Onrdrej Pavelec's Five-Year Deal Cements Jets Core Players Want To Stay

Pavelec signed a 5-year deal worth $3.9 annually.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

As TSN 1290's Hustler & Lawless interviewed Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff Monday afternoon mere hours after signing the Jets undisputed number one goalie in Ondrej Pavelec, there was a sense that maybe the Jets have something really good going on here in Winnipeg.

For the Jets, who were seemingly deep in a hole after Pavelec was offered a one-year contract to play in the Kontinental Hockey League at a price tag north of $5 million, they have seemed to rebounded in good timing and locked up their budding goalie.

But once the deal was reportedly off the table from the KHL, it was apparent that both Pavelec and agent Allen Walsh had lost a bargaining chip to help them get a contract with larger dolllar figures.

However, it is Pavelec's reaction to signing the five-year deal that is interesting and very hopeful for both Jets brass and fans.

"That's all I was looking for, to stay in a city you like."

"They have great fans there and I always said I like Winnipeg.  It's behind me now and I'm just looking forward to success in Winnipeg." (Winnipeg Free Press, 06/25/2012)

Coming off a career season, in which he posted a career high in wins with 29, the Jets not only got a slight pay raise at $3.9 million annually, but is looking to ramp up his play and improve his less than stellar 2.91 goals against average and .906 save percentage.

But Pavelec's decision to stick in Winnipeg as the number one goalie must prove a significant point that the Jets seem to be going about matters and dealings with their players in a professional and caring way.

During the days of True North's ownership of the Manitoba Moose, there were certain core players that seemed to stick around year to year, including Jason Jaffray, Mike Keane, Nolan Baumgartner, and now a member of the Jets player development squad Jimmy Roy.

It's no secret that True North, including Mark Chipman, Craig Heisinger, and Kevin Cheveldayoff, continue to breed a culture that makes their players, whether top or bottom of the barrel, welcome in Winnipeg infused with a want to play here.

Pavelec's signing cements the idea that he wants to play in Winnipeg.

Ondrej Pavelec posted a 29-28-9 record in 2011-12.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

He did not file for arbitration nor outright refuse the contract.

Pavelec wanted to play in Winnipeg and made sure it got done sooner rather than later.

As a core player, his signing is significant because of the other qualifying offers Cheveldayoff has handed out.

As was with Andrew Ladd last summer and now Jim Slater and Ondrej Pavelec this summer, Jets fans and pundits alike will not have to wait long for additional signings to come around, including another core player in Evander Kane.

One thing is for sure, if he signs, see that he will say he wants to stay in Winnipeg.

Slater Follows Ladd's Example; Signs Three-Year, $4.8 Million Deal

Jim Slater resigns for three years at $4.8 million.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

 As Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd did last summer by signing to a five-year, $22.5 million deal on July 5th of last summer, gritty centre and Jets faceoff specialist Jim Slater followed suit this off-season.

Slater signed a three-year, $4.8 million deal to remain a Winnipeg Jet as he becomes the first unrestricted free agent the Jets have locked up in the 2012 off-season.

Making an average of $1.6 million a year for the next three years, Slater endeared himself to Jets fans for his hard work ethic, his role as a pivotal faceoff man, and his community work, which included visiting various Winnipeg workplaces and having a try at other careers.

Not only is Slater always been with the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise, but he is the only remaining player who has played in all four playoff games for the franchise.

He also earned this contract with his play and his regular presence in the Jets lineup as he suited up for a career high 78 games in 2011-12 after having multiple injury problems that set him on the shelf for games at a time during his stint in Atlanta.

Slater was the centre to the Jets GST line.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

In those 78 games, Slater collected 13 goals and 21 points, both career highs to go along with 42 penalty minutes.

In addition (and somewhat unbeknownst to many Jets fans), Slater is the Jets nominee for the 2011-12 Bill Masterton Trophy.

He has been nominated for the 2011-12 King Clancy Memorial Award for the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice while making significant contributions humanitarian contributions in the community.

And to top it off, he is also nominated for the 2011-12 NHL Foundation Award for the player who applies the values of hockey - commitment, perseverance, and teamwork - to enrich the lives of people in his community.

As the longest serving player in the franchise, Slater has created a sense of identity for the new Jets club for being hard working and never giving up.

As was the situation last summer with Andrew Ladd signing in Winnipeg, Slater's signing bodes other teammates who are either unrestricted or restricted, to come back and make the team better and continue the development they made during their inaugural year in Winnipeg.

Sorting Out Jets 2012 Unrestricted Free Agents

Jets UFA's such as Tim Stapleton are up for debate on whether to return or not.
(Photo courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

Who should stay and who should go?

NHL free agency is a trying to time for any club that can give an NHL General Manager enough stress to see a few more grey hairs appear year after year.

Hopefully, in the case of Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, his mane of brown hair still stays relatively the same, but he does have some rather large contracts to fill out before any Jets step onto the ice at the MTS Iceplex for training camp next September - and even if there is hockey next September.

But, as a relative optimist, let's just continue as if the hockey world intends to keep on spinning through to the 2012-13 season without anything as much as a hiccup.

Let's review the list of upcoming UFA's (unrestricted free agents) and RFA's (restricted free agents) that are on the Jets list this summer.

Available UFAs: Chris Mason (G), Peter Mannino (G), Mark Flood (D), Randy Jones (D), Derek Meech (D), Andrei Zubarev (D), Tanner Glass (F), Jason Jaffray (F), Kenndal McArdle (F), Jim Slater (F), Tim Stapleton (F), Kyle Wellwood (F)

First and foremost in this list has to be two of the three cogs in the very popular GST line - namely Tanner Glass and Jim Slater.

Both players made a huge name for themselves for their hard working attitude and both were rewarded for their hard play each by having career seasons.

Slater was the Jets #1 faceoff man in 2011-12.
(Photo courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

Slater had career highs in points (21) and goals (13) while playing a career high 78 games centering the Jets fourth line (albeit used as a third line most nights).

He was also the Jets top faceoff man, finishing 20th in the NHL in faceoff winning percentage (55.0%), while also taking the majority of the Jets faceoffs while on the penalty kill (231) and being the only Jets centre to win more faceoffs than he lost.

Going forward, Slater's faceoff prowess is something the Jets desperately need.

For Glass, he finished with career highs in points (16) and goals (5) while also playing a career high 78 games after he came over via free agency fresh off a Game 7 loss with the Vancouver Canucks.

Gritty and hard working, Glass adds bite to the Jets lineup.
(Photo courtesy winnipegjets.com)

Glass' experience is invaluable and his lunch pail, hard work attitude did not go unnoticed as he far and away led the Jets in hits with 246 (48 more than Mark Stuart), finishing 10th in the league in that category.

For the 6'1, 210 lb forward form Regina, the rugged winger's style complemented the GST line so well that they were rarely ever separated throughout the season.

Jets fans can little forget when he played through a variety of small and big bumps and bruises during the season.  Glass became a fan favourite in Winnipeg very quickly - epitomizing what it is to be a Jet.

Scrolling down the list, certain support players raise interesting debates about the status of the team currently and whether all these players will return.

First off, Kyle Wellwood, who set a career high in points (47) and tied his career high in goals (18) while playing in 77 games and ending the season as a +3.

Wellwood had a career high 47 points in 2011-12.
(Photo courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

Wellwood was a late addition to the Jets roster, but as the season wore on, he became a valuable member of the Jets second line, frequently playing alongside 30 goal scorer Evander Kane.

Not exactly a savvy veteran yet, his patience with the puck was a blessing and a curse at times, but his 47 points were good enough to place him in the top five in Jets scoring.

His output from the last year cannot be ignored and the Jets will need to reward Wellwood for a good season.

Tim Stapleton is in a similar situation.

Another former Toronto Maple Leaf system product at one time, he set career highs in goals (11), assists (16), and points (27), while playing a career high 63 games.

To add further to his repertoire this season, Stapleton, at times, quarterbacked the second power play unit, despite his 5'9, 180 lb stature.

For many hockey fans unknown to Stapleton, there is the argument that he was never given a chance and that he would not fit into any other lineup in the NHL because of a) his size and b) his skill set.

For the Jets, however, his size and skill set were nothing to be worried about.  Up front, the Jets are one of the bigger teams in the league and are able to adapt to his size, which is the least of anyone's worries.

As for his skill set, Jets fans should be happy that Stapleton is a Jet, for he possesses a similar skill set to Wellwood - a sometimes deceiving playmaker, but one who will shoot more and has a very quick shot.

If the Jets can overlook his size and focus on his skill set, he should be a Jet again.

For Jason Jaffray, the road to the NHL got easier when the Jets returned and fans in Winnipeg were more than happy to see him skate on MTS Centre ice with an NHL jersey on rather than an AHL jersey on.

About to turn 31 on June 30, Jaffray enjoyed a great bounceback season after only playing six regular season games and 14 playoff games with the Moose last season due to injury

Jaffray, who began the season as captain of the newly minted St. John's Ice Caps (his old team renamed), Jaffray was called up due to injuries and appeared in 13 games for the Jets, netting one assist and seven penalty minutes in the process.

In 47 regular season AHL games, Jaffray collected 17 goals and 21 assists but his season was cut short as he as sidelined with a neck injury and missed the Ice Caps run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

How he recovers from injury will likely tell if the Jets want to sign him or not.

Mason became Pavelec's mentor full-time in 2011-12.
(Photo courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

On the other hand, Chris Mason is a no brainer to resign.

Mason, the elder statesman on the Jets at 36, was 8-7-1 with a 2.59 goals against average and a .898 save percentage in 25 games this season as the Jets backup to now the undisputed number on Ondrej Pavelec.

His experience as starter with two other franchises will help him to mentor Pavelec further.

As for Randy Jones and Mark Flood, both were used sparingly this season, mostly whenever the Jets needed them with the absence of the top four defensemen.

Jones, who came to the Jets after spending his last three seasons with three different teams, played in 39 games, notching one goal and an assist with a +4 rating.

Relied more on for his defensive ability, Jones could be on his way out with the defensive depth the Jets have both on the big club and down in the AHL with youngsters Paul Postma and Zach Redmond on the rise.

Flood played a career high 33 games in 2011-12.
(Photo courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

The stock of Mark Flood's season will determine which of the two they keep, if they are willing to keep both Jones and Flood.

Flood, another ex-Moose the Jets signed, played in a career high 33 NHL games, collecting three goals and four assists along with a -1 rating and was a pleasant surprise, to say the least, in the Jets defensive corps.

Not expected to be much more than the top defenseman with the AHL Ice Caps, the Jets opted to use him alot during the season when they needed to and he delivered more than expected.

During the season, the Jets chose to keep Flood up with the parent club despite already having seven defensemen up and having picked up Grant Clitsome via trade.

For the Jets, having Flood as an UFA is a puzzling question to answer.  Will the Jets re-sign the 27 year old defensemen?  Or have another team give him a full time opportunity?

Flood may be the most interesting UFA of the group.

Rounding out the list of UFAs are a group of four players who are fringe players, at best, but have had their time with the Jets, save one.

First off, Peter Mannino played at all three professional levels this season - NHL, AHL, and ECHL.  The rise of rookie goalie Edward Pasquale as well as the arrival of ex-Avalanche/Canadiens goalie David Aebischer saw Mannino's prominence as number one goalie drop significantly.

Despite this, Mannino was called up to the big club during the season and played a scoreless third period of hockey, making four saves.

Mannino was not getting enough playing time in the AHL that he had a brief 22 game stint with the Chicago Express of the ECHL (going 10-8-4, 3.15 goals against, .899 save percentage) before being loaned to the Portland Pirates of the AHL for 15 games (going 8-6-1, 3.44 goals against, .895 save percentage).

With the rise of Pasquale - who went 23-12-1, 2.41 goals against, .911 save percentage - and the stability of Aebischer - who went 15-12-2, 2.86 goals against, .895 save percentage - the writing may be on the wall for Mannino if the Jets decide to re-up Aebischer as a farm goalie again.

Second off, Kenndal McArdle - who was also loaned to the Portland Pirates near season's end - had his time with the Jets, albeit short and sweet and not overly productive.

McArdle appeared in nine games for the Jets, registering no points, four penalty minutes, and a minus three rating.

In 35 games with the Ice Caps, McArdle registered only 12 points (seven goals, five assists) and was promptly loaned to Portland where he finished his season with six points in 19 games.

In retrospect, the deal last summer sending Angelo Esposito for McArdle was a bust.  McArdle was thrown around from situation to situation and sat out much of his time in Winnipeg, but his production was not what the Jets perhaps had in mind.

Third off, Derek Meech is an interesting prospect.

Having not played a full season with injury limiting any time he could have had cementing himself in a Jets uniform, Meech played only two games in Winnipeg and six games in St. John's before injuring his knee again.

Meech, however, did return for the Calder Cup Playoffs, as he was a large piece of the Ice Caps long run, collecting nine points (four goals, five assists) in 15 games.

The Jets will want to give Meech another fair chance to show why the Red Wings had him play 41 and 49 games respectively with them from 2008-2010.

Lastly, Andrei Zubarev played one game two years ago for the Thrashers (the last game of the season) after a semi-par season in the AHL (13 points in 51 games).

He jumped back to the KHL and should not expected to be part of the Jets plans moving forward.

Jets All Out 2011-12 Point Prediction Recap: Forwards

As did back in early October, I made out a list of point projections for the 2011-12 campaign based on the players past experiences, point productions, and the change of scenery coming from not-so-crazy-about-hockey Atlanta to hockey mad Winnipeg.

First were the forwards, followed by the defensemen and goaltenders. In analysis of the projections are the initial predicitions (marked in italics) and the actual end of season stats (marked in bold) and then the difference in each category (if player has more than projected, it is marked as a +).

Let's see how I did..

#26 Blake Wheeler [Right Wing]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 80 GP, 23 G, 30 A, 55 PTS, 56 PIMs, +11
2011-12 Actual Stats: 80 GP, 17 G, 47 A, 64 PTS, 55 PIMs, +3
Difference: Goals (-6), Assists (+17), Points (+9), PIMs (-1), +/- (-8)


#9 Evander Kane [Right Wing]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 79 GP, 26 G, 33 A, 59 PTS, 70 PIMs, +7
2011-12 Actual Stats: 74 GP, 30 G, 27 A, 57 PTS, 53 PIMs, +11
Difference: Goals (+4), Assists (-6), Points (-2), PIMs (-17), +/- (+4)


#16 Andrew Ladd [Left Wing]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 81 GP, 31 G, 29 A, 60 PTS, 44 PIMs, +4
2011-12 Actual Stats: 82 GP, 28 G, 22 A, 50 PTS, 64 PIMs, -8
Difference: Goals (-3), Assists (-7), Points (-10), PIMs (+20), +/- (-12)


#13 Kyle Wellwood [Right Wing]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 68 GP, 10 G, 20 A, 30 PTS, 10 PIMs, -2
2011-12 Actual Stats: 77 GP, 18 G, 29 A, 47 PTS, 4 PIMs, +3
Difference: Goals (+8), Assists (+9), Points (+17), PIMs (-6), +/- (+5)


#18 Bryan Little [Centre]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 80 GP, 27 G, 35 A, 62 PTS, 40 PIMs, +15
2011-12 Actual Stats: 74 GP, 24 G, 22 A, 46 PTS, 26 PIMs, -11
Difference: Goals (-3), Assists (-13), Points (-16), PIMs (-14), +/- (-26)


#80 Nik Antropov [Centre]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 74 GP, 19 G, 31 A, 50 PTS, 50 PIMs, +2
2011-12 Actual Stats: 69 GP, 15 G, 20 A, 35 PTS, 42 PIMs, 0
Difference: Goals (-4), Assists (-11), Points (-15), PIMs (-8), +/- (-2)


#8 Alex Burmistrov [Centre/Right Wing]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 77 GP, 20 G, 21 A, 41 PTS, 28 PIMs, +3
2011-12 Actual Stats: 76 GP, 13 G, 15 A, 28 PTS, 42 PIMs, +4
Difference: Goals (-7), Assists (-6), Points (-13), PIMs (+14), +/- (+1)


#14 Tim Stapleton [Right Wing/Centre]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 60 GP, 9 G, 12 A, 21 PTS, 16 PIMs, -4
2011-12 Actual Stats: 63 GP, 11 G, 16 A, 27 PTS, 10 PIMs, -2
Difference: Goals (+2), Assists (+4), Points (+6), PIMs (-6), +/- (+2)


#19 Jim Slater [Centre]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 78 GP, 11 G, 12 A, 23 PTS, 22 PIMs, +1
2011-12 Actual Stats: 78 GP, 13 G, 8 A, 21 PTS, 42 PIMs, -9
Difference: Goals (+2), Assists (-4), Points (-2), PIMs (+20), +/- (-10)


#15 Tanner Glass [Left Wing]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 78 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 PTS, 92 PIMs, -3
2011-12 Actual Stats: 78 GP, 5 G, 11 A, 16 PTS, 73 PIMs, -12
Difference: Goals (0), Assists (+3), Points (+3), PIMs (-19), +/- (-9)


#22 Chris Thorburn [Right Wing]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 82 GP, 10 G, 11 A, 21 PTS, 85 PIMs, -1
2011-12 Actual Stats: 72 GP, 4 G, 7 A, 11 PTS, 83 PIMs, -6
Difference: Goals (-6), Assists (-4), Points (-10), PIMs (-2), +/- (-5)


#17 Eric Fehr [Right Wing]
2011-12 Projected Stats: 40 GP, 11 G, 14 A, 25 PTS, 14 PIMs, +10
2011-12 Actual Stats: 35 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 3 PTS, 12 PIMs, -6
Difference: Goals (-9), Assists (-13), Points (-21), PIMs (-2), +/- (-16)


Throughout the season, I didn't manage to quip back to these projections much but I did see some shortcomings that would eventually make the predictions come up short.

First of all, Eric Fehr's injury plagued season did more than keep him out of the lineup - it kept his point production at a career low - even when he was playing junior hockey. To say that 2011-12 was Fehr's worst season ever would be a good approximation of his play. But to his disadvantage, he was injured when traded from Washington. It is unclear whether the Jets will risk taking him on again if he can begin a season completely healthy and ready to go from day one. However, it may be unlikely as he did have a stretch of healthy games where he did not produce either.

Other shortcomings were overestimating Alex Burmistrov's year, as he progressed into his sophomore season. Believing he would find the goal scorers touch, the young Russian found scoring early in the year (enough for me to pick him up in my fantasy pool for a stretch), but the reverted into playing a more two-way game as the year progressed - possibly because of the emergence of Kyle Wellwood's play - another shortcoming.

Wellwood exceeded expectations of all Jets fans and if the Jets are to resign him it will come at a price. The speedy and versatile forward set career highs in points (47) and tied his career high in goals (18) while pitching in 10 power play points on the secondary unit. It was Wellwood's versatility and hockey sense that gave way to a big boost from predictions in Evander Kane.

Kane's third season proved to be a breakout one - but the best is still yet to come I believe. Kane surpassed career highs in goals (30), assists (27), points (57), power play goals (6), power play points (10), and game winning goals (4). He was also a team high +11 rating at season's end. Despite a rough start and possible off ice happenings that led to a concussion in the early part of 2012, Kane is one of the key cogs in the Jets this season as is Blake Wheeler.

Wheeler rejoined Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd on the Jets top line and had a career year as well playing the role of power forward as best as anyone else in the league. The Minnesotan's career highs came in assists (47), points (64), power play goals (6), power play points (15), shots on goal (208), and hits (113). Add to that Bryan Little resurfaced as a 20 goal scorer and Ladd followed his 29 goal season a year ago in Atlanta with 28 goals and the top line produced the majority of the Jets offense between them.

To complete the evaluation of my 2011-12 point projections for the forwards, the Jets have alot of room to make up for offensive production as their top point producer finished tied for 41st in the league in points - and every other NHL team except Columbus, Florida, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis, and Colorado had a leading scorer with more points - including non-playoff teams such as Tampa Bay, Edmonton, Carolina, and Montreal.

Jets Fall Flat Back At Home To Panthers 5-2

It was another former Chicago Blackhawk that had the big night on the scoresheet Thursday night at MTS Centre as the Florida Panthers came into Winnipeg and took two points away from the hometown Jets.

Kris Versteeg scored the game's opening two goals and added an empty netter for his first hat trick of his NHL career as the Panthers came away with a 5-2 victory when it was all said and done.

The game featured a number of players from the now dismantled 2010 Stanley Cup champions, including Jets captain Andrew Ladd, Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, Panthers forwards Tomas Kopecky and Versteeg, as well as Panther defenseman Brian Campbell.

Also scoring for the road team was Jason Garrison and Mike Santorelli.

On the board for the hometown Jets were Tim Stapleton with his first as a Jet on the power play and Andrew Ladd with his fourth of the campaign.

The Panthers had leads of 2-0 after one and 4-0 after two before the Jets forced their way back into the game in the third with two quick goals by Stapleton and Ladd in the first six minutes of the final frame.

Ondrej Pavelec made eleven saves on 15 shots and was sat for the final frame as Peter Mannino made his Jets debut, stopping all four shots he faced in the third period.

The Jets outshot the Panthers in the final period by a 17-4 margin, but Jose Theodore ended up stopping 25 of 27 on the night for the win.

The Panthers went two-for-five on the powerplay while the Jets went one-for-three on the man advantage.

Mark Stuart was the only Jet who finished with a plus rating (plus one) over 18:16 of ice time.

Dustin Byfuglien logged 24:44 of ice time to lead the Jets. Zach Bogosian logged 24:22, Johnny Oduya logged 22:29, Alexander Burmistrov logged 19:46, and Evander Kane logged 18:55.

Bryan Little was excellent in the faceoff circle, winning 15 of 20 draws on the night, while Jim Slater won seven of fourteen and Burmistrov won eight of fifteen.

Slater had a game high six shots on net, while Byfuglien had four.

The Jets now go back on the road for a meeting with the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets and former Jet and Jacket head coach Scott Arniel Saturday night.


Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Jets Grab Important Point In 3-2 OT Loss To Devils

Mark Flood made quite the impression Saturday night in only his second Winnipeg Jets game with a goal and an assist.

Flood's first career goal in his eighth career NHL game was a big one as it got the Jets on the board 6:43 into the third period.

Later on, he would chip in with an assist on Jim Slater's tying goal that would send the game to overtime.

Despite Flood's two point night, it would be New Jersey Devils rookie Adam Henrique, who would have a two point game of his own, that stole the show with two goals, including the winner in overtime as the Devils took the game 3-2.

Patrik Elias also scored for Jersey.

Slater scored his fifth goal of the season at 17:15 of the third. Slater's career high in goals is 11, which he scored in 2009-10 with Atlanta.

Dustin Byfuglien also figured in offensively with two assists - his fourth and fifth of the season.

Zach Bogosian led all Jets and players in the game in ice time with 26:25, with a -1 rating, one shot, one blocked shot, and four hits.

Byfuglien had 25:01 of ice time, Evander Kane had 24:07, Blake Wheeler had 22:40 with a +1 rating, and Alexander Burmistrov had 22:40.

Flood had 19:44 of ice time with a +1 rating and two shots.

Ondrej Pavelec stopped 25 of 28 shots in the loss.

The Jets now turn around to play at Madison Square Gardens tomorrow against the New York Rangers at 6:00 PM CT.



Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Jets 9, Flyers 8

A combined 17 goals on Thursday night led to not only a franchise record in goals combined in a game, but the Jets got the last laugh in their first road win of the season.

After Scott Hartnell put the Flyers on top finishing off a pretty passing play by Jaromir Jagr at 4:10 of the first, Blake Wheeler's shot from the high slot bounced off defenseman Randy Jones and fooled Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

Three minutes later, the Jets worked the cycle down low and Jim Slater worked himself free in the high slot and he received a pass from the corner and one-timed the puck by Bobrovsky for a 2-1 Jets lead. It would be Slater's fourth goal of the season.

With under two minutes left in the opening frame, with the Jets power play winding down, Tobias Enstrom's point shot was deflected in front by Kyle Wellwood as the puck again fooled Bobrovsky for a 3-1 Jets lead after one period of play.

The goal was Wellwood's fourth of the season.

With the top line being split up for most of the game, the Jets would find more offense from their fourth line as Tanner Glass would deflect another Enstrom point shot to make it a 4-1 Jets lead at 3:39.

Exactly one minute later, Nik Antropov would find himself all alone off a power play faceoff to put home his third of the season.

The Flyers would get back a bit in the second on a 5-on-3 power play advantage as Claude Giroux would score his sixth of the season at 6:25.

On their third power play of the night, the Jets would capitalize as Evander Kane was the recipient on a beautiful play by Nik Antropov in tight for his second of the season. Alexander Burmistrov would pick up the other assist.

As the period went along, the Flyers would find some life as they inched their way back into the game as Danny Briere would score his third of the season at 14:11 on a deflection in front to make it 6-3.

Max Talbot would make it 6-4 at 16:41 on an odd bounce that made it's way off his equipment and behind Pavelec.

Briere would make it 6-5 quickly into the third period as he put home his second over a sprawling Pavelec.

Matt Reid would tie the game 6-6 which would spell the end of the night for Pavelec as he allowed six goals on 36 shots.

James Van Riemsdyk would put the Flyers back on top for the first time since they were up 1-0 to make it 7-6.

Alexander Burmistrov would keep the high scoring game going as he would beat Bryzgalov in tight off another great feed by Antropov to tie the game 7-7 with his third of the season. The Flyers would enjoy the lead for 28 seconds.

Mark Stuart would score his first in a Jets uniform squeaking the puck past Bryzgalov at 4:31 to regain the Jets lead 8-7.

The first five goals of the third period were scored in the first 4:31 of the period.

The Jets would score eight goals on their first 22 shots. Despite replacing Pavelec mid way through the game, Mason would be replaced again by Pavelec due to groin issues.

With under five minute left, James Van Riemsdyk would score his second of the game to tie the game 8-8.

The Jets would take the pressure to the Flyers in their zone late and Blake Wheleer would set up Andrew Ladd in the slot to make it 9-8 Jets with 1:06 left in the third.

The clock would run out as the Jets win their first game on the road in a wild one 9-8.


Photos Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Game #9: Jets @ Flyers

Winnipeg Jets (2-5-1) @ Philadelphia Flyers (5-3-1)
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Wells Fargo Center 6:00 PM CT
TV: TSN-Jets, CSN-PH
Radio: TSN 1290 (Winnipeg)

The Winnipeg Jets open up a seven game road trip Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Jets will play seven games in thirteen days before returning home for a November 10th home game against the Florida Panthers.

Their hosts are fresh off a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens last night and will be looking to bounce back after a subpar performance.

The Flyers are still without captain Chris Pronger for the game tonight. However, they will still have the likes of Claude Giroux, Jaromir Jagr, and others in the lineup tonight.

According to the Winnipeg Free Press, injured winger Eric Fehr will be with the team on the trip, though he is still at least a month from returning to full time action. Also, defenseman Ron Hainsey has been put on the injured reserve citing an upper-body injury as the source of that move. (Winnipeg Free Press, 10/27/11)

Chris Mason did start the game against the New York Rangers on Monday, but as to this morning, there has not been any word on who will be in between the pipes tonight for the Jets.

Jim Slater will be back in the lineup after taking a nasty hit during last Saturday's game against Carolina.

Game time is 6 PM and is available on TSN-Jets.

For Jets, Good Only Gets You So Far

Monday night, the Jets ended their mini two-game home stand with a disappointing 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers.

Many thought that maybe the Jets would play catch up again and for a time it seemed that way after they allowed the game's first goal on a power play goal from Ruslan Fedotenko.

Nik Antropov, Alexander Burmistrov, and company had another strong game.

For once, it seemed the Jets didn't let up on any shift.

They weren't coasting on the ice, weren't coughing up the puck in the neutral zone two times a shift, or giving the puck away on cross-ice passes.

It was a hard working effort from all four lines and six defense dressed.

Even without their top faceoff man Jim Slater in the lineup, the Jets centers managed to win 53% of faceoffs.

The Jets outhit and outshot the Rangers, who were playing their final game of a season opening seven game road trip, that included time in Europe.

Despite all that hard work, the Jets were not given the benefit of the doubt where penalties were concerned and the five power plays given to New York was the difference in the game.

Playing a good game only gets you so far in today's NHL.

But kudos to our boys for a good game, nonetheless.

As the Jets now embark on a seven game road trip of their own, there's positive vibes that this team may be on it's way to finally getting somewhere.

The last two games at home showed us that the Jets are resilient and that they are ready and able to work hard for 60 minutes, no matter the outcome.

For that matter, Go Jets Go!


Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Game #8: Jets vs. Rangers

Winnipeg Jets (2-4-1) vs. New York Rangers (2-2-2)
Monday, October 24, 2011
MTS Centre 7:30 PM CT
TV: TSN-Jets, MSG
Radio: TSN 1290 (Winnipeg)

So far in 2011-12, the Jets have had the upper hand on home ice.

After a 5-3 win against the Carolina Hurricanes Saturday night, the Jets improved their record at the MTS Centre to 2-1-0. In those three games, the Jets have been outscored 8-9, but have seen increases in their offensive output last week.

After scoring only five goals in the first three games, the Jets had 11 goals in their last four games. While giving up 12 at the same time, the Jets have found their go-to offensive players throughout the first two weeks of the season.

Sophomore Alexander Burmistrov leads the team with six points (two goals, four assists) through the first seven games, while Kyle Wellwood (five points), Nik Antropov (five points), and Tobias Enstrom (four points) have all been great surprises chipping in on offense.

Saturday night saw Evander Kane notch his first goal as a Jet as he has had a rough start, with a -3 rating through six games. Also figuring into the scoring was captain Andrew Ladd with his second of the season and Jim Slater, who has also been a surprise offensively, with three goals in six games.

The Jets will need more out of their top line of Blake Wheeler-Bryan Little-Ladd however tonight if they are to beat the Rangers and their quick transition game.

Wheeler has only two assists in seven games, while Little has only one assist in seven games. Both are minus players as well.

According to Jets head coach Claude Noel, he may be giving Chris Mason the benefit of the doubt when it comes to starts coming up after he held the fort as the Jets came back Saturday night.

However, according to Yahoo! Sports, Ondrej Pavelec has an impressive 2-0-1 record against the Rangers with a 1.30 goals against average while Mason is 3-0-0 with a 2.46 goals against average.

May the best goalie win, but as for now, look for Mason to get the nod after his eighteen save performance against Carolina in his first win as a Jet on the weekend.

Monday night will be the first game we will not see Mark Scheifele in the lineup as the Jets sent him back to the Barrie Colts of the OHL. Scheifele had one goal through seven games.

Game is available on TSN-Jets and the MSG Network in New York.


Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Jets Down 'Canes 5-3

It was another slow start for the Jets, but this time, they followed it up with a more than strong finish.

Propelled by five unanswered goals between the second half of the first period and the entire second period, the Jets won their second game in a row on home ice 5-3 over their divisional rivals the Carolina Hurricanes Saturday night.

The Jets and starter Ondrej Pavelec found themselves down 2-0 very quickly on a weak first goal by Jussi Jokinen and then another goal by Jeff Skinner prompting head coach Claude Noel to shake things up.

Chris Mason would relieve Pavelec not even seven minutes into the game, as Pavelec allowed two goals on the first five Carolina shots.

Alexander Burmistrov would get the Jets on the board with a highlight reel power play goal that found the roof of the net on Carolina starter Brian Boucher's glove side.

With time running out in the first period, Kyle Wellwood found the puck at the side of the net with under a second remaining to tie the game after one period 2-2.

In the second, the Jets would continue to pressure Carolina. After outshooting them 13-6 in the first period, the Jets would only get six shots at Boucher in the second but half of their shots made their way to the back of the Hurricanes net.

Jim Slater would net his third of the season from Tanner Glass, as Slater would wrist a shot past Boucher's shoulder for a 3-2 Jets lead.

Nearly two minutes later, captain Andrew Ladd would score his second on a weird bounce off the board that he took a swipe at near the blueline. The puck fooled Boucher and found the back of the net to give the Jets a 4-2 lead.

Evander Kane would make it 5-2 at 7:30 of the third when he finally potted his first of the season from in tight, being the recipient of the great work by Nik Antropov behind the net.

The 'Canes would respond with a goal midway through the third period, but the damage was done as the Jets came away with a 5-3 victory giving them a 2-4-1 record, good enough for five points on the season.

Chris Mason stopped 18 of 19 shots after replacing Pavelec and was honoured with the first star selection.

Antropov, Zach Bogosian, and Wellwood would finish the night with two points apiece.

Antropov was seven of 13 in the faceoff circle, while Bryan Little was 12 of 18, Slater was three of six, and Maxwell was seven of eight.

Mark Scheifele played only nine shifts for 7:21 of ice time. It seems he may only be playing nine games this season for sure now.

Tobias Enstrom led the Jets in shots with five and ice time playing 27:12. Dustin Byfuglien played 23:39, Bogosian 20:56, Oduya 20:17, Little 20:05, and Ladd 20:03.

Despite being banged up from the Senators game Thursday, Ladd's goal would stand up as the winner. In addition to his goal and 20:03 of ice time, Ladd had three shots, three hits, and won all three faceoffs he took during his 23 shifts.

Jets now prepare for the New York Rangers Monday night.

Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Jets Have Many Lessons To Learn

Last night was not the home opener anymore.

There was no pressure to perform in front of their first official regular season sell out of 15,004 at the MTS Centre.

Though they were playing in front of about 6,000 more fans at the United Center in Chicago, the Jets bounced out to an early 2-0 lead only to see it evaporate in a four goal barrage by the Hawks during the end of the first and beginning of the second periods.

Perhaps the Jets are in the same place this Hawks team was in 2007 and 2008 before they finally gelled and made an appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Fact of the matter is, this young Jets squad still has much to learn and needs the room to grow.

And the patience to grow too.

Even though the Jets had the lead after the first seven minutes of last night's 4-3 loss, they let it slip away with sloppy neutral zone play, simply letting the Hawks back in the game with some soft plays at their own blueline.

Tobias Enstrom let Marian Hossa walk around him and feed Patrick Kane for the game tying goal late in the first.

Early in the second, the Jets had two neutral zone turnovers in a row that led to Patrick Sharp almost cashing in twice.

Suffice to say, the Jets let the Hawks win would be too harsh, but somewhat true in some ways.

But before we crucify certain players or plays, let's be honest and know that this Jets team still has many lessons to learn if they are going to be successful in years to come.

And this is only game 2 of 82, so let's not all rush to the panic button because that'd be unfair to do as fans and as hockey junkies.

Despite letting up four straight goals, the Jets did finally sustain pressure late in the game and try to tie it late, though unsuccessful as it was.

In all, the Jets played a 30 minute game - the first ten minutes of the first period and the entire third period. The rest of the game - well they let the Hawks take control of that.

And when you let the Chicago Blackhakws - ala Kane, Hossa, Jonathan Toews, Sharp, Duncan Keith, Dave Bolland, and company - take over the game, you are not going to win the game, plain and simple.

Still, only game 2 of 82 so let's not pick apart this Jets team because there is still a wealth of talent and potential.

Let's look at some positives:

A) Ondrej Pavelec played amazing in the final period, keeping the Jets in it - definitely earned the start in Phoenix Saturday

B) Jim Slater had his first two goal period of his career

C) Dustin Byfuglien was a +2 in his return to Chicago

D) Oh yeah, Dan Carcillo is awful, glad he doesn't play in Winnipeg and thankful he will never play in Winnipeg (sorry, just had to include Carcillo somehow)

There's still 80 games to play and with positives such as those listed above, the Jets should come around soon.

Hawks Down Former Teammates Ladd, Byfulgien 4-3

The Jets and Blackhawks both returned to action for the first time in almost a week at the United Center Thursday night.

It was the Jets that came out firing on all cylinders as Jim Slater deflected a Johnny Oduya point shot 4:24 into the opening frame. Slater would add his second of the game off a Ron Hainsey point shot just over three minutes later.

It wouldn't hold up long as after the Hawks called a timeout, Andrew Brunette cashed on a Hawks powerplay over two minutes later.

Patrick Kane would tie the game up 2-2 on a great cross-ice feed by Marian Hossa.

Hossa would make it 3-2 early in the second with his 389th goal in his 900th career game.

Dave Bolland would open a two goal lead for the Hawks 6:45 into the second period when his shot squeezed through Ondrej Pavelec and across the goal line.

After tripping on a breakaway earlier in the period out of the penalty box, Kyle Wellwood redeemed himself scoring at 14:13 of the second through his legs to make it 4-3.

An uneventful third period saw the Jets almost tie it late on a last ditch try by Nik Antropov, but Ray Emery shut the door late.

However, the Hawks held on for the 4-3 win as the Jets fall to 0-2 on the season so far.

Pavelec kept the Jets in the game for most of the game, making 28 saves on 32 shots, making eight in the final period, many of them on an odd-man rush.

Mark Scheifele only played 9:25 and one shift in the third period, ending the game as a -1 on only 13 shifts.

Jim Slater scored his first two goal period in his career, finishing with a +1 rating, seven hits, and 13:56 of ice time.

Dustin Byfuglien finished his return to Chicago with a +2 rating, five hits, and five shots with 22:48 ice time, only two seconds less than Ron Hainsey.

Zach Bogosian ended the game with a -2 rating, including a barrage of giveaways.

The Jets (0-2) now head to Phoenix to face the Coyotoes (1-1-1) on Saturday night.

Habs Spoil Jets Return With 5-1 Win

It was the biggest night in recent Winnipeg sports history as well as for Canadian hockey in a long time.

But the most storied franchise in hockey history came out with the win.

Mike Cammalleri opened the scoring for Montreal with his first of the season at 3:05 of the first frame.

Tomas Plekanec made it 2-0 with the lone tally in the second period.

Nikolai Antropov would score the first goal in new Winnipeg Jets history when he knocked home a loose puck in a goal-mouth scramble in front of Carey Price 2:27 into the third period to narrow the score to 2-1.

However, Yannick Weber restored Montreal's two goal lead on a 5-on-3 powerplay goal at 4:51 and Travis Moen and Max Pacioretty added the insurance as the Jets fell 5-1 to the Canadiens to set their record at 0-1 to start the season.

Despite the loss, the 15,004 at the MTS Centre Sunday afternoon gave the home team a standing ovation during the final minute of the game and as they made their way off the ice without a salute.

The Jets outshot the Canadiens by a 31-22 margin; if it were not for Carey Price the game may have been different for the Jets as they were not able to get enough traffic in front of the Habs netminder.

Tobias Enstrom led in ice time for the Jets, playing 25:23, while Zach Bogosian played 22:58, and Dustin Byfuglien 21:26.

Rookie Mark Scheifele logged 13:44 of ice time while centering Kyle Wellwood and Evander Kane on the Jets second line.

The line of Antropov-Alexander Burmistrov-Brett MacLean ended the game with an even rating despite scoring the Jets lone goal.

Byfuglien and Kane led the Jets with four shots a piece.

Johnny Oduya finished the night as a -3, while Bryan Little, Jim Slater, Blake Wheeler, and Byfuglien finished the night with -2 ratings.

Despite outshooting the Canadiens 14-6 in the third period, the Jets were outscored 3-1.

The Jets now go on the road to face the 2010 Stanley Cup champions Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday and then travel to Phoenix to meet the former Jets on Saturday.

Next home game is Monday, October 17th when the Sidney Crosby-less Pittsburgh Penguins invade the MTS Centre.

Jets All Out 2011-12 Point Predictions: Forwards

As promised months ago, the 2011-12 Jets All Out point predictions are in!

First, we take a look at the forwards, the most interesting and most vital part of the predictions for the upcoming season. With such a young core of talented players and those who have not yet hit their full stride in the NHL, we believe that this is the best year for these players and the best is also yet to come.


Andrew Ladd led the Jets in scoring last season with 59 points (29 goals, 30 assists) and added 39 penalty minutes and was a -10 rating at season's end. He led the team in power-play goals (nine), and tied for shorthanded goals (two). His rise to becoming the captain of the former Thrashers and now Jets was a testament to how much he meant to the team and the dressing room. His numbers will likely not change drastically.

2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Ladd: 81 GP, 31 G, 29 A, 60 PTS, 44 PIMs, +4


Bryan Little, coming off a 31 goal season two seasons before, had a semi-bounce back year, scoring 48 points (18 goals, 30 assists) along with 33 penalty minutes and a decent +11 rating on a dismal Thrashers team. His positive plus/minus speaks to his defensive play with the team last year, a trend the Jets hope continues as he is slated as the team's #1 center. With his potential, Little is destined to hit the 30 goal plateau once again sometime in his career. His point production trend will only continue to increase in his first season in Winnipeg.

2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Little: 80 GP, 27 G, 35 A, 62 PTS, 40 PIMs, +15


Evander Kane is the diamond in the rough of the Jets organization. His output continues to improve over the past two seasons and he looks poised and ready to take his game to the next level - possibly becoming that 20-30 NHL goal scorer he was drafted fourth overall for. With 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists) along with 68 penalty minutes and a -12 rating, Kane improved on his rookie season stats, almost doubling them in his sophomore year. From the looks of his pre-season play, he is ready to ramp it up another notch in Winnipeg.



2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Kane: 79 GP, 26 G, 33, 59 PTS, 70 PIMs, +7


Nik Antropov at 30 is the oldest forward on the club. He is also the most experienced, having played in Toronto, New York, and Atlanta now too. His best years came with Toronto and his first season in Atlanta, alongside Ilya Kovalchuk. However, the past two seasons in Atlanta were a hard go for the 6'6 center and he would like nothing better than to get his statistical output back on track this season in Winnipeg. He has the experience to mentor younger players, including Alexander Burmistrov, and his presence is the most important thing in the Jets dressing room, but he can chip in offensively too. Look for his output to go up modestly this season.


2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Antropov: 74 GP, 19 G, 31 A, 50 PTS, 50 PIMs, +2


Alexander Burmistrov is the second youngest Jet in the lineup opening night, next to Mark Scheifele, however, he is going to be examined alongside the young seventh overall pick as well. Though Burmistrov already has a full season under his belt in Atlanta, scoring 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 74 games, he has yet to reach his true potential, like many on this young Jets squad. Burmistrov will hopefully learn with a veteran teammate, such as Nik Antropov, how to improve his skills on and off the ice and possibly improve his defensive game under head coach Claude Noel's system in Winnipeg. Burmistrov's statistical output has nowhere to go but up this season.




2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Burmistrov: 77 GP, 20 G, 21 A, 41 PTS, 28 PIMs, +3


Eric Fehr will miss the first part of the season with a shoulder injury, but his presence and what he can bring to the Jets should never be underestimated. A former 20 goal scorer in Washington, Fehr was dealt to the Jets to provide goal scoring depth on the wing. Not only that, Fehr is a local Manitoban and will be looked upon as a hometown fan favourite once he is in the lineup healthy once again. Though he had a drop in production last year, mainly due to injury, with only 20 points (ten goals, ten assists) in 56 games, Fehr, once healthy will be a key player and leader for the Jets.

2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Fehr: 40 GP, 11 G, 14 A, 25 PTS, 14 PIMs, +10


Blake Wheeler's presence on the Thrashers last season was tremendous as he led the team in scoring after a trade from Boston in the late stages of the season. Wheeler scored 17 points (seven goals, ten assists) in the final 23 games of the season for Atlanta, playing alongside Little and Ladd. He will be looked upon again to provide offense with his large 6'5 frame. A former 20 goal scorer in Boston, the former top five draft pick will once again be untied with Little and Ladd atop the first line and be looked upon to score in bunches.



2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Wheeler: 80 GP, 25 G, 30 A, 55 PTS, 56 PIMs, +11


Chris Thorburn is one of the longest serving players in the Thrashers/Jets organization and is look upon to provide his skills in an enforcer's role. With that in mind, his season should not be looked at judging primarily on offensive output, but on his character and leadership on the ice, providing that energy the Jets may need in a game. Thorburn's consistency to stay in the lineup year after year, game after game, is a true asset to the Jets depth.


2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Thorburn: 82 GP, 10 G, 11 A, 21 PTS, 85 PIMs, -1










Jim Slater is another long-serving player with the Thrashers, having been an original Thrasher pick back in 2002 with the 30th overall pick. Slater has morphed into a defensive/two-way center who's main priority is back checking and making sure he's causing havoc when in the opponent's zone. Before injuries last season, Slater was on pace for a career year, having scored 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 36 games. His previous career high was 20 points in his rookie season. Normally, Slater's output is in the 15-20 point range, but with a new atmosphere in Winnipeg, the four line center's role, under Claude Noel's coaching system of "no three minute men on my bench", may see his output jump to a career high.

2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Slater: 78 GP, 11 G, 12 A, 23 PTS, 22 PIMs +1




Tim Stapleton is projected by the Winnipeg Jets official website to be the fifth winger for the Jets to start the season. With Fehr out of the lineup, Stapleton will likely be in the lineup opening night, or opted out for Scheifele. Stapleton has the rare honour of having scored the last goal in Atlanta Thrashers history. He was able to stick most of the 2010-11 campaign in Atlanta, collecting five goals and two assists in 45 games. His role in Winnipeg will likely be that of a third/fourth liner again, mostly due to his undersized frame. His speed, however, makes him a great third/fourth liner because of his ability to play both ends of the ice. Look for his output to increase as he tries to stick in Winnipeg full-time, ahead of Scheifele and Patrice Cormier too.



2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Stapleton: 60 GP, 9 G, 12 A, 21 PTS, 16 PIMs -4





Kyle Wellwood joins the Jets after wandering the leagues in search of a home. His one-year contract added depth and versatility, as Wellwood is able to work both the power-play and penalty kill quite well. Known for his soft hands and deceptive speed, at times, he split last season between Mytishchi Atlant and the San Jose Sharks. Mytishchi Atlant released Wellwood half way through the season, after he produced only eight points (five goals, three assists) in 25 games. San Jose signed him and he had 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 35 games, including seven points (one goal, six assists) in 18 playoff games. Wellwood will provide depth and a centerman who can also play the wing, something the Jets may need if injuries occur.

2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Wellwood: 68 GP, 10 G, 20 A, 30 PTS, 10 PIMs, -2




Tanner Glass was also added to the Jets roster via free agency this off-season to provide grit and energy to the Jets lineup. He was also brought in for experience, having just come off a short summer after the Vancouver Canucks went the distance in the Stanley Cup Final. Glass, who has 184 games under his belt with Florida and Vancouver, will be looked upon to help Slater and Thorburn be the energetic and "thorn-in-your-side" fourth line that the team has lacked in its franchise's history.


2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Glass: 78 GP, 5 G, 8 A, 13 PTS, 92 PIMs, -3







Mark Scheifele has a good chance to stay beyond the nine games if he impresses in his first nine games. It's difficult to make such a prediction for such a player because of so many unknown variables leading up to the season's start. Scheiefele could be another Jeff Skinner and take the NHL by storm and win a Calder Trophy. He could also have another dominant season in the OHL with the Barrie Colts. For this case, firstly, we predict if Scheifele flourishes in the NHL (Scenario A)and secondly, we predict if he does not (Scenario B; though we would rather him flourish right off the bat).



2011-12 Jets All Out Prediction
Scenario A: 80 GP, 15 G, 25 A, 40 PTS, 20 PIMs, +2
Scenario B: 9 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 5 PTS, 4 PIMs, -2






On The Bubble Players:
Patrice Cormier
Jets All Out Prediction: 50 GP, 6 G, 10 A, 16 PTS, 35 PIMs, -4

Carl Klingberg
Jets All Out Prediction: 30 GP, 5 G, 11 A, 16 PTS, 14 PIMs, -6

Spencer Machacek
Jets All Out Prediction: 42 GP, 7 G, 11 A, 18 PTS, 26 PIMs, -2

Jets All Out Top 25: Top 5 Review

The countdown to the Jets first pre-season game in a split-club game against the Columbus Blue Jackets is down to four days and a few hours.

However, Jets All Out had started the countdown to September 20th long ago when on August 25th, we started counting down the Top 25 Jets in the current lineup with the honourable mentions that Thursday.

Now, we have come down to the Top 5 Jets in their current lineup.

Before we list the Top 5, let's take a look back at rankings from spot #25 to spot #6.

#25: Paul Postma, 22, D, 6’3, 184 lbs
Tall, smooth skating, young defenseman who still has alot of room to grow with the new Jets. Size and skill will only improve.

#24: Carl Klingberg, 20, LW, 6’3, 205 lbs
Big, bulky, and young power forward likened himself to Alex Ovehckin; showed size in YoungStars tourney

#23: Tim Stapleton, 29, RW, 5’9, 180 lbs
Small, undersized center; scored last goal in Thrashers history; has to work hard to get a full-time spot in Winnipeg

#22: Jason Jaffray, 30, LW, 6’1, 195 lbs
Ex-Moose playoff hero Jaffray wants to make an impression in the NHL and hopefully stick full-time in familiar setting

#21: Randy Jones, 30, D, 6’2, 205 lbs
Mid-sized defenseman has been shipped around the NHL, hopes fourth stop in Winnipeg will be his last

#20: Ben Maxwell, 23, C, 6'1, 195 lbs
Young, two-way center looks to finally get into a full-time NHL spot after trade to Jets from Montreal last spring

#19: Patrice Cormier, 21, C, 6'2, 205 lbs
After an ugly incident in QMJHL, Cormier is looking to put it behind him in the NHL with the Jets

#18: Tanner Glass, 27, Left Wing, 6’1, 210 lbs
Ex-Canuck looks to make an impact as an enforcer after trip to 2010 Stanley Cup Finals

#17: Chris Thorburn, 28, Right Wing, 6’3, 225 lbs
Lifetime Thrasher enforcer looks to keep up his job in Winnipeg as the go-to enforcer

#16: Jim Slater, 28, Center, 6’0, 200 lbs
Two-way center looks to cement spot as third-line center and make an impression quick in new city

#15: Mark Stuart, 27, Defense, 6’2, 218 lbs
Former first-round pick of the Bruins looks to take a leadership role on the Jets young and talented blueline

#14: Zach Bogosian, 21, Defense, 6'3, 215 lbs
Young, talented, and now signed, former third overall pick looks to bounce back in Winnipeg

#13: Alexander Burmistrov, 19, Centre, 6'1, 180 lbs
Very talented center jumped to the NHL quickly last season, looks to improve and avoid sophomore slump

#12: Johnny Oduya, 29, Defense, 6'0, 200 lbs
Veteran defenseman has seen his share of NHL experience in New Jersey, looked to be a leader on the Jets blueline

#11: Chris Mason, 35, Goalie, 6'0, 200 lbs
Well-seasoned backup will look to mentor starter Ondrej Pavelec more it this year with the best of his NHL days behind him

#10: Ron Hainsey, 30, Defense, 6'3, 211 lbs
One of the biggest leaders and the old man on the Jets blueline will look to mentor a young Bogosian as a Jet

#9: Eric Fehr, 26, Right Wing, 6'4, 210 lbs
Hometown player will look to be the hometown hero with the Jets, already received well by hometown family, friends, and fans

#8: Nik Antropov, 31, Right Wing, 6'6, 240 lbs
Veteran winger makes another stop in Canada and looks to rebound after two subpar seasons in Atlanta

#7: Blake Wheeler, 25, Right Wing, 6'5, 214 lbs
Young, big, and talented winger looks to continue his hot play with the Jets organization fresh off a new two-year deal

#6: Bryan Little, 23, Center, 5'10, 190 lbs
Another young center looks to rebound after two seasons removed from 31 goals, tremendous upside and potential


Jets All Out Top 25 - Top 5 will begin this evening; watch for it!