Note: The Jets were busy on Sunday as they skated in the morning at Bell MTS IcePlex as they prepared for an opponent that was unknown at the time but has now been determined to be the Predators, who beat the Avalanche in game 6 last night in Denver. The Jets won’t skate today but will hold a media availability this morning as they prepare for their 2nd round series which begins sometime this week and our Jets Playoff Practice Report will bring you all the latest. We still don’t have a schedule for the second round and once it is announced for Jets and Preds we will bring it to you on site.
Note II: The Moose split their weekend playoff series with the defending Calder Cup champion Griffins opening up the series with an impressive come from behind 3-2 win on Saturday only to fall 5-1 on Sunday. The team will practice today as they get ready to head to Michigan for three games in a row starting with game 3 on Wednesday night.
Jets news:
NHLcom: Little cherishing Jets’ first playoff series win. He is one of those players that fans around here have appreciated although he still doesn’t get the recognition outside of this market that he probably deserves.
Winnipeg Sun: Jets glued to TV as Predators finish off Avalanche to set up second-round matchup. Not a surprise that many Jets players were watching last night’s Predators/Avalanche game to find out who their opponent would be in Round #2.
Winnipeg Sun: Draft and develop strategy has worked wonders for Winnipeg Jets. The key word to me is development. As in not rushing players to the NHL. We saw countless mistakes in the past where players were rushed way too soon into the NHL only to flounder and do major damage to their development.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence
Winnipeg Sun: Morrissey looks to put suspension in the past as Jets move on. There is zero value to dwelling on the issue provided you learn your lesson and are more cognizant of this in the future to prevent it from happening again. He is too valuable to his team to be lost again.
Winnipeg Sun: Jets winger Ehlers doesn’t know meaning of word ‘malaise’ but says he’s over it. The exchange Ehlers had during his media availability was humourous about the word malaise. However Jets fans may not have been feeling overly funny seeing their dynamic young forward in a yellow non-contact uniform on Sunday. The good news for him is that a few more days of rest will help him overcome his ‘malaise’.
Winnipeg Free Press: Parents key in helping Tucker Poolman achieve NHL dream. (Paywall). So many great examples of parents going that extra mile (or in the case of the Poolmans 145 miles) for their kids to help them get to the NHL.
Winnipeg Free Press: It’s Jets vs. Predators. (Paywall). While most wanted this to be happening in the 3rd round it is setting up to be a hell of a 2nd round in the NHL with this likely being the premier series.
Globe and Mail: Connor Hellebuyck emerging as elite goalie at right time for Jets. This team wouldn’t be going anywhere without the solid netminding he has provided this season. What goes hand in hand with his success is the overall success of the team’s commitment to D.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence
CBC: Jets’ success, fans’ passion win new admirers far and wide. Not that shocking that folks are gravitating to the little team from the Prairies that could.
The Athletic: Predators show the level they’ll need against Jets. (Paywall). The Preds did at times in this series look like they were ready to begin the second round against the Jets but once it got to game six it was clear they were all business.
The Tennessean: Predators squash Avalanche in series-clinching win, proceed to second round against Jets. The top team in the West taking on the second best team in the West is gonna be a hell of a series.
Jets video:
TSN: Jets vs. Predators is ‘the Stanley Cup final about a month too early’. A matchup between the Predators and Jets is what most hockey fans would have wanted heading into the playoffs and that is what they will get as Nashville dispatched Colorado to set a date with Winnipeg. Martin Biron looks ahead to the series which may come down to the battle between Pekka Rinne and Connor Hellebuyck.
Sportsnet: Breaking down Jets vs. Predators with Hockey Central panel. The Hockey Central Panel discusses the upcoming matchup between the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets.
