"Ladies and gentlemen... YOUR WINNIPEG JETS!"
I cannot express how excited I am to hear those six words tomorrow afternoon when - after months of debating, negotiating, and outright lunacy - the NHL will finally drop the puck to start a shortened 48-game season. The Sens are in town and the Jets have completed training camp. All that's left is a morning skate and the announcement of starting rosters.
Will Schiefele stick? With only 5 games to show his worth, I think finishing the season with the Barrie Colts of the OHL (and possibly another run in the AHL playoffs) will do the 19-year old some good.
Will Jokinen gel with Kane & Wellwood? The big centre is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Jets but whether he can create some chemistry with his linemates remains to be seen. He's been saying nothing but the right things entering the season and says his best hockey is still ahead of him... So hopefully he's right.
Can we play good D? We gave up 246 goals last season, something exhaustively documented, yet its importance cannot be undermined. The focus is all on keeping the shots to the outside, thereby giving Pavelec the opportunity to solidify himself as the #1 netminder he's supposed to be (not to mention his salary implies he's an elite-level goaltender in NHL).
Health concerns. Already without Miettinen, Bogosian and potentially Antropov for the opener, the shortened season might pose a problem when it comes to injuries. Time will tell whether playing six games in 8 nights will take its toll on some players. Interestingly, the Jets addressed some critics who said the Jets were too small last season. This week, the Jets claimed Anthony Peluso (6'3'' , 235 lbs.) and James Wright (6'4'', 200 lbs.) off waivers. Both aren't known for their scoring touch but bring size and a physical element that could go a long way if called upon.
Will the stars shine? In order for the Jets to make the playoffs, Big Buff, Ladd, Kane, Wheeler et. al will have to be at the top of their game. No time for 2-week lulls in this short season. That being said, secondary scoring will have to flourish if the big guns take a night off (I'm looking in your direction Burmistrov, Little, Wellwood and Jokinen).
On another note...
I, along with classmates Jared Gauthier and Brendan Macgranachan started a weekly hockey show that I highly recommend you to check out. The Sin Bin airs every Tuesday at 6 p.m. on Red River Radio. radio.rrc.ca Follow us on Twitter too! @TheSinBin
As mentioned above, I will be in attendance for the home opener tomorrow. I also have the Feb. 7 game vs. the Leafs, the Mar. 22 game vs. the Caps (the second of a back-to-back w/ the Caps) and close out with the Apr. 9 game vs. the Sabres. Looking forward to them all but let's start if off with a big win tomorrow, eh Jets?
Go Jets Go!
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