Scheifele Scores Again, Canada Advances to Semis with Win Over Russia

Even though he was responsible for a give-a-way that the Russians took full advantage of, Mark Scheifele first scored one of his own on the power play to give Canada an early 2-0 lead and this years Canadian contingent at the IIHF World Under 20 Hockey Championship.  They will now face the winner of the Switzerland-USA quarter-final game.

Trouba Scores for United States as Canada Downs U.S.

Even though he did his hard-hitting best and helped to cut his teams deficit to one by scoring late in the third period,  United States defenseman and 2012 Winnipeg Jets first-round pick Jacob Trouba and his fellow Americans fell to Team Canada 2-1 on Sunday morning in Ufa, Russia.

Scheifele Leads Canada Over Slovakia

Once again Mark Scheifele has shown why the Winnipeg Jets made him their 2011 first-round selection.
With Canada down 2-0 and short-handed twice by two men, including two 10-minute misconduct penalties that left Canada short on forwards,Scheifele took it upon himself to step up and lead Canada to a 6-3 win.

Meanwhile, in the USA/Russia game, Jets 2012 first-round draft-pick Jacob Trouba scored a power-play goal for the Americans in a losing effort.

Favourite Moments of 2012

Ever since the return of the Winnipeg Jets last year, I've been wanting to create a "favourite moments" collage.  I know it's a little late in coming (with several videos instead of a highlight reel on one)
Here are the best moments of the 2011-2012 Winnipeg Jets, in no particular order.





Or this video package I found o YouTube. Some of the same plays, but in a better, condensed video.

Scheifele Knots Two as Canada's Juniors Down Germany

As expected, Canada's world junior hockey team defeated Team Germany with authority on Boxing Day in the opening game of the 2013 World Junior Hockey Championship by a score of 9-3.  The Jets Mark Scheifele scored twice, including a short-handed tally, and the Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins dominated the German team with a five-point night.

TSN has the details.

Hawerchuck Sees Big Things for Scheifele at WJC

Barrie Colts Head Coach and Winnipeg Jets legend Dale Hawerchuck is big on his star and Jets 2011 first-round draft pick Mark Scheifele and sees him being a major contributor at next months IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Keeping an Eye on the Prospects

Ever since the relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg, writers and fans have had a keen interest in the players that will make up the future of the Winnipeg Jets.  Some, like center Mark Scheifele's moves around the Ontario Hockey League, American Hockey League and Team Canada's junior ranks, have been well documented, while others have been somewhat exposed to the limelight such as Ivan Telegin.

 The Hockey Future website seems to think the future of the Jets is in good hands, with a piece entitled, "Rebuild Continues to Go Well for the Winnipeg Jets."

Schiefele, Trouba Off to Russia

Top Winnipeg Jets draft selection and prospect Mark Scheifele has made the Canadian World Junior team in his quest for another shot at a gold medal.  Meanwhile the Jets 2012 first round pick Jacob Trouba has also been invited to his respective national team camp for the United States.  He is expected to make the team.

Noel Waiting to Go

While using his free time this locked-out NHL season working with pee-wee and bantam teams, Winnipeg Jets Head Coach Claude Noel can't wait to get going as soon (and if) the NHL lock out ends.

Stuart Signs with Everblades of ECHL

Fed up with daily skating at the MTS Iceplex and wanting to play in actual competitive, meaningful games, Winnipeg Jets defenseman Mark Stuart has signed with the Florida Everblades of the East Coast Hockey League.

Chipman Earns Repect

In a very short while, Winnipeg Jets co-owner and True North Sports & Entertainment CEO Mark Chipman has gained respect of the National Hockey League's Board of Governors very quickly it would seem.  It's no surprise though.  Chipman's patience, humility, influence and intelligence got him where he is today.  A successful business and family man.  Those very virtues listed above, through time diligence also got Chipman TNSE the MTS Centre built.  It  got him the experience and know-how as a professional hockey team owner that gave him multiple Executive of the Year awards in the American Hockey League, franchise financial success and respect and admiration from other owners in the league, including AHL league commissioner Dave Andrews; which ultimately led Chipman, TNSE and the city of Winnipeg back to the NHL.

The owners like Chipman.  His players do too.  Is there any mystery then as to why he was selected to be one of six owners to sit down and talk to the players to try and bring some major progress to the CBA negotiations?  There shouldn't be.

The Winnipeg Free Press's Gary Lawless has a article on Chipman's new found stature in the NHL.

Don't be surprised before too long, when the Jets have great success both on and off the ice and Chipman is the talk of the NHL in terms of being a league power broker and whiz kid.  Heck, he may even be added to the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame under the builders category on the walls of his own building in downtown Winnipeg while he still actively owns the team.

Chipman To Be One of Six NHL Owners to Meet with Players

Winnipeg Jets co-owner and True North Sports & Entertainment CEO (and some would say savior) Mark Chipman has been selected by the NHL Board of Governors to be one of six owners to meet with six of the NHL players.  The confident, yet quiet and humble Chipman will certainly be a welcomed presence at the negotiating table, as his laid-back demeanor will certainly be a soothing alternative to the contentious atmosphere between the two sides thus far.

This comes as a welcomed surprise by Jets players.

Scheifele Only Jet Prospect Invited to WJC

Winnipeg Jets 2.0 first-ever draft pick (first round, seventh overall) Mark Scheifele is the only prospect of the club that has been invited to camp of the 2013 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.

Jets Value Skyrockets

according to a new report by Forbes Magazine, the Winnipeg Jets are the 20th most valuable team in the National Hockey League when it comes to "hockey related revenue" (HRR) which is the difference between teams that draw their revenue that don't recieve help from a co-tenant in their current arenas such as those who share a National Basketball Association team.

Because of merchandising sales, corporate support, sold-out games every night and owing their own venue (ensuring all revenue of said venue including, parking, and concession that the Jets 1.0 didn't receive due to the greedy Winnipeg Enterprises that took all revenue-save for ticket sales-from the Jets and old Winnipeg Arena)

Jets, NHL Deny Smackdown to Winnipeg Rep

The rumor going around the Jets water cooler this week is whether or not Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs (a NHL Board of Governors big wig with a history of divisive and salacious comments) chastised a representative of the Winnipeg Jets this week at a recent governor's meeting.
Both the Jets and the NHL deny the rumor.
True North Sports and Entertainment CEO Mark Chipman released a statement when the story hit the wire.

Pavelec Tries Again in Finland

Winnipeg Jets net-minder Ondrej Pavelec has decided to sell his wares in the Swedish Elite League, SM-Liiga with the last-placed Lahti Pelicans.

Enstrom Heads to Native Sweden

After his short stint with Salzburg EC Red Bull in Austria, Winnipeg Jets Tobias Enstrom has landed in his native Sweden and signed with the country's second division Orebro Vipers.

Kane Out with Dinamo Minsk

Winnipeg Jets' Evander Kane is the second player to leave his overseas hockey club during the NHL lockout, as he has parted ways with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL.

Road Hockey Night in Canada

Just because the 2012-2013 National Hockey League season may be a bust, that didn't stop Manitoba NHLers and fans from gathering atop the Forks parkade for a road hockey game that included Winnipeg Jets members captain Andrew Ladd, Jim Slater, Mark Stuart and and Los Angeles Kings Mike Richards.

Pavelec On His Way Back to Canada

Ondrej Pavelec's contract with the Liberec Tigers of the Czech Elite League "has expired and wasn't going to be renewed after the current international hockey break in Europe," so he is heading back to Winnipeg.

New Jets Budweiser Flying Off Shelves

Labatt Breweries of Canada has launched a Jets-branded Budweiser for the Manitoba market in limited-edition aluminium bottles.

Scheifele Making Lemonade

The Winnipeg Jets 2011 first-round draft pick and their first pick in general since moving from Atlanta, Georgia to restart the franchise in the Manitoba capital, isn't doing any complaining nowadays as he is taking the lemons dealt to him in the form of the National Hockey League lock-out and making lemonade as he is making the most of his time that he should be spending, in all likelihood, in a Winnipeg Jets jersey perfecting his game until the day either the lock-out is ended and he gets the call-up to the show that he's been waiting his whole life for.

Wheeler Signs with Red Bull Munchen of the German Elite League

The Winnipeg Jets 2011-2012 leading scorer Blake Wheeler is headed to Germany to ride out the NHL lockout.

Jets, Cops to Play Charity Game

A handful of Winnipeg Jets and other NHLers, including Winnipeg-born Chicago Blackhawk Jonathon Toews are planning to be on hand when they take on the Winnipeg Police Service Patrolmen Hockey Club in the "Goals for Dreams Hockey Challenge."

Enstrom Signs with Salzburg in Austrian League

Add defenseman Tobias Enstrom's name to the growing list of NHLers heading overseas during the National Hockey League lockout.  The Jets Swedish blue liner signed with the Austrian league's EC Red Bull Salzburg.

Ladd Still Keeping the Faith

Even though the NHLPA has rejected the NHL's most recent proposal (that included a 50-50 revenue split and no salary roll backs) and the NHL then rejects the Player's counter-proposal just as quickly (even quicker according to NHLPA head Donald Fehr) Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd still feels a deal can be made to salvage the 2012-2013 National Hockey League season.

Jokinen Thinks NHL Season is Toast

Newest Winnipeg Jet Oli Jokinen thinks the current (non) season is already over and everyone should just think about next season...if there is one.

The Winnipeg Jets...40 Years Later

The Winnipeg Jets 40-year (interrupted) history with the city of Winnipeg has seen some ups and downs as every city's favourite sports team does. But if it weren't for two men-Jets original owner and founder Ben Hatskin and star forward Bobby Hull-the Jets simply would not have existed in the first place.

The Jets original starting goalie and the only player to lace up for with the Jets for all seven WHA seasons between 1972 to 1979, Joe Daley regales us with the past glory of Winnipeg's original beloved hockey franchise, what it meant to him to play pro hockey in his hometown and how Hatskin wouldn't take no for an answer to create the best team in the history of the short-lived "rebel league" and the World Hockey Association itself.

Other stories commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Winnipeg Jets:

Bobby Hull: The WHA was the real deal

Hull's faceoff with WHA

Hat tipping Hatskin

Hull, Hatskin got WHA off the ground

No rush to honor Jets alumni

Kane Off to KHL

Evander Kane has signed a deal that will see him play with Dinamo Minsk in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.  In doing so, Kane becomes the first Canadian NHL-team-based player to sign with the Russian league.

Daddy to Be

The NHL lockout may be depressing and frustrating to hockey fans (especially for Winnipeg hockey fans) but some good news to report as Winnipeg Jets forward Blake Wheeler is expecting his first child with his wife.  Wheeler says his expected boy may just be a future Jet in 20 years or so.  Here's hoping.
Wheeler also believes that when the 2012-2013 NHL season finally gets underway, he hopes to hit the next level and become a possible 30-goal scorer.

Kane Signs Six Year Extension

Finally.  The Winnipeg Jets have signed 30-goal scorer Evander Kane to a six-year, $31.5 million deal that has the 21-year-old wrapped up until the end of the 2017-2018 NHL season.

Bogo Out for Season

In the unlikely event there is a NHL season this year, the Winnipeg Jets will have to do it without one of their star defensemen, as blueliner Zach Bogosian will be out four to six months after undergoing wrist surgery on Friday.

Prospects Scheifele, Sutter Helped Battle Against the Russians

Team Canada's victory over Russia in the 2012 Canada-Russia challenge didn't happen without some Winnipeg Jet flavour, as top prospects Mark Scheifele and Lukas Sutter helped Team Canada win the exhibition series of four games that celebrates the 40th anniversary of the infamous 1972 Summit Series.

Jets Name Simmons Assistant GM

The Winnipeg Jets have named Larry Simmons, who has worked with the franchise for the last 12 years in Atlanta as assistant to the GM and VP before accepting a lesser role with True North (presumably to prove himself with Chipman, Cheveldayoff & company) as Assistant General Manager.

Enstrom Signs Long-Term Deal

Kevin Cheveldayoff continues his plan to wrap up the young and talented core of the Winnipeg Jets into long-term deals as he signed defenseman Tobias Enstrom to a five-year, 28.75 million extension.
Cheveldayoff said it was his plan all along to extend the contract of Enstrom.

Buff Wins

Well, mostly anyway.  Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Bufuglien avoided jail time that would have been his fate had he been convicted on seemingly trumped up charges by the Minnesota State police.  Instead he pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a plea-bargain that saw the original charges dismissed in exchange for a 28-day suspended sentence and community service.

The Winnipeg Sun also has the story.

Kane Mulls Over Offer

The Winnipeg Jets have offered Evander Kane a six-year, $29 million deal as the two sides are reportedly close to finalizing a contract.

Flood Off to Russia?

Jets free agent defenseman Mark Flood will not be a part of theWinnipeg Jets next season as he as opted not to resign.  Instead he has reportedly chosedn to sign with the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL.

Bufuglien Fights Impaired Boating Charge

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Bufuglien is fighting the impaired boating charge against him with a motion to dimiss, claiming his rights were violated.

True North Further Comment on Pavelec DUI, Pavelec Appologizes to Fans

Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec has released a statement to the public regarding his DUI conviction in the Czech Republic.

Kane Working Out Long-Term Deal

Contrary to popular beleif, including mine when I stated I didn't believe Evander Kane wanted to remain a Winnipeg Jet heading inyto the 2012-13 NHL season due to his non-commital responses when asked by the Winnipeg media if he indeed wanted to sign a long-term contract, as other future free agents on the Jets roster said they did; Kane and his agent are apparently in negotiations with Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to work out a long-term deal reportedly for six years at a price allegedly dictated by signings such as the Islanders' John Tavares and the Maple Leafs' Phil Kessel in the range of between $27 million and $33 million.

Pavelec Charged with DUI in Czech Republic

While back in his native Czech Republic before he signed a five-year,$19.5 million contract, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec allegedly was in a car acciddent when he rear-ended another driver and has since been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.  The report is unconfirmed and apparently happened months ago, making some in the media wonder how it was kept under wraps for so long.  Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff issued a statement stating no comment will be made on the matter until all the details are in.

Postma Signs Extension Deal

The Winnipeg Jets have signed prospect and St. John`s Ice Cap Paul Postma to an extension contract for the 2012-13 season.

Wellwood Signs; Teemu Back with Ducks; Sabres Say No to Hasek

After reports of interest from Swiss club teams, unrestricted free agent Kyle Wellwood signed a one-year deal worth $1.6 million to stay with the Winnipeg Jets and try to build on the career-high numbers he produced with the club last season.

Teemu Selanne has resigned with the Anaheim Ducks for what will probably be the last season in the NHL for the sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer.  Like last year when the Finnish Flash didn't sign right away with Anaheim after becoming a free agent, many fans in Winnipeg thought the pipe-dream may be possible that Selanne would sign with the Winnipeg Jets and end his career where it started.

Former Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres goaltender Dominic Hasek has already been rejected by the Sabres in an attempt fo a comeback to the NHL with his former club.  The 47-year old Stanley Cup champion netminder feels he still has what it takes to play a regular role in theNHL despite his advanced age.  Fans of the Detroit Red Wings don't seem to think so.

Stapleton Off to KHL, Will Cheer for Jets from Afar

With no offer by the Winnipeg Jets to free agent Tim Stapleton due to the clubs wish to sign physically bigger talent, the diminutive forward has accepted an offer to play in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League for Dinamo-Minsk.  As much as Stapleton wanted to stay with the Jets, the NHL club did not contact the UFA with an extension contract offer.  He says he will still cheer for his former club from Russia.

Jets Development Camp Opens

This morning, the Winnipeg Jets opened their 2012 Development Camp that saw Jets prospects of the future, including 2011 first-round draft pick Mark Scheifele, show their wares for fans of the Winnipeg Jets and more importantly Jets brass.  Other attendees include Jason Gregoire, Ivan Telegan and Carl Klingberg.  2012 first and second round picks Jacob Trouba and Lucas Sutter are scheduled to appear as well.

Jets fans, as they did last year, filled the MTS Iceplex to see their future heroes.

Jets Ink Maxwell and Dekanich

The Winnipeg Jets have re-signed forward Ben Maxwell to an extension contract as well as picking up free agent goaltender Mark Dekanich from the Columbus Blue Jackets system.

Jets Sign Goaltender Al Montoya from Islanders

The Winnipeg Jets have their back up goaltender to Ondrej Pavelec after Chris Mason decided to sign with the Nasville Predators, as they have signed free agent Al Montoya, to a one year, $600, 000 deal.

Jets Sign Jokinen

The Winnipeg Jets have found the number one center they were looking for by signing free agent Olli Jokinen.  With the signing, the Jets pick up size, experience anda consistent goal-scorer in the big Finish forward.  Joki says the city was the best fit for hiom and his family who apprantly not only don't mind the cold, but actually love the snow.  That will come in handy.

Glass Bolts for Pittsburgh, Mason Back with Nashville, Gustavsson Goes to Red Wings; Ponikarovsky Signs with Jets

The GST line has lost it's "G" as Tanner Glass has accepted a two-year, $2.2 million deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins as his taste for the Stanley Cup finals got the better of him.

Meanwhile goaltender Chris Mason, the first Jet to land in the city when the team was transfered from Atlanta last season, accepted a deal with his former team, the Nashville Predators, worth $1.25 million for the upcoming season.

Also on the move is goalie Jonas Gustavsson, picked up from Toronto in last week's draft for a seventh-round conditional draft pick in 2013, who signed a two year, $3 million deal with Detroit.  Since Gustavsson didn't sign with Winnipeg, that pick reverts back to the Jets.

On the incoming side, the Jets dipped a little into the free agent pool by signing Devils forward Alexei Ponikarovsky.   Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Pavy Staying Put

Whew!
Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff signed young goaltender Ondrej Pavelec to a five-year contract worth $19.5 million.
In Pavelec's own words he never wanted to leave Winnipeg even though he was offered "really good money" to play in the KHL in Russia.
“Everybody knows I had an offer from the KHL, it’s not a secret, but I always wanted to stay in Winnipeg,” Pavelec said in a conference call from the Czech Republic. “It’s a process and another side of the business, it’s never easy to make a deal but this is a really good feeling. It was easy to sign a five-year deal. You always want to stay as long as you can in a city you like. As long as I can stay in Winnipeg, it’s better for me.”

If the Jets had let Pavy go (and it seems as more is revealed about the negotiations with him, that never was a reality) they would have been screwed.  Although they do have Gustavsson (who had pretty much the same numbers as Pavelec last year-although in 20 less games played) who does have his rights owned by the Jets since Saturday and may have had to battle with Chris Mason for the starter spot since the Jets have no other NHL calibre goalies going.  They do have Peter Mannino but he may be a few years beore he's a regular in the show.  However I'm sure Mannino would have had a crack at the big time to battle against Monster and Mase for the number one spot.

Now the spotlight turns on trying to ink 30-goal scorer Evander Kane as he and up and comer Spencer Machacek were offered qualifying contracts to ensure the Jets could retain their rights and be able to match any offer from other teams. 

In other (sort of) news, although the Jets didn't offer Eric Fehr a qulifying contract due to his very poor year last season which makes him a unrestricted free agent on July 1, they may still have use for him, but at a much lesser price. 

Fehr Out with the Jets

As expected, Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has decided  not to offer forward and Winkler native Eric Fehr an extension contract after Fehr's disasterous season in 2011-2012 wherein he only managed five points in 35 games with the Jets.

Fehr came to the Jets last summer in a trade with the Washington Capitals for ECHL winger Danick Paquette and a fouth-round pick in this years draft, in which the Caps used to select center Thomas Dipauli from United States national developmental system.

Scheifele to Play for Canada Versus Russia

Winnipeg Jets forward and 2001 first round draft pick Mark Scheifele has been selected to play in the four-game challenge series against Russia in August.

NHL Entry Draft: Day Two

In the second through seventh rounds that comprised day two of the NHL Entry Draft for the Winnipeg Jets, the team selected five more youngsters , including a potential prodigy from the famous Canadian Sutter clan in Lucas Sutter, that they hope will help build the team into a contender for Lord Stanley's mug.

Also on the afternoon, General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff obtained the rights to goaltender Jonas Gustavsson from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional seventh round pick in the 2013 draft.  The Winnipeg Free Press's Gary Lawless sees this move as a bargaining chip in the Onjdre Pavelec contract negotiations., although Cheveldayoff denied it.  "[That's] totally separate from this," Cheveldayoff said. "We're going to sign two guys and get that done."
"This is more an opportunity to be able to talk to a UFA person before the July 1 deadline."


2012 draft picks

1 (9) Jacob Trouba, D, 18, US NDT
2 (39) Lukas Sutter, C, 18, Saskatoon (WHL)
3 (70) Scott Kosmachuk, RW, 18, Guelph (OHL)
5 (130) Connor Hellebuyck, G, 19, Odessa (NAHL)
6 (160) Scott Olsen, C, 18, Saskatoon (WHL)
7 (190) Jamie Phillips, G, 19, Toronto (OJHL)

Draft Day

For their first pick of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the Winnipeg Jets selected Jacob Touba, a six-foot-two, 196 pound bruising defenseman from Rochester, MI.
The Jets are slated to select ninth again with their first pick in the second round tomorrow.

Cheveldayoff Talking with Agents for Pavelec, Kane

Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is in contract extension discussions with agents representing two key players for the Jets, Ondrej Pavalec and Evander Kane.

Pearn Returns to Jets After 16 Years

Perry Pearn, who started his NHL coaching career with the Winnipeg Jets 1.0 on former Head Coach
Terry Simpson's staff as an assistant for the Winnipeg Jets in 1995-96, has returned to Winnipeg after 16 years after being fired early last season by the Montreal Canadiens.

NHL Entry Draft: Up the Middle

Part four of what the Winnipeg Jets need at this years NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh.

Jets Re-Sign Slater

The Winnipeg Jets have signed GST line member Jim Slater and longest serving Atlanta Thrasher/Winnipeg Jet to a three-year $4.4 million extension

2012 NHL Entry Draft: Defensemen

Part three of what the Winnipeg Jets need in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh.

2012 NHL Entry Draft: What the Jets Have and What They Need-Part 2

The Winnipeg Free Press's Ed Tait continues this week's series of the Jets and the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

2012 NHL Entry Draft: What the Jets Have and What They Need-Part 1

The NHL Entry Draft is right around the corner and the Winnipeg Free Press disects what the Jets need in comaprison to what they have in terms of needed positional players on June 22 and 23.

One Year Ago Today

It was year ago today that the NHL returned to Winnipeg and hockey fans of the Manitoba capital, and especially Jets fans of the past, have had their own to watch once again. Sometimes it was joyful, sometimes it was frustrating, but it was always awesome just to cheer on a team in Winnipeg playing in the NHL named the Jets again.

I'm still reeling from the news and am still in party mode about the return.  I can't tell you how happy it made me.  Really.  Even after a full season back in which I threw my hat across the room whenever they took a stupid penalty, got scored on or just generally played bad.
May 31, 2011 will forever be a day in Winnipeg sports history that will remain in infamy.  I say that with no sensationalism intended.  You may have seen the pictures on television of rowdy, passionate Jets fans lining the Portage and Main where it all started 40 years ago with the signing of Bobby Hull and then later, Dale Hawerchuck, breaking into impromptu street hockey games.  That spontaneous reaction was just the beginning of the passion the rest of the hockey world would bare witness to during the 2011/12 NHL season.  This a club of class, talent and yes, again, passion.  That word cannot be reiterated enough.
When True North Sports and Entertainment CEO Mark Chipman stepped up to that podium on that wonderful Tuesday morning and uttered those words that would be remembered in Winnipeg for years to come, "I am excited beyond words to announce our purchase of the Atlanta Thrashers," I teared up.  And again at the draft when he announced the team was indeed going to called the Jets, and yet again when October 9 rolled around and the sold out crowd at the MTS Centre broke the decibel meter before during and after the puck dropped at center ice to make it official.

When the original incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets left for Phoenix in 1996 to become the Coyotes, the reasons were many (a perfect storm of finances, lack of ownership, no self-sustaining arena and a weak Canadian dollar is a term a couple of sports writers accurately chose to describe the awful tragedy that was the Jets 1.0 departure) but with solid ownership, a state-of-the-art arena and a rabid fan base, this team will be here for the long-term and I predict within seven years, a Stanley Cup parade will be planned for Portage Avenue.

The return in pictures:


You see that last guy who smiled tearfully and proudly as he closed his eyes and took it all in?  That was me when my Jets officially returned against the Montreal Canadiens.  Not physically me.  But I mean I knew exactly how that guy felt and what he was thinking, as I suspect so were thousands of other Winnipeg hockey fans did.

Thank you to Mark Chipman and David Thompson for making Winnipeg Jets fans' dreams come true.

Go Jets Go!

Canada Falls to Slovakia in IIHF Semi-Finals

For the third straight year, Canada has failed to medal at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.  This time falling to Slovakia in the quarter-final round, thus making the tournament trip all for not for our supposed Kings of Hockey nation.

Ryan  Getzlaf took a undiciplined and stupid five-minute major and a game misconduct with two minutes left in regulation to allow Slovakia to score for a 4-3 win.  Winnipeg Jets teammates Evander Kane and Andrew Ladd finished the tournament with  four goals, three assists for seven points and one goal, four assists for five points, respectively.

Jim Slater's team USA also lost to Finland in another semi-final, 3-2.  He finished with two goals and one assist for three points.

The St. John's IceCaps have advanced to the American Hockey League's Eastern Conference Final against the top-ranked Norfolk Admirals by defeating the Wilkes-Barrie Scranton Penguins in game seven 3-2 in Eastern Semi-Final on Saturday. 

Kane & Ladd Doing Their Part at World Championship

It seems Winnipeg Jets Evander Kane and captain Andrew Ladd didn't get enough scoring done during the regular season and maybe their disappointing first year in Winnipeg (at least at not making the playoffs) has spurned them on enough to become integrable cogs in the Team Canada machine that has jumped to first place in their group at the IIHF world hockey championship with, as of this writing, a 5-0-1 record (one overtime loss) for 16 points.  Three points are awarded for a win, one point for an overtime loss.  Host team Finland is in second with 12 points.  As for their contributions in the scoring department, Kane three goals and two assists for five points in six games including the winner against Finland, while Ladd has contributed one goal and one assist for two points in six games.

Jets GST member Jim Slater has two goals and an assist for three points for team USA.

Jets Progress at the World Championship

Here's a report via jets.com of the progress of the Winnipeg Jets that are participating at this year's IIHF World Hockey championship.

Burmi Staying Put

Or at least he's not going back to "Mother Russia."  Yesterday a rumor out of Edmonton had Winnipeg Jets forward Alexander Burmistrov headed back to Russia for next season after his NHL entry-level contract expires this summer, accepting an offer from Ak Bars Kazan of the Russian Continental Hockey League (KHL) instead of at least a season (or less) of seasoning with the Jets minor-league affiliate, the St. John's IceCaps.  Burmistrov's agent, Mark Gandler said the rumor is not true and the young Russian is expected to re-sign with the Jets and report to training camp next season as expected.

Pavelec's Thoughts on His First Season in Winnipeg

Winnipeg Jets MVP and goaltender Ondrej Pavelec gives his thoughts to jets.nhl.com's Kristi Hennesy about his first season as a Jet in the hockey-mad city of Winnipeg.

Jets Third Jersey?

There's been talk around the rumor mill that Winnipeg Jets co-owner and Tru North Sports & Entertainment CEO Mark Chipman is warm to the idea of having the Jets possibly wear a third jersey next season that would pay homage to the Jets 1.0.  The Manitoba Moose wore the original WHA Jets colours for a game in 2010 I believe it was:

and it seemed to go over well with the fans. As per this rumor, it is being said that Chipman and company may ice the Jets a few times next year with possibly the WHA colour-scheme and the 1979-1990 logo. If done right it would be awesome and look (hopefully) like this:

Pretty cool, me thinks.

Scheifele to Join IceCaps for Remainder of Playoff Drive

After playing in the Jets line-up for seven NHL games, playing in Barrie for the Colts for their season and playoff run and in between being Canada's MVP in the Under-20 World Championships, you'd figure Mark Sceifele would be a tad tired and would appreciate some much-needed time off.  But nope.  The 2011 Winnipeg Jets first-round draft pick is extending his season to head to St. John's to help the Jets minor league affiliate IceCaps in their hunt for the Calder Cup.

You Bet Your Keister!

Winnipeg Jets fans are loud, baby!

Ladd, Kane Named to Canada Men's National Team

Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd and team mate Evander Kane have been selected to represent Canada at the 2012 IIHF World Hockey Championship.

As for Team USA, Jim Slater was named to their national team.

More the Merrier

just before the Winnipeg Jets were rightfully returned to the people of Manitoba, a lot were venturing to guess what the name of the team was going to be. There were many that said there was no way that the new Winnipeg franchise would (or should) be called the Jets for a number of reasons that I won't get into (like they would be called anything other than the Jets)
Guesses ranged from the Falcons to honor the first Olympic gold medal winning team of 1920 that hailed from Winnipeg, to Flood, to the Polar Bears. A small minority thought the name should honor a past playoff tradition, the White Out, that had Jets fans fill the old Winnipeg Arena wearing white t-shirts, dress-shirts, jerseys, what have you. It was a cool effect and quite intimidating for the opposing team.

So when the team was announced that it was indeed returning, one blogger copyrighted the name before anyone else could. I suppose the thinking was that if the team was named the White Out, True North would have to buy the rights for a pretty penny. Either that, or he simply wanted to the name to increase his volume of hits.

anyway, he's been up and running for a while now, but I just checked it out recently. If you want to take a look for yourself, here's a link to WinnipegWhiteOut.co


UPDATE: It appears there is more than one owner to WinnipegWhiteOut.com.
The two men operating the site (with contributing writers) are Jeff Stevenson and Marshall Stevenson. I'm assuming their related.m

Jets Want to Stay, Contract Talks Will Decide; Owner Couldn't Be Happier with Decision to Purchase Team

From what has been coming out of the Winnipeg Jets locker room, it appears, for the time being, that the current crop of players enjoyed their time here in their first year in Winnipeg and would like to be back. General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has a lot to think about on what players to resign as there are a few restricted free agents (Evander Kane, Kyle Wellwood & Ondrej Pavelec) and a couple of non-restricted free agents (Tanner Glass, Jim Slater, and Chris Mason) Some are no-brainers and some may take more thought as the team clearly has to get better.

Chevy says he won't mortgage the future for short-term success, but is willing to trade-up at the Entry Draft this summer.

Coach Claude Noel has stated he is adamant that things will improve next season and Jets fans will see an improved product on the ice.

As for the owners side of things, Jets co-owner David Thomson said he is euphoric about his decision to partner up with Mark Chipman in purchasing the Jets from the Atlanta Spirit group and moving them to Winnipeg and hopes to build a perennial contender for years to come.

And it appears Winnipeg's reputation with players outside the city is improving.

Jets Organization Thanks the Fans

And the Jets first year in their triumphant return to Winnipeg was so successful, financially speaking, they will not be receiving any revenue-sharing help from the NHL.

Fans Salute Jets in Final Game in 4-3 OT Loss

Even when Steven Stamkos scored his 60th goal of the year, the Winnipeg fans instantly gave him a standing ovation. Obviously nobody wanted it to be scored against the Jets in their last game and in their own building, but it was just another example of the class the hockey fans of Winnipeg have shown all season long and yet another reason why, as Hockey Night in Canada play-by-play man and Winnipeg native Dean Brown called Winnipeg Jets fans, "The best and loudest fans in hockey."

Unfortunately, the Jets couldn't give them a win to go away with over the summer as they fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 in overtime to end the inaugural season of the return of the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets fell behind 3-1 at one point on Stamkos 60th goal, but if it weren't for Ondrej Pavelec making at least three outstanding saves in the third period, after the Jets had taken over the momentum, Jim Slater wouldn't have even had the chance to tie it in the final minute with his second of the game and a career-high 13 goals. I was personally hoping that not only that the Jets would win in overtime, obviously, but that Slater to get the winner. Not only to get the hat-trick, but to get what would have been the first and only hat trick by a Jet all year; and at home to boot. It would have been sublime to see the fans at the MTS Centre raining hats down onto the ice for the first time.

There was a pre-game ceremony to hand out the Jets club awards such as the Staffmax Staffing & Recruiting Community Service Award that went to Jim Slater, the The McDiarmid Lumber Three Stars Award that was won by Ondrej Pavelec to no one's surprise, and the Dan Snyder Memorial award honoring former Atlanta Thrasher Dan Snyder who was tragically killed in an automobile accident in 2003. It was awarded to Mark Stuart.

I personally really enjoyed the season. There was of course many frustrating moments, but just to simply have a team to cheer for, your own team to cheer for instead of having to adopt a team that may play their home games hundreds of miles away. To get emotionally involved, to get happy, angry and sad with your own team performances is awesome. Even when they lose (and I'll probably never admit this again-once you get over that loss-it's great just to have a team in my own back yard again.

This team is young, but boy, is there some talent on this club. You must remember most of the top talent on this Jets team is under 25 years old. Evander Kane is just 21, Alexander Burmistrov is 20, Zach Bogosian is 21 and they have had more than a few eyes on them this season, especially during the trade deadline back in March. These young Jets have skill and they can only get better. This team can only get better. I believe in the Jets management plan of building this team through the draft and free agency with character players with skill and heart. It will pay off, of that I have no doubt. Like I've said before, I sincerely believe this Winnipeg Jets team will be in the Stanley Cup final by 2016. I don't know if we'll win, but we'll be there. Remember there's still guys like Mark Scheiffele, Ivan Telegan, Spencer Makachuck, Paul Postma and Carl Klingberg still to come.
I don't put any faith whatsoever in the naysayers that say it's still Winnipeg and still the same ol' Winnipeg team that nobody wants to play for. When management builds a class organization and builds a culture of winning, as the saying goes, if you build it they will come.

I hope coach Claude Noel can improve the club (and I have no doubt he will) and keeps his sense of humor with the press corps. I look forward to new stories, such as his anecdotes about his time with the Buffalo Norsemen of the North American Hockey League in 1976 and his team's dealings with the infamous Carlson brothers (aka the Hansons of the legendary Slap Shot film.)

I can't wait for next year and to cheer the Jets onto the playoffs in a wild, decibel-shattering MTS Centre and hopefully have to take the afternoon off of work to see the boys cruise down Portage Avenue with the Stanley Cup on display for all to see.

Hey, one can dream. But it will happen one day soon in Winnipeg.



The Winnipeg Jets inaugural season recap from jets.nhl.com



Go Jets Go!

Just the Beginning

Well, after 15 years out of the biggest, most prestigious professional hockey league on the planet, the Winnipeg Jets returned to the most rabid, intelligent, hockey-sense fans that were so glad to have their team back. The fans of Winnipeg showed their love of their team by committing to them by selling out the MTS Centre for at least the next two years (after selling out their inaugural season this year) and possibly for three after that. They also now have the reputation as being the loudest, most rabid fans in the NHL. So much so in fact that they now have the reputation that make the MTS Centre an intimidating place for opposition teams to play. Add to that, the fans may now be the reason why free agents may want to come here in their search for a championship. I don't know how many times I've heard play-by-play men or commentators mention how Jets fans are talked about "everywhere we go." Winnipeg hockey fans really have been the seventh player on the ice each and every home game for the Jets.

The culture of winning may be a few years off from cementing itself here in the Peg, but players throughout the league know how rabid and knowledgeable the Winnipeg hockey fans are. They know how the passion of fans can influence the outcome of an important game by getting their team pumped up. It's that extra jump rabid fans give their team to overcome a lead by the opposition, to give them that extra oomph to maybe light a fire under them to give them a jump after the opposition gets an early lead, or a power-play goal. Jets fans, you have to remember showed up in the hundreds (if not the low thousands) just to watch the Jets rookies at the MTS IcePlex practice facility back in August.

Whatever the reason teams play better in front of their home crowd, the Jets fans especially, have it. If only the Jets played most or all of their games at home and they would in the playoffs right now...as would most teams I suspect. But as for the Jets not making the playoffs, I'm not going to use the excuse of them "still being the same team as Atlanta." They were good enough to win games they didn't win. They let games go they should have had. Games against the Islanders, Carolina, Edmonton and even Philadelphia should have gotten away from them. A lead in a home game against the Flyers with 10 seconds left that the Jets let get away on Feb. 21 still stings me to this day.

But even though the Jets failed to make the playoffs, I can't view this season as anything other than a success. Sell-out crowds at home, coast-to-coast well-wishing for our team being back, a rabid home crowd at every single game and a general feel-good atmosphere within the city for a prodigal long-lost son's return and not to mention a cool new tradition of the True North "shout out" in the national anthem. I can't wait for next year.

Read on for Eric Postma's take on the Jets first season past.

Mark Chipman Press Conference

Jets owner and True North Sports and Entertainment CEO Mark Chipman spoke to the press on a number of subjects including his opinion on the Jets season, the fans and the Jets future model for success.

See-Saw In Long Island Goes to Islanders

In a game where the Jets never had the lead, they nevertheless battled back on every New York goal, but still came up short falling to the Islanders 5-4.

For the second time on this road trip, the Jets fell behind 2-0, but rallied back to tie it up on goals by Tobias Enstrom and Andrew Ladd. For Ladd, that was his fourth goal in four games. Kyle Okposo put New York up 3-2, before Zach Bogosian scored on a nice play from Chris Thorburn to tie it up again.

Even though a very questionable penalty shot was called on Dustin Bufuglien and Okposo capitalized with a low stick-side shot on Chris Mason for his second of the game, Bufuglien made up for it just 34 seconds later with a blast from the blue line that cleanly beat Islander goalie Al Montoya. It was Bufuglien's second goal of the game. That made it 4-4.

Just as it looked as though the Jets would be in their fourth straight overtime game, Michael Grabner potted the winner with a tip off of a Travis Hamonic point shot with just 44 seconds left.

Even though, the Jets didn't play terrible, coach Claude Noel wasn't accepting any excuses for the loss, saying "You're a professional. This is the profession you've chosen. Show up on time...do your job." After watching this game against one of the lower-end teams in the league, I have to say I concur. This is a team the Jets should have beaten.

The Jets wrap up the 2011-2012 season at home on Saturday in the friendly confines of the MTS Centre against the Tampa Bay Lightning.



A disappointed Claude Noel

Another Comeback Win on the Road

If only they could have played like this on the road earlier in the season, they would be examining their playoff tactics right now. As it is, the Winnipeg Jets will take this big come from behind road victory in overtime against the Florida Panthers 5-4.
This is the best road trip of the season for the Jets, as they took five out of a possible six points.

Once again it was captain Andrew Ladd, who had trouble finding the net on the road this season, that scored the winner 3:12 into the extra frame. It was Ladd's second goal of the game and his 27th goal of the season. The assist came from a nice drop-pass by Blake Wheeler. This was the second game-winner in overtime for Ladd on this road trip. Evander Kane tallied one in the third. It was his 30th.

Zach Bogosian and Bryan Little also scored for the Jets.

The game looked to be out of reach early as the Cats dominated the first half of the game, leading 3-0 midway through the second period. But after Spencer Machachek fed a nice pass to Kane in the Panther crease on a two-on-one to put the Jets on the board, the roles reversed and the Jets took over. The assist was Machachek's ninth point in the seven games since his call-up.

If it wasn't for Ondrej Pavelec, the game wouldn't have gone into overtime as he stopped Thomas Fleischmann cold on a clear-cut breakaway with 20 seconds left in regulation time after the Jets had almost ended it themselves at the other end with Jose Theodore down and Tobias Enstrom just missing a blast from the slot. It was a redemption of sorts for Pavelec who let in a wrist-shot in the top right corner by Tomas Kopeky from a tight angle to allow the tying goal late in the third when he strayed a touch from the post.

The game meant way more for the Panthers than it did for the Jets, as the Panthers were looking to clinch the South-East division and their first playoff spot for the first time in 12 years. It is the longest playoff drought in NHL history. Yes, longer than the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although they did get a point, the Panthers will have to wait until Thursday for another kick at the can when they visit the Washington Capitals as the Buffalo Sabres also came back from 3-0 against the Leafs tonight to win 6-5, also in overtime. They are not even guaranteed a playoff spot as both the Sabres and the Capitals would win the tie-breaker rule over the Panthers should a tie at the end of the season occur, as at the present moment, both the Capitals and Sabres have more wins than Florida who have 37 while the Caps have 40 and the Sabres 39.



The Jets have two games left in the season. Next up is Thursday when they're in Long Island to take on the Islanders, then to finish off the season, they host the Tampa Bay Lightning at the MTS Centre.

Wellwood Out with Broken Foot

Like Tanner Glass who suffered a broken foot suffered in the March 30 game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Kyle Wellwood has been sent back to Winnipeg from Sunrise, Florida with a broken ankle. He suffered the injury when he took a point shot off his foot from Grant Clisome in Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning that ended in a 3-2 overtime loss which resulted in ending the Jets playoff hopes for this season. The injury not only ends Wellwood's season, but any chance he had of procuring a career-high season in goals. He tied his own marker of 18 in the game against the Bolts.


The Jets have re-called Patrice Cormier from the St. John's Ice Caps to fill Wellwood's spot.

Chipman Won't Deviate from Long-Term Plan

Although disappointed to be eliminated from this year's NHL playoffs, Jets owner and True North Sports & Entertainment CEO Mark Chipman says his organization won't deviate from the long-term plan to bring on-ice success to the Winnipeg Jets.

Ladd: Jets Missing the Playoffs "A Failure"

Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd is sorely disappointed that his team was officially eliminated from the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs and says the fact the Jets won't be in the post-season is "a failure."

Officially Out

The Winnipeg Jets hopes for a miracle finish to their first season back in Winnipeg to get into the NHL playoffs have officially come to an end tonight as they fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in overtime.

Although the unthinkable happened elsewhere with the hapless Toronto Maple Leafs defeating the streaking Buffalo Sabres 4-3, which would have substantially helped the Jets, their fate was sealed with the Washington Capitals beating the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in a shootout.

Not to sound like I'm sucking on sour grapes, but the refs did no favours for the Jets tonight as they pretty much gave away the game to the Bolts with four straight power-plays, including two consecutive five-on-threes. Andrew Ladd was slashed by Victor Hedman (no call) and when he took exception and got into the face of Hedman, Ladd drew the extra two minutes and a 10-minute misconduct that ended his night when he and Hedman went to the sin bin for fighting. Before that fracas, Blake Wheeler was slashed and then cross-checked consecutively in the back and head with again no call by either official. That negated the rare power-play for the Jets at the time and the Lightning then scored on the ensuing power-play and momentum was on their side. Steven Stamkos, the NHL's leading scorer, then scored in the extra period to end it. The winning goal was the result of the linesman missing an icing call when the Lightning clearly shot the puck in from their side of center. Dustin Byfuglien seemed to think so as he played the puck as he would expecting a whistle and was upset with the nearest referee and plead his case after Stamkos scored.

Flight Plan

A closer look at the NHL's greatest fans.

OT Road Win in Raleigh

Since the Jets chances are so slim to overtake the Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres for the eighth and final playoff spot in the NHL Eastern Conference (and if Buffalo wins just one more time, they will be officially eliminated) I won't even mention any wins would help them immensely, but a win is a win and they got one tonight as the Jets defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in overtime tonight, winning the season series four games to two.

Captain Andrew Ladd scored the winner 16 seconds into overtime breaking a 17-game road goalless drought.

At 16:46 of the first period, it looked as though the Jets were in for another long night as Eric Staal out-hustled Tim Stapleton to notch a short-handed goal, just as the Jets gave up to the New York Rangers two nights ago. However, the Jets power-play went 1-3 as Kyle Wellwood scored the Jets only PP marker late in the third on a double minor to Canes Jiri Tlusty for high-sticking Evander Kane.
The goal set a new career-high for points for Wellwood, now with 46 (17 goals and 29 assists) on the season. He is now the fifth Jet this season to set a career-high marker. The others are Ondrej Pavelec for wins (28 so far), Evander Kane for goals and points (29 g 24 a 53 p so far), Tim Stapleton for goals (11 so far) and Jim Slater for goals (10 so far).

Chris Mason got a rare start in place of Pavelec and made several key saves to procure a rare road Jets victory. Zach Bogosian scored three points, all assists including the winner. Nik Antropov scored the opening goal, his first back since missing the last four games with an injury. It was his fourth goal in his last fourth game played.

Although the Jets controlled the opening tempo and scored first, they were outworked and outplayed by the Hurricanes in the first period. The second was pretty even, then Mason was brilliant in the third, staying cool and making multiple glove saves to stymie the Hurricanes forwards.

Four games left.

The Jettys

Here are your Winnipeg Jets 2011-2012 Achievement Awards, aka The Jettys.

Best Pass: Nik Antropov
Best Save: Ondrej Pavelec
Best Goal: Chris Thorburn

Still trying to find the videos to embed.
That is all.

Jets Lose to Rangers, Playoffs Only a Dream

So with last night's loss the the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers, the Winnipeg Jets hopes of a miraculous winning streak to keep their already slim to none playoff hopes alive are now dead in the water. Unbelievably, they are still "mathematically" still in the hunt for the eighth and final playoff spot, but, really, they're done. There will be no last game heroics in the vein of the 1988 New Jersey Devils that will allow them to steal the final spot in the hunt for Lord Stanley's mug in 2012.

The Rangers showed the 1oth-placed Jets exactly why they are one of this seasons elite teams, handing the home team a 6-4 loss in front of an uncharacteristically quiet MTS Centre crowd.

Slim But Still In

The chances of the Winnipeg Jets making it to the 2012 NHL playoffs are most definitely slim and none. But they are as of this writing still in...mathematically speaking. Of course they would have to go on a club-record seven-game winning streak (starting tonight against the conference-leading New York Rangers) and hope the Buffalo Sabres completely fall apart for the rest of their regular-season record, something that has as much chance of happening as the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the cup in our lifetime. Okay, maybe they have a better chance than that, but it's still pretty dire.

Jets Sign University of Maine Defenceman O'Neill

The Winnipeg Jets have signed 2006 draft pick Will O'Neill of the University of Maine Black Bears. He will report to the St. John's Ice Caps of the AHL.

The Best Home in Hockey

The Winnipeg Free Press's Gary Lawless shares his thoughts in a very good and inspiring column that shines the spotlight on the love and adoration of the Winnipeg Jets fans on the Jets first year, and evermore, back in Winnipeg. Winnipeg, the best home in the NHL, period.

Jets Season All But Gone with Loss to Senators

With tonight's 6-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators, the Winnipeg Jets 2011-12 season, one that saw plenty of excitement and one that was, although not the Cinderella campaign Jets fans were hoping for, may have been one to remember, but is all but over as the Jets remain in 10th place in the Eastern Conference still four points behind Washington and six points behind the eighth-place Buffalo Sabres with only six games remaining.

As for this game, it was billed as a game both teams drastically needed to win and both teams answered that call as it was end to end to the start. Both teams had plenty of chances to blow it open and both goalies answered the call. The Jets out shot the Sens 48-35 , a season-record for shots in one game for the club. Ottawa had the better scoring chances and if it wasn't for Ondjre Pavelec the results could have been much worse. However, Sens goaltender Craig Anderson wasn't exactly left to rot in his crease as he also had to be sharp.

Kyle Wellwood had a chance in the second period to take the lead for the Jets, which they never did have tonight, when he as awarded a penalty shot after being hooked and slashed when he was sent in alone on a feed from Andrew Ladd.
Once again, give-a-ways destroyed any chance the Jets had to create any momentum. And although they battled hard and had lots of shots and scoring chances and they didn't give up when Ottawa twice scored quickly in response to Jets goals (including the winning goal) they just couldn't match up with Ottawa's potent scoring punch.

Mathematically, the Jets are still in the hunt for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, as minute as a chance that they have, but now they really have to have other teams win games for them in hopes of slowing down the teams ahead of them. A nearly impossible task, especially since Buffalo and Washington play each other this week and the Jets host the NHL-leading New York Rangers on Wednesday. The next few games will tell if "mathematically" is just code for not a chance.



Coach Noel post-game press conference


Illegal Curve Post-game podcast

Jets Playoff Hopes Get Slimmer with Loss in Nashville

Even though the Jets seemed to be inspired by last night's come from behind victory in Washington, as they had a lot of jump in their game; it apparently wasn't enough as the Jets playoff hopes got more difficult tonight as they fell to the Nashville Predators 3-1 coupled with the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. They remain six points ahead of the Jets in the Eastern Conference and hold on to the seventh spot. The Capitals were idle tonight and stay four points ahead in eighth. It is painfully obvious that every game is a must win and help is needed now from other teams in the conference as it appears the Jets fate is no longer in their own hands.

NHL Eastern Conference standings

Jets Comeback to Win

For the second time this season, the Winnipeg Jets came from behind in the last few minutes of the game to tie the Washington Capitals, then win in extra time. This time it was by a score of 4-3 in overtime after trailing the Caps 3-0.

After Jason Chimera opened the scoring for the Capitals, Alexander Ovechkin scored back-to-back tallies and it looked like a long night ahead of the visiting Jets. But after the hard-working the fourth line of Tim Stapleton, Spencer Machacek and Ben Maxwell due to their hard work, Machachuk scored his first NHL goal and Stapleton notched the winner for his tenth after Maxwell got the Jets on the board in the second period. The Capitals only managed two shots on net in the third period.

This win, remarkably, marks the first time this season the Jets won after trailing the game after two periods. Before this night, their record on that matter was 0-22-3. This win was also another streak-bust of sorts, as Washington lost for the first time this season when leading after two periods.

The win keeps the Jets playoff hopes alive as they now trail this same Washington team by four points for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, although Buffalo defeated the conference-leading New York Rangers tonight and are still tied for for eighth with the Capitals with 82 points.