Redmond Released from Hospital

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Zach Redmond has been released from a South Carolina hospital after recovering from a lacerated artery operation that was needed after a freak accident in practice wherein a team mate fell on Redmond and cut into his leg.  With his season done, Redmond is now convalescing at home in Traverse City, Michigan.

Jets Come Home 4-1 from Road Trip

The Winnipeg Jets have turned their road fortunes around 180 degrees from last season as they had a most successful road trip through the Eastern Conference with four wins and one loss against some of the NHL's elite teams.  They continued those fortunes Tuesday night as they beat the struggling New York Rangers 4-3 with two goals each from Olli Jokinen and Evander Kane.  Kane's goals give him nine on the season, trailing the team's goal-scoring leader, captain Andrew Ladd.  It also set a franchise record for points in consecutive games at nine.

It's a far cry from the Jets innaugural 2011-2012 season when they didn't have their first road win until their ninth game into the season, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in an epic offensive battle, 9-8.

In fact the Jets road record as it stands, 6-4-1 is better than their overall record of 9-9.  Their home record that they pretty much depended on last season is at 3-5 this year and The Hanger so far, is not the intimidating place it was for visiting teams as it was last season.  Hopefully their latest road performance will segue into more success at the MTS Centre, starting Thursday in a rematch against the New Jersey Devils.

Jets Play Strong to Defeat Devils

The Winnipeg Jets gave no quarter last night as they took advantage of every opportunity they were given, while at the same time denying The New Jersey Devils all of theirs, including going 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.  The Jets finally managed to pot a powerplay goal after going 0-for-21 in the last five games, defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-2.

Antti Miettnen lasted all of 17 seconds, as he was re-injured in his first shift back.  It is reported as a lower-body injury.  Reportedly, the puck rolled up his stick at caught him in the nether-regions.  Dustin Byfuglien also went down with an injury after hitting the boards awkwardly in the third period.

Andrew Ladd continued his scoring as he continues to lead all NHL captains in goals scored with 10.

This was also the third straight game in which the Jets scored within the first two minutes to take the early lead.  Something the team had trouble with early in the season, as they've had to battle from behind too many times this season.

Evander Kane extended his point-scoring streak to seven games with his breakaway winner.  He can break the franchise record Tuesday night in New York against the Rangers with one point.

Penalties, "Special" Team Cost Jets in Philly

Bad timing and even worse decision-making led to penalties taken by the Winnipeg Jets that cost them a two-goal lead over the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period (including a full two-minute five-on-three) that eventually led to a Wayne Simmonds goal that turned out to be the winner as the Jets lost to the Flyers 5-3 at the Wells Fargo Center.

The main reason for the loss (which was Winnipeg's first road loss in five games) other than poor discipline, was their anemic, non-existent powerplay that now stands at 0-for-21 in the last eight games.

Jets Recall Julian Melchiori from IceCaps

Due to the injury of blue liner Zach Redmond, the Winnipeg Jets have called up defenceman Julian Melchiori from the minor-league affiliate St. John IceCaps.

Jets Win One for Redmond

After the morning practice injury to defenceman Zach Redmond that saw him rushed to a local Raliegh hospital for a sliced vein in his leg after being sliced by a falling team mate, the Winnipeg Jets played hard and fast as they as an inspired group and outlasted the South-East division-leading Carolina Hurricanes for a 4-3 victory.
This is the second win in a row for the Jets who are on a five-game road trip and their third consecutive road win.  Captain Andrew Ladd scored in his 500th NHL game against the team that drafted him and with whom he won his first Stanley Cup.

Blake Wheeler came out of his low-scoring funk to notch two goals, including the winner.  The Jets continue their longest road trip of the season against the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers.

Redmod Injured at Practice

Winnipeg Jets defenceman Zach Redmond was injured during practice today in Carolina when he was cut on the back of the leg by a falling team-mate during a scrum in front of the net.  He had severed a vein in his He was taken to a local hospital where he under went emergency surgery and is in stable condition.
More on the story by the Winnipeg Free Press's Ed Tait.

Jets Open Season-Long Road Trip with Win Over Buffalo

The Winnipeg Jets left their three straight losses at home...at home as they played smart defensive hockey, aided by key saves by Ondrej Pavelec and defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1.  Bryan Little, Evander Kane, Blake Wheeler and captain Andrew Ladd were the hardest-working Jets on this night  wherein the Jets dominated most of the game, save for the last five minutes of the second period when the Sabres scored with 22 seconds left.  Little opened the scoring with a goal one minute in.  It's the second straight game the Jets have allowed a late goal and the third time this season.  They did the same last year and the lax defense late in periods still seems to be a problem for the team.

However on this night the Jets managed to take advantage of another struggling team as the Sabres have now lost two straight and the last four out of five.

Jets Are in Big Trouble

If the 2012-2013 Winnipeg Jets' road record is anything like last year, then this year's group might want to start making reservations for tee time.  Yes, only a quarter of the shortened 2012-2013 season has come and gone, but if the Jets road record continues to be like it was last year; the boys in double blue are in big trouble.

It seems the magic of playing in front of their home-town fans at the MTS Centre may have faded.  And not just a little.  At no time last season did the Jets lose four straight hockey games at home.  If they did, with the honeymoon going on over the return of the team after a 15-year absence, they would have been forgiven.  But that honeymoon is over and the hockey fans of Winnipeg now expect, nay, demand results.  That's not to say most fans in Winnipeg don't have patience.  They have it in spades (how long would you wait for the NHL to return to your city?)
But with the exception of the first home game against Pittsburgh, the first game against the Capitals in Washington and the last two home games against Pittsburgh and Boston, the Jets haven't earned the fans respect of being a team that works hard.  Maybe the remnants of last season's GST line, Mark Stuart and Chris Thorburn have, but that's about it.  Coach Claude Noel agreed with that sentiment when he told the Winnipeg media that he "[doesn't] like the way we play."  A result of that is a current stay in the NHL basement along with the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets.

So if the Jets are hard-pressed for goals and/or victories inside the friendly confines of the MTS Centre with a road record that has minimally improved since last season, what hope to they have of cinching a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference?  Again, it's only 25 percent of the season gone and of course they can still turn it around and salvage maybe even more than just a playoff appearance, but they better start playing desperate and hard like they have in the last two games against the Penguins and Bruins, because eventually if they continue that kind of rugged play the bounced will go their way.  If not, they may as well start planning for next season.  It's something the team is reportedly trying to remedy.

Bruins Ground Jets

For the fourth straight game, the Winnipeg Jets have lost at home.  This time at the hands of the Boston Bruins, 3-2.
It was the first time the Jets scored the opening goal in their last six games and it was the second such contest in which they outplayed their opponents and kept it close with an elite NHL squad, but still couldn't come up with the victory.  to The Jets went 0-2 on the powerplay, which puts them at 0-12 in their last twelve going back the last five games.

Evander Kane scored his ?? of the season, ending an eight-game scoreless drought.  A goal by Daniel Paille with 1.5 seconds left, 25 seconds after Kane's go ahead marker in the second period, pretty much broke the Jets back, even though they battled to the end.  In the words of Zach Bogosian, it was a "buzz-kill."

The Jets now find themselves at the bottom of the NHL standings with 11 points, tied with Washington and only slightly better than the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets.

Penguins Take Down Jets

Their game was better, the "A" players showed more life and grit, but that still wasn't enough for the Winnipeg Jets to overcome a game-long 1-0 deficit, then a chintzy referee-assisted five-on-three powerplay with 1:18 left in regulation after Mark Stuart received a (non) tripping call 22 seconds after Zach Redmond was sent off for interference that also wasn't.  Penguins' Craig Adams then finished off with an empty-netter to make it a final 3-1 Pittsburgh victory.

BOGO IN, TOBY OUT

Just as Zach Bogosian made his return for his first game of the shortened season, Tobias Enstrom left the game just two and a half minutes in with an upper-body injury at the hands of Penguins Pascal Dupuis.  There has been, as of yet, no evaluation on Enstrom made to the public.

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Ponikarovsky Traded for Draft Picks

The Winnipeg Jets have traded Alexei Ponikerovsky after only 12 games back to the New Jersey Devils for a fourth-round pick in this summer's upcoming NHL Entry Draft and a seventh-round pick in 2014.

Bogo Ready to Go Against Pens; Tangradi will Be in Lineup

The Winnipeg Jets could have some extra size on the blueline as well as some offensive punch as defenseman Zach Bogosian feels he's ready to go after healing from wrist surgery over the summer. 

After arriving from Pittsburgh, that saw Eric Tangradi traded to the Jets for a seventh-round draft pick in this summer's Entry Draft, the power forward says he's excited to come to Winnipeg and to get an opportunity with the Jets.

Jets Trade Picks for Pittsburgh's Tangradi

The Winnipeg Jets have acquired forward Eric Tangradi from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a seventh round pick in this year's draft.

Pasquale Called Up from St. John's

The Winnipeg Jets have called up St. John's Ice Caps goaltender Eddie Paquale to back up Ondrej Pavelec as Al Montoya suffered a lower body injury against the Flyers on Tuesday.

Too Little, Too Late

Down by two with 45 seconds left in regulation time, the Winnipeg Jets managed to make the last moments exciting as Andrew Ladd scored his second of the game, but it wasn't enough as the Jets fell 3-2 to the Philadelphia Flyers at the MTS Centre Tuesday night.

Jetcetera: First Season Highlites

Geoff Kirbyson and the Jetcetera gang have compiled a collage of their best vignettes from last season.

Postma Trade Bait?

As the National Hockey League's April 3rd trade deadline approaches, teams wishing to strengthen up their rosters for a push to the playoffs will be making offers to each other and that doesn't exclude Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff  from listening to offers.  According to the Winnipeg Free Press's Gary Lawless, Paul Postma is the most attractive and moveable asset the Jets own.

Byfuglien To Play Against Flyers

Dustin Byfuglien says he feels good and is ready to go.  The decision is of course up to Coach Claude Noel at game time, but with the Jets losing their last four out of six and Tobias Enstrom carrying most of the offensive workload on defense, Big Buff and his big shot would certainly be a welcomed revelation.

Jets Plays of the Year (So Far)

Montoya Stands Tall to Blank Senators

Al Montoya got his second start Saturday afternoon and he turned away everything that was thrown at him as the Winnipeg Jets played aggressive hockey for the entire 60 minutes and hung on to beat the Ottawa Senators 1-0.
 

Jets Find Way to Lose to Leafs

After giving up two different leads and a short-handed goal, the Winnipeg Jets took a needless penalty late in the third and ended Phil Kessel's season-long goal-scoring drought as he blasted one past Ondrej Pavelec for his first of the season and the Leafs first lead of the game that was all they needed to hold off the Jets 3-2 Friday at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.  The Leafs are now 5-1 on the road this season.

Jets defenceman Zach Redmond scored his first National Hockey League goal as he converted a nifty Bryan Little pass into the Jets first short-handed goal of the season.
Tobias Enstrom continued his points scoring streak as he had an assist on Andrew Ladd's go ahead marker in the second period that gives him 10 along with his two goals for 12 points to lead all NHL defensemen in points scored.  It was Enstrom's eighth straight game with a point.

The Jets power-play continues to be non-existent as they went 0-5 with the man advantage.

The Jets are now 4-5-1 after 10 games and remain third in the South East division and 10th in the Eastern Conference.  They now head to Ottawa to face te Senators on Saturday, then back to the MTS Centre for the next three games against mighty Eastern Conference opponents Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins.

The teams trading back-to-back short-handed goals may be an NHL record...

Scheifele Sent Back to Barrie; Carlyle to be Honored

Center Mark Scheifele has been returned to his OHL junior team by the Winnipeg Jets Thursday, citing reasons that it wasn't his performance that resulted in this decision, but that there really was no place for him in the line-up right now.  Scheifele was a healthy scratch for four games and management would have had to exorcise his entry-level contract if he had been on the Jets roster after five games played.  Scheifele scored no points in his three games he played.

-Former Winnipeg Jets long-time defenseman and Manitoba Moose and current Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle will be honored by the Winnipeg Jets for his contribution to hockey in the city and community.  a video package will be played to the MTS crowd during a the first television timeout.

-Both Dustin Byfuglien and Zach Bogosian were skating during Jets practice today before tonight's game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Byfuglien is day-to-day with a upper body injury and Bogosian is recovering from wrist surgery.  Bogosian's appearance is a welcome one for the Jets and it may show that Bogo may be back in the line-up sooner rather than later.

Jets Barely Beat Panthers

The Winnipeg Jets snapped a three-game losing skid in a game where they were again out-worked and were scored on first, but battled to another-come-from-behind overtime victory against the Florida Panthers, 3-2.
Brian Little notched the winner for his second of the season.

The penalty kill wasn't the problem this time, but the power-play looked anemic as the Panthers were able to clear the defensive zone seemingly at will and stood up the Jets at the blueline, not allowing them the chance to set up for the PP.  In fact, the Panthers were so stingy defensively, they kept the Jets to just three shots in the first period and just two in the third.
The winner looked like it wasn't meant to be as the Jets barely made the zone after great defensive battles along the boards by the Florida defense core.  But as Little broke into the zone with 16 seconds left in the extra frame-his 200th NHL point-he let a wrist shot go that beat Scott Clemmensen just over his left shoulder.  Blake Wheeler also scored his 200th NHL point with his fourth goal that tied the game at one in the first period.

More stats on the game:

-Tobias Enstrom scored his 10th point of the season with his assist on Wheeler's goal that keeps him tops in NHL scoring for defensemen.

-Zach Redmond got two assists, including the winner, for his first two NHL points.

-The Jets came into the game with the NHL's highest scoring defense core with eight goals and 26 points among Winnipeg's blue-liners.

True North Foundation Introduces 'Project 11'

Mental-health awareness program inspired by Rick Rypien's passing.

The Hockey Writers: Jets Defensive Issues; Noel Should Be Concerned

The boys at The Hockey Writers.com have some concerns for Winnipeg Jets head coach Claude Noel concerning the Jets nearly invisible defensive game as of late.

Can the Jets Get Their Mojo Back?

The Winnipeg Free Press's Ed Tait discusses how and why the Jets have lost their mojo and can they get it back?

An Open Letter to Phoenix Coyotes Fans

With the apparent failure of Greg Jamison to get a last minute deal done before midnight on January 31st to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes (aka Winnipeg Jets 1.0) the Glendale, AZ city council has nixed the deal that they would have honored that was made by the council and the NHL prior to the January deadline.

A deal to former San Jose Sharks owner Greg Jamison had been drafted but was failed to be finalized and fulfilled by January 31, 2013. The deal would have seen the Coyotes stay in Phoenix for the next 20 years relying on a tax payer subsidy, according to the agreement. It would also have had 'Phoenix' dropped from the name and instead use the more inclusive term 'Arizona'." Failure to complete the pending deal with Greg Jamison has led to wide spread speculation that the Phoenix Coyotes may be destined for relocation to either Quebec City Quebec, Seattle Washington, or Markham Ontario.  -Wikipedia

So with the seemingly inevitable demise of the Coyotes forthcoming, it looks like another NHL city-moreover it's fans-will be losing an National Hockey League team.  With that, SB Nation's Yaw Axis has an open letter to Phoenix Coyotes fans, letting them know Winnipeg hockey fans feel their pain.

2013 Pre-Game Video

For those of you who have been fortunate enough to actually get a ticket and witness a Jets game at the MTS Centre, you will have already seen this.  For the unfortunate rest of us, here is what greeted those who passed through the (non-existent) turnstiles at MTS Centre at game one versus Ottawa.

Jets Hammered in Tampa

I told you.  After letting six goals by the Florida Panthers last night, the Winnipeg Jets were in Tampa tonight to take on the Lightning and were welcomed by their hosts to a 8-3 shellacking.  Ondrej Pavelec was pulled in the second period after letting in five goals on 14 shots allowed and his replacement, back goalie Al Montoya, fared no better letting in three himself on only 11 shots.  The Winnipeg defense was nowhere to be found tonight.

The special teams were the Jets undoing once again on this road trip as the Lightning were able to score three powerplay goals in the first period alone.  The Jets penalty kill is to be desired to say the least.  Although Winnipeg did manage to pot two PP goals of their own in the third period, it was way too little too late, as the Bolts already enjoyed a four goal cushion by then.  This was also the fifth game in a row that the Jets allowed the first goal in the game.