Note: The Jets have another day of practice today before they finally leave for Nashville this afternoon to get ready to kick off the 2nd round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The in-between phase seems to have gone on forever and while we know the Jets and Predators play game 1 in Nashville on Friday night at 7 pm the remainder of the schedule is a mystery pending tonight’s conclusion of Round 1 with the Leafs/Bruins game 7 in Boston. Once that is determined the NHL will likely release the rest of Round 2. The Jets practice today at 11 am at Bell MTS Place and our Jets Playoff Practice Report will bring you up to speed. Until then you can read yesterday’s report here.
Note II: The Moose split the first two games of their 1st Round series with the Griffins back in Winnipeg over the weekend. They are in Grand Rapids, Michigan to play game 3 tonight at Van Andel Arena. Puck drop is at 6 pm. Voice of the Moose Mitch Peacock will have the call which you can listen to on TSN 1290 Winnipeg or on Moose Listen Live.
Jets news:
Winnipeg Sun: Paul Stastny bolsters centre position as veteran pivot has been a perfect fit for Jets. One thing a team can never have enough of are quality centres and this team boasts quite a few at that spot. The addition of this veteran has really positively impacted the squad.
Winnipeg Sun: Expect chippy series from Jets, Preds. With more and more on the line the intensity and desire to win gets even greater and should bring some fire to the series.
Winnipeg Free Press: Scheifele, Subban certain to renew acquaintances. (Paywall). We’ve seen these two tangle before going back to when Subban was with the Habs although that was more a dangle than a tangle.
Winnipeg Free Press: Red practice jersey, coach’s smile suggest Enstrom ready to face Preds. (Paywall). Really sounds like the Jets veteran defenceman is gonna be making his return this Friday night which should serve Winnipeg well.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence
The Tennessean: Why Predators vs. Winnipeg Jets will be must-see. Adam is the beat writer that covers Nashville and will be your source for all things Predators.
CBC: Paul Stastny has ‘no regrets’ about uprooting family for shot at Cup with Jets. An NHL career can be fleeting and while you can make a lot of money a real opportunity to win the Stanley Cup doesn’t exactly happen every year (unless you play for the Pittsburgh Penguins).
CBC: Winnipeg police ready for ‘every type of threat’ at whiteout party, including Toronto-style van attack. It is sad that we have to factor this into these events that really are simply about enjoying sport but the reality is that these can be seen as an opportunity. Good for the police for being proactive.
Toronto Star: A one and a two … so what if Winnipeg-Nashville is two rounds early? While we may have wanted to see it later there is no point lamenting the fact which is that it is gonna take place this round and likely be a hell of a series.
NBC Sports: Patience pays off for Jets in building Stanley Cup contender. Slow and steady wins the race.
The Athletic: It’s Maurice vs. Laviolette — but Pittsburgh’s GM is the one who knows these coaches best. (Paywall). A chat with the GM who knows these two and can provide some insight into how they tick.
The Athletic: Pekka Rinne is ‘very motivated and hungry and focused’ on rewriting last season’s pain. (Paywall). The Preds netminder is highly motivated and I suspect could be the difference in this series as they try to get back and surpass what they accomplished last season.
Illegal Curve: Jets captain Blake Wheeler named a finalist for Mark Messier Leadership Award. Nice recognition for the Jets captain.
Jets video:
TSN: Jets and Preds will be ‘highly entertaining’. Dave Poulin had a chance to call a few of the Jets and Predators games this year and joins That’s Hockey to explain why the entertainment factor will be through the roof with both teams being relatively healthy.
TSN: ‘To win a championship you have to beat the best’. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff joins Tim Hortons That’s Hockey to discuss the Jets already facing the Predators in the second round and looks at the silver lining of the situation.
Sportsnet: Jets injury scare, as Hellebuyck took high shot in practice. A scary incident from Winnipeg Jets practice, as goalie Connor Hellebuyck went down to the ice in a heap, after taking a high shot, he left briefly but would return.
Sportsnet: Jets treating days off as rest, reward and recovery time. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff says the guys are obviously raring to go, and would rather play now, but they’re also using all these days off in between series’ strategically, and taking time to recover.
Jets audio:
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Jets are among the NHL’s most dangerous teams. NHL Network analyst Stu Grimson joined Andrew Paterson and Rick Ralph on the Afternoon Ride. They discussed how the Winnipeg Jets match-up with the Nashville Predators.
TSN 1290 Winnipeg: Jets-Preds will be a high event series. TSN hockey analyst Dave Poulin joined Andrew Paterson and Rick Ralph on the Afternoon Ride. They discussed the Jets performance in the first round series vs. Minnesota, how team’s manage the long layoff between the first and second round and how the Jets match-up with Nashville.
TSN 1040 Vancouver: Winnipeg vs Nashville, a great second round series. Pierre Lebrun is jacked for the Jets/Preds second round series, suggesting it could be the best series of the post-season. Pierre also likes Tampa Bay against Boston or Toronto and loves the story-lines in yet another Washington/Pittsburgh match-up.
