Note: Be sure to keep it locked to illegalcurve.com and on social media including Twitter | Facebook | Instagram for all the latest Jets news following skate this morning before the team departs for Boston.
Note II: With the kicking off of the NHL season tonight we also re-start NHL Mid Week except we have changed the name to NHL This Week with Illegal Curve. Regardless of the name you can tune in for two hours of NHL hockey talk on TSN 1290 Winnipeg from 6 pm until 8 pm. Guests: Shane Hnidy (TSN 1290 Winnipeg), Jack Edwards (Bruins play-by-play voice on NESN) and Ken Daneyko (Devils broadcast analyst on MSG plus).
Jets news:
Winnipeg Free Press: Jets fans must adjust to rule changes. (Paywall). Pays to be aware of new rules and Tim brings you up to speed with this article.
Winnipeg Free Press: Jets live in the NHL’s toughest neighbourhood – The Central Division. (Paywall). It is going to be another tough year for Winnipeg. That Central Division has you wishing for the days of the SouthEast Division.
Photo Credit: Rodney Braun
Winnipeg Sun: Jets third line a bit of a mystery. Quite a trio but it seems like coach Maurice likes what each player has to offer him on this improvised third line.
Winnipeg Sun: Chevy’s way. Ultimately and despite the system a coach puts into place the team stamp comes from the GM. As I looked at the opening roster from 2011-12 and compared it to this present Jets team only 10 of 23 players remain.
Winnipeg Sun: Coach Paul Maurice keeps his band of assistants together for another year. While the team hadn’t had much success prior to his arrival he decided not to make major changes to his coaching staff despite the fact that this would have been his prerogative.
Winnipeg Sun: As long as he buys into system, Alex Burmistrov can be key piece for Jets. He will have a big role but it may be more of a defensive one, which is sometimes a difficult for a player to accept. As Ken writes if he does that would be tremendously helpful for Winnipeg.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence
Winnipeg Sun: Jets have depth in goal. With the improved play of Ondrej Pavelev, the steady development of Michael Hutchinson as well as the fact that they have Connor Hellebuyck and Eric Comrie in the AHL and the Jets are seen as a team that is set at the goalie position for the next decade.
Winnipeg Sun: Scheifele’s dedication to fitness and nutrition has helped him grow as a player and a person. The first 1st round pick of this team has become quite a player both on and off the ice since he was drafted.
Winnipeg Sun: Skill and Sandpaper. Will it be like adding oil to water? I don’t suspect it will be but that is what we will find out this NHL season.
Winnipeg Sun: Jets have to stick to system and earn their way back into playoffs. They’ve spent the last season and a bit learning the Paul Maurice system of play which resulted in the first post season spot so really don’t see why they wouldn’t stick to that same system.
Winnipeg Sun: Players excited about ‘wild, unpredictable’ three-on-three overtime. It may be new and only used in the pre season but it has already upped the number of games ending in OT rather than the shootout.
TSN: Jets Hockey Preview (Video). The video is the hockey panel discussing the team. You can also read in the article about three key questions, a look at the projected lines and the analytics storyline.
ESPN: Ranking all 30 teams by defence. (Paywall). Jets D are also ranked 14th (see below for forwards) on this list. Talks about Byfuglien and whether he would still be with team at deadline.
Illegal Curve: A look at the complete Jets 23 man roster. With Thomas Raffl being signed (see below) and sent to the Manitoba Moose the Jets roster hit the magic number of 23. Check out the players left.
Illegal Curve: Jets sign Thomas Raffl to a one year, one way contract. The 29 year old Austrian left Europe to chase his NHL dream and he got that contract from the Jets yesterday. While he will start in the AHL the expectation is he will get an opportunity with the big club.
Illegal Curve: Jets rookies get new numbers. Copp, Petan and Ehlers all took new numbers all of which used to be worn by former members of the Jets.
Jets audio:
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: The Big Show. Shane Hnidy touched on the new look forward corps, Jacob Trouba’s spot on the blue-line and why the Jets are placing high hopes on Adam Lowry this year in his sophomore campaign.
Final Day of Training Camp:
Illegal Curve: Coach Paul Maurice scrum. 3 on 3 overtime. Lowry/Stafford/Burmistrov – how does he describe it and what is their role? Has he seen any changes in terms of drug use in the league? His thoughts on the Raffi Torres suspension. Byfuglien’s absence from practice. Raffl contract situation.
Illegal Curve: Player audio. Hear from Mark Stuart, Drew Stafford and Adam Lowry as they talk 3 on 3 overtime, getting ready to start the season on the road and more.
Moose news:
Illegal Curve: Re-assign Walker, release Trotter. With Jay Harrison clearing waivers and Thomas Raffl being assigned to the Moose the Jets AHL team made some moves of their own.
Moose audio:
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Hustler & Lawless. Moose GM Craig Heisinger joins Hustler & Lawless from Moose training camp to discuss his roster. Heisinger shares what players have impressed him, and how being down the hall from the Jets will help players.
