Note: With training camp set to get underway next week the quiet time across the NHL is about to come to an end. Rookies started skating on Wednesday and again yesterday before they took off for BC. Today they will kick off the Young Stars Tournament (roster here) against the Oilers prospects. Puck drop is at 5 pm CT.
Note II: You can watch our chats with Nikita Chibrikov (here), Brad Lambert (here) and Thomas Milic (here).
Highlights: Funny line by Chibrikov on Barlow | Lambert details how he got “hot dogged” leading to his visor cutting him | Thomas Milic on the parallels between his old/new organizations |
Note III: Please note that we have pre-recorded tomorrow’s episode of the Illegal Curve Hockey Show which will go “live” on our YouTube channel at 9 AM but will not actually be a live broadcast. The bad news is you won’t be able to chat as you normally could but the good news is you’ll be able to download the episode immediately.
Jets news:
Winnipeg Sun: Kyle Connor ‘shocked’ Jets coach Rick Bowness named a captain. That’s somewhat surprising that he’s shocked.
Winnipeg Sun: Jets teammates relieved Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck weren’t traded. I have yet to meet the player who is happy to see guys who help them compete today for future assets. I suspect I will never meet that player because they do not exist.
Winnipeg Free Press: Jets committed to winning now. (Paywall). It’s a bold strategy and easy to say now. However if 37 and/or 55 do not have contract extensions I can’t see how the team retains both players past the trade deadline. At minimum you’d have to think they deal one of the two if they remain in contention but the duo chose not to sign extensions.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Winnipeg Free Press: Trio from WHL’s Seattle club playing in Young Stars Classic. (Paywall). For many years it was prospects from the Portland Winterhawks that would invade Manitoba but that has swapped to their neighbours to the north in Washington which has three prospects in the system.
Sportsnet: NHL team tiers and expectations: Central Division. A look at the latest doing in the Central.
Jets video:
TSN: Hellebuyck joins Jets early for casual skate, will address future when camp opens. Connor Hellebuyck joined his Jets teammates for a casual skate a couple of days earlier than his expected arrival, but he and Mark Scheifele won’t talk to media until training camp starts next Thursday, where the two cornerstone pending UFAs will address their immediate futures. John Lu has more.
TSN: Morrissey: Having Scheifele and Hellebuyck back is massive. With rumours swirling throughout the offseason that Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck might not be back with the Jets this year, Josh Morrissey says he’s happy the team decided not to go the route of a rebuild.
TSN: Morrissey: Lowry is a great leader … he’s earned the captaincy. Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey shares his thoughts on longtime friend and teammate Adam Lowry being named the franchise’s new captain and says that he’s ‘super-pumped’ for him and he’s very deserving of the honour.
TSN: Dillon on Lowry being named captain: ‘Super happy for him, couldn’t be more deserving’. Brenden Dillon spoke to the media on Thursday about the excitement he has for the Jets heading into the season, how deserving Adam Lowry is to be the captain of the franchise and how their focus is on the season, not on the looming contract negotiations for many star players moving forward.
