Chevy Smart To Stay Away From July 1 Madness

Jets backup Chris Mason turned down a two-year deal and signed in Nashville.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

For Jets fans on Twitter throughout Canada Day and, to a lesser extent depending who you are, Free Agent Frenzy, there was much to do about why the Jets were not signing players and, in essence, losing more players to other teams than signing more.

In a day that saw a number of teams land bigger name free agents - Dallas landing Ray Whitney, Tampa landing Sami Salo, Colorado landing P.A. Parenteau, and Vancouver landing Jason Garrison - the Jets had a net loss of players, as forward Tanner Glass signed a two-year deal with Pittsburgh worth $1.1 mil per and backup goalie Chris Mason returning to the club who drafted him for one year worth $1.25 mil per.

These two departures may be the biggest blow to any Jet fans ego because of the weight these guys held with the fans and with the team identity.

Mason, who was the first Jet to step onto the ice at the MTS Iceplex last summer along with ordering special order Jet goalie pads, blocker, and glove, appeared to be the most gung-ho and passionate about wanting to stay in Winnipeg, even as a backup to budding starter Ondrej Pavelec.

But according to TSN's Sara Orlesky via Twitter, Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff offered Mason more term and more money, but Mason opted to move back to Nashville.

Ken Wiebe, of the Winnipeg Sun, mentioned that Mason was torn between a two-year deal offered by the Jets and the Predators one-year deal.

In all, fans may feel that Mason paid somewhat cheap lip service to Jet fans and media about his intentions and his passions.

Luckily for Jets fans, he's just the backup goalie.

Talks were beginning with New Jersey Devils backup Johan Hedberg, according to Orlesky via Twitter, but has somewhat stalled since.

Other backup goalies Jets fans could potentially look forward to seeing in a Jets jerseys as UFAs include Marty Turco, Andrew Raycroft, Justin Pogge, and Al Montoya among other lesser known names.

As for Tanner Glass, his departure leaves more to be desired to be replaced by the Jets.

Fan favourite winger Tanner Glass is off to Pittsburgh.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

Glass, who ranked tenth in the NHL in hits with 246, will be hard to decently replace with anyone who can add grit after many tough guys were snatched up on July 1, including Brandon Prust, George Parros, Arron Asham, Brad Staubitz, and local boy Jordin Tootoo.

Signing with Pittsburgh was the Penguins way of filling the hole left by Arron Asham.

Now that Pittsburgh signed a Winnipeg fan favourite, the Jets will probably not search too hard as they may look to fill the gap left by Glass with an upcoming prospect in the likes of a Patrice Cormier.

Filling the void left by Glass on the GST line may seem as either a big job or not significant at all depending on where value is placed on Glass' impact on the team.

Surely, he was a prototypical Cheveldayoff guy - grit, heart, lunch pail work ethic - but can a Patrice Cormier fill that role at a younger age and cheaper contract?

Jets inked Ponikarovsky to one year @ $1.8 mil per.
(Photo Courtesy TSN.ca)

The Jets did, however, dip into the free agency pool and sign Nikolai Antropov's former linemate Alexei Ponikarovsky to a one-year, cap friendly $1.8 million deal.

Ponikarovsky reached his first Stanley Cup Final last season with the New Jersey Devils - his fifth team in five years - and had nine points in 24 playoff games.

He had a disappointing start to the 2011-12 season after scoring only 15 points in 49 games with the Carolina Hurricanes fresh off a new, one-year contract.

But after a trade to New Jersey, Ponikarovsky seemed to find a bit of a stride scoring 18 points in his final 33 games with the Devils.

Ponikarovsky has played in 636 career games, collecting 314 points (135 goals, 179 assists) with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Hurricanes, and Devils.

As he is reunited with Antropov, the immediate thought is how Ponikarovsky will add size and will possibly help his former linemate in Toronto to produce more.

Antropov had 35 points (15 goals, 20 assists) in 69 games with the Jets last season, his lowest point total since 2006-07 with the Leafs.  The Jets centre is only two years removed from a career year of 67 points in Atlanta, so the hope is Ponikarovsky can help Antropov.

Along with the signing of Ponikarovsky, the Jets also re-upped Winnipeg native Derek Meech to a two-way deal and Jason King to an AHL deal.

Meech, whose season was shortened due to injury, was an instrumental part of the St. John's Ice Caps blueline en route to their long Calder Cup Playoff run scoring nine points (four goals, five assists) in 15 playoff games.

Jets re-signed local Winnipegger Meech to a two-way deal.
(Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports)

During the regular season, Meech appeared in two games for the Jets (four penalty minutes, plus one) and six games for the Ice Caps (two assists) before succumbing to injury.

A former Detroit Red Wings pick, Meech will look to prove himself again to the Jets that he can be a full time NHLer and has good shot at it too as the only local boy now on the team with the departure of Eric Fehr.

In 128 career NHL games, the 5'11 defenseman has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) and 43 penalty minutes.

As for King, he had a good first season back in North America after playing three seasons in Germany.

In 70 games for the Ice Caps, King registered 22 goals and 19 assists for 41 points alongside 34 penalty minutes and a minus 14 rating.

In 15 playoff games, King had four points (two goals, two assists)

Look for Cheveldayoff to take a measured approach to the remainder of the summer when sizing up his team.

For the Jets brass, changing the identity is key as they will want to further distance themselves from being an organization that was built by another GM in Atlanta and becoming more and more ingrained as the Winnipeg Jets.

Again, the Jets are doing things the Chevy way - thus patience is key.

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 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

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

Mission Accomplished

It took the Winnipeg Jets four games to do so, but the first win is equal to having that huge monkey off their back.

Not only did the Jets take advantage of the Pittsburgh Penguins mistakes, especially with eight seconds off the clock in the first, but they played their first complete 60 minute game of the season.

The team looked hungry for a win and fed up with being 0-3.

And this was a team that was missing Evander Kane and then during the game lost Ron Hainsey.

To top things off, the Jets won their first game in front of 15,004 at MTS Centre who had wished it would have come on October 9th, but they'll take this win over being 0-4 anyday.

All in all, this is the Jets team many fans were expecting to come over from Atlanta - a team that was hungry to play in front of fans who cared and elevate their game to the next level.

Head coach Claude Noel said it best in his post-game press conference that they needed to make up the gap of 17 points that the team needed last season to make the playoffs.

Winning this game was the first step towards making up the points to grab a playoff spot.

And again, this was only game number four on the season and with 78 more to play, the Jets can now focus on playing hockey instead of the pressure of winning that first game.

Standouts included Alexander Burmistrov, who is looking more and more like the seventh overall pick that Atlanta took in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, as he collected two assists on both Jets goals, including a beautiful set up pass on the eventual game winning goal by Tanner Glass.

Burmistrov now has three points in four games, a far cry so far from his 20 points in 74 games last year in Atlanta, he has been one of the best - if not the best - players in the Jets lineup.

Zach Bogosian also continues to get better with each game, as his Bobby Orresque rush almost put the Jets up 3-1.

And, last, but definitely not least, Ondrej Pavelec's 28 save performance was the shining star in a first star performance in his first win as a Jet, in the MTS Centre, and against the Pittsburgh Penguins in his career.

Seeing a young team get this win this way against a still formidable opponent minus Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin shows how much this team has room to grow and the momentum is building.

Jets Grab First Win Of Season 2-1 Over Penguins

The Winnipeg Jets would race out of the game early in the first period as Kyle Wellwood would cash in on a quick tic-tac-toe passing play eight seconds into the game to make it 1-0 with his second goal of the season.

Throughout the first, the Penguins threatened with all seven of their shots, but the two good chances for the Penguins were a missed open net and the other was denied by Ondrej Pavelec.

Tanner Glass would be the recipient of a beautiful pass from Alexander Burmistrov with 1:33 left in the opening frame for his first of the season to make it 2-0 Jets.

Pavelec was the story of the second period as he made a barrage of robbery saves, including a save on Richard Park on a 2-on-1 with under minutes left.

However, the Penguins would get on the board with 1:38 left in the period on a point shot that made it through despite Arron Asham interfering with Pavelec.

Despite the late goal, Pavelec made 13 saves on 14 Pittsburgh shots in the middle frame.

In the third, the Jets had two powerplay opportunities but could not cash.

With under five remaining, the Penguins got a powerplay after Chris Kunitz was tripped up in the corner. The Jets would kill that penalty off as Alexander Burmistrov was robbed on a penalty kill breakaway.

With the Penguins net empty for the last minute, the Jets killed the clock as they win their first game of the season to improve to 1-3-0 on the season.

First star Pavelec made 28 saves for his first win of the season and first career win over the Penguins.

Enstrom logged the most ice time of all players with 26:33 due to an injury to Ron Hainsey. Byfuglien logged 24:14, Bogosian 22:59, and Burmistrov logged 21:07.

Burmistrov ended the game with two assists and a +2 rating during 27 shifts.

Bryan Little was better in the faceoff circle, winning 11 of 21 faceoffs.

Mark Scheifele only had 7:06 of ice time over 12 shifts, winning three of five faceoffs.

The Jets now take to the road for two straight games in Ottawa and Toronto.

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!

Jets All Out Top 25: #18 Tanner Glass & #17 Chris Thorburn

#18 Tanner Glass, 27, Left Wing, 6’1, 210 lbs
Last Year's Rating: N/A This Year's Rating: #18 Difference: N/A

#17 Chris Thorburn, 28, Right Wing, 6’3, 225 lbs
Last Year's Rating: N/A This Year's Rating: #17 Difference: N/A


Rough and rugged, Tanner Glass cut his teeth with the Dartmouth College Big Green in from 2003-04 until his final year in 2006-07. Never known for his scoring touch in college hockey, he still managed to be near a point per game player in his final two years, scoring 28 points in both, while collecting 56 or more penalty minutes in both.

Before he even set foot onto Dartmouth ice, Glass was the Florida Panthers ninth round draft pick in 2003, 265th overall. Despite going unsigned until August 2007 by the Panthers, he would make his NHL debut in 2007-08 with the Panthers, playing in 41 games, collecting 39 penalty minutes and two points.

In 2008-09, Glass was named an alternate captain for the AHL’s Rochester Americans but was only able to appear in 44 games after suffering a season ending injury in early Feburary 2009.

Despite the injury, Glass never needed too much time in the AHL because of his type of play. His rugged, run-and-gun style was needed in the NHL versus the big goons who only fought. Glass would fight, hit, intimidate, and would chip in with 10-15 points in a season.

In 2009-10, Glass signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Vancouver Canucks and showed he fit in with the fast, high-octane scoring team. In his first season, Glass collected career highs in games played (67), goals (4), assists (7), points (11), and penalty minutes (115).

Resigned for the 2010-11 season, Glass played in 73 regular season games, collecting ten points (3 goals, 7 assists) and 72 penalty minutes while playing a grinder role. He appeared in 20 playoff games for the Canucks en route to the Stanley Cup Final, collecting 18 penalty minutes along the way.

Glass is a sure fit in Winnipeg with his leadership, experience, and his rugged style.

Along with Glass, long-time Atlanta Thrasher Chris Thorburn will also be a fan favourite for his rugged style of play.

Selected 50th overall in 2001, Thorburn took a while before cracking an NHL lineup full time. After a good junior career where he played for the North Bay Centennials (1999-2002), Plymouth Whalers, and the Saginaw Spirit (2002-03), Thorburn entered his first professional season in 2003-04 with the Rochester Americans.

He spent three full seasons in Rochester, improving his stats every season, with a career year in 2005-06 with 58 points (23 goals, 27 assists) and 134 penalty minutes (though down from 185 the year before).

The Sabres only gave Thorburn two games to show what he was made of, where he collected an assist and seven penalty minutes along with a minus one rating.

The next season, the Pittsburgh Penguins picked up Thorburn and he appeared in 39 games for them in 2006-07, scoring five points (3 goals, 2 assists) along with 69 penalty minutes and a plus one rating.

After one season in Pittsburgh, he was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers for a third-round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. In Atlanta, Thorburn flourished and his style of play finally reached its potential in the NHL ranks.

In his first season in Atlanta, Thorburn scored 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) and garnered 92 penalty minutes in 73 games. In four seasons in Atlanta, Thorburn would collect 65 points (25 goals, 40 assists) along with 362 penalty minutes in 313 games.

Both Glass and Thorburn play with an edge and are willing to drop the gloves to protect their linemates. Both are able to put the puck in the net, though they don’t exactly have soft hands. Both will definitely be fan favourites in Winnipeg for reasons other than scoring.

2011-12 Predictions: Jets Forwards

With the real dog days of summer upon us in full force, we're going to predict what we think the top four lines of the Jets will be for the upcoming 2011-12 season.

For the sake of being somewhat unpredictable, I think there may be some small surprises and some obvious guesses.

First Line: Ladd - Antropov - Kane
Nik Antropov's 6'6" frame is the largest body up front for the Jets by one inch over winger Blake Wheeler and thus is a no brainer to be the first line centre come opening night. But can he cash in with the team now that they have changed over to Winnipeg? He had career highs in Atlanta in 2009-10 with 67 points (24 goals, 43 assists), although he was playing some of the season with Ilya Kovalchuk.

For Evander Kane, he only keeps getting better and his stock should rise high enough to be a first line player on this team, beating out Bryan Little. Kane collected 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists) in his sophomore season in 2010-11 and is only going to get better.

Andrew Ladd had a career season with 59 points (29 goals, 30 assists) in 2010-11 that eclipsed his previous career year of 49 points two seasons ago in Chicago. Ladd signed a five-year contract with the Jets as an RFA and is the team's captain going into the future. His success and leadership are the cornerstone of this team going forward.

Second Line: Little - Burmistrov - Wheeler
Alexander Burmistrov had a promising rookie season with a few highlight reel goals last season with 20 points in 74 games. Being put into the NHL so quickly after being the 8th overall pick last season, his learning curve could have been somewhat affected but his talent showed through some games and he can only get better.

On his wings are two of the more talented young wingers in the game. It will remain to be seen if Bryan Little takes a centre role within Claude Noel's offensive system or if he stays on the wing to use his speed down the side. Little is coming off two sub-par seasons with 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 2009-10 and 48 points (18 goals, 30 assists) in 2010-11 after he posted 31 goals and 51 points two seasons ago.

Blake Wheeler resigned a two-year deal this summer as an RFA with the Jets looking to be a big part of the offense after he had his most productive time in the NHL with the Thrashers scoring 17 points in only 23 games at the end of last season. At 6'5", Wheeler will be a big part of the offense.

Third Line: Fehr - Slater - Cormier
With the addition of Eric Fehr, the Jets third line will have some scoring threat, as Fehr scored 21 goals in 2009-10 and scored 10 or more in the last three seasons. Being the hometown Manitoba boy will make Fehr an instant fan favourite.

Jim Slater, a longtime Thrasher, will be the grit down the middle along with a young, gritty Patrice Cormier. Slater has 100 points in 371 career games over six seasons, all in Atlanta.

Cormier played in 21 games last year with the Thrashers collecting 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist).

Fourth Line: Glass - Maxwell - Thorburn/Rypien/Jaffray
The grit of Tanner Glass, Chris Thorburn, and Rick Rypien will definitely help the Jets be a gritty team and a hard team to match up against if these pests are on.

Thorburn, a Thrasher vet, has played his last four seasons in Atlanta scoring 65 points and collecting 362 PIMs in 313 games.

Rypien, a former Manitoba Moose, has had a long history in Winnipeg and should be a fan favourite after his time with the Vancouver Canucks. Rypien collected 226 PIMs and 16 points in 119 career games with the Canucks over the past six seasons.

Glass, who was a part of the Canucks run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring, has 233 PIMs and 23 points in 184 career games with Vancouver and the Florida Panthers.

Jason Jaffray, another ex-Moose, may be given another look at joining the team, as he became a big piece of the Moose franchise, especially in their run to the Calder Cup Finals in 2009. Jaffray has 10 points in 36 career NHL games with Vancouver and the Calgary Flames.

Rounding out the fourth line is centre Ben Maxwell, a piece of the Brent Sopel trade with Montreal. Maxwell, 23, had 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist) in 12 games with the Thrashers after spending the last few years with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL.

Next In Line: Carl Klingberg at 6'3", 205 lbs. could be another big winger the Jets could be very happy with in the near future.

Kendal McCardle could finally have a chance to break into an NHL full-time as a third or fourth line grinder. But he has many grinders to leap frog to get into the lineup full time.

Aaron Gagnon has the potential to be a third or fourth line centre, but with the depth up the middle, his training camp could spell his fortune for the upcoming season.

Jets Patient; Expect Deal With Bogosian Will Get Done Soon

With 199 NHL games under his belt at only 21 years of age, Jets defenseman Zach Bogosian is a player that the Jets cannot afford to not sign.

"The conversations are continuing with his agent,” was the comment GM Kevin Cheveldayoff gave.

“There’s no time frame set in place to have that one done by. It’s a summer-negotiation type thing. Everyone’s respectful of the fact this is a down time for players and agents and management -- those talks will continue and they’ve been good."

While the Jets have added depth up front with the additions of Rick Rypien, Tanner Glass, as well as acquiring Eric Fehr and Kendal McCardle via trades, the possibility of the Jets adding another scoring forward for the top two lines would not be out of order for Cheveldayoff.

"You’re always looking for that,” Cheveldayoff admitted. “It’s got to be the right fit for the group of guys that you have. You want it to mesh together. For us, if you look at the roster right now there is probably some room if you could add some forwards. We think our defence is pretty deep with respect to the (National Hockey League) side and the depth side of things."

However, the main goal still focuses in on Bogosian and getting the deal done.

Looking at Blake Wheeler and Andrew Ladd in their negotiations, both players were singularly negotiated with and signed in accordance to being talked with.

It is simply now Bogosian's turn in line and Cheveldayoff sees no problems in the ongoing discussions with his agent.

"It’s playing out exactly how we thought it would. It’s going to take some time."

"Each one of the negotiations — the (Andrew) Ladd, the Wheeler, the regular RFAs (restricted free agents) and Zach all have different nuances to them.”