Noel Knows Home Cooking Good For Long Term Success

With 13 of the next 15 at home, many have been harping on the fact that the Winnipeg Jets season will boil down to how these next bundle of games will play out.

For what it's worth, those many people are somewhat right.

A rocky start in a 6-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night didn't exactly right any wrongs of the Jets, who have been streaking lately, picking up points consistently as November has turned into December.

But many must remember that the Jets play as of late has been night and day from that of the early October and late October, and pretty much all of October.

Evander Kane's 12 goals leads the team and his play has improved leaving many to believe that he is the star of the team and is on pace to potentially break the 30 goal plateau.

Impressive for a third year player who has never scored 20.

The team concept that head coach Claude Noel has instilled in these players and his systems is reminiscent of his year of coaching the Manitoba Moose last season in Winnipeg.

The Moose of 2010-11 were a a team of grinders and hard nosed guys. Somehow, Noel got a team with only one 20+ goal scorer (Sergei Shirokov) and pluggers to an impressive 43-3-7 mark and an eventual loss in Game 7 of the Calder Cup Semi-Finals.

There's no worry about the outcome of game's past because Noel's system is starting to see the fruit of its ways.

Games, such as Ottawa, are only hiccups on the way to the Jets becoming an above .500 team in the NHL's Eastern Conference.

If anyone doesn't believe that, look at Noel's previous coaching record prior to his arrival in Winnipeg.

In five seasons of coaching in the AHL with Manitoba and the Milwaukee Admirals, Noel's teams have never missed the playoffs - in fact, never won less than 41 games in a season. That also included a Calder Cup championship in 2004.

In eleven seasons of minor-pro coaching in the AHL, IHL, and ECHL, Noel's teams has only ever missed the playoffs once - in his rookie season coaching in the ECHL.

Ottawa was only a hiccup and sure there will be more.

But hiccups rarely destroy anything.

Game #16: Jets vs. Panthers

Welcome home Jets. It's been a while has it not?

The Winnipeg Jets return to shake the dust off the MTS Centre tonight as they host the Florida Panthers in only their fifth game on home ice this season.

So far, the Jets are sporting a 2-2-0 record at home, with wins over Pittsburgh (2-1) and Carolina (5-3), while dropping decisions to Montreal (5-1) and the New York Rangers (2-1).

Two days after a crashing end to a mildly successful 3-2-2 two week road swing in Buffalo, the Jets are now 5-7-2 on the season and are looking to climb the standings now with some home cooking.

Of the nine games remaining in November, five of them are at the MTS Centre.

And of those nine, five are against divisional opponents.

The Jets most decidedly have the ball in their court, as it were, with the majority of games coming at home against their divisional opponents.

Let's hope the Jets make the most of things.

With the return of Mark Stuart, the Jets blueline was bolstered towards the end of the road trip.

But no one is in a hurry to rush back either Randy Jones or Ron Hainsey with the emergence of Mark Flood on the back end.

In four games after the call up from St. John's, Flood has two goals and one assist.

Not shabby for a defenseman who will play his first game on MTS Centre ice in an NHL uniform rather than an AHL uniform.

The Panthers, meanwhile, are coming off a 5-1 thrashing of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.

Florida has managed to grab points in its last five games, going 2-0-3 in those five games, including a 4-3 shootout loss to the Jets.

Three of the losses for the Panthers in the last five games have come courtesy the shootout.

Ondrej Pavelec is expected to start his eighth straight game after starting all seven on the road swing.

Game time is 7:30 PM CT and is available on TSN Jets.


Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Tall Order Coming With Young Jets Defense

With their best defenseman so far this season out of the lineup indefinitely, the Winnipeg Jets and their young defensive core have a large and meaningful task ahead of them.

And Tobias Enstrom's broken collarbone isn't the only thing that is keeping the young core busy either.

Injuries to Ron Hainsey, who is slated to return before the new year at latest, and subsequent day-to-day injuries to Randy Jones and Mark Stuart (who managed to get into the lineup and play 18:10 of ice time last night) have put the onus on the young defense of the AHL's St. John's Ice Caps to fill the roles needed.

And filled these roles they have.

After calling up both Brett Festerling and Mark Flood when Jones and Enstrom were not available, both have made the most their opportunities in the NHL.

Flood had his first career goal and a two-point night against the New Jersey Devils and has so far had a +1 rating through three games in Winnipeg.

Flood has also seen his stock rise at the same time, with his minutes improving over 15:00 of ice time after his two point performance in New Jersey - where he played a career high 19:44.

Festerling, on the other hand, has seen his stock drop a bit. After playing 19:05 of ice time against the New York Islanders, his ice time went down to 15:37 with a -2 performance against New Jersey and it plummeted last night to only 7:45 of ice time in New York.

Paul Postma, the other emergency call up for the Devils game when Stuart couldn't go, played 13:37 in New Jersey, only to have three shifts in New York last night with the return of Stuart.

Experience is key and for the Jets, these three defensemen have proven that they can step in and make an easy transition.

Though the next call ups may see the names of Zach Redmond given a try or another Mark Flood call up, but the Jets defensive depth has proven to be a key cog in the Jets machine, despite the 1-1-1 record with the call ups in the lineup.

Most importantly, Flood has seen his stock rise higher than ever in his career. After spending last season in Winnipeg with the Moose for an entire season, it seems he has learned both sides of the puck and will be counted on to add to the Jets defensive depth.

If another team comes knocking on the door for defensemen, Mark Flood will not be the first to go.

Game #12: Jets @ Islanders

Long Island will be the site as the Jets (4-6-1) visit the New York Islanders (3-4-2) and their starting goalie and ex-San Jose Shark netmidner Evgeni Nabokov.

Nabokov was the center of controversy last season as the Islanders picked the exiled Russian goalie off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings only to have him not play due to him having no desire to play for the lowly Islanders.

However, Nabokov is back in the NHL this season with the Islanders and so far is 1-2-0 with a 2.23 goals against average and a .927 save percentage.

With numbers like those with only a 1-2-0 record - it shows how badly the Islanders need scoring and have struggled this season.

The Isles are the lowest scoring team in the NHL with only 18 goals this season through nine games. The next closest teams in goals for are the Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, and New Jersey Devils - who all have 23 goals in ten or more games.

Leading the way for the Isles is franchise player John Tavares as well as Matt Moulson, Mark Streit, and ex-Manitoba Moose star Michael Grabner.

For the Jets, their defensive core is still underdoing some injury woes as Tobias Enstrom flew back to Winnipeg after taking a vicious hit by Panthers forward Jack Skille on Monday.

He will not rejoin the Jets on the remainder of the road trip.

Enstrom has six points (one goal, five assists) in eleven games thus far this season.

Also out for the Jets on defense are Ron Hainsey, Derek Meech, and possibly Mark Stuart - who is day-to-day with an upper body issue.

Stuart is being re-evaluated and is not a likely possibility to be in the lineup come game time at Nassau Coliseum.

The Jets re-called defensemen Brett Festerling and Mark Flood from the AHL's St. John's Ice Caps this week to plug the holes on their defense.

It is expected that both will be in the lineup for the Jets tonight on Long Island.

Among the hottest Jets in the lineup is Evander Kane, who has six points (four goals, two assists) in his last five games after starting the season off without a point in his first five games.

Alexander Burmistrov had his six game point streak snapped in Tampa Bay last Saturday and wasn't able to start a new point streak on Monday in Sunrise.

The young Russian forward has nine points (three goals, six assists) in eleven games.

On this road trip, starting goalie Ondrej Pavelec is 2-1-0 so far with a 4.00 goals against average and a .909 save percentage.

Pavelec is 1-1 in his last two starts in Florida with a 1.92 goals against average and a .946 save percentage. He has stopped 101 of his last 112 shots in the last three games.

Game time is 6:00 PM CT and is available on TSN-Jets and TSN1290.

Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Jets Defensive Injuries Cues First AHL Re-Call

While Tobias Enstrom is back in Winnipeg amidst the Jets longest road trip of the season, the Jets have gone to the bullpen to help their ailing defensive core.

With Ron Hainsey and Derek Meech already on the shelf for a while now, there is the potential that Mark Stuart will not suit up Thursday night in Long Island due to an undisclosed upper body injury.

Knowing Stuart's defensive style - the shot blocking, hard nosed type - a game off would do his body good in recovering for the remainder of the Jets seven game road trip.

Having four of their top seven defenseman out of the lineup now, the Jets have their first AHL call ups from the rock in Newfoundland - Brett Festerling and Mark Flood.

Flood is the first ex-Manitoba Moose to return to Winnipeg in the NHL.

The former sixth round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2003 has played in eleven games for the Jets affiliate Ice Caps, collecting one goal and six assists, along with a +4 rating.

Festerling has also played in eleven games, with four points (one goal, three assists) with a +1 rating.

The Jets defensive core that may start in Long Island now stands with Dustin Byfuglien, Zach Bogosian, Johnny Oduya, Randy Jones, Festerling, and Flood.

Stuart is listed as day-to-day and is possibly a game time decision.

Head coach Claude Noel said that there is a possibility that Hainsey would be back by the weekend or after the weekend when asked about his veteran defenseman.

Enstrom will likely miss the remainder of the road trip, but Noel did disclose that his injury was not concussion related.


Sources:
TSN1290.ca

Photos Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Ice Caps Win Inaugural Game; Jaffray Named Captain

It was only fitting that those on the St. John's Ice Caps that were former Manitoba Moose would get the bulk of the work in the Ice Caps first game.

Defenseman Mark Flood scored the first goal in Ice Caps history en route to a 4-1 Ice Caps win over the Providence Bruins Friday night.

Paul Postma, Carl Klingberg, and newly anointed captain Jason Jaffray would add the other three goals to secure the win for the newest AHL affiliate club.

The 1-0 Ice Caps now play the Manchester Monarchs Saturday night before flying home and getting a week off before their home opener weekend with games Friday, October 14th and Saturday, October 15th against the Hamilton Bulldogs, ironically the Montreal Canadiens AHL affiliate.

Jets Remain True To Past; Recall Former AHLer Mick E. Moose To Be Jets Mascot

It would be crazy to think the Winnipeg Jets would veer in any other direction other than to support their past.

Once again, the Jets honoured the past that got them back into the NHL by naming former AHL Manitoba Moose mascot Mick E. Moose as their mascot.

Mick E. Moose is a fan favourite in Winnipeg since he appeared as the Moose mascot beginning in the 1996-97 IHL season for the Moose.

Now revamped out in Jets blue and grey, Mick E. Moose will continue to be a fan favourite in Winnipeg, a true tip of the Jets cap to their Winnipeg hockey past.

Jets brass also got their first look at newly acquired forward Brett MacLean Friday as they prepare for Sunday night's home opener.

MacLean didn't disappoint, scoring a goal in an inter-squad game.

Jets AHL Affiliate St. John's IceCaps Unveil Logo & Colours

So it was only a matter of time before we knew the new AHL affiliate in St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador was going to be the Ice Caps.

It wasn't as great of a secret as was the Jets name, or logo for that matter.

But the new logo coincides with NHL parent team colours and the jerseys aren't due out until play starts in October.

Either way, the AHL is back in Newfoundland and the logo looks pretty sharp.

St. John's Ice Caps To Become Official Friday

While Patrice Cormier and Mark Flood show off the new Jets logo and apparel, their AHL affiliate will be getting it's new digs on Friday.

According to The Telegram out of St. John's, Newfoundland, the new AHL team owned by True North Sports & Entertainment in St. John's will be named the Ice Caps and the official unveiling of the name and logo and jerseys will occur on Friday.

A week after the Jets unveiled their logo in Winnipeg, their AHL affiliate is proud to unveil their own.

Club president and former Premier Danny Williams selected the name Ice Caps.

The announcement will go at slated for 11 a.m. at Mile One Centre.

As part of the official launch, IceCaps T-shirts and ball caps will go on sale noon Friday at That Pro Look, Maverick Sports and Collectibles, Play-it-Again Sports and Sportscraft.

St. John's Affiliate Coaching Staff Rounding Out

Former ECHL Victoria Salmon Kings head bench boss Mark Morrison has been added to Keith McCambridge's AHL coaching staff in St. John's for the upcoming season.

Morrison has spent the last five seasons coaching the Salmon Kings, four and a half as head coach. The first season in Victoria, Morrison was assistant coach until 27 games into the season he was promoted and the Salmon Kings improved from a 9-17-1 start to a 27-15-3 finish under Morrison.

In the final four seasons, the Salmon Kings had three winning seasons, making the playoffs in all seasons Morrison was behind the bench, including trips to the second round of the playoffs in 2008 and 2011.

Morrison is a former draft pick of the New York Rangers, 51st overall, in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft having played with the Victoria Cougars of the WHL, being a prolific scorer with 114 and 130 point seasons in his final two junior seasons. He was also part of the 1981 Team Canada at the World Junior Championships.

Morrison played 10 games for the Rangers in the NHL but never stuck, having two points before eventually heading overseas to play in Italy and later Scotland from 1989-90 until his retirement from playing in 2004-05.

St. John's To Announce Keith McCambridge as Head Coach

Former Manitoba Moose assistant coach Keith McCambridge may get the call to the AHL as a head coach with the new St. John's AHL team this coming season according to the Winnipeg Free Press.

St. John's AHL Team taking shape

It seems that the Manitoba Moose will be under the new nickname St. John's Ice Caps according to CBC news June 30th.

Danny Williams, whom the team was leased to under the ownership of True North, has apparently registered the team as the Ice Caps as well as the online domain name www.stjohnsicecaps.com.

This is still speculation, but as with the naming of the Jets, the Ice Caps name has been registered and an announcement of the team's name will be coming in the next few weeks.

For the CBC story, click this link:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2011/06/29/2011june29.html