Winnipeg Jets Morning Papers (Thursday, Mar 8th)

Jets news:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Jets, Canucks both battling to hold on to position.  While the Jets are certainly the more desperate team, that does not guarantee victory.  It will take a complete 60 minutes to beat one of the best teams in the West.

Winnipeg Free Press:  Transformed Big Buff sparks Jets’ latest playoff surge.  When you hear guys like Little and Ladd talk about playing as a 5 man unit, with Buff and Enstrom, they usually mention how there is a level of trust they have built.  Prior to getting no points in his last 2 games, he had 17 points (4 goals, 13 assists) in the Jets previous 10 games.

Winnipeg Free Press:  It all starts with Pavelec.  While he is too humble to admit it, there is no question who the Jets MVP this season has been.  Win or lose he doesn’t get too high or low and usually deflects praise to his teammates.  The Jets have 15 games remaining and you can bet that Pavelec will be playing in the majority of them.

Winnipeg Free Press:  News and Notes.  Byfuglien loath to fuel old rivalry with Canucks.  Honesty the best policy.  Heading home.

Winnipeg Free Press:  Jets, Canucks will honour Rypien tonight.  Both teams have a connection to him and tonight both teams will come together to honour his memory.

Winnipeg Sun:  Five comes alive for Jets.  It remains to be seen if the Jets can get these 5 out together now that they are on the road and coach Noel no longer has the final change.

Winnipeg Sun:  Kane’s trip to hometown starts well.  He might be young but he already has his own bobblehead and was inducted into the WHL’s Vancouver Giants ring of honour.

Winnipeg Sun:  Antropov one pricey foot soldier.  Sure sounds like Nik Antropov has bought what coach Noel was selling.  Nice to see a veteran like him playing the role he is being asked to and doing same.  Coach Noel talked about getting good use of players, saying 14 minutes of high intensity is a lot more important than 18 minutes of average effort.

Winnipeg Sun:  Glass knows the secret to beating Canucks.  Good thing Glass has some insight as this team has frightening skill.

Winnipeg Sun:  Jets can expect rough reception.  Despite having some B.C. natives on the roster like Evander Kane and Andrew Ladd, both Ladd and Byfuglien still bear the taint of their time with Vancouver’s bitter rivals, the Blackhawks.

Winnipeg Sun:  Jets just need to win.  This week could do a lot to show the rest of the league that the Jets are deserving to be in the playoffs.

The Province:  Glass savouring Jets madness.  Pretty interesting to hear a player reference home games at the MTS Centre as if they are a playoff type atmosphere.  One can only imagine the madness that the post season will create.

Vancouver Sun: Jets(tream) revisits Vancouver after 16 years.  The Canucks have 11 players (as well as coach Vigneault) who spent time in Manitoba with the Moose.  Winnipeg got a lot of love after the Jets 1.0 left but now that the Jets are back expect old rivalries to renew, starting tonight.

Next opponent news – Vancouver Canucks:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Canucks unfazed by recent slide, high expectations.  At this point Vancouver is simply jockeying for playoff positioning.

Globe and Mail:  Big guns fall silent and so do Canucks.  Many star teams will have these occasional let downs and Jets fans are hoping the big guns don’t regain their voice tonight.

The Province:  Vancouver plans for smaller party.  Probably a good thing after all the things that went wrong last year.