Winnipeg Jets Practice Report

The always fun final day for trades in the NHL as Trade Deadline day is here and officially comes to a close at 3 pm E.T.  The Jets will have to put that reality out of their minds as they hit the ice today to prepare for the Nashville Predators who will be here tomorrow night for a game at Bell MTS Place.  Both teams could look slightly different by the end of the day today.  We will have to wait and see.

Pre-skate news:

According to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun three injured Jets were on the ice prior to the start of practice including Jacob Trouba, Adam Lowry and Shawn Matthias.  Back on January 28th coach Maurice had indicated it would be a 6-8 week recovery and we are at about the four week mark since Trouba’s injury was announced.

Practice Notes:

Jamie Thomas of Jets TV indicated that Brandon Tanev is out on the ice in a regular uniform.  Expectations were he would be ready to go for tomorrow’s game against Nashville so this is not unexpected.  Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press tweets that Tyler Myers only player missing from skate and that all three goalies (Hellebuyck, Hutchinson & Mason) are on the ice.

Brian Munz of TSN 1290 Winnipeg provides the lines (see below) although it is worth noting as per Scott Billeck of NHL .com that Tobias Enstrom had to be helped off the ice after blocking a shot during today’s practice. (Update from coach is he is fine).

Trade news:

While the Jets were busy practicing Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff completed a trade sending his 2018 1st rounder pick, prospect Erik Foley and a conditional 2020 4th rounder to the Blues for centre Paul Stastny.  For more details click here.  In addition to that move the Jets have also acquired defenceman Joe Morrow for a 4th round pick in 2018.  For more details click here.

Lines, D pairs and goalies:

Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler
Perreault-Little-Roslovic
Ehlers-Copp-Laine
Tanev/Petan-Hendricks-Armia

Morrissey-Poolman
Enstrom-Byfuglien
Chiarot-Kulikov

Hellebuyck
Hutchinson
Mason

Audio:

Blake Wheeler

Dustin Byfuglien

Matt Hendrick

Nikolaj Ehlers

Patrik Laine

Coach Maurice:  Thoughts on the acquisition of Paul Stastny.  Where does he see him fitting in?  Is Stastny an option for tomorrow’s game?  How much more does it excite him with the move as a coach?  Status of Tyler Myers?  How is Enstrom?  Were they lacking in veteran leadership?  Considering how the other big dogs have made moves did they need to make this move to “keep up”?  Is Stastny the kind of player he would have targeted?  How much of a priority was this move to protect the chemistry in the room?  On Stastny waiving his no-trade to come to the Jets.  Is he a guy who could be part of the penalty kill and power play?  When did Stastny’s name first come up?  How surprised is he that St. Louis is selling?  Update on Tanev?  Health updates.  Goalie status.  Thoughts on Nashville?  Did they keep up with the Predators in terms of trade deadline moves?  On moving Lowry to the 4th to create a shut down line.  On what happens with Matt Hendricks.

Audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.

Health news:

Tyler Myers was missing from today’s skate but he is simply “under the weather” and that Tobias Enstrom who blocked a shot in practice “He’s fine.  He just wanted to get out of practice.” With Brandon Tanev back in a regular uniform coach Maurice provided an update on him “Full contact, got through today.  I don’t have him in tomorrow.  He is going to get two more practices on the other side of the Nashville game and then we’ll move from there.”  As far as Adam Lowry, Shawn Matthias and Jacob Trouba who skated this morning ahead of practice the Jets bench boss indicated that “Lowry and Matthias skated today, improving”. The coach indicated that he didn’t yet have an update on how today’s skate went for Trouba who will skate again tomorrow.

Goalies:

Coach Maurice also indicated that Connor Hellebuyck gets the start tomorrow against Nashville and Michael Hutchinson will back him up.

Assigned:

The Jets have sent Nic Petan and Tucker Poolman back to the Moose.  This move will certainly bolster a Manitoba team who had already gotten a shot in the arm when Eric Comrie was assigned last week.

As always stay tuned for the latest Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose news by keeping it locked to our web site  illegalcurve.com and on social media including Twitter | Facebook | Instagram.  You can also follow me on twitter as well (@icdave).