With apologies to Bryan Little (the focus of yesterday’s RFA analysis), and Blake Wheeler (the focus of tomorrow’s RFA analysis), in my opinion Zach Bogosian is the most important restricted free agent the Jets need to sign this off-season.

Bogosian skates as well as any NHL defenceman, hits with a vengeance, has a booming slap shot and, as demonstrated last season, is becoming an on-ice leader for the Jets. Perhaps most important to Jets fans is that Bogosian, by all accounts, legitimately enjoys playing in Winnipeg, and consequently has grown into a fan favourite for the Jets 2.0.

Given the skill set that Bogosian brings to the table, there would be no surprise if the Jets attempted to sign Bogosian to a long-term agreement. Unlike the Evander Kane contract negotiation of last off-season, which included (thus far unsubstantiated) rumblings that he was not enamored with playing in Winnipeg, that issue does not appear to be a factor with regard to Bogosian’s desire to re-up with the Jets, potentially on a long term basis.

With a seemingly mutual interest, let’s examine Bogosian’s statistics, as well as comparable players and contract situations, in order to determine a reasonable contractual framework for both the Winnipeg Jets and Zach Bogosian’s representatives to work within.

The American rearguard has seen his ice-time at five-on-five increase over the past three seasons, whereas his power play and penalty killing ice-time has stayed relatively stagnant.

His blocked shots, hits and goal totals have increased on a per-game basis which are all good signs.  Additionally, Bogosian is facing the toughest competition of all Winnipeg Jets defencemen, which indicates that Claude Noel has developed a trust for Bogosian just as Craig Ramsay had in the 2010-11 season in Atlanta.

People often forget that Zach Bogosian entered the league at 18 years old, and played for three coaches in his first four NHL seasons.   The lack of continuity in the head coach position, each with a different system and expectations, only serves to hinder a player’s development, especially a defenseman who tends to take longer to develop than a forward.

Statistical Comparables

Zach Bogosian is a unique defenseman.  He seems to have taken strides offensively but does not (yet, if ever) possess the offensive ability of a Drew Doughty, the player taken one selection ahead of him in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.  To examine Bogosian strictly through goals, assists and points would be misleading and would not provide an accurate reflection of the player..

Let’s examine a number of players who either produce similarly to Bogosian points-wise (only one aspect of the game, especially for a young defenseman), were drafted in and around the same time as the New York State native and/or have signed contract extensions in the recent past.

Here are five comparable defenceman:

1.  Drew Doughty

2.  Brett Burns;
3.  Alexander Edler;
4.  Braydon Coburn; and
5.  Marc-Édouard Vlasic.

It should be noted that all of the above defencemen are under 30, used in all situations, skate very well and have been considered top defensive prospects in their respective organizations.

Now let’s take a look at their respective salary situations.

Contract Comparables

Here are the comparables and their respective salaries:

All of the above referenced players are now signed to long-term  contract, with the shortest one being four years in length.  Extrapolating this information, it appears that four years will be the lowest benchmark in term of length for Zach Bogosian’s next contract.

Conversely, only Drew Doughty is signed to a maximum NHL contract—although it is worth noting that his contract was signed prior to the NHL term limit that came into place this past January in the new CBA.

The majority of the aforementioned players were completing their second NHL contracts and were looking for the biggest contracts, financially, of their NHL careers.  While Bogosian is younger than all the above players except for Drew Doughty (same draft year), compared to the above players, the fact Bogosian entered the league at 18 years old accelerated his UFA eligibility clock (Bogosian would first be eligible for unrestricted free agency after two more NHL seasons accrued).

His age is mutually beneficial to both himself and to the Jets, as it allows him more years to make big money and ensures the team that they will be using his services during more of his “prime years” with five years of experience already under his belt.

While it seems that a contract between Bogosian and the Jets makes a lot of sense for both sides, we cannot complete disregard other alternatives:

Trade Bogosian

This does not appear to be a realistic possibility and really, why would it be?  The possibility of the Jets trading from defence, a position of strength, to acquire a forward (or two)—preferably a center or right winger—was dealt with in our piece regarding Dustin Byfuglien’s trade value in April.   Another possibility that could be explored is the team moving Tobias Enstrom, but given that is strictly rumor mongering, we will leave that discussion for another day.

Bogosian’s name, however, is not likely to enter the rumour mill anytime soon.

Bogosian Receives Offer Sheet

This is a more valid concern.  The Jets are deemed to be, at most, a mid-market franchise.  Teams such as the Philadelphia Flyers have demonstrated that they do not lack the financial ability or chutzpah to sign a player (i.e. Shea Weber) to a sizable and significant offer sheet.  The inception of the eight-year maximum contract in the new CBA, and accompanying rules regarding annual variance in salary, does make this type of offer more difficult but it cannot be ruled out nonetheless.

The longer a negotiation takes between the Jets and Zach Bogosian, the more rumblings you will hear about such a possibility (i.e. the Ryan O’Reilly situation).  In any event, any offer to Bogosian that would make the Jets really consider declining their right to match, would have to be at such a high value that the compensation in return to the Jets, would be at least two first round draft picks and a couple lower round picks (2nd and 3rd).

Conclusion: Value and Term

Zach Bogosian is a difficult player to forecast for future success.  More specifically, he is a difficult player to forecast to which level of success he will reach.  Will he take the next step offensively?  If he does not, he is still an extremely valuable NHL defenceman who is just entering the prime of his career, yet is already experienced, with five seasons of NHL playing time under his belt.

Few will argue he is at the level of Drew Doughty, but really, who is?

A comparison to the likes of Alexander Edler and Brent Burns relies on a jump in offensive production for a player that has never exceeded five goals in a season (to be fair, he had five goals in the lockout shortened 2012-13, a season in which he was injured to start the season).

A comparison to the likes of Braydon Coburn and Marc-Edouard Vlasic illuminates his value in all situations, both offensively and defensively.

Based on the market and the comparables provided, it appears that fair term and value for Bogosian is as follows:

Duration: 6 years

Cap Hit: $5.5

Total: $33.0 million

The Winnipeg Jets have an interesting off-season upcoming in terms of their pending unrestricted and restricted free agents.

Among the most important restricted free agents is Edmonton native Bryan Little.

Little has primarily played first line center for the Jets 2.0 with both Andrew Ladd and Blake Wheeler on his wings.  Little is fast, albeit undersized, with his game slanted more towards scoring goals than setting them up.

The former 1st round selection of the Atlanta Thrashers is currently completing the final season of his second professional contract; a contract that paid Little $7.15 million over three years (the 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13 NHL seasons.)

The cap hit that Little carried over the just completed three year contract was $2.38 million per season.  However, it is important to note that in the final year of Little’s contract, the 2012-13 NHL season, Little’s actual salary was $3.0 million.

The old Collective Bargaining Agreement (the new CBA has yet to be officially completed and released—but all indications are that this clause will remain the same) sets forth that for the Winnipeg Jets to retain the contract rights to Bryan Little, they would have to qualify him at an annual salary of $3.0 million.  This does not mean that Little has to accept the qualifying offer (although he has that option), but if he declines the qualifying offer (which is quite likely in this instance), the Jets, by virtue of offering him the qualifying offer of $3.0 million, would retain his contractual rights.

For the purposes of this article, we will assume that the Jets will submit the qualifying offer to Little and he will not accept the offer.  As such, he will become a restricted free agent (Group 2 free agent—clause 10.2(b) of former CBA), and a number of options will present themselves to the Winnipeg Jets with regard to Bryan Little.

Option 1: Re-Sign Bryan Little

If the Jets opt to open negotiations in an attempt to re-sign Bryan Little, the organization is going to examine Little’s production and progression as an NHL player.

Here are Little’s stats since the beginning of the 2010 NHL season in Atlanta:

As of this writing, Bryan Little is 25 years old and will be 26 this upcoming November.  He has just accrued his sixth NHL season meaning that his first opportunity for unrestricted free agency would come after the 2013-14 season.

Little’s Options

At this point in his career, and for the first time, Bryan Little has some leverage in contract negotiations. Accordingly, he can steer his career, in whichever direction he deems best.

If Little believes that he will make a lot more as an unrestricted free agent in just over a year’s time, he could elect to file for salary arbitration, a right he holds under the CBA, and accept a one-year contract. In a similar vein, he can try and reach agreement on a one year contract with the Winnipeg Jets, without having to go through the frequently adversarial arbitration route.

Alternatively, Little can look to sign a three or four-year deal that will take him to his 30 year old season.  A contract in excess of four or five years seems unlikely for a player who has never eclipsed 0.73 points-per-game.

So, let us assume for the purposes of this article that Little is interested in signing a three or four year contract with the Winnipeg Jets.

Statistical Comparables

A number of players have produced similar numbers to Little.  Here are a few of those comparable players and their respective production:

1. David Desharnais;
2. Alex Steen;
3. Mike Fisher; and
4. Frans Nielsen.

All of the above players are center, at least for the most part—as Steen does play some wing as well.  Their statistical production and use is fairly similar to that of Little.

Contract Comparables

Here are the comparables and their respective salaries:

There is a bit of fluctuation with respect to the above players and their salaries, but more or less, this is a group of players that are earning second-line center money.

Option 2: Trade Bryan Little

The Jets have Mark Scheifele in the queue, but aside from Scheifele, the team is pretty thin in terms of centres.  Olli Jokinen is coming off a very poor season and Alexander Burmistrov, like Little, is a restricted free agent, with an uncertain status.  If the team looks to trade Little then they would likely have to acquire a centre, if not in return for Little, then in another trade or through a free agent signing.

Option 3: Bryan Little Receives an Offer Sheet

This is an unlikely option.  Draft picks are a valuable currency in today’s game and a team would have to overpay in terms of both salary and draft picks in order to sign Little to an offer sheet that the Jets would decline to match (as is their prerogative, having given him a qualifying offer at the outset of the free-agency period.)  It’s also worth noting that a team needs to own the proper draft picks in order to even sign a player to an offer sheet.

Conclusions

Coming up with an actual value for Bryan Little is an interesting exercise in that, given the role he has been used in by the Winnipeg Jets the past two seasons, Bryan Little’s agent will certainly argue that his client is a bona-fide first-line center in the NHL and deserves a contract, at least, in excess of $4.0 million per season.

From the Jets perspective, it is likely that Kevin Cheveldayoff’s intention is to sign Bryan Little to a contract that will allow Little to eventually slot in as the team’s number two center, and at a rate that is commensurate for a second line centre.

Little’s group will likely propose something like this: Five years for $20.25 million ($4.25 million cap hit per season)

Cheveldayoff and his management team will likely propose something like this: Three years for $10.5 million ($3.5 million cap hit per season)

Let’s assume that both parties understand that they do need each other somewhat.  The Jets, given their dearth of centers, need one that can produce offensively. From Little’s perspective, he is getting a tremendous opportunity and showcase, lining up on a top line between Andrew Ladd and Blake Wheeler—an opportunity that he may not come across elsewhere.

With all of the different factors in mind, a contract with the following terms seems most reasonable given the circumstances:

Duration: Four years

Cap Hit (AAV per season): $3.75 million

Total: $15.00 million

In his first column for Illegal Curve, Tim takes a look back and gives you his end of the year power rankings for the players.

Anything you notice?  Any numbers stand out?

Share your ideas about this article or a possible future column about statistics and your Winnipeg Jets with Tim aka @JetsStatsGuy on twitter.

Jets prospect Adam Lowry, who spent the year with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, was announced as Player of the Year.  Lowry had a phenomenal season playing in all 72 games, scoring  45 goals with 43 assists for 88 points.

Once his WHL season finished the Jets moved him to their AHL affiliate St. John’s IceCaps where he signed an amateur tryout contract.  In nine games with the Caps he had one assist, finished a -1 with 14 shots on goal.

Here is what he had to say:

Give him a follow on twitter:  @ALowsyPlayer17

Links:

Swift Current Broncos:  Lowry named Player of the Year.

Comparing season one to season two:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

In hindsight was there a move in late March/early April he could have made to get his team in playoffs:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Will Claude Noel be back as head coach of the Jets:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

With so many players contract status in the air, will team look a lot different next season:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

With cap coming down, does he expect market to be exciting for the Jets:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Oilers MacT said there would be significant and meaningful change in Edmonton with 6-8 new players, is that the sort of image he has for this club:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Injury updates (Kane, Stuart, Enstrom, Slater):

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Moving to the West, does he need to tweak his roster:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Play of Dustin Byfuglien:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Preparing to make a bigger splash this summer potentially:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

What pieces does he need next year to be a better hockey club:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Follow-up to the above questions, asked for a specific:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Impatience from fan base, what can he say to that segment of the base:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Prospect talk (Scheifele/Trouba mentioned):

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Play of Ondrej Pavelec:

Kevin Cheveldayoff

We also have the end of season interviews from the Jets players and Coach Noel.

The grades are in the context of our expectations for that particular player.

Legend:

Player (Grade)

Contract status

Games Played – Goals –Assists – Points

Defence:

Toby Enstrom (B)

Five more years

22 GP – 4 G – 11 A – 15 P

Richard: I thought he was solid when he played, but not great. Offensively he flourished at the beginning of the year leading the defensemen in points early on. The reason he gets a B is because his defensive game is lacking. I don’t think he has played well enough as a defender to merit anything above a B.

Ezra: Players with his offensive ability don’t grow on trees, but struggles defensively.

Dustin Byfuglien (C)

Three more years

45 GP – 8 G – 20 A – 28 P

Richard: I have high expectations for Dustin Byfuglien and I think he let his weight get away from him. Everything he does on the offensive side, he gives it back on the defensive side. That was consistent throughout the year. He’s capable of more, the talent and natural ability are there but lacks the focus to play defensively.

Ezra (B): He didn’t produce as many points as last season and his defensive play really struggled toward the end of the season. Byfuglien is a highly skilled player who needs to show more commitment to the team.

Ron Hainsey (B)

UFA

47 GP – 0 G – 13 A – 13 P

Richard: He played a majority of the season with Bogosian, some of the credit of Bogosian’s year has to go to his partner Ron Hainsey. Does he score? No. But in reality he’s not asked to score. Some decision making isn’t the strongest and he’s not the most physical. He played more minutes than they wanted to and filled a role.

Ezra – He lead the league in blocked shots, played a shutdown role and is more offensive minded than the type of defensemen he is.

Zach Bogosian (A)

RFA

33 GP -5 G – 9 A – 14 P

Richard: He really took some steps forward this year, plays big minutes in all situations. He’s a horse; he likes to pressure, likes to drop the gloves and took more of a leadership role. His offensive game took some steps forward in terms of getting involved in the play.

Ezra: Took a step forward, is part of the long term future of the Winnipeg Jets. He has great skating ability, got more physical this year.

Grant Clitosme (B+)

UFA

Richard: He exceeded my expectations, produced offensively. Played in all situations. He seemed to flourish near the end. There were some defensive deficiencies. His issues are size and sometimes he turns the puck over. He can skate and has a good shot. He is a useful player and it will be interesting to see the contract he signs for next season.

Ezra: Stepped up and played increased minutes this season. He’s not the biggest guy but is strong. Sometimes makes costly turnovers in the defensive zone. Is better suited as a third pairing guy.

Mark Stuart (B)

One more year

Richard: He is what he is. He’s a third pairing defensemen. He played with everyone on the team. You want him to play a physical style and be a leader. Wasn’t his best defensive year. What you got from him is what you expected. No complaints here.

Ezra: He only had four points, you’d like to see more, but he was +5 and was among league leaders in hits. Has limited offensive ability but makes the smart decision with the puck in his own zone.

Paul Postma (C+)

RFA

Richard: I would have liked to see more offensively, there was some opportunity with the injuries. His strength is his offensive play. He certainly made some problems defensively and turning over the puck. Settled down as the season went on. He is what he is, will top out as a bottom pairing.

Ezra: He’s a good skater but isn’t physical. Makes mistakes in his own end. Could have provided a bit more offensively.

Zach Redmond (B)

RFA

Richard: My expectations for him were higher than Postma based on what we had heard from the IceCaps organization. He didn’t blow me away but was solid. He does have a few drawbacks, but was a nice surprise for the Jets in terms of defensive depth.

Ezra (A+) – The future is bright for him. He played 19 minutes per game in all situations.

Derek Meech (B)

UFA

Richard: Nothing wrong with his game and stepped in when needed.

Ezra: Provided a stabilizing presence, plays a simple, effective game.

Goaltenders:

Ondrej Pavelec (B)

Four more years

Richard: I think he’s a starter but not an exceptional NHL goaltender. He’s probably around the 20^th ranked goalie in the league right now. Put him behind better defensemen and his numbers may be higher. He was solid this year and deserves a B.

Ezra (A) – He faced the 2^nd most shots in the NHL to Ryan Miller. Said in his exit interviews that he has to improve his conditioning. He proved that he has the mental toughness to be a number one goalie. Had a better year than last year and wants to get better.

Al Montoya (B)

UFA

Richard: He started five games. He hardly played and was solid when he did play. Hard to make a definitive decision.

Ezra (A) – His numbers aren’t overwhelming, but when he did play he was very well.

The grades are in the context of our expectations for that particular player.

Legend:

Player (Grade)

Contract status

Games Played – Goals –Assists – Points

Andrew Ladd (A+)

Three more years

48 GP – 16 G – 28 A – 46 P

Richard: Can it be anything other than an A+? He was the best player on the team as far as I’m concerned. He took his game to a level I hadn’t seen before. The role he played on those cup teams was far different than the role he played on this team.

Ezra: It’s more than the points, he was a leader, he fought, he played well defensively. He was the most consistent player for the Jets and was the MVP of the team.

Bryan Little (B+)

RFA

48 GP – 7 G – 25 A – 32 P

Richard: He had a solid season, it wasn’t dominant by any means. Little is the third guy on that (Ladd/Little/Wheeler) line, he had 32 points, but only seven goals. It was above average. A solid year, not as good as Wheeler or Ladd’s but a solid one.

Ezra (C+): There are a lot of good things that he does, he’s a good skater and stick-handler. Seven goals, playing in every game is a bit low for him, some games he wasn’t a big factor. In 24 games he had zero points, and on the last home-stand Bryan Little had a point in every game. To be a number one centre in the NHL you have to be bigger and meaner, Little isn’t the most physical guy. I think he’s better suited for a second line centre role.

Blake Wheeler (A)

RFA

48 GP – 19 G – 22 A – 41 P

Richard: Really solid year (in regards to his point totals). He displayed more confidence this year; he had a solid season and exceeded what I thought he would do. When put in the proper position with the right guys, he’s a real nice top six forward.

Ezra (B+). He was really consistent, had 13 multi point games. The only reason he doesn’t get an A is because he went six points without a point in March and April and the Jets really needed him in those games.

Evander Kane (B)

Five more years

48 GP – 17 G – 16 A – 33 P

Richard: I thought he’d be better. He had a solid season. He’s better defensively than people give him credit for and he killed penalties this year. I would have liked to see some improvements in some areas. I didn’t think he had a dominant season; there were stretches when he was invisible. I realize that he played with some injuries. He had a solid season, but looking at his contract, he is a player who is getting paid more than John Tavares, and they aren’t in the same ballpark. His game was solid, but I didn’t see a ton of progress over last year. He’s still a 30 goal scorer and a solid up and down winger, but I think he’s capable of more.

Ezra: On certain nights he can be the best player on the ice. The reason I will give him a B is down the stretch he struggled. He had a wrist injury and a leg injury. The reason he gets a B is he had 80 penalty minutes, was at the top of the league in minor penalties. That was a sign of immaturity and a lack of discipline. Going forward he needs to reduce the amount of penalties he takes because a lot of them are in the offensive zone. He trailed off at the stretch, and left a little bit to be desired. My expectations were higher this year than last year. He has room to grow as a hockey player.

Olli Jokinen (F)

One more year

45 GP – 7 G – 7 A – 14 P

Richard: He doesn’t win face-offs, he’s not a good passer. He was awful on the power play and awful at even strength. Olli Jokinen had an awful year, there’s not much else to say.

Ezra: He was invisible on a lot of nights, he probably had 4 or 5 strong games in the 45 games he played. In my wildest expectations, I didn’t expect him to have 14 points.

Kyle Wellwood (D)

UFA

39 GP – 6 G – 9 A – 15 P

Richard: He didn’t improve on any of his weaknesses, there were stretches where he was invisible. I thought he would be better, showed up for periods, but didn’t do much. He’s in over his head as a second line winger.

Ezra: Last year he was one of the best bargains. He had one goal in the first 19 games. He was a healthy scratch seven times this year. He makes great passes and has great hands but is slow and rarely lays a body check. There’s too many games where he isn’t a factor of the ice.

Eric Tangradi (C)

RFA

36 GP – 1 G – 3 A – 4 P

Richard: He’s a bigger guy without a mean streak and is really inconsistent. He tries hard, doesn’t do anything wrong, but doesn’t do much right. A C is about what I expected from him, but he didn’t do much. This is a guy who’s max fourth line right wing right now, and I feel like James Wright does it better than him.

Ezra (C+) – He’s a guy that has size, and can use it, he’s not overly physical. He was at his best when playing with Burmistrov and Santorelli. A guy like Tangradi hasn’t been able to transfer the offense from the AHL level to NHL. On certain nights in the 9 or 10 minutes he was on the ice did a good job.

Alex Burmistrov (C)

RFA

44 GP – 4 G – 6 A – 10 P

Richard: He sees the game quite well, but his decision making is below par. He’s a solid defensive player who does back check, I think he is more suited to that right now. He doesn’t win faceoffs and makes bad decisions with careless passes and fancy players. The guy doesn’t create much offense. He had 4 goals and only put 55 shots on net which is less than Ron Hainsey> if he could stop playing shinny and start playing hockey he would be a better player. I didn’t see progress from year to year which is why he gets a C.

Ezra (C+) – He fell into the doghouse in March. When he came back he showed more focus. He is one of the most frustrating players to watch because he has all the talent, but lacks focus. He’s a guy who could turn into more of a defensive forward. He’s still young, and the next two years will determine if he’s part of the organization.

Mike Santorelli (B)

UFA

10 GP – 0 G – 1 A – 1 P

Richard: It was only ten games so it’s hard to guage. He showed some nice speed at tiems. He’s a pending UFA. I don’t see him beign in the long term plans of this team. They do have a need on right wing, but I don’t see him coming back.

Ezra (C+) – I think they should sign him back, it’s tough to grade a guy in ten games. He’s young enough that he is still developing. I don’t think he’ll become a 40 goal scorer even though he had 20 a fewy ears ago with florida. If it’s between Kyle Wellwood and Mike Santorelli, you could probably get Santorelli for cheaper and he’s younger. He’s got lots of speed and is great in the shootout. Given the right role he can flourish next year.

Nik Antropov (C+)

UFA

40GP 6G 12A 18P

Richard – C – Nik Antropov when he wants to play is a pretty skilled player. He’s strong and sees the ice well but is slow. He puts out a bit under .5 points per game but is better than that. If he can’t take advantage of the opportunity to become an offensive force on this team, what team can he do it with?

Ezra (D) – He put up 18 points, and was injured in March. The reason he gets a D is that he had too many pointless streaks. There were big stretches when he wasn’t producing. When he’s out there you need him to score. He got a lot of icetime, and is another guy who gets a lot of criticism for his contract but even without the money he was too invisible on too many nights. For a guy like him to have six goals is not enough to contribute on a regular basis.

Jim Slater (C+)

Two more years

26 GP 1G 1A 2P

Richard: My expectation was a bit more than what he produced. They may have missed Tanner Glass a bit more than we thought. He still wins faceoffs at 54% which is where his value is. But he could have been a bit better scoring wise. His season wasn’t as good as last year, which is why he gets a C+

Ezra (B) – It’s tough to give him a full grade because of his hand injury but his offensive totals were not he would want them to be. He’s one of the top penalty killers on the team. He’s good at what he does and the Jets missed him down the stretch.

Chris Thorburn (B)

One more year

42 GP – 2 G – 2 A – 4 P

Richard: He’s a 4^th line right winger who plays five minutes a night, who plays hard and is supposed to fight. He does what they asked him to do.

Ezra (B) – He scored four points, and got into nine fights. He stands up for his teammates, I didn’t like how he only played 4 or 5 minutes on many occasions. His average ice time was down from last year and fell a bit into the doghouse.

James Wright (B+)

One more year

Richard – I thought he played quite well. He can slot in as the 4^th line left winger, he’s bigger and a better skater than Tanner Glass who had that spot last season. He surprised me, he is under contract for next season.

Ezra (B) – He’s a really good skater, has good speed and played good minutes on the penalty kill. Moving forward, he’s the type of guy that will be depended on as a number one penalty killer. What I love the most is that he will drop the gloves when called upon.

Antti Miettinen (D)

UFA

Richard: He didn’t perform well and had a season that merited a D

Ezra: The days of him being a 15-20 goal scorer are long gone.

Aaron Gagnon (B+)

UFA

Richard: Hard to grade the players who played such little time. He had nice hands, would go to the net and did some things that other players wouldn’t do. I don’t think he fits into the team’s long term plans, he might be in St. John’s but I don’t think he cracks the top 12 of the Jets roster.

Ezra (C+) – I think he’s earned the right to be an NHL player, but the only reason he got into the lineup on the Jets is because of injuries. A fringe player, maybe he will get a two way contract next year and split time between St. John’s and Winnipeg.

Anthony Peluso (B)

RFA

Richard: Tough to tell with so little ice time. Can he play as well or better than Thorburn. He gets a B with the small amount of time he was in the lineup

Ezra (A): In five games he had two points, and played his role.

Patrice Cormier (C)

RFA

Richard: He played four minutes a game, he didn’t play well when he played, but he played so little it’s tough to give him a grade. He’s physical and isn’t afraid to go into the corner, but he is offensively limited. It will be hard for him to take Jim Slater’s place and he couldn’t which is why they sent him down.

Ezra (D) – He only played ten games here, but was ineffective in those games.

Editors note: Stay tuned later this afternoon for the grades for the defense and goaltenders

At the conclusion of the Season Finale against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, the Jets literally gave the jerseys off their backs to fans who were randomly selected during the 1st and 2nd intermission.  For those who missed the giveaway here are some sights from this end of season promotion.  Enjoy.

Fans wait for the festivities to begin following the conclusion of the game:

The Jets flight crew rolls out the mats for the lucky contest winners:

The winners walking onto the ice at the MTS Centre:

Here come the Winnipeg Jets for the final time this season:

The Jets sign the jerseys that were given to fan:

The fans also had a chance to chat and shake hands with the players:

Final centre ice salute for the 2012-13 Jets team:

And that is all she wrote as the team leaves the ice:

If you missed any of the end of the season exit interviews we have you covered:

Jets players (including Antropov, Trouba, Bogosian, Thorburn, Kane, Little, Slater, Ladd and Pavelec).

Coach Noel.

Coach Noel

Audio courtesy of TSN Radio 1290.

Nik Antropov

Jacob Trouba

Zach Bogosian

Chris Thorburn

Evander Kane

Bryan Little

Jim Slater

Andrew Ladd

Ondrej Pavelec

Game Stories:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Jets playoff hopes dealt fatal blow.

Winnipeg Sun:  Jets playoff dreams dead.

National Post:  Canadiens crush Jets final playoff hopes.

NHL.com:  Canadiens keep pace in Northeast; Jets eliminated.

ChrisD.ca:  Jets fall 4-2 in Season Finalé.

Montreal Gazette:  Habs clinch home ice with comeback win.

Post-game audio:

Winnipeg Jets:  Andrew Ladd, Ron Hainsey, Blake Wheeler, Ondrej Pavelec and Evander Kane.

Coach Noel post-game presser. Following his team’s 4-2 loss to the Canadiens, coach Noel spoke with the media.

Montreal Canadiens:  Coach Therrien, Brian Gionta, Carey Price and PK Subban.

Illegal Curve Post-game podcast from the Press box: Guest Host Michael Remis and Analyst Richard Pollock break down the Jets play against the Canadiens.

Video Highlights:

NHL.com 3 Stars

1.  David Desharnais

2.  Blake Wheeler

3.  Brenden Gallagher

Coach Noel

Andrew Ladd

Ron Hainsey

Blake Wheeler

Ondrej Pavelec

Evander Kane

Last year the award was won by Mark Stuart.  This year the recipient was a very worthwhile Zach Redmond.

Here is the presentation of the Snyder award as well as the Community Award (Zach Bogosian) and 3 Stars (Ondrej Pavelec).  Watch here:

Coach Noel –  Ready to go?  Any new players today (No. Juggling, yes).  Being able to insert AHL players (Gagnon) into the roster.  Does he need to prepare any differently for tonight?  Play of Derek Meech.  Facing the Habs.  Going into the playoffs with confidence.  Being behind the bench.  Win and watch.   

Audio courtesy of TSN Radio 1290.

When: Thursday, April 25, 2013

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (24-20-3 – 9th in East), Montreal Canadiens (27-14-5- 5th in East)

Television/Radio: RDS, TSN-HABS, TSN-JETS/TSN 1290

The Story: The Winnipeg Jets wrap up their 2013 regular season schedule tonight with a home game against the Montreal Canadiens, still holding a glimmer of hope that a win can get them the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Heading into tonight’s match-up with Montreal, the Jets sit in 9th place in the East with 51 points, one point behind both the New York Rangers (8th place) and Ottawa Senators (7th place). The Senators have three games remaining, including a game tonight versus the Washington Capitals, while the Rangers have two games remaining, including a game tonight versus the Carolina Hurricanes.

Because it goes without saying that the Jets are going to need help from other teams in order to squeak into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, all they can do is take of their own business, which begins and ends with defeating the Canadiens tonight on home ice. So far this season the Jets have not had much success against the Canadiens, losing both previous meetings (4-3 on January 29th in Montreal and 4-1 on April 4th in Montreal). The Habs still have an outside shot at winning the Northeast Division and a Top-3 seed so tonight’s game has major implications for them as well.

The good news for Winnipeg is that Montreal is playing their worst hockey of the year. Montreal has lost five of their last six games and have been outscored 28-14 in the process. Carey Price, a legitimate Vezina Trophy candidate, has been in net for all of the past five losses and has not played particularly well in any of them. Montreal is a team, like most teams, who relies heavily on Price and the team, like Price has been hurting as of late.

There may be a few new faces in the line-up for the Canadiens tonight, including 2010 1st round pick Jarred Tinordi, who travelled with the team to Winnipeg and is an option to play tonight. Tomas Kaberle is also an option for Montreal. Kaberle has been a healthy scratch for most of the season. Tinordi and Kaberle may suit up for Montreal if they choose to rest regular defensemen Andrei Markov and Francis Bouillon.

Don’t expect any line-up changes for the Jets tonight. Nikolai Antropov replaced the injured Kyle Wellwood in the line-up on Tuesday night and was pretty effective scoring a goal and adding an assist.

Ondrej Pavelec is expected to start in net for the Jets tonight.

Carey Price is expected to start in net for the Canadiens tonight.

Follow @IllegalCurve on Twitter leading up to today’s game.

Projected Jets line combinations (subject to change before game time):

Goalie:

Ondrej Pavelec

Forwards:

1st: Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler

2nd:  Evander Kane- Nikolai Antropov- James Wright

3rd:  Eric Tangradi– Alexander Burmistrov- Mike Santorelli

4th:  Antti Miettinen- Aaron Gagnon - Chris Thorburn

Defence:

Derek Meech – Dustin Byfuglien

Grant Clitsome – Ron Hainsey

Paul Postma- Mark Stuart

Offensive Leaders:

Montreal Canadiens: Max Pacioretty (14 goals, 24 assists, 38 points), PK Subban (11 goals, 25 assists, 36 points), Tomas Plekanec (13 goals, 19 assists, 32 points)

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (18 goals, 28 assists, 46 points), Blake Wheeler (18 goals, 22 assists, 40 points) Evander Kane (17 goals, 16 assists, 33 points), Bryan Little (7 goals, 24 assists, 31 points)

Injury Report:

Montreal Canadiens: Ryan White (suspension), Alexei Emelin (upper body), Blake Geoffrion (head)

Winnipeg Jets: Tobias Enstrom (mid-body, week to week), Zach Bogosian (concussion), Olli Jokinen (high ankle sprain, out 6-8 weeks), Kyle Wellwood (foot)

Who’s Next:  TBD.

Coach Noel –  Talking about the Capitals game.  Moving past yesterday’s game.  Difference in this team.  Is team better today than they were a year ago?  Has Pavelec taken his game to another level?  Goals for and against talk.  Quality of chances.  Talk of Pavelec’s numbers, is it reflective of his play?  Bogosian update.  Did he see the review of the Gagnon non-goal?  Anyone available tomorrow that wasn’t before?

Blake Wheeler

Mark Stuart

Nik Antropov

Grant Clitsome

Game Stories:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Caps down Jets 5-3.

Winnipeg Sun:  Capitals beat Jets, clinch division title.

Globe and Mail:  Desperate Jets down to last gasp.

National Post:  Jets loss allows Washington to clinch Southeast.

NHL.com:  Capitals clinch Southeast title by beating Jets.

TSN:  Coach Noel post-game. (Video)

Washington Examiner:  Not an easy road, but the Capitals are division champions again.

Washington Times:  Capitals beat Jets to win Southeast Division.

Coach Noel comments:

Today was the most angry we’ve seen coach Noel after a loss and here are some of his comments from the post-game presser.

- How big a blow was that loss;

“This is the second year you’ve asked me that question.  It’s got to be the dumbest question in the world.  Last year you asked me in New York “how difficult was that loss”, are you serious, like you’re serious on that question?”

- On the reason for the loss;

“They played better than us.  They scored.  They put more pucks to the net.  They’re more skilled than us.  They have good speed.  We matched their speed.  They can make plays and they do make plays.  We stuck in the game, we got a chance to get back into it and we let it get away.  The shift after we made it 2-2 was disheartening.  That is a shift you’ve got to have.”

- Hard not to think ‘what if’;

- “It’s not what if.  What if.  We had a game plan.  We played the game plan I would say, we played too cute.  There was no way we were going to be able to match their skill level and to play the way they play.  We had to do some things, to me, that we didn’t do.  We tried to get it back between periods to get it to go but never got it done”.

-  Was first goal water under the bridge after game tied;

- “Are you serious about that question?  You can’t be serious!  I just explained that.  The guy gets behind the net, is that water under the bridge? Please.  You guys got any other questions?  If you can’t come up with something better than that, I’m hurting!  You’re hurting!  Thanks.”

If you want to watch/listen to the entire post-game, TSN has it on their site: Coach Noel post-game. (Video)

Video Highlights:

NHL.com 3 Stars

1.  Matt Hendricks

2.  Jason Chimera

3.  John Erskine

Coach Noel –  Talk about tonight’s game.  Last couple of games against Capitals.  How can they shut down Ovechkin?  Who goes in for Wellwood (Antropov).  Ladd talk.  Back to backs.  Running on adrenaline.  

Audio courtesy of TSN Radio 1290.

When: Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Time: 6:00 p.m. CST

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

Records: Winnipeg Jets (24-19-3 – 9th in East), Washington Capitals (25-18-2- 3rd in East)

Television/Radio: CSN-DC, TSN-JETS/TSN 1290

The Story: To say that tonight’s hockey game is important would be like saying pizza is delicious.

It’s obvious if you’re reading this that the Winnipeg Jets playoff chances will be on the line tonight when they play the Washington Capitals in the Nation’s Capital with a little thing called a trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the line.

With just two games remaining in the 2013 regular season, the Jets can move from 9th place in the Eastern Conference to 3rd place if they defeat Washington tonight in regulation. An overtime/shootout win or regulation loss will keep the Jets in 9th place and will severely limit their chances at making the postseason.

The Jets currently sit at 51 points after Monday night’s 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres and are now just one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the 8th and final playoff spot. The Jets are also one point behind the New York Rangers, who sit in 7th in the East. It should be noted that both the Senators and Rangers have a game in hand on the Jets (New York plays the Florida Panthers tonight on the road, 6:30 p.m. CST).

There will be an element of revenge at play during tonight’s game as the Capitals embarrassed the Jets in Winnipeg in late March (March 21st and 22nd) with back-to-back road victories (4-0, 6-1) so a victory tonight could erase the bad stench that was left a month ago. In four meetings this season between the Jets and Capitals, Washington has won three times, all on the road. Winnipeg’s lone victory came back in early January, a 4-2 road win at the Verizon Center.

The Jets will be facing one of the hottest teams in the league tonight, featuring none other than current NHL goal-scoring leader Alexander Ovechkin, whose 30 goals in 45 games have made him a leading candidate for this year’s Hart Trophy. The Capitals have one 9 of their last 10 games and 13 of their last 16 games since the two back-to-back games in Winnipeg.

One of the keys to tonight’s game is going to be the Jets ability to limit the offensive chances of Washington’s number-1 line of Marcus Johansson-Nicklas Backstrom-Alexander Ovechkin which will most likely fall on the defense pairing of Grant Clitsome and Ron Hainsey. Washington’s 2nd line of Martin Erat-Mike Ribeiro-Troy Brouwer is nothing to scoff at either which means Derek Meech and Dustin Byfuglien will also have their hands full.

A second important key to tonight’s game is going to be staying out of the penalty box and executing well on the penalty kill. Washington boasts the NHL’s Number 1 Power Play (26.1%) which means Winnipeg is going to have to try not to take too many penalties and kill them off if and when they do.

Kyle Wellwood suffered a serious hand injury during Monday night’s game and will not play tonight. Expect Nikolai Antropov to check back into the line-up in Wellwood’s place. Antropov has not played since April 2nd versus the New York Islanders. He has five goals and 11 assists in 38 games.

Ondrej Pavelec is expected to start in net for the Jets tonight.

Braden Holtby is expected to start in net for the Capitals tonight.

Follow @IllegalCurve on Twitter leading up to today’s game.

Projected Jets line combinations (subject to change before game time):

Goalie:

Ondrej Pavelec

Forwards:

1st: Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler

2nd:  Evander Kane- Nikolai Antropov- Alexander Burmistrov

3rd:  Eric Tangradi– Antti Miettinen- Mike Santorelli

4th:  James Wright- Aaron Gagnon - Chris Thorburn

Defence:

Derek Meech – Dustin Byfuglien

Grant Clitsome – Ron Hainsey

Paul Postma- Mark Stuart

Offensive Leaders:

Washington Capitals: Alexander Ovechkin (30 goals, 21 assists, 51 points), Mike Ribeiro (13 goals, 34 assists, 47 points), Nicklas Backstrom (7 goals, 39 assists, 46 points)

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (18 goals, 28 assists, 46 points), Blake Wheeler (17 goals, 22 assists, 39 points) Evander Kane (16 goals, 16 assists, 32 points), Bryan Little (7 goals, 24 assists, 31 points)

Injury Report:

Washington Capitals: Joel Ward (knee), Brooks Laich (groin), Tom Poti (back)

Winnipeg Jets: Tobias Enstrom (mid-body, week to week), Zach Bogosian (concussion), Olli Jokinen (high ankle sprain, out 6-8 weeks), Kyle Wellwood (foot)

Who’s Next:  The Jets final regular season game is in Winnipeg on Thursday, April 25th against the Montreal Canadiens (7:00 p.m. CST).

QUICKIES…..Winnipeg is 6-0-1 in their last seven games…..Andrew Ladd’s 7 game points streak ended on Monday. Ladd had four goals and 10 assists during that span…..

Game Stories:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Jets edge Sabres.

Winnipeg Sun:  Jets get razor thin win.

Globe and Mail:  Surging Jets keep playoff hopes alive.

National Post:  Jets continue playoff push with win over Sabres.

NHL.com:  Jets edge Sabres to continue playoff push.

Buffalo News:  Enroth falls save short in Sabres’ loss to Jets.

Coach Noel post-game:

Video Highlights:

NHL.com 3 Stars

1. Jhonas Enroth

2. Antti Miettinen

3. Tyler Ennis

Coach Noel –  How are the Jets getting it done?  What’s it mean to have Redmond back in the locker room?  New troops at this point make it difficult?  Do or die hockey, exiting games?  Does it try and control the emotion?  Meech drawing back in.  Redmond talk.  Is Kane a player tonight

Audio courtesy of TSN Radio 1290.

When: Monday, April 22, 2013

Time: 6:00 p.m. CST

Where: First Niagara Center, Buffalo, New York

Records: Winnipeg Jets (23-19-3 – 9th in East), Buffalo Sabres (19-20-6- 11th in East)

Television/Radio: MSG-B, TSN-JETS/TSN 1290

The Story: The Winnipeg Jets will look to stay in the playoff race tonight when they visit the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center in their most recent must-win game situation.

The Jets only have three games remaining in the 2013 regular season and they may have to win all of their remaining games in order to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Jets picked up one point in Saturday’s 5-4 shootout loss to the New York Islanders and now have 49 points, three points behind the New York Rangers for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Jets will have to do without the services of two regulars in their line-up tonight. On Sunday, Jets Head Coach Claude Noel announced that both Olli Jokinen and Zach Bogosian would not been accompanying the team to Buffalo. Jokinen left Saturday afternoons game in the first period and will be out 6-8 weeks with a high ankle sprain. Bogosian is day-to-day with an upper body injury which is believed to be a concussion. Bogosian was hit by Islanders forward Kyle Okposo on Saturday but remained in the game.

Because of the injury to Bogosian, the Jets recalled Zach Redmond from the St.John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League. It has not been confirmed if Redmond will be in the line-up tonight, but he is an option for Claude Noel. If Redmond doesn’t dress tonight, expect either Derek Meech or Arturs Kulda to replace Bogosian in the Jets line-up. As far as Jokinen’s replacement goes, it is not certain who Noel who will use. Antti Miettinen has been a healthy scratch for the last six games and is an option as is Nikolai Antropov, who has been cleared to return to action. It is worth noting that both Jim Slater and Anthony Peluso have also been cleared to play tonight but it is not known if either player will make tonight’s starting line-up.

Game Day Update:  Antti Miettinen and Derek Meech will draw back into the line-up tonight according to Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun.

As far as the Sabres go, they have already been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, so they are really just playing for next season at this point. Despite having high hopes at the beginning of this season. Buffalo has been a wildly consistent team this year and traded several key players right before the NHL Trade Deadline just under three weeks ago (Jason Pominville to Minnesota and Robyn Regehr to Los Angeles).

The Jets would be well advised to not take the Sabres lightly however as they boast dynamic offensive players Thomas Vanek, Cody Hodgson and Tyler Ennis. Entering tonight’s game, the Sabres have won three of their last four games and six of their last ten games.

This is the third and final meeting of the season between the Sabres and Jets with Winnipeg leading the season series with two wins. The Jets defeated the Sabres 2-1 in Buffalo on February 19th and 4-1 in Winnipeg on April 9th, just under two weeks ago.

Ondrej Pavelec is expected to start in net for the Jets tonight.

Jhonas Enroth is expected to start in net for the Sabres tonight according to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News.

Follow @IllegalCurve on Twitter leading up to today’s game.

Projected Jets line combinations (subject to change before game time):

Goalie:

Ondrej Pavelec

Forwards:

1st: Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler

2nd:  Evander Kane- Antti Miettinen- Kyle Wellwood

3rd:  Eric Tangradi– Alexander Burmistrov- Mike Santorelli

4th:  James Wright- Aaron Gagnon - Chris Thorburn

Defence:

Derek Meech – Dustin Byfuglien

Grant Clitsome – Ron Hainsey

Paul Postma- Mark Stuart

Offensive Leaders:

Buffalo Sabres: Thomas Vanek (17 goals, 19 assists, 36 points), Cody Hodgson (15 goals, 17 assists, 32 points), Tyler Ennis (10 goals, 20 assists, 30 points)

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (18 goals, 28 assists, 46 points), Blake Wheeler (17 goals, 22 assists, 39 points) Evander Kane (16 goals, 16 assists, 32 points), Bryan Little (7 goals, 24 assists, 31 points)

Injury Report:

Buffalo Sabres: Tyler Myers (leg), Brayden McNabb (knee), Ville Leino (upper body), Alexander Sulzer (lower body)

Winnipeg Jets: Tobias Enstrom (mid-body, week to week), Zach Bogosian (concussion), Olli Jokinen (high ankle sprain, out 6-8 weeks)

Who’s Next:  The Jets play the Washington Capitals tomorrow night (6:00 p.m. CST). The Jets final regular season game is back in Winnipeg on Thursday, April 25th against the Montreal Canadiens (7:00 p.m. CST).

QUICKIES…..Dustin Byfuglien leads the Jets with an Average Time on Ice/game of 24:22. Zach Bogosian ranks 2nd on the Jets with an Average Time on Ice/game of 23:07…..

Coach Noel – Bogosian (Day-to-Day).  Jokinen (6-8 weeks with high ankle sprain).  Antropov (day-to-day).  Peluso (day-to-day – cleared).  Slater (day-to-day – aways away).  Being without Bogosian.  Zach Redmond a possibility?  Any concern putting Redmond in if he needed to?  Vibe in the room.  Success on the road help?  Status of Evander Kane.

Audio courtesy of TSN Radio 1290.

Game Stories:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Jets lose in shootout.

Winnipeg Sun:  When going gets tough.

National Post:  Islanders put Jets’ playoff hopes on last breath in shootout.

NHL.com:  Tavares gives Islanders 5-4 shootout win.

ChrisD.ca:  Islanders hand Jets a shootout loss.

Post-game audio:

Winnipeg Jets:  Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little, Ron Hainsey, Eric Tangradi and Kyle Wellwood.

Coach Noel post-game presser. Following his team’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Islanders, coach Noel spoke with the media.

New York Islanders:  Coach Capuano, Travis Hamonic and John Tavares.

Illegal Curve Post-game podcast from the Press box: Host Drew Mindell and Analyst Richard Pollock break down the Jets play against the Islanders.

Video Highlights:

NHL.com 3 Stars

1. Bryan Little

2. Frans Nielsen

3. Kyle Wellwood

Coach Noel

Andrew Ladd

Bryan Little

Eric Tangradi

Kyle Wellwood

Ron Hainsey

When: Saturday, April 20, 2013

Time: 2:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (23-19-2 – 9th in East), New York Islanders (23-16-5- 7th in East)

Television/Radio: MSG-PLUS, TSN-JETS/TSN 1290

The Story: This afternoon’s game between the Winnipeg Jets and New York Islanders can only be summed up in one word: massive.

With one week left in the 2013 regular season, time is running out to determine which 16 teams will make the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the room for error for the Jets right now is slim to none. Entering today’s game, the Jets sit in 9th place in the Eastern Conference with 48 points, two points behind the 8th place New York Rangers and three points behind the 7th place Islanders. With four games to go in their season (two home, two away), the Jets will have to win at least three of those games in order to have a good shot at the postseason.

Today’s matchup will be a meeting of two of the hottest teams in the NHL. Winnipeg has won five games in a row-all at home- and have outscored their opponents 22- 10 in the process. The Islanders, on the other hand, have won 7 of their last 10 games and have only lost once in regulation in their last thirteen games (10-1-2). In fact, the Islanders have earned at least one point in all nine games they’ve played in the month of April thus far (7-0-2).

We shouldn’t expect this afternoon’s game to be a low scoring affair. The Jets number-1 line of Andrew Ladd-Bryan Little-Blake Wheeler have combined for 30 points over the last five games and are the hottest trio in the league right now.The Islanders have a pretty good top line of their own too. Led by potential Hart Trophy candidate John Tavares (26 goals, 19 assists) along with wingers Matt Moulson (15 goals, 27 assists) and Brad Boyes (9 goals, 25 assists), the trio has combined for 121 points so far this season.

The Islanders are not a one trick pony however and the Jets are going to need to shut down other players on the team, including the team’s second line of Josh Bailey-Frans Nielsen-Kyle Okposo. Former Manitoba Moose player Michael Grabner (15 goals, 5 assists) is another legitimate offensive threat who the Jets are well aware of. The ability of the Jets second defense pairing of Ron Hainsey-Zach Bogosian to shut down the Islanders secondary scorers will be one of the keys to today’s hockey game.

This is the third and final meeting of the season between the Islanders and Jets with the season series tied at one game apiece.The Jets defeated the Islanders 5-4 in Overtime back on January 27th while the Islanders defeated the Jets 5-2 on April 2nd.

Ondrej Pavelec is expected to start in net for the Jets today.

Evgeni Nabokov is expected to start in net for the Islanders today.

Follow @IllegalCurve on Twitter leading up to today’s game.

Projected Jets line combinations (subject to change before game time):

Goalie:

Ondrej Pavelec

Forwards:

1st: Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler

2nd:  Evander Kane-Olli Jokinen- Kyle Wellwood

3rd:  Eric Tangradi– Alexander Burmistrov- Mike Santorelli

4th:  James Wright- Aaron Gagnon - Chris Thorburn

Defence:

Grant Clitsome – Dustin Byfuglien

Zach Bogosian- Ron Hainsey

Paul Postma- Mark Stuart

Offensive Leaders:

New York Islanders: John Tavares (26 goals, 19 assists, 45 points), Matt Moulson (15 goals, 27 assists, 42 points), Brad Boyes (9 goals, 25 assists, 34 points), Mark Streit (6 goals, 20 assists, 26 points)

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (18 goals, 26 assists, 44 points), Blake Wheeler (17 goals, 21 assists, 38 points) Evander Kane (16 goals, 15 assists, 31 points), Bryan Little (6 goals, 24 assists, 30 points)

Injury Report:

New York Islanders: Anders Nilsson (undisclosed), Calvin de Haan (shoulder)

Winnipeg Jets: Anthony Peluso (hand), Jim Slater (upper body), Nikolai Antropov (lower body), Tobias Enstrom (mid-body, week to week)

Who’s Next:  The Jets play the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, April 22nd (6:00 p.m. CST) followed by a game against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, April 23rd (6:00 p.m. CST). The Jets final regular season game is back in Winnipeg on Thursday, April 25th against the Montreal Canadiens (7:00 p.m. CST).

QUICKIES…..The Jets have the 12th best home penalty killing percentage in the NHL (85.2%)…..

Coach Noel – Challenge presented by the Islanders.  How many players has he faced this year better than Tavares?  Is Kane ok?  Controlling destiny.  Importance of practice today.  Juggling of the d-pairs.  What are Hainsey & Byfuglien like as a pairing?  Coaching at the NHL level.

Audio courtesy of TSN Radio 1290.

Game Stories:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Jets score OT decision over Hurricanes.

Winnipeg Sun:  Jets hold on against Canes.

National Post:  Jets gain ground in playoff race with overtime win over Hurricanes.

NHL.com:  Jets gets overtime win to keep pace in the East.

Winnipeg Jets:  Getting closer.

ChrisD.ca:  Fifth win in a row springs Jets playoff hopes.

News and Observer:  Hurricanes fall to Jets 4-3 in overtime.

Post-game audio:

Winnipeg Jets:  Andrew Ladd, Blake Wheeler, Zach Bogosian, Ron Hainsey, Dustin Byfuglien and Ondrej Pavelec.

Coach Noel post-game presser. Following his team’s 4-3 win over the Hurricanes, coach Noel spoke with the media.

Carolina Hurricanes:  Coach Muller and Tuomo Ruutu.

Illegal Curve Post-game podcast from the Press box: Guest Host Michael Remis and Analyst Richard Pollock break down the Jets play against the Hurricanes.

Video Highlights:

NHL.com 3 Stars

1. Blake Wheeler

2. Ondrej Pavelec

3. Tuomo Ruutu

Andrew Ladd

Blake Wheeler

Dustin Byfuglien

Ondrej Pavelec

Ron Hainsey

Zach Bogosian

Coach Noel Topics:  Size of the Hurricanes.  His philosophy using top line vs. top line.  Staying focused on his team.  Does he need to worry about his team being ready to go?  Getting up for every single game.  Was it a good thing (i.e. wakeup call to his team) that Tampa came back from a 3-1 deficit?  What has he liked about Pavelec during this stretch?  (“He makes the save that needs to be made at the right time and that to me is a hallmark statement for a goalie”).  What has enabled the teams to win at home?  Does he have to keep the linup the same during a win streak?  When Antropov returns is he back then?  

Audio courtesy of TSN Radio 1290.

When: Thursday, April 18, 2013

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (22-19-2 – 9th in East), Carolina Hurricanes (17-23-2- 14th in East)

Television/Radio: FS-CR, TSN-JETS/TSN 1290

The Story: The Winnipeg Jets will be seeking their fifth win in a row tonight when they welcome the Carolina Hurricanes to town for a Thursday night matchup.

The Jets defeated the Tampa Bay Lighting 4-3 in a shootout on Tuesday night to preserve the team’s perfect record on this current six-game home stand but unfortunately the club failed to move out of 9th place. The Jets now have 46 points -the same total as the New York Rangers- but Winnipeg remains below the playoff line due to the Rangers having played the fewer number of games.

With just five games to go in the season, the Jets may have to win four games to have a good shot at making the playoffs and that might not even be enough. After tonight, the Jets will play the New York Islanders at home on Saturday afternoon, followed by a back-to-back set against the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals next Monday and Tuesday. The Jets will play their final regular season game at home against the Montreal Canadiens next Thursday.

Carolina comes into Winnipeg having won only two of their last 10 games and are now in serious contention for one of the Top 5 picks in this summers NHL Entry Draft. Since number-1 goaltender Cam Ward went down with a knee injury in early March, the Hurricanes have a record of 5-15-1. To make matters worst, 2010’11 Calder Trophy winner Jeff Skinner left Tuesday’s game against the Ottawa Senators after being levelled by Jared Cowen at centre ice. Skinner will not dress for the Hurricanes tonight.

There probably won’t be any line-up changes for the Jets tonight and why would there be? Winnipeg has outscored their opponents 18-7 on this current home stand and are rolling four lines on a consistent basis. Captain Andrew Ladd has 8 points in his last four games (4 goals, 4 assists) and continues to lead the team’s offensive attack on the number-1 line alongside Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler.

This is the fourth and final meeting of the season between the Hurricanes and Jets with the Jets leading the season series two games to one. The Jets defeated the Hurricanes 4-3  on February 21st in Carolina and March 26th in Carolina while Carolina defeated the Jets 3-1 in Winnipeg on March 30th.

Ondrej Pavelec is expected to start in net for the Jets tonight.

Justin Peters is expected to start in net for the Hurricanes tonight.

Follow @IllegalCurve on Twitter leading up to today’s game.

Projected Jets line combinations (subject to change before game time):

Goalie:

Ondrej Pavelec

Forwards:

1st: Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler

2nd:  Evander Kane-Olli Jokinen- Kyle Wellwood

3rd:  Eric Tangradi– Alexander Burmistrov- Mike Santorelli

4th:  James Wright- Aaron Gagnon - Chris Thorburn

Defence:

Grant Clitsome – Dustin Byfuglien

Zach Bogosian- Ron Hainsey

Paul Postma- Mark Stuart

Offensive Leaders:

Carolina Hurricanes: Eric Staal (17 goals, 29 assists, 46 points), Alexander Semin (10 goals, 28 assists, 38 points), Jiri Tlusty (19 goals, 11 assists, 30 points)

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (18 goals, 23 assists, 41 points), Blake Wheeler (16 goals, 19 assists, 35 points) Evander Kane (16 goals, 15 assists, 31 points)

Injury Report:

Carolina Hurricanes: Joni Pitkanen (heel), Jeff Skinner (upper body), Tim Brent (lower body), Tim Wallace (upper body), Drayson Bowman (upper body)

 Winnipeg Jets: Anthony Peluso (hand), Jim Slater (upper body), Nikolai Antropov (lower body), Tobias Enstrom (mid-body, week to week)

Who’s Next:  The Jets host the New York Islanders on Saturday, April 20th at 2:00 p.m. CST.

QUICKIES….. Evander Kane is ranked 2nd in the NHL with 176 shots. Alexander Ovechkin leads the NHL with 198 shots…..On Wednesday the Jets announced that 24-year-defenceman Zach Redmond was assigned to the St. John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League on a conditioning stint. Redmond suffered a life-threatening leg injury in early February when a skate accidentally cut his femoral artery, causing him to lose a significant amount of blood. Redmond has played in eight games for the Jets this year, registering a goal and three assists…..

Coach Noel – Pixalized after his disallowed goal.  Rarely is he demonstrative, what caused this?  Does he ever hear from NHL if they got call wrong. Ladd setting the tone.  Importance of players who have playoff experience considering number of players who have none on this team.  Any difference with Ladd’s line this season?  Did he talk before the season about being put together as a line?  Streaks – finding solutions.  Does he need to look back at the past Carolina game?  Any chance of Antropov tomorrow night?

Audio courtesy of TSN Radio 1290.

Game Stories:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Jets beat Lightning in shootout.

Winnipeg Sun:  Captain comes through for Jets.

NHL.com:  Jets blow lead but beat Lightning in shootout.

Winnipeg Jets:  Ladd’a Boy.

TSN:  Jets run winning streak to four with win over Lightning.

ChrisD.ca:  Ladd electrocutes Lightning.

Tampa Bay Times:  Jets deny Lightning in shootout.

Tampa Bay Tribune:  Mathematically at least, Bolts still in hunt after loss.

Post-game audio:

Winnipeg Jets:  Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little, Blake Wheeler and Mike Santorelli.

Coach Noel post-game presser. Following his team’s 4-3 SO win over the Lightning, coach Noel spoke with the media.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Coach Cooper, Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis.

Illegal Curve Post-game podcast from the Press box: Host Drew Mindell and Analyst Richard Pollock break down the Jets play against the Lightning.

Video Highlights:

NHL.com 3 Stars

1.  Andrew Ladd

2.  Blake Wheeler

3.  Steven Stamkos

Andrew Ladd

Blake Wheeler

Bryan Little

Mike Santorelli

Coach Noel – Update on Nik Antropov (day to day, could be back this week).  Changes to the Tampa system.  Getting back to playing a meaningful game.  Importance of playing with speed.  Knowledge of Ben Bishop.  Motivating the team.  

Audio courtesy of TSN Radio 1290.