-2 Jets Face Historic Opponent in Edmonton

I know this is only the third game of the season, but after being humbled by the Calgary Flames 6-3, after blowing a 3-1 first period lead, in an attempt to bounce back from an embarrassing 7-2 on opening night against Toronto; the Winnipeg Jets are Edmonton tonight to face their historic nemesis, the Edmonton Oilers.

Now, if you've read my posts from last year, especially when the Oilers were thankfully dispatched from the 2017 playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks, you'll know I'm no fan of the blue and orange.  Not even close.  In fact, why couldn't it be Edmonton and not Calgary that may be in danger of re-location due to tensions with their city council for not negotiating a new arena?  I actually don't mean that sincerely.  I would hate to see any city lose their team, even if it is the Oilers.  I lost mine in 1996 and it sucked!  Only through a complete stroke of luck (and business mismanagement and infighting between the former Atlanta Thrashers owners, Atlanta Spirit) did I get my "team" back.
As I said before, I, and many other Jets fans, see the return of the Jets as simply a continuation of the Jets of 1979-1996.

So, tonight, the Jets will enter Rogers Place and do battle with the team that (God forbid) seems to be revisiting history in their building to a perennial contender, and while themselves a decent team (at least on paper)  the Jets might have to re-visit history themselves and be the Oilers whipping boys once again.  No hockey god would put the fans of Winnipeg through that again, would it?

But, with the way the Jets are playing, and with talent on the Oilers have on their roster, it looks like the 80s all over again.

Flames Burn Jets To Open The Season 0-2

After being thoroughly trounced by the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-2 on opening at BellMTS Place, it seemed the Winnipeg Jets were going to right the ship when they secured a 3-1 lead at the end of the first period against the Calgary Flames three nights later.  Of course, a two-goal lead with 40 minutes left to play is no where safe and obviously does not a game make.


But the Jets played well enough not to only extend their lead, but to actually win.
Well, that went south quickly and the Flames bounced back to notch four goals in the second (and five unanswered overall) and increase the Jets goals/goals scored deficit to 5 for and 13 against.  Thirteen goals against in two games.
It's good that the Jets fixed that goal-tending problem.

Jets Destroyed By Leafs In Season Opener

Yeah.  I was really looking forward to a season-opening win-at home no less-against the Leafs tonight.  I didn't expect a cake-walk; but that's exactly what we got.  Unfortunately, it was the Jets on the right side of the score.  7-2.  Ugh.

I have no words...

Ehlers Agrees To Seven Year, $42 Million Extension

Nikolaj Ehlers, the speedy, talented, 21-year-old forward of the Winnipeg Jets has agreed to terms on a seven-year, $42 million contract with the club.

Now that the Jets have wrapped up Ehlers, Bryan Little and Mark Scheifele to long-term contracts, Patrik Laine, after next season, is the main topic of discussion to extend his entry-level contract.  Captain Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien are the high-end contract needs after that.  Jacob Trouba?  That may be a noodle-scratcher.  Even if he does have a good season this year, does he still really want to be in Winnipeg?

But either way, this is really good news for Jets fans.  We now all get to see Ehlers mature as a player and watch him dangle the puck on a string in a Jets uniform for the long-term. 

Good stuff.

Expectations For The 2017-2018 Season

Now that the 2017-2018 official season will begin tonight, the questions persist as to what are the expectations for the Winnipeg Jets this season.

TSN's Bob McKenzie sat down with Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and discussed what expectations there are for the Jets.

If the Jets can stay healthy, stay out of the box and fix the penalty-kill issues, they obviously have the offense through at least their top two lines.  Patrik Laine will most likely avoid the sophomore slump and notch at least 30 goals.  Mark Scheifele will probably surpass the 40-goal plateau and Nikolaj Ehlers will probably break out and notch at least 25.  Throw in Dustin Byfuglien, Blake Wheeler and the perennially underrated Bryan Little and you have yourself a high-octane offense.  Adam Lowry, Tyler Myers and Jacob Trouba will also undoubtedly contribute.  Myers, especially, has to be itching to show his wares after missing most of last season with an injury and personal family issues.

In goal, Steve Mason is the new number one to mentor Connor Hellebuyck (who will be fine throughout the next couple of years, folks, don't worry) and is expected to ease Helle's transition to the eventual number one.  Mason wasn't the best goaltender available when the free-market opened last July 1st, but he is a former Calder trophy winner as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets and was north of competent whilst playing for the Philadelphia Flyers the last five seasons, and was/is the best fit for the Jets.

Remember, the Winnipeg Jets organization doesn't only look for talent in their players and management, they are very high on working with people of high-end character.  Thus the trading of players like Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian and Spencer Machacek.  All three players were reportedly "poison" in the locker room.  By all accounts, Mason is void of any character flaws, as well as new signees, Dimitry Kulikov and Matt Hendrix (who is said to be not only the new Jets enforcer, replacing the very popular Chris Thorburn; but a great "locker-room guy" in his own right)

The Sporting News blog has their prediction...

Myself?  I'm predicting either third in the Central for the Jets, or at least the second wild card in the Western Conference.