Winnipeg Jets Morning Papers

Note: The Jets got some good news on Thursday as it appears both Josh Morrissey and Dylan Samberg will be available for them this evening as they return to action against the Kings. Morrissey was a question mark after leaving the last game while Samberg has been out since breaking his foot back on November 23rd. Stay tuned for the pre-game report to ensure you’re up-to-date on the latest. Puck drop is at 7 PM CST.

Note II: This evening, after the final buzzer sounds between Winnipeg and Los Angeles, we want you to be part of the conversation on the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show as we discuss and analyze the results of the game starting around 9:40 PM CST.

Note III: The Moose used Thursday as a travel day as they went from Milwaukee to Grand Rapids where they will conclude their road trip. So far they sure are loving the new year as they have gone 2-0-1 through the first three games of this five-game road trip. We will see if they can keep the good times rolling this evening when they take on the Griffins. Puck drop is at 6 PM CST.

Note IV: Sharp angle for Kevin He but that was not a problem for the Jets 2024 4th rounder who scored his 26th goal of the season for Niagara. He also had an assist in the 7-2 IceDogs win. He’s got 26G 25A for 51 points in 37 games which puts him 11th overall in the OHL points race.

Jets news:

Winnipeg Sun: It’s Logan Stanley over Ville Heinola: Jets’ Arniel … Kings and Avs provide stiff test … Samberg loads up on shot blockers. As the headline suggests Paul wrote about the decision to go with 64 over 14, the difficulty of games this weekend and how Dylan Samberg will be protecting himself moving forward. 

Winnipeg Sun: Jets get ‘inspirational’ defenceman back on the blueline. On Wednesday there was a lot of concern about what the Jets D depth would look like on Friday and today it’s looking a lot more stable with 54 back to solidify the pairing with 4 and with 44 resuming his usual spot alongside 2.

Winnipeg Free Press: Jets D-man returns from broken foot to face Kings. (Paywall). Fans have been hoping (and likely praying) to see number 54 back on the ice in a top 4 role and they should expect to see him this evening. If one thing is certain it’s that 54 showed how important he is to this hockey club.

The Athletic: NHL midseason attendance analysis: Why the Jets are trending up, on and off the ice. (Paywall). This is an interesting read about how things are looking better than last year in the ‘Peg. 

Jets video:

Sportsnet: Does Jets’ Hellebuyck deserve Hart Trophy consideration? The Hockey Central panel breaks down some picks for the major NHL awards at the midpoint of the season, including whether Cale Makar could pick up his second Norris Trophy and whether Connor Hellebuyck could win both the Vezina and the Hart.

Jets audio:

Sportsnet: The Fan Hockey Show. Matt Marchese and Mike Futa chat with Jets assistant coach Davis Payne starting with the win over the Predators, then turned to the time they spend on the power play, his philosophy with the PP units, biggest growth in Gabriel Vilardi’s game, who didn’t he know a lot about that he is now around that he’s in awe of, what’s the fan base in Winnipeg like, what does Alex Iafallo do in Manitoba and depth they have up front.

680 CJOB: Jets at noon. On the show two days back Jets top netminder Connor Hellebuyck joined Cam Poitras and Jim Toth for a chat following his 300th win over the Predators. Runs around the first ten minutes of the show.