Note: The Jets concluding their regular season on Friday night with a win over the Leafs and took Saturday off to get some rest as they get ready to start their playoff series with the Oilers starting on Wednesday in Edmonton. Lots of injury question marks surrounding this team including Andrew Copp, Tucker Poolman, Nikolaj Ehlers as well as Paul Stastny and Pierre-Luc Dubois who didn’t finish the game on Friday night. The schedule wasn’t set last night but the expectation is they will practice today so stay tuned for the Practice Report.
Note II: The Moose finally lost in regulation after going 13 games (10-0-1-2) as the Senators from Belleville hung on for a 3-2 win in regulation on Saturday night. After Jets 2018 2nd rounder David Gustafsson scored on the breakaway to tie the game in the 2nd period and then leading scorer Nathan Todd tied it up in the 3rd it looked like it could be another night for extra time but a late goal meant a regulation loss for Manitoba. They will end their regular season this afternoon with a 3 PM start in Ottawa.
Note III: The expectation is that the Moose end of season media availability will be on Monday and be sure to join us for a special edition of a roundtable discussion with Illegal Curve on Tuesday (expectation is 5 pm to 7 pm) as we break down the most unusual season to date for this franchise.
Jets news:
The Athletic Winnipeg: Which Winnipeg Jets have the most to gain — and lose — in the 2021 NHL playoffs. (Paywall). Murat breaks down which players and management could be gainers and losers from these playoffs.
Sportsnet: Jets need Dubois to find his form to have success vs. Oilers. There has been a lot of mixed reaction to the blockbuster deal but all of that could be forgotten if he is able to replicate what he did in last year’s playoff bubble.
Winnipeg Sun: Playoff loss to Oilers in 1990 still haunts many former Jets players. No question that was one hell of a loss in a series for fans and as Ted writes for the players as well.
Winnipeg Sun: History has not been kind to Winnipeg Jets against Oilers in Stanley Cup playoffs. As Ted illustrated in this piece the Jets 1.0 playoff track record it wasn’t alone in causing pain for those in Manitoba and abroad who were fans of the NHL club in Winnipeg.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Winnipeg Free Press: The long and winding road. (Paywall). I think one of the clearest points made by folks whether it is head coach Paul Maurice or players is they understand how lucky they are to have work and the lives they lead as professionals in hockey but they are also living under the same (and likely stricter) conditions as regular folks here in Canada and that can be quite isolating.
Sportsnet: Three playoff series most likely to end in a first-round upset. While the odds are not in the Jets favour this series is closer than some are giving it credit for.
Sportsnet: NHL Insiders 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs Predictions. The folks at Sportsnet compiled their list of insiders to make predictions of all the series including the one involving Winnipeg and Edmonton.
Illegal Curve Hockey Show:
Topics: Jets/Oilers Round 1 Series Preview, The Connor McDavid factor, Can the Jets win this series without Nikolaj Ehlers, Do the Jets have the advantage when looking at the bottom 6 forwards.
Guest: Jeff Hamilton (Winnipeg Free Press).
To listen to part 1 click here.
Topics: Predictions for the Jets and Oilers series. Look around the NHL at the other series including Leafs/Habs, Wild/Golden Knights, Blues/Avalanche, Islanders/Penguins, Bruins/Capitals, Hurricanes/Predators and Panthers/Lightning.
Guest: Frank Seravalli (TSN)
To listen to part 2 click here.
