Winnipeg Jets Morning Papers

Note: Make sure to @ tweet @illegalcurve with your guess during tonight’s game you can win IC Gear by participating in our twitter Game Winning Goal. Remember that for your vote to qualify you must send in your guess by hashtaging (#) our Game Winning Goal (GWG) contest. (i.e. #ICGWG Thorburn).

Scoreboard watch tonight:  Islanders @ Devils |  Hurricanes @ Canadiens.

Jets news:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Playoff stretch for Jets begins tonight against Rangers.  A huge week for the Jets.  While they don’t play any division rivals, it is time to start adding more points to their total if they want to make the playoffs.

Winnipeg Free Press:  Transformation week for Jets.  This is an edge of your seats for the Jets players and fans alike.  The team has two critical games before the trade deadline on Wednesday.  Who will stay and who will go will be on everyone’s mind and be sure to stick with @illegalcurve for any breaking Jets news.

Winnipeg Free Press:  Ticket prices gain altitude.  Not really much of a surprise with the increase.

Winnipeg Sun:  Dustin Byfuglien needs to be more consistent: head coach Claude Noel.  Time to get off the roller coaster and get the Big Buff ride going smoothly for the rest of the Jets games.

Illegal Curve:  Examining Winnipeg Jets trade options as deadline day approaches.  What are the Winnipeg Jets trade deadline needs?  We discussed this in-depth on Saturday’s Illegal Curve Hockey Show on TSN Radio 1290.

Illegal Curve: Coach Noel pre-trip presser. Guys who weren’t on the ice were just for maintenance? Slater and Peluso are only guys not traveling. How close is Stuart? Does he get busier with trade deadline upcoming? Top line has been playing well but not scoring goals…concern? Does trade deadline impact the room? Dustin Byfuglien’s play. Expectations from the Rangers. Not getting too high or low after a win or loss – scheduling or maturing? Ends scrum talks about play of Pavelec.

Illegal Curve: Jets players pre-trip. We have audio from Dustin Byfuglien, Ondrej Pavelec, Mark Stuart and Ron Hainsey.

Jets affiliate and prospect news:

CBC:  IceCaps defeat Sharks.  Nice 25th birthday for Ben Maxwell who tied the game with under a minute to go in the 3rd period and then won it for St. John’s in OT.  While the team has been much better of late (6-3-0-1 in last 10) they remain 10 points out of the playoffs with 15 games remaining in the AHL season.

Barrie Colts:  2nd Round of OHL playoffs announced.  While the Colts are still unsure of their opponent (will either be Oshawa or Mississauga) the next round starts on Wednesday, April 3rd for Mark Scheifele and company.  The Jets 1st round pick in 2011 currently is third in OHL playoff scoring.

NCAA:  UMass-Lowell going to first Frozen Four.  The Jets selection in the 5th round of the 2012 entry draft, Connor Hellebuyck has been sensational this season going 20-2-0 as the starter and leading the River Hawks to their first Frozen Four.

Opposition (Rangers) news:

Newsday:  Slumping Rangers practice on Easter Sunday.  As coach Noel acknowledged they will be meeting a desperate team in New York tonight.  Hopefully the Jets will show equal desperation when the two teams clash.

New York Times:  Lacking offense Rangers are in danger of missing playoffs.  How many people would have predicted that a team with this much talent could be fighting for its playoff lives as we rush towards the end of the regular season?

New York Post:  Callahan releases statement renouncing Avery comments.  In case you missed it, former agitator Sean Avery tweeted “Fire this CLOWN. His players hate him and wont play for his BS…. @imseanavery is #winning” and not surprisingly the captain of the Blueshirts is standing up to those comments.

NHL news:

Globe and Mail:  All eyes on the Penguins.  Can GM Shero still have some moves left in his arsenal?  The Penguins, sans Sid the Kid, will be looking to add to their 15 game win streak and possibly also eliminate the Sabres from contention on Tuesday.

Columbus Dispatch:  Jackets win again.  While we are very Eastern-centric while the Jets are in that Conference, it bears noting he remarkable run that Columbus has been on of late.  While St. Louis is just a point back with three games in hand, the Jackets are in sole possession of 8th in the West.

Globe and Mail:  Reimer proving Leafs don’t need Luongo.  The pride of Morweena, Manitoba, many around these parts want to see him get a chance to prove himself in the post season.  Will the Leafs brass have faith that the guy who got them into the playoffs can do the job once they are in?