Note: Tonight is the final Jets game before the All-Star break as Winnipeg welcomes Arizona to the MTS Centre for a 7 pm puck drop. As always stay tuned to illegalcurve.com and our social media including Twitter| Facebook | Instagram for pre and post game news.
Note II: The Moose also hit the ice tonight in Bakersfield, California where they will play the Condors with a 9 pm puck drop.
Jets news:
ESPN: Would Andrew Ladd fit with Panthers? Pierre LeBrun wonders if the captain may be a good fit in Del Boca Vista.
USA Today: 15 takeaways at NHL’s All-Star break. Continuing with the theme of Ladd/Byfuglien and trades (for the next five weeks), Kevin Allen has them as players receiving most trade buzz in point 2 of 15.
Sportsnet: 30 Thoughts. #14 deals with Byfuglien and Ladd situation.
Winnipeg Free Press: Spotlight on pivot Scheifele as he returns to Jets lineup. (Paywall). He has familiarity with both Wheeler and Ehlers so the thinking is this may give that line a little boost tonight against the Coyotes.
Winnipeg Free Press: Andrew Ladd says contract negotiations will not affect his game. (Paywall). Never fun for players having to deal with the business side of the game.
Winnipeg Sun: Ladd has hard time seeing himself with another team. He has been the leader on and off the ice for this squad since they’ve arrived.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence
CBC: 5 things to watch as the ‘Desert Dogs’ take a walk through Winnipeg. Includes: 1) Ladd leaving. 2) No All-stars. 3) Doan done. 4) Max’ed Domi. 5) Scheifele shuffle.
Sportsnet: Decisions on Byfuglien and Ladd can make or break Jets’ future. That sound you hear is the buzz of trade talk as we get closer and close to the trade deadline.
ESPN: 5 GMs feeling the heat. It may have been -20 last week but ESPN has the Jets GM as #1 on their list of GMs feeling the heat.
Global news: Mathieu Perreault to miss game tonight. Sounds like the news is better than they expected and they are being smart holding him out from the one game tonight so he can have another five days rest during the break.
Illegal Curve: Jets Practice Report. A look at the lines used and the players absent from the practice at the MTS Centre. Audio: Andrew Ladd and Blake Wheeler.
Jets audio:
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Hustler and Lawless. Gary Lawless discusses how the Winnipeg Jets’ strategy in handling their pending UFAs towards favouring Dustin Byfuglien over captain Andrew Ladd.
Illegal Curve: Coach Maurice scrum. Status of Perreault and Little. Having a couple days of practice. Is Scheifele a player for tomorrow? Does he notice a difference in Ladd? What makes him a good leader? How much is he aware of the trade deadline approaching and does he use that as a motivator? With a five day break how big a danger is there of a lack of focus? How close is Pavelec to returning?
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: The Big Show. Adam Gretz of CBS Sports joined the show for some hockey talk centered around the Dustin Byfuglien/Andrew Ladd situation in Winnipeg including what teams would have interest in the Jets captain and what kind of package the Jets could receive in a deal.
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: The Big Show. Gary Lawless provides further insight on his latest article which states the Winnipeg Jets have shifted their attention towards signing Dustin Byfuglien to a contract extension, making Andrew Ladd a trade candidate in the process.
Moose news:
Illegal Curve: Eric Comrie replaces Connor Hellebuyck as Moose All-Star representative. While it remains unofficial to the surprise of no one the Moose rookie goalie will be heading to Syracuse, NY at the end of the month.
Illegal Curve: Manitoba Moose Report. A quick update from the road and a look at organization depth.
Moose audio:
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Rona Roundtable. Patrick Williams of NHL.com discusses the Moose’s struggles generating offense this season.
