Given the fact that the Jets were in the All-Canadian Division last season the city of Winnipeg was denied the return of Patrik Laine in 2020-21. Not so this season as the Blue Jackets, with the former Jets 2nd overall draft pick, make their only trip to Manitoba during the 2021-22 campaign. Something tells me this will have a very Teemu Selanne returning in 2011 for the very first time (obviously not with the exact same emotion) but perhaps similar to the fans booing his Columbus teammates and cheering Laine. Guess we will have to stay tuned to find out.
In addition to Laine the Jets other 1st rounder from 2015 in Jack Roslovic will be making his return. His welcome may be more muted given he held out and stayed in Columbus looking for a trade away from the team.
Last up will be the return behind the bench of a very familiar face with former Jets assistant/Moose head coach Pascal Vincent who is currently behind the Blue Jackets bench as an assistant.
Morning skate:
It was an optional morning skate. As per Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press it will be Eric Comrie who gets the start in net. He also indicated Adam Lowry, who had been in Covid protocol, was skating which is a good sign.
Jets projected lines & D pairs:
Stastny-Scheifele-Wheeler
Connor-Dubois-Ehlers
Sanford-Lowry-Appleton
Harkins-Toninato-Svechnikov
Morrissey-DeMelo
Dillon-Pionk
Stanley-Schmidt
Comrie
Hellebuyck
Coach media availability:
Topics:
1) Jets play.
2) Sticking with the lines rather than mixing and matching.
3) Is Adam Lowry returning?
4) Good to be right back in action tonight after last game?
5) Laine’s return.
6) What is he expecting from Columbus?
7) Expecting a buzz with Laine’s return, can the team harness that?
8) What are his Laine memories?
9) Kyle Connor’s passing.
10) Eric Comrie in net?
Up Next:
Puck drop is at 7:00 pm CST. Be sure to head over to illegalcurve.com following the game for a recap of the action which includes post-game interviews from Jets players as well as from interim head coach Dave Lowry.
You can also join us afterwards for the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show. (be sure to smash that like/subscribe button).
