Jets Beef Up Coaching Staff; Add Perry Pearn

Perry Pearn will return to Winnipeg as an assistant coach for the first time since 1996.
(Photo Courtesy CBC.ca)

Last season, former Montreal Canadians General Manager Pierre Gauthier thought it necessary to relieve defensive coach Perry Pearn of his duties mid way through a dismal season for the storied franchise.

Was is it a wake up call for everyone in the organization - whether coach or player?

Whatever the case, Pearn, 61, a veteran of sixteen seasons as an assistant coach in the NHL, has now found a new home.

Pearn was added to the Winnipeg Jets coaching staff, alongside head coach Claude Noel and assistants Charlie Huddy and Pascal Vincent.

And it's no surprise that Pearn returned to the city and the second version of the team that he had his first NHL experience with during the 1995-96 season.

During the Jets final season in Winnipeg in 95-96, Pearn alongside current Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle were assistant coaches under head coach Terry Simpson.

Since his inaugural season as an assistant coach in Winnipeg, Pearn spent eight seasons (1996-2004) in Ottawa alongside Jacques Martin and then was with the New York Rangers for four seasons alongside Tom Renney (2005-2009).

Pearn was let go by the Montreal Canadiens mid way through his third season with the Habs, having started in Montreal at the start of the 2009-10 season.

However, it was Pearn's reaction to returning to the place where he started that was most meaningful.

"I didn't want to leave when I left the last time," said Pearn at his hiring press conference.

"I really enjoyed the year I coached there." (TSN.ca, 6/14/2012)

However, the biggest question becomes what will Pearn's role become with the Jets?

In Montreal, Pearn was the Canadiens defensive coach, helping the progress of young PK Subban and Josh Gorges.

However, Huddy currently has the post as the defensive coach showing vast improvements in the games of Zach Bogosian and Dustin Byfuglien last season.

With his wealth of experience and knowledge, Pearn adds to the already knowledgeable Jets staff (Huddy has 13 years experience) as they try to put the proper people in place to make another step towards a playoff spot in 2012-13.

In addition to signing Pearn, the Jets re-upped their other assistant coaches including goalie coach Wade Flaherty, video coach Tony Borgford, and St. John's Ice Caps assistant coach Mark Morrison.

If Nashville is the Benchmark For Jets, Fans Need Not Wait Too Long

As the Nashville Predators have made their way into the Stanley Cup Playoffs second round for the second time in as many years, many of Jets reporters (Winnipeg Free Press' own Gary Lawless), pundits, and fans are looking to them to see what they will acheive.

Will they be able to do more than simply win one round and bow out?  Or will they rise to the occassion of a team that showed they were worthy of being a part of the last eight teams to play hockey in May?

Peering at the Predators roster, there are many players who are workhorses - players who are the backbone of the team. Players including All-Star captain and Norris Trophy candidate Shea Weber and defensive partner Ryan Suter along with others such as Mike Fisher, Martin Erat, and others. And not to forget the Predators MVP - their goalie - Pekka Rinne.

Organizational philosophy aside, the Predators makeup over the past 13 seasons has been one that has been ever evolving and ever growing. Names that have been through the Nashville lineup through the draft include the likes of Scott Hartnell, Dan Hamhuis, Cody Franson, and Scott Upshall as well as current Predators Weber, Suter, Rinne, Kevin Klein, David Legwand, Colin Wilson, and up-and-coming offensive defenseman Ryan Ellis.

Point in case: the Predators have built their team through the draft, not through free agency - a similar approach that Jets General Manger Kevin Cheveldayoff seems to be employing quite strictly.

As the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs were the first true post-season success for the Nashville franchise (13 seasons into existence), the team had thirteen full-time players who were Predator draft picks.

It is slow, successful progressions towards success that has made the Predators a model franchise as they are also a very low budget team.

According to nhlnumbers.com, Nashville has the fifth lowest payroll in the NHL through the 2011-12 season (Winnipeg is the sixth lowest) and were one of four teams in the bottom ten of league payroll to make the playoffs (Florida, Phoenix, and Ottawa the others).

What Nashville has different from Florida is the makeup of their team is mainly draft picks while Phoenix and Ottawa could be seen as similar situations to Nashville, but without the slow progress into success as both franchises have seen ebbs and flows of success having been around much longer. 

Another thing that stands out from the Nashville model is Winnipeg bred Barry Trotz - the only head coach in Predators history.

Trotz, an unassuming and humble coach who demands the most out of his players, has seen his success not only climb in his 13 season behind the bench, but has seen how to build a winner from the ground up.

His input into the team's success over his tenure has been essential to the maturation of those draft picks that the organization has given him to help along.

In his 13 season as head coach, he has only had five losing seasons (the first five from 1998-99 to 2002-03) and has not seen his winning percentage in a season dip below .537 (in 2008-09 the only season the Preds did not make the playoffs since 2002-03).

Translating into the Winnipeg situation - there are the similarities from Nashville to take into Winnipeg's current lineup.

Seven full time players in the Jets lineup this season are Atlanta/Winnipeg draft picks including Evander Kane, Ondrej Pavelec, Tobias Enstrom, Zach Bogosian, and Bryan Little.

Despite the quick transition over the summer from Atlanta to Winnipeg, the Jets have not made any big moves to bring in any big names to bolster any part of their lineups - but have made trades that addressed needs they may need down the road.

All in all, both franchises have not gone for the classic "band-aid solution" when it comes to equipping their core group of players for a long Stanley Cup run.

You will never see either franchise going after a Marian Hossa type deadline deal to bolster their lineup.

If winning is going to happen in Nashville or Winnipeg, it will start and ultimately end with the players that have been drafted, matured, and successful within the system.

And thanks to poor finishes in their 11 seasons in Atlanta, the Jets have a solid foundation of young talent highlighted by names above and by pieces frugally added to the lineup that are still early in their careers and luckily already with Stanley Cup experience - namely Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien.

Unlike Trotz, the Jets ownership had a prior history with the head coach before the season started. But not unlike Trotz, Claude Noel is being looked to to be the coach that helps to mature the Bryan Little's and Evander Kane's of the Jets young core.

Noel's longevity will depend on his ability to have a Trotzesque type of coaching style - calm, quiet, and patient. If the 2011-12 season was any indication, Noel is well on his way as of now.

If Nashville is the benchmark for the Jets, then Jets fans need not worry.

And if they're lucky, it won't take 13 years.

Confidence & Consistency Reforming Jets Lineup

With his 15th goal on the season last night, Blake Wheeler extended his career point total to 54 - good enough to tie him for 33rd in league scoring.

Maybe it's not that significant that Wheeler is 33rd in the league, but the fact that he is tied with the likes of Corey Perry (33 goals, 21 assists) and Henrik Zetterberg (15 goals, 39 assists) puts him into some very highly esteemed company (not to mention Wheeler's 39 assists is good enough for 12th place tie with Martin St. Louis, Ray Whitney, Eric Staal, and Zetterberg)

Even if he stumbles in an interview with TSN's Sara Orlesky after the game, Wheeler has shown on-ice maturity that has started to take hold in the Jets room.

"I like the fact we didn’t get demoralized when we gave up a goal with thirty-five (35) seconds left in the second period." Claude Noel said in his post-game press conference last night.

"That was good. We were very resilient coming back into the third period and just playing." (Winnipeg Free Press, 03/05/2012)

Ask any Jet earlier in the season what the room and mood was like after a late period goal or any late deflating goal and the answer would probably be more negative than positive.

Not to be outdone, the maturity reforming the Jets lineup has let to consistency.

Now to take the consistency out onto the road.

"We did a great job of taking advantage of this homestand." stated Bryan Little, who collected three assists Monday night.

"We did a great job of getting points we needed. We didn’t play easy teams. Tonight was an especially hard game and we found a way to get the two points. Hopefully we can take that on the road with us." (Winnipeg Free Press, 03/05/2012)

Handfuls of Jets are having career seasons - showing the maturing process first hand.

Evander Kane has posted a career high in goals so far with 26, Wheeler keeps on adding to his career year point total, while Dustin Byfuglien is operating around a .80 point per game clip this season.

Not to be outdone, Andrew Ladd is showing that last year's 29 goals was not a mistake, Ondrej Pavelec has been solid with a career year in wins, and Little is finally showing signs of the player who scored 31 goals three seasons ago.

"They did a really good job of pouring everything into the game and to me it's evident, the passion that they are playing with and we're getting rewarded for that." commented Noel about the Jets resurgence in the third period and throughout the latter half of the season. (WinnipegJets.com, 03/05/2012)

As for the recent young teams to capture Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh and Chicago, the growing years were the most painful - as evidenced in Atlanta.

Now, in Winnipeg, in their first year in the MTS Centre, that youth and raw skill is slowly turning into confidence and consistency that shows great signs and paths for the future.

New Year Brings New Tidings For Jets

At 19-14-5, the Winnipeg Jets are almost at the midway point of the NHL's regular season and are amidst the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Not only are they in the thick of it, they are thriving under the pressures and the demands that come with it.

Mind you, not simply the demands of the fans of Winnipeg but the demands to play consistent hockey on a nightly basis with a schedule that can, at times, be more daunting than many NHLers would prefer to play.

The Jets 3-2 New Year's Eve win over the Toronto Maple Leafs was a game of utmost importance and the Jets came through, with some luck of course.

Two power play goals in a game are not a gift any NHL team will get on a regular basis. Albeit, two power play goals against the Maple Leafs dire 30th ranked 73.2% penalty kill.

Try to ply their trade with two power play goals a game and you would be quite the consistent playoff contender.

However, the Jets have become a team of consistency regardless of power plays and penalty kills.

Ranked 14th in both power play (18.2%) and penalty kill (82.7%), the team has found a balance in Claude Noel's system as the new year approaches.

The long December home stretch didn't hinder their play either, having won nine out of ten December games at the MTS Centre.

And the crowd, once again, showed how much of a factor they are, they have been, and they can be.

The Jets 14-6-1 home record is the best in the Eastern Conference through January 1st (most home wins by an Eastern Conference team) and is only bettered by the Chicago Blackhawks (14-3-3), the Detroit Red Wings (15-2-1), and the St. Louis Blues (14-3-2).

That is elite company and the Jets know that.

Now comes the tidings for the new year - improve a 5-8-4 road record.

Winnipeg is the only team in the top eight in the East to have a losing record away from home. That emphasizes how important their home games have been and gives a glimpse on where they might be had their home stand gone awry.

Still, the Jets are scoring - Evander Kane's 18 goals is tied for eighth best with Thomas Vanek and Radim Vrbata through January 1st - and their goalies are stopping the pucks - Ondrej Pavelec is 4-2-1 with a 1.56 goals against average in his last seven games and went 11-3-1 with a 1.91 goals against average and a sparkling .938 save percentage in December, with two shutouts.

A new year, but hopefully the same old tidings for the red hot Jets.

Noel Knows Home Cooking Good For Long Term Success

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But hiccups rarely destroy anything.

Jets Defensive Injuries Cues First AHL Re-Call

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Sources:
TSN1290.ca

Photos Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Game #11: Jets @ Panthers

Winnipeg Jets fans hope that Halloween won't scare away a win as the Jets (3-6-1) take on the upstart Florida Panthers (6-4-0) in another Southeast Divisional matchup at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise.

The Jets still only have one win on the road - a 9-8 shootout with the Philadelphia Flyers last week - and they are also at a 1-1 record versus divisional opponents.

Last year's Atlanta version of the Jets went 6-6-8 versus Southeast Division teams last year, including a 4-1-1 record against the Panthers last season.

The Panthers are coached by rookie head coach and former NHLer of 1188 games Kevin Dineen. Dineen stepped into the role of head coach after spending five season as head coach of the AHL's Portland Pirates - a team that never missed the playoffs with Dineen behind the bench.

Claude Noel is likely to start with Ondrej Pavelec in goal for the Jets again after a 26 save performance in the Jets 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Pavelec redeemed himself after allowing those seven goals on 43 shots against the Flyers last Thursday.

For the season, Pavelec's stats are not stellar - a 3.75 goals against average combined with a .876 save percentage.

However, during his career, the young goalie is 4-1-0 with a 2.04 goals against average against Florida, including a 3-0-0 mark in Sunrise. With October finally ending tonight, the Jets starter may finally be getting back on track after a slow October start.

Though Alexander Burmistrov had his six game point streak snapped Saturday night, the young Russian still co-leads the Jets in points with nine in ten games.

He and Nik Antropov are still showing great chemistry early in the season. Along with Evander Kane, they have unofficially become the Jets second line and have been much more effective and successful thus far this season than the Jets top line of Blake Wheeler-Bryan Little-Andrew Ladd.

Jets are still without the services of defenseman Ron Hainsey and forward Eric Fehr, who is slowly on his way to recovery.

Fehr's timetable for return is starting to open up as he was originally speculated to be back in late November/early December at the very earliest.

The 6'4 winger's return would be a welcome addition to the offense, as Fehr is a former 20 goal scorer in Washington, but struggled mightily with injuries the past two seasons.

Game time is 6:30 PM CT and available on TSN Jets and Fox Sports Florida.


Sources & Pictures

Yahoo! Sports

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

Nothing Doing In Ontario For Jets

It was another off-night for the Winnipeg Jets in their sixth game of the season.

For the third time in three games the Jets managed to score the opening goal, but for the second time in three games, they did not manage to keep the lead stand up.

Many knew that scoring was an issue for the team last season in Atlanta and this season scoring has also been a problem in the early going.

Maybe it isn't scoring - maybe it's the lack of an identity yet.

We are talking about being only six games into the season - so please put away the panic button, it's unnecessary at this time.

What the Jets truly need is an identity which they can fix their focus around for the season.

I look back and watch the same team in Atlanta last season and I can see that they were starting to form an identity with GM Rick Dudley and head coach Craig Ramsay at the helm.

They wanted to change the atmosphere and perception of the franchise, however, they came in with changes a few years too late.

Now that True North is putting their stamp on the Jets, they are going through another - shall we say 'identity crisis'.

With Claude Noel and staff being the third coaching staff many of these players have had the past three seasons, the adjustment needs to be made quickly, but the mindset of the players needs to be that these coaches are here for the long run this time.

There's a sense of commitment there.

A sense of community.

But also a sense of accountability in the locker room between coaches and players.

So, once again, put away the panic button and no - Dustin Byfuglien will not be a forward this season, so stop talking about it - it's not going to happen.

Two games here at home in the confines of the MTS Centre and then the Jets go on an extensive seven game road trip before they are back in Winnipeg November 10th.

And it isn't a walk in the park, as the Jets will meet the likes of the Philadelphia Flyers, the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Buffalo Sabres, and the New York Rangers.

This will be the early season identity crisis test and hopefully our boys come back better off than worse off.

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.

Game #4: Jets vs. Pens

Winnipeg Jets (0-3-0) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (3-1-2)
Monday, October 17, 2011
MTS Centre 7:30 PM CT
TV: TSN Jets, ROOT(HD)
Radio: TSN 1290
After a road trip that saw the Winnipeg Jets fall 4-3 and 4-1 in Chicago and Phoenix respectively, the team now returns home for a rare home game in the first two months of the season when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at MTS Centre.

The Jets are coming off that loss in Glendale where Andrew Ladd scored the lone tally - his first of the season - and the team, once again, was hemmed in their own zone for the majority of the game.

To make matters worse, consistency has been an issue for the young Jets, who were setback 34 seconds into Saturday night's game only to have three power plays on which they did not cash in on after the Coyotes opening goal.

Head coach Claude Noel took apart the Jets top line of Andrew Ladd-Bryan Little-Blake Wheeler last game and inserted rookie Mark Scheifele between Ladd and Wheeler.

The newly created line had the Jets only goal.

Little still remains pointless this season, with a -4 rating so far.

"We had a lot of build-up before the season, being excited about being back in Winnipeg and all that, and I think maybe the hockey got overshadowed a little bit and we’re kind of finding out the hard way right now." Claude Noel told the Winnipeg Free Press' Tim Campbell.

"Obviously there are all the turnovers and then there's big shifts in every game -- after goals, first shift of the game, first shift of the period -- that we need to be stronger at and better at." Jets captain Andrew Ladd told Ed Tait of the Winnipeg Free Press.

Now the Jets prepare to face the Pittsburgh Penguins, who started the season with a string of Western Canadian home openers, winning the ones in Vancouver and Calgary before losing to Edmonton in a shootout.

So far, the Sidney Crosby-less Penguins have been led by winger James Neal, who has five goals and one assist in six games, and Kris Letang who has one goal and five assists in six games.

The Penguins lost their Saturday night tilt to the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 and will head to Minnesota to play the Wild on Tuesday night following the game at MTS Centre.

You can watch the game on TSN-Jets with Dennis Beyak in Canada and on ROOT in the US.

The game is also available on TSN 1290 in Winnipeg with Brian Munz and Shane Hnidy.

Game #3: Jets @ 'Yotes

Winnipeg Jets (0-2-0) @ Phoenix Coytoes (1-1-1)
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Jobing.com Arena 6:00 PM CT
TV: CBC, FS-Arizona
Radio: TSN 1290
With a day between their last game and tonight's matchup with the team that was formerly known as the Winnipeg Jets, head coach Claude Noel remains positive about the Jets progress through the first two games.

"We were a little bit better but so was the opponent," Noel told the Winnipeg Free Press.

"We got up to another level [Thursday] if you're dealing with levels. But obviously it's not enough."

The Jets charged out of the gate Thursday with two quick goals via Jim Slater, but a Chicago Blackhawks timeout after the Jets second goal proved to settle down an experienced Chicago squad, who rattled off four unanswered goals before the Jets made it close late in the game.

"We've played two playoff teams and they have beat us. So regardless of the score, if we think we're going to be in the playoffs, we're going to have to find somebody we can beat. There are no accolades for losing." Noel added talking to the Free Press.

The Jets now find themselves at 0-2 to start the 2011-12 season and facing an opponent that already has the feelings of an intense rivalry - the Phoenix Coyotes.

Formerly the Jets, the Coyotes have not had much success since their move to the desert in 1996. They have made the playoffs seven times in fourteen years, but have never made it past the first round.

The entire Coyotes/Jets franchise has not made it to the second round of the playoffs since the 1987 playoffs, when the Jets ousted Calgary. In all, the franchise has made it past the first round twice, both in Winnipeg and both in the mid-1980's.

However, the Coyotes did take the Detroit Red Wings to game seven in 2010 only to be swept in last year's spring dance. With the departure of franchise goalie Ilya Bryzgalov to Philadelphia, the Coyotes may see some struggles this season, both on and off the ice.

One player who still has ties to Winnipeg is Coyotes captain Shane Doan, who will suit up against Winnipeg for the first time in his career on Saturday night.

“It was the team that gave me the incredible opportunity to play my first NHL game. I don’t take that lightly.” Doan told the Globe & Mail.

For the 1-1-1 Coyotes, this will be their home opener and it is fitting that the Jets are the team to play.

The Coyotes lost the season opener in San Jose 6-3, lost to Dallas in a shootout, and on Thursday picked up their first win in Nashville 5-2.

Game time is 6:00 PM CT and is available on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada and on Fox Sports-Arizona in the US. It is also available on the radio on Winnipeg's TSN 1290.

Jets Camp Is In Session

The Jets are back.

After a day of physical testing on Friday, the on-ice sessions begin at the MTS Iceplex in the Winnipeg Free Press Centre where fans have their last chances to see the Jets before their home opener on October 9th against Montreal.

Surreal feeling for Winnipeggers? For sure.

It's been 15 years already. Drop that puck!

Many players, including captain Andrew Ladd, Eric Fehr, and Dustin Byfuglien addressed the media upon the start of camp on Friday, including goals and what to expect from the young Jets squad.d

Head coach Claude Noel also addressed the media regarding the status of Byfuglien, saying that he knows of nothing that will stop Byfuglien from beginning camp with the team and hinder anything hockey wise going forward.

Camp will start with on-ice sessions and inter-squad games that includes three different teams composed of regular NHL players, players signed to the AHL's St. John's Ice Caps, and rookies that were a part of the YoungStars Tournament in Penticton earlier this month.

The MTS Iceplex will be open at 8:30 this morning and the workouts are scheduled for 9:00 am, 10:45 am, and 12:30 pm.

Winnipeg Jets Rookie Camp Opens in Style

One thousand people were at the MTS Iceplex on Saturday afternoon to witness the Jets Rookie Camp, as their young stars prepare for the YoungStars Rookie Tournament in Penticton, BC later this month.

Among the players that were on the ice were first round pick Mark Scheifele, Manitoba born Jason Gregoire, Carl Klingberg, Chris Carrozzi, Ivan Telegin, Zachary Yuen, and Cody Sol.

"Wearing a Jets’ jersey is pretty cool and walking off the ice and having fans bombard you at a rookie camp practice is unbelievable," Winnipeg-born forward Jason Gregoire told the Winnipeg Free Press.

"It just goes to show all the guys what this town is made of. It’s awesome. You look up... it’s a practice and I’ve never seen anything like this for a practice. I know what Winnipeg’s about. I know the fan base, but I honestly didn’t even expect this."

The Jet rookies will be on the ice again at the Iceplex on Sunday from 10 am-11:30 am before taking a flight out to Penticton to play in the tournament.

The tournament at the South Okanagan Events Centre and includes rookies from the Jets, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and San Jose Sharks. The Jets rookies will face San Jose on Monday night, Edmonton on Tuesday evening, and then ending against the Canucks on Thursday afternoon.

According to head coach Claude Noel, forward Carl Klingberg stood out the most to him during the first day. Klingberg went as far to describe himself and his game as a ‘pain in the ass’ to play against ‘ and to that of Washington Capitals’ superstar Alex Ovechkin. (Winnipeg Free Press, 9/10/11)

Mike Keane A Coach?

Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun wrote about the possibility of ex-Moose and Winnipeg native Mike Keane becoming a coach behind the Jets bench along with Claude Noel and Charlie Huddy.

http://m.winnipegsun.com/2011/07/13/keane-on-coaching?noimage

Charlie Huddy on Claude Noel's Short List

It appears that Jets head coach Claude Noel is close to naming at least one part of his coaching staff.

The name that has been appearing most is former Edmonton Oiler assistant coach and ex-NHLer Charlie Huddy.

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/06/30/huddy-in-jets-mix