Note: The Jets didn’t skate on Wednesday choosing to give their guys a recovery day off the ice although coach Maurice did have a media availability. During it he sounded hopeful that Josh Morrissey would escape any punishment for his cross-check to the neck of Eric Staal but that hope was crushed by the Department of Player Safety which issued a one-game suspension for Morrissey. Sami Niku was re-assigned by the team back to the Moose but that simply could have been a way to get him a practice with Manitoba who skated on Wednesday morning. Ron MacLean said on the broadcast last night that he was hearing Tyler Myers would be fine for Friday. Might we get more insight today? Stay tuned for the Jets Playoff Practice Report for more.
Note II: The Moose are getting closer and closer to their first ever playoff game in the 2.0 era when the Grand Rapids Griffins come to town. Game 1 goes Saturday afternoon at 2 pm. Today they will practice at Bell MTS IcePlex.
Jets news:
Winnipeg Sun: Jets captain Blake Wheeler took winding road and worked to become elite player. Ken looks at the path the leader in the Jets room has taken to get to this spot.
Winnipeg Sun: Wheeler never lost love for football. Along with Andrew Copp sounds like the Jets could have quite a summer football team.
Winnipeg Sun: Jets Snapshots. Includes: 1) Coaches exchange verbal volleys. 2) Boudreau says Buff hits like Downie. 3) Chance to clinch. 4) Hellebuyck backs up swagger.
Winnipeg Free Press: Josh Morrissey given game suspension for cross-check on Eric Staal. (Paywall). You had to think the Jets defenceman was getting at least one game for his cross-check.
Winnipeg Free Press: Coach prepping Jets to play team fighting for its playoff life. (Paywall). While the Wild are a desperate team they just don’t have the horses to keep up with this Jets squad.
Minneapolis Star Tribune: Wheeler’s journey leads from Gophers star to Jets center of attention. Bringing you the local view of the Jets captain and his growth into the leader of this Jets team.
Minneapolis Star Tribune: Boudreau feels discipline for Jets’ Morrissey is warranted. The gamesmanship between the coach of the Wild and the coach of the Jets was on full display on Wednesday.
Sportsnet: Morrissey punishment too late to help Wild vs. Jets. Both teams can point to missed calls that had the potential to change a game. No point in lamenting the past.
Sportsnet: Why the Jets, resilient and battle-tested, believe they can win it all. There is certainly a confidence in this group and when you look at the talent they have there is no reason why (aside from those Nashville Predators in the 2nd round) they couldn’t be competing for the Stanley Cup.
Illegal Curve: Winnipeg Whiteout Street Party is growing (again) ahead of game 5. Cannot wait to hear from the crowd which we can inside Bell MTS Place as they take the energy around the building to the next level.
Jets video:
TSN: Poulin doesn’t think Morrissey would be suspended if penalty was called. Dave Poulin thinks that if the penalty against Josh Morrissey would have been called at the moment it happened, then he would not have been suspended. Poulin also discusses how the Jets can overcome the possible absence of four regular defencemen in Game 5.
TSN: Morrissey hit puts department of player safety in a tough spot. TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger and Frank Seravalli weigh in on possible outcome from Josh Morrissey’s cross-check to Eric Staal’s head and how it puts the NHL’s department of player safety in a tough spot because there wasn’t a call on the ice.
Jets audio:
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Morrissey hit was cringe-worthy. Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun joined Andrew Paterson and Rick Ralph on the Afternoon Ride. They discussed Josh Morrissey’s cross check on Eric Staal, which defenseman would be in the lineup if Morrissey would be injured, Tucker Poolman’s first career NHL playoff game, Toby Enstrom’s injury status and Hellebuyck’s shut-out in Game 4.
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Nice bounce back effort from the Jets. TSN 1290 Winnipeg Jets broadcaster Paul Edmonds joined Andrew Paterson and Rick Ralph on the Afternoon Ride. They discuss the Jets Game 4 win over Minnesota, the gamesmanship between head coaches Bruce Boudreau and Paul Maurice, and how a possible suspension to Josh Morrissey would affect the Jets defense.
TSN 1150 Hamilton: Jets depth could really be tested. TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun joins Tatti and Louie B to discuss the Winnipeg Jets series against the Minnesota Wild, including Josh Morrissey’s possible suspension.
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Jets played well and had good goaltending in Game 4 win. NHL.com writer Tim Campbell joined host Kevin Olszewski to recap the Jets win over Minnesota and what we can expect from game 5 in Winnipeg.
Moose news:
Winnipeg Free Press: Young Moose star the Appleton of junior coach’s eye. (Paywall). He has shown a serious commitment to improving and growing as a player this season and it isn’t surprising that he has had a similar dedication early in his journey to the pros.
Illegal Curve: Moose sign Jets 2017 7th rounder Skyler McKenzie to ATO. Plenty of young prospects joining the Moose for their playoff run. While the expectation is they will be part of the Black Aces we will have to wait to see how coach Vincent deploys all these young guns he has recently acquired.
