Note: Following a busy Wednesday in downtown Winnipeg (check out yesterday’s Practice Report to get caught up), the Jets are back in business for the second game of this ten game home stand as they face the Vegas Golden Knights. The Jets are 18-3-1 at Bell MTS Place and have won seven straight in Winnipeg and have just one regulation loss in the last three months at home. The Winnipeg Jets pre-game report will have you up to date when the morning skate gets underway at 10:30 am. You can also stay tuned via Twitter | Facebook | Instagram. Puck drop is at 7 pm CST.
Note II: The Moose are done their AHL All-Star break and will practice today in Rockford, Illinois ahead of six more games on the road. The Moose are 17-4-1 in 22 road games this season and have points in eleven straight on the road (10-0-1). Friday’s game against the IceHogs will mark the first of 17 straight against the central division. I spoke with coach Vincent yesterday and will have a Moose News & Notes up on Friday.
Jets news:
Winnipeg Sun: Five keys to Jets vs Golden Knights. Ken’s big match up is Josh Morrissey and Tyler Myers vs William Karlsson, Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. His five keys include: 1) Rested and ready. 2) Captain cruising. 3) Powerful stuff. 4) Flower power. 5) Eyes on Neal.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence
Winnipeg Sun: Scheifele takes next step in recovery as he returns to skate with his teammates. While he remains in the bright yellow non-contact uniform (and according to his coach will continue to do so for at least another week) fans have to be excited to see the familiar 55 get one step closer to stepping back into this top line centre spot.
Winnipeg Sun: Jets players open up during mental health awareness roundtable. Good to see players in the community helping to try and make a difference in a young persons life.
Winnipeg Free Press: Mark Scheifele back at practice, but at least a week away from game. (Paywall). Guys like Bryan Little were quite impressed at the progression of Scheifele which is encouraging news.
Winnipeg Free Press: Jets vs Golden Knights an unlikely battle of first-place teams. (Paywall). While the Jets were expected to be a playoff team the Golden Knights were an unknown quantity and yet somehow here we are with these two squads at the top of their respective divisions. Should be a doozy tonight.
The Athletic Winnipeg: How the Winnipeg Jets are redefining the Ovi spot. (Paywall). At this point folks in this town are calling it the Laine’s zone.
ESPN: Strength of remaining schedule for all 31 NHL teams. (Paywall). Still not on the Jets’ bandwagon yet? After analyzing a series of factors on every NHL team’s remaining slate, Winnipeg is looking like the odds-on favorite to take the Central Division crown. Who else is helped (and hurt) disproportionately?
Sportsnet: 31 Thoughts. First part is about Hutchinson and number 11 is about Jets potentially looking for a left side D man. 25-28 are about Moose coach Pascal Vincent.
Illegal Curve: Winnipeg Jets Practice Report. Busy day at Bell MTS Place yesterday and the practice report will bring you right up to speed including health updates on Scheifele, Kulikov and Enstrom. Also includes audio from Brandon Tanev, Bryan Little, Jack Roslovic and coach Maurice.
Jets audio:
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Jets keeping a short term focus. Tim Campbell discusses the Jets success at home this season, the playoff race in the Western Conference and the upcoming game vs. Vegas.
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Cheveldayoff is focused on adding a defensive forward. TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger discuses his story on Paul Ranger, how hockey has changed since the death of Rick Rypien, Wade Belak and Derek Boogaard in the summer of 2011, Mike Fisher coming out of retirement, and how the Blues, Golden Knights and Jets will approach the trade deadline.
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Project 11 is Rick Rypien’s legacy. Craig Heisinger, Winnipeg Jets Sr. Vice President & Director, Hockey Ops / Asst. General Mgr joined Andrew Paterson and Rick Ralph in studio on the Afternoon Ride. They discuss #BellLetsTalk, the first annual Project 11 summit, how Project 11 has grown in the last five years, how Rick Rypien’s passing has changed the way mental health is discussed and how the Winnipeg Jets approach to mental health has changed since 2011.
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Wheeler drives every line he plays on. Winnipeg Free Press Sports writer Jeff Hamilton joined host Kevin Olszewski to recap Tuesday night’s Jets win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Excited to play with Myers. Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey joined the Big Show following the club’s win over the Lightning to talk about seeing Tiger Woods during the All-Star break, the absence of his partner Jacob Trouba and what he’s looking forward to while playing with Tyler Myers.
NHL This Week with Illegal Curve Replay:
Topics: Jets/Lightning Recap, Jets/Golden Knights Preview, How will the Jets deal with Jacob Trouba out of the line-up for 6-8 weeks, Bell Let’s Talk Day, Believe in Ryp Feature, Trade Deadline Chatter.
Guests: Dan D’Uva (Vegas Golden Knights broadcaster), Jim Cerny (Sporting News, Managing Editor- Canada), Chris Mason (Nashville Predators TV Analyst).
To listen click here.
