Jets Sign Another Heroic Junior Draftee

You can add the name of Nic Petan to the short list of young players that have not only proved Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff almost prophetic in his ability to draft young scoring talent (as well as defensive ones as seen by the steady play of Jacob Trouba) as we have already seen in not only Trouba, a 2012 first-round pick, but also in 2011 first round pick Mark Scheifele-as evidenced by his heroics in the 2013 IIHF World Junior tournament-with Petan signing with the Jets today.  The Portland Winterhawk currently sits second in the Western Hockey League scoring race.  He will develop further  with the St. John's IceCaps in the American Hockey League for the foreseeable future.


Look for future Jets Joshua Morrissey (2013 first-round pick) and Adam Lowry (2011 third-round pick) to most-likely continue the trend.

Wheeler's Last Second OT Goal Wheeler Pushes Jets Past Avs

A two-point night by Blake Wheeler, including the overtime winner with 1.4 seconds remaining, gave the Winnipeg Jets just their second back-to-back win since Nov. 25-27, defeating the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 at the Pepsi Center in Denver. 
Jets starting goaltender Al Montoya stood strong yet again to push his record to 7-2, perhaps earning himself some more playing time than expected; enough even to start a "goalie controversy," especially now that Ondrej Pavelec has seemingly developed some confidence problems.

Jets Battle Past Wild

A sloppy first period in which both teams combined for seven goals that chased starting goalie Ondrej Pavelec from the net after allowing three goals on six shots.  He was very visibly irate as he smashed his stick on the boards on his way to the bench, before finishing the job as he stormed down the hall to the dressing room.  He would not return to the Jets bench until the start of the second period.

After everything was said and done, and the jets able to settle themselves down, Al Montoya came in relief of Pavelec and the Jets were able to out chance the visiting Minnesota Wild 6-4 with Toby Enstrom scoring into an empty net to seal the Jets first win over their Central division rivals in four tries.

Jets Dip Below .500 Again After Loss to Canucks

The Jets were in Vancouver last night and according to Coach Claude Noel, they played a good road game and were in it until the winning goal by the Canucks' Chris Tanev, formerly of the Manitoba Moose.  Vancouver won 2-1.

Only 'Cause This Image is Awesome!

                                   

Jets Give Fans Early Xmas Gift

For their last game at home at the MTS Centre before the new year, the Winnipeg Jets decided to reward their loyal, win-starved fans with an early Christmas present; a victory over the visiting Flroida Panthers, 5-2. Their first home win in seven, count 'em seven tries.

On the strength of two power-play goals, 33 seconds apart as part of what started as a five-on-three for the Jets, but ended up with and extra 2:00 power-play.  The Jets dominated the pace and finally showed that they can shut down games.
It seemed that every player donned in a Navy Blue jersey knew their assignments well and executed to a tee, thus making it difficult to praise any one individual.  

But to name names you heard as play-by-play announcer Dennis Bayak's voice increasing with volume and excitement every time they were about to make something happen include, Jacob Trouba, Michael Frolic, Andrew Ladd, Tobias Enstrom, Zach Bogosian and Evander Kane.  You'll notice that's three defencemen that helped garner the victory.

A good, all-round performance, as Coach Claude Noel's name had some baring on the outcome at this, the season of giving.  Or, taking in the Jets case, as in two points.

The Jets are now back at .500 with a 16-16-5 record, good enough for 37 points.  Although probably not good enough when you consider 74 points were up for grabs.  A paltry 20 percent.   But things are coming together me thinks.  The younglings are starting to know and accept their roles.  Trouba and Scheifele are going to make Winnipeg hockey fans proud for a long while.  Kane, Wheeler, Frolic and Jokinen are starting to come on at the right time.  A good run before the Olympic break could turn things around immensely.
And Poland could win the the gold medal at those very Olympics come this February.  But I digress.

Bogo Back in Against Panthers

Winnipeg Jets defenceman Zach Bogosian will be back in the line-up for tonights tilt against the Florida Panthers at the MTS Centre.

Jets Lose to League's Worst

Now that they have lost to the NHL's worst team (and quite handily at that) after being embarrassed by the lowly Buffalo Sabres 4-2, do the Jets themselves get to carry that moniker now?
After they way they played tonight, it's fitting.

Jets Beat Blue Jackets to Snap Three-Game Losing Skid

Maybe the Winnipeg Jets should just stay on the road.  It seems to be treating them a lot more kindly.  After staking a two-goal lead, the Columbus Blue Jackets came back to make it close, but the Jets were able to shut this one down in yet another one-goal game, this time 3-2.  It's one of the few times this season that the Jets never lost the lead in the game.

Evander Kane made a triumphant return off of injured reserve with a goal, his eighth; including the winner.  He also had an assist on the Jets first goal, scored by Mark Scheifele; his fourth.

NOTE: Is the Winnipeg Jets, anemic, NHL-worst power-play starting to come alive?  Probably not, especially after only going 1 for 6 on the PP tonight, but it has been stirring the last couple of games as the Jets have notched power-play goals in four straight games.

Peluso Suspended for Three Games

Winnipeg Jets forward Anthony Peluso has been suspended three games by the NHL for a boarding hit on Dallas Stars defenceman Alex Goligoski during the Jets-Stars games Saturday afternoon.

Jets Offer No Excuses After Loss to Stars

After going down 6-4 at the hands of the visiting Dallas Stars, members of the winnipeg Jets were in no mood to offer anymore excuses to the media about their sub-par season so far.  Blake Wheeler summed it up when he said, "We've blowing smoke for three years, everyone, myself, everyone that's stood in front of a microphone for the last three years, we've said the same s**t.  What else do you want me to say?  That's about it.  I don't know what else to say."

Captain Andrew Ladd concurred.






To add to the Jets woes, forward Matt Halischuck suffered a lower-body injury after scoring the Jets first goal against Dallas.  He has been placed on injured reserve.

Jets Third Straight Loss, Sixth at Home Could be Undoing

The Winnipeg Jets are now in a pickle as well as a funk.  They have now lost three straight games and their last six at home.  They remain dead last in the Central division, two points behind the Dallas Stars who are the Jets latest conquerors after owning them 6-4 this afternoon. 

Ondrej Pavelec was replaced by Al Montoya at the start of the third...on Ondrej Pavelec Bobble-head Day.

Seeing how the Jets are about to become classified as dismal at home, these guys really need to get back on the road where they fare much better, ironically.  Although it's only December and not even at the half-way point of the season, it is starting to slip away.

Some season ticket holders are beginning to stray from the pack.  Some can only take so much losing for so long.

Jets Continue Losing Ways Against Divisional Opponents

For the second time in as many games, the Winnipeg Jets failed to secure a victory over a divisional opponent.  After blowing a 2-0 lead and coming from behind to tie it 3-3, the Jets ultimately lost to Patrick Roy and his Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in a shootout.  The Jets record in the tie-breaker falls to 5-3 this season as the power-play once again let down the faithful at the MTS Centre as it went 2-6.  An improvement to get multiple power-play goals in games this season for the Jets, but not enough to secure a victory against an Avalanche team that has only suffered nine regulation losses.

Blake Wheeler scored twice in the losing effort.



The Jets are now winless at the once formidable MTS Centre in their last five games.

Jets Come Up Short Versus Blues

Once again native Winnipegger Alexander Steen made the difference as his St. Louis Blues defeated the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 at the MTS Centre last night as the Jets begin a three-game homestand.

Oh My! Winnipeg to Host 2016 Heritage Classic

The NHL has officially announced that Winnipeg will host the 2016 NHL Heritage Classic.  Not the "Winter Classic," but the Heritage Classic.  Does this mean we'll see Dale Hawerchuck lace 'em up for the Jets alumni?  Hedberg?  Nilsson?  Not the Golden Jet obviously, at least nothing more than one more skate around the rink in his Jets jersey..halfway.

I imagine the NHL would most likely schedule them against either Vancouver or Edmonton.  Most likely the latter.  The history between the Jets and Oilers is too obvious to ignore.  Never mind that they had a seven-year history in the old World Hockey Association; including facing each other in the last-ever Avco Cup championship in 1979, it changed significantly after that.  The long and short of it is, the Oilers repeatedly and decisively handed the Jets their behinds pretty much each and every game in their NHL existence together.  So maybe an alumni game could change history just a little bit.  And yes, this is probably the only way the Jets can beat the Oilers.  Although if the Oilers have Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, Messier, Coffey, Fuhr and Gretzky (which is entirely possible) they'll still kick butt.  Plus the Jets wouldn't have Paul MacLean on Ducky's wing due to him being the current Senators head coach after all.  Although I think a guy like Morris Lukowich could still go.

Vancouver could be the opponent for the Jets as they also have a history versus the Winnipeg, although the Canucks will be hosting their own Heritage Classic this coming March versus the Ottawa Senators at B.C. Place stadium. This is also Ottawa's first Heritage Classic, as Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal have all participated in the last three Heritage Classics.  Montreal having been in two.  So that leaves only the Jets and the Toronto Maple Leafs as the only Canadian cities that haven't played in the annual outside game.

Who would be on the Jets alumni roster?  Hawerchuck and Thomas Steen are no-brainers.  Who else though?  I'm thinking Dave Ellet, Laurie Boschman and Dave Babych for starters.  If Randy Carlyle wasn't currently employed by the Maple Leafs as their head coach, I'm pretty sure he's be there too.
This is pretty awesome.

But, oh yeah.  A NHL game outside...in Winnipeg.  BRRRRRRR!

Jets Beat Bolts in OT

Both Jacob Trouba and Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets, the latter coming in extra time as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-1 in overtime.
Forward Blake Wheeler may have come out of his slump as he was the essential cog in the Jets machine,  assisting on Scheifele's winner, as well as scoring his own 100th NHL carer goal.

The win puts the Jets record at the end this season-high road trip at 4-2.

Is A WHL Team in Winnipeg Getting Closer to Reality?

It's been the question ever since True North Sports & Entertainment bought and relocated the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg to become the Jets.  Will the company invest in a Western Hockey League junior team to cultivate their own prospects in their own back yard. It works for Calgary (Hitmen) and Edmonton (Oil Kings) so why not Winnipeg?  They appear to be ready.

Imagine if the Jets 1.0 had never left and this idea had come to fruition then.  Would Winnipeg-born players like Jonothan Toews and Alexander Steen been caught by Jets junior or even junior 'B' scouts?  Think about that for a while.

As they say, where there's smoke there's fire and TNSE have admitted some interest in the matter.  The city of Nainamo, British Columbia seemingly also has an interest in a WHL franchise.

Here's hoping the interest from True North is more than just that.  Although as of this writing, there is no deal in place for any team to re-locate to Winnipeg...yet.

fg  

Jets Down Rangers at MSG

The Winnipeg Jets are now 3-1 on this six-game road trip after defeating the New York Rangers 5-2 at Madison Square Garden this evening.

This makes the Jets record against Eastern Conference teams, 7-2-1.  It makes their overall record 13-12-4.

Ondrej Pavelec stood on his head when needed, Jacob Trouba had two assists and seven blocked shots on the evening, Olli Jokinen scored two consecutive goals; including the winner and Blake Wheeler scored into an empty net to end a 14-game goalless drought.









Sorry about the videos all starting at the same time. It's from the source.

Jets Prospects Invited to National Junior Camp

Hockey Canada has announced that two Winnipeg Jets prospects, Joshua Morrissey and Nic Petan have been invited to attend Canada's national junior hockey selection camp.