Note: We will be at the MTS Centre today for the final player interviews of the 2011/12 season. Be sure to stay tuned to IC as we will have all the latest from your Winnipeg Jets. If you’d like us to ask a question for you, send us a tweet @illegalcurve and we will try and ask it to one of the Jets. That audio will be available on site later this afternoon.
Jets news:
Winnipeg Free Press: Jets, and their fans will be back. It was quite a season for players and fans alike. Many of us in the press box last night couldn’t decide if the season felt really long or way too short. Of course with a “short” break for the NHL playoffs the focus of this Jets team (and the fans) will be on the 2012 Entry Draft and the signing of the team’s UFAs.
Winnipeg Free Press: See you in six months. After what seems like a non-stop roller coaster ride, it has finally come to a halt and we won’t have an opportunity to be back on until training camp in September. Seems unbelievable that the inaugural season for the Jets 2.0 is over.
Winnipeg Free Press: Winnipeg fans wear their pride. Jetcetera caught up with some of the more interesting fans that have made the MTS Centre one of the most unique rinks in the NHL.
Winnipeg Free Press: Trio of trophies. Three very deserving players in Slater, Pavelec and Stuart won some hardware last night before the game. If you’d like to hear Mark Stuart discuss what winning the Dan Snyder award, I asked him about it and you can listen to his reply in the Jets audio from last night.
Winnipeg Sun: Honeymoon is over. Jets fans (and team brass) are going to have a long spring/summer to reflect on the season that was and to look ahead to the next season. The Jets brain trust will hold exit interviews with the players this week and then get right back to work on what they can do to improve this team for next year.
Winnipeg Sun: Faithful showed championship form. You would think at this point we would be sick of the platitudes we have been throwing out about the 15,004 fans at the MTS Centre each and every night but they continue to merit these accolades on a nightly basis. Again, last night they took their joy at having an NHL team to new (sound) levels. Even cheering Stamkos when he achieved the rare feat of 60 goals in a season received an ovation, which shows the fans level of understanding of that achievement, rather than mindlessly booing him for being an opposition player.
Winnipeg Sun: Next stop – NHL draft. And you can be sure that we will have in-depth analysis of the potential draft picks for your Winnipeg Jets. Additionally the article touches on Chipman being drowned out, Bogosian’s form, Stamkos serenaded and family ties.
Winnipeg Sun: Handing out the hardware. A number of different players deserved recognition for playing with a lot of heart. In this article the Sun hands out to the guys they feel deserved some ‘props’. Who would you designate as most valuable to this team? (Extra bonus to anyone who says the entire GST line).
Jets on a Deadline – Lightning 4 Jets 3 in OT:
Winnipeg Free Press: Bolts down Jets in OT.
Winnipeg Sun: Jets lose to Bolts in OT.
Globe and Mail: Stamkos notches goal no 60 as Bolts beat Jets in OT.
Tampa Bay Times: Stamkos gets 60th goal, Tampa Bay Lightning wins season finale 4-3 in OT over Jets.
Tampa Bay Tribune: Stamkos scores 60th as Bolts close season with win.
TSN: Stamkos nets 60th in Jets season finale.
NHL: Stamkos gets 60th as Lighting beat Jets in OT.
Chris D: Season finale a celebration.
Audio Highlights:
Winnipeg Jets: Ondrej Pavelec, Mark Stuart and Jim Slater.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Steven Stamkos & Teddy Purcell.
Video Highlights:
Illegal Curve Hockey Show Replay:
Part 1: Recap of our season predictions. Interview with Ed Tait of the Winnipeg Free Press. Series Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers. Series Preview: Florida Panthers vs. New Jersey Devils. Interview with Craig Custance of ESPN. Series Preview: Boston Bruins vs. Ottawa Senators.
Part 2: Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers Series Preview. Western Conference Preview. Interview with Eric Duhatschek of the Globe & Mail. Western Conference playoff preview. Western Conference playoff preview. Western Conference playoff preview, final predictions.
Affiliate news – St. John’s IceCaps:
The Telegram: Falcons soar over IceCaps despite O’Dell’s hat trick. The Caps have been inconsistent of late going 3-6-0-1 over their past 10 games. Good news for St. John’s is they will see a couple of key players return to their lineup after being called up by the Jets.
