Comments on: Five reasons why the Winnipeg Jets will make the playoffs

By: Afternoon Delight | Illegal Curve Hockey

Afternoon Delight | Illegal Curve Hockey — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 17:58:24 +0000

[...] Delight. Arctic Ice Hockey: That nagging optimism. It appears that it is more than just IC’s Ezra who is excited for the Jets prospects this season. Wishful thinking or [...]

By: Jets Week in Review | Illegal Curve Hockey

Jets Week in Review | Illegal Curve Hockey — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 16:26:50 +0000

[...] Five reasons why the Winnipeg Jets will make the playoffs [...]

By: Eric Musick

Eric Musick — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:14:00 +0000

Love it! This is exactly the mentality we need as a small market team! Let’s keep it optimistic and positive, what’s the worst case scenario? We don’t make the playoff’s. Hey, we got our team back, that’s what matter’s. The playoff’s will come. Here’s my “bold” prediction. The Jets will finish in 7th just above the Flyers to MAKE the post season. Yeah, right on!

By: joe cefali

joe cefali — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:30:00 +0000

i’m just excited to be talking about NHL Hockey in Winnipeg again — its surreal.

By: Will the Winnipeg Jets make the playoffs? Test your powers of prognostication. | Illegal Curve Hockey

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:01:24 +0000

[...] Five reasons why the Winnipeg Jets will make the playoffs [...]

By: Tim Bonnar

Tim Bonnar — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 02:18:00 +0000

I don’t have any issue with them finishing towards the bottom of the league either. i just want to see progress from the young guys. Another year with a top notch draft pick won’t hurt anything.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 02:06:00 +0000

I think you’re painting too rosy a picture Ezra. It’s depending on a lot of players improving just by having a solid crowd cheering them on every night. We have a team that finished 12th in the east last year with few additions. The players will still be getting settled into a new city & adjusting to a new system in coaching & management.
A few teams in the east got weaker (Flyers & Canadiens) but that’s not enough to move up 4 spots.
This will be a year used by management to identify weaknesses & strengths under a new system. Next off season they can adjust for those & do trades/signings to fill the weak spots. Then possibly a playoff spot. They’ll also need to do some retooling for when they move to the western conference. They’ll probably have Zinger & the scouts watching the west very carefully.
For now I see 11-13 in the east.

By: Jay Steyer

Jay Steyer — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 01:40:00 +0000

I can see the Jets making the playoffs this year. The travel schedule isn’t nearly as bad as it could have been, with long road trips and long homestands instead of the typical back and forth that most teams have. The Rangers are better if Gaborik stays healthy, which is 50/50 at best. Montreal is not improved, Philadelphia took a step back(but still should be pretty good), and Buffalo has improved only on paper to this point. Bogosian has all the talent in the world but was hurt by mental lapses(bad passes, out of position, hesitant on shots), hopefully the new coaching staff can help him. He does better when he can sort of freelance on offense and push the pace. Pavelec can be AMAZING, and seems to do better in games when he gets 40+ shots than when he gets 20 or so(wierd, but I think the numbers might back it up). A lot of his bad games were because his defense let him down. Bogo’s issues, Byfuglien being put back on “D”, Oduya makes dumb mistakes, and Hainsey is average at best. Pavs can be a Top 10 goalie in the NHL with the talent he has. In regards to the “Whiteout”, granted it wasn’t often, but when the Thrashers played in front of a sold out or near capacity crowd at Philips, they sucked. Hope they do better in Winnipeg than they did in Atlanta with a full house. This team has the talent to be a playoff team. Stay healthy, keep maturing, and play smart.

By: Ezra Zuckerberg

Ezra Zuckerberg — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:25:00 +0000

Thanks for the comments guys. Go Jets Go!

By: Luke Miguez

Luke Miguez — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:59:00 +0000

Pavelec will be our number one for years to come, whether he’ll be a Vezina challenger this year, let alone into the future remains to be seen. That said he has a high ceiling and possesses the tools required.

If the Jets actually make the playoffs this year, though, it’ll be because our young guns overperform their expectations. Kane putting up 30-30 points, Burmistrov 50 points, Pavelec stands on his head all season, etc.

I don’t see the Jets making the playoffs, nor do I think they want to anyways. Preferably this season we want to work on developing the roster. Give the prospects some productive NHL time, get some decent assets at the deadline and then work on filling the cupboard at the draft.

If we want to have this discussion next year, I think the desire to make the playoffs is more productive long-term. I just don’t see it this year.

By: Tim Bonnar

Tim Bonnar — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:25:00 +0000

I won’t fault you for your optimism, but I will say:

That is far and away the most glowing projection for Pavelec I have heard anywhere. Some don’t believe he will ever be much more than slightly above average. I hope you are right.

The defense by all reports was atrocious last year. There are some good pieces in play, but a 7th and 8th defenseman aren’t going to turn it into one of the better units in the league.

I agree with the rest though. Having fans should help at least a little and the youth is the key to this team. Players like Kane, Burm, Pav and Bogo will determine how the team improves. Eventually, Kane and Burm need to work their way to the top of the roster. Without that, there plainly insn’t enough scoring ability. Otherwise, this team will need to turn into a defensive juggernaut.

By: Richard Pollock

Richard Pollock — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:20:00 +0000

I don’t see it happening, but agree with the comment about optimism. You are also right, that there are always surprises. The schedule should provide significant challenges, however.

By: Richard Pollock

Richard Pollock — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:20:00 +0000

I think the Jets are arguably better than: NY Islanders, Maple Leafs, Senators and Panthers. Puts them at 11.

By: Richard Pollock

Richard Pollock — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:18:00 +0000

Bogosian played against the other team’s best players and started in his own zone considerably more than the other two, thereby allowing Enstrom and Byfuglien easier minutes and better offensive opportunities. Never mind the power play.

By: Tim Bonnar

Tim Bonnar — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:12:00 +0000

Bogo played far more PK (Buff and Enstrom rarely played here), played far less PP and got the difficult task of starting most of his shifts in the defensive zone. He was given far tougher.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:04:00 +0000

I agree with number 1 and 2, but 3 is way off. This is not the same Thrashers team that finished up in ATL last season. A new city, new coaching staff, new owners=a new outlook. The Jets will be better than the Thrashers and should battle for the last 2 playoff spots

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:02:00 +0000

A very optimistic read, but I love it! too many people jump all over bloggers who make predictions that are against the norm. If there is something we’ve learned from post lockout, it’s that anything can happen.

By: Ezra Zuckerberg

Ezra Zuckerberg — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:20:00 +0000

J, Thanks, it’s been corrected.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:07:00 +0000

Of the eight teams that made the playoffs in the East, seven of them made themselves arguably better (Montreal…not so much), so the Jets have a tough task. All things being equal (it’s tough to say who will have a glut of injuries and who will under or over-perform), I see the Jets slugging it out in a tight bunch of teams between, say, spots 7-12 or 7-13.

By: J

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:52:00 +0000

1 – Bogosian never played #1 defenseman minutes (not with Enstrom & Buff around, check out their minutes)
2 – Pavelec collapsed DURING a game, not before.
3 – Don’t get your hopes up. This team has not been that good since the 1 playoff season and it’ll still be 2 years before they sniff the playoffs, I bet. Maybe more with facing Western Conference teams more.