Note: Are you ready Winnipeg? Heritage Classic weekend is upon us and we kick things off with three hours of Winnipeg Jets talk on the Illegal Curve Hockey Show on TSN 1290 Winnipeg starting at 9 am until 12 noon. Start your Saturday with us.
Note II: We mustn’t forget that the new incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets still have some NHL hockey to play. The team will practice at the MTS Centre as they get ready for their matinee with the Oilers on Sunday. As always keep it locked to illegalcurve.com and on social media including Twitter|Facebook |Instagram for the Jets Practice Report.
Note III: Over in southern Ontario your Manitoba Moose will try and keep that winning feeling alive as they take on the Toronto Marlies at Ricoh Coliseum with a 4 pm CT puck drop.
Note IV: In case you want information on how to get to or where to park here is that info all in one spot.
Jets news:
Winnipeg Sun: Ken’s Notebook. Includes Stafford ready for a full experience, Hutchinson sporting Essensa mask, Morrissey settling in and Pavelec earns victory as Moose improve to 2-1-0-1.
NHL.com: Jets centre Mark Scheifele talks about family skate, excitement in city. #55 gives his thoughts on what this weekend means to him and how he is taking it all in with his family and teammates in this blog post.
Sports Illustrated: What happens with Jacob Trouba and the Jets? SI’s NHL crew give their take on the situation with this roundtable discussion.
TSN: What’s the latest on Trouba? (Video). Are the Jacob Trouba trade talks heating up or could he return to the Jets’ lineup? Darren Dreger and Gary Lawless have the latest on the rumours circling the disgruntled defenceman.
CBC: Finland has love-in with Winnipeg thanks to Selanne and Laine. Interesting read on the Finnish reporter (there are actually multiple Finnish reporters in Winnipeg right now) and how these two Finnish superstars are covered back home.
National Post: Laine’s hat trick continues his quick explosion into the upper echelon of hockey stars. Even in Finland his exploits are are consuming social media.
Jets Alumni news:
Globe and Mail: Winnipeg celebrates the Jets and the future. All the people I’ve been talking to (many who are not even attending the game) are loving the celebratory atmosphere that is in the city.
Winnipeg Free Press: Nothing compares to Teemu. (Paywall). Those who weren’t living in Winnipeg in the early 90s sometimes fail to understand our city’s connection to the Finnish Flash. I’ve heard it said derisively “he was only here for a few years”. But the length of time isn’t what matters when it comes to how he was able to capture the hearts and imaginations of folks in this city.
Winnipeg Free Press: ‘Eddie O’ aghast King playing ahead of him on top line. (Paywall). Love the fact that even now the chatter continues between these guys.
Winnipeg Sun: Reminiscing the retro days of hockey. Paul is well versed in the good old days covering the Jets and he takes you back in time with all these alumni players.
Winnipeg Sun: Mullen feels fortunate. Interesting read on what the former Jets player has undergone.
Winnipeg Sun: Ted’s Notebook. Includes Babych had to be good in first season or else, Weather looking OK, Chipman gets in on act, Savard has fond memories and Eddie O’s famous parting words.
Winnipeg Sun: Huddy wearing both teams’ colours at Heritage Classic. Has to be odd to help run a practice, then put on the opposition jersey and then back to coaching against that same uniform the next day.
TSN: Selanne on Winnipeg: ”It’s a very special place for me”. (Video). Teemu Selanne spoke with TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger about how great it is to see his old teammates, joked about how tough the conditioning was for him on the ice and said he was happy to see Patrik Laine’s hat trick.
Sportsnet: 1990 series both beautiful and sad for Winnipeg Jets fans. While the author Daren Millard is a Brandon kid I am going to have to assume that headline wasn’t written by someone who lived in Winnipeg in the 90s. Because I can tell you that it should more likely read ‘gutted and broken’.
CBC: Fans sneak peek of NHL legends ahead of Heritage Classic Alumni game. Not a shocker that when given the opportunity to see ledgends of the game like Gretzky, Hawerchuk, Selanne, Messier, Fuhr, Kurri, etc, etc that folks showed up in the 1000s.
Edmonton Sun: Winnipeg Jets boss wanted Oilers for Heritage Classic. Many who grew up in Winnipeg loved the Jets as much as they disliked the Oilers. Jets co-owner Mark Chipman only had one team in mind when it came to this game. Read more about his reasons here.
NHL.com: Teemu Selanne given key to city of Winnipeg. Is there anything the Finnish Flash couldn’t do in the city of Winnipeg and get away with it? To borrow a Trumpism, I’m fairly certain he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue (we don’t actually have a 5th Avenue here so it isn’t a real concern) and he’d get away with it.
NHL.com: Jets history to be celebrated at Heritage Classic. The fans in Winnipeg have, as per usual, embraced the concept of celebrating their hockey history as you would expect them to in this city.
NHL.com: Winnipeg quite used to outdoor hockey. This weather will be practically balmy from what folks in Winnipeg are used to when it comes to being outside and enjoying the sport of hockey. Folks act like Winnipeg is a freezer and while it certainly can be in December, January and February, in October these temps are hardly anything that will set our hearts a flutter.
Metro News: Lifelong Jets fan counts down to Heritage Classic with cartoons. Love reading these types of articles.
Jets Alumni audio:
Illegal Curve: Post-practice scrums. Hear from Teemu Selanne, Dale Hawerchuk, Eddie Olczyk and Doug Smail.
Oilers Alumni news:
Edmonton Sun: One last time together. The Boys are on the Bus once again.
Edmonton Sun: Steve Staios and Ryan Smyth remember The Big Freeze. A look back at the first Heritage Classic from some players who will play today and played back then.
Winnipeg Sun: Back to the future for Oilers old timers. Amazing what happens when you throw a crew of guys together who have the history that those Oiler players have together.
Winnipeg Sun: Once a public enemy, Gretzky not used to getting warm receptions in Winnipeg. Regardless of how he crushed the hopes and dreams of Jets fans throughout the 80s you cannot help but love what he has done for the game.
Winnipeg Free Press: When the Great One speaks, people listen… even years after his retirement. (Paywall). His understanding of the game is beyond most folks and when you add in his humble nature, people tend to tune in when he speaks.
TSN: Gretzky on Alumni practice, young stars leading Oilers and Jets. (Video). After the Oilers Alumni took to the ice on Friday, Wayne Gretzky spoke about the reception the players got, what he expects from the game, the great shape the NHL is in with all the young stars and much more.
TSN: Messier explains his connection to Winnipeg. (Video). Mark Messier chats with TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger about the respect everyone has for each other ahead of such a special event, why Winnipeg brings back great memories for him and more.
Edmonton Journal: NHL outdoor game in Winnipeg, like all of them, has roots in Edmonton. Interesting read on the folks involved in the first one and where they are now.
