Winnipeg Jets Playoff Practice Report

The Jets will hold back to back practices for the first time in ages as they continue to prepare for the start of the 2017-18 playoffs.  It was a busy day at the IcePlex yesterday and that is expected to continue today as the team prepares for tomorrow night when they kick off Game 1 against the Wild at Bell MTS Place at 6 pm.

The lines and D pairs are based on yesterday’s practice and will be updated (if necessary) once skate gets underway.

Practice Notes:

Line and D pairs remained the same as yesterday according to Jamie Thomas of Jets TV.

Jets lines, D pairs:

Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler
Ehlers-Stastny-Laine
Perreault-Little-Armia
Copp-Lowry-Tanev

Extras: Matthias, Hendricks, Roslovic and Dano.

Morrissey-Trouba
Morrow-Byfuglien
Chiarot-Myers

Extra: Poolman

Audio:

Blake Wheeler

Connor Hellebuyck

Josh Morrissey

Jacob Trouba

Dustin Byfuglien

Paul Stastny

Mark Scheifele

Coach Maurice:  What is the biggest message for his hockey club ahead of the start of the series?  What did it mean for Mark Scheifele to go up against Kesler and Getzlaf in the playoffs previously?  Biggest area of growth in his game?  Staying patient.  State of the special teams.  Any advantages to having faced Bruce Boudreau before in the playoffs?  On handling adversity and whether that will help in the post-season despite not having playoff experience?  How clear is he on what is and what isn’t goalie interference?  The play of Lowry’s line.  On Hellebuyck exceeding expectations.  On the relationship that has developed between Hellebuyck and Jets goalie coach Wade Flaherty.  Anything new on Kulikov?  On the job that Chiarot/Morrow have done.  On the Morrow-Byfuglien pairing.

Audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.

Health news:

Coach Maurice was asked if there was an update on Dmitry Kulikov who chose alternative methods rater than having back surgery in mid March.  On the 19th of March the expectation was there may be an update in three or four weeks but asked today the Jets bench boss indicated there was nothing new with the veteran left side defenceman.