Jets Trim Roster; Assign 20 To St. John's Ice Caps Training Camp

The Winnipeg Jets announced they have assigned 20 players to training camp of their AHL affiliate St. John's Ice Caps Tuesday afternoon.

Included in those 20 players are ex-Moose players Marco Rosa, Travis Ramsey, Kevin Clark, Mark Flood, Jason Jaffray, and Shawn Weller.

The Jets still have 36 players on their roster, which will need to be trimmed down again by opening night October 9th.

Also going down to the Ice Caps were goalies Chris Carrozzi, Peter Mannino, Edward Pasquale, defensemen Ben Chiarot, Arturs Kulda, Julian Melchiori, Zach Redmond, Cody Sol, and forward Shayne Wiebe, John Albert, Akim Aliu, Mike Forney, Riley Holzapfel, and Eric O'Dell.

Still on the team are both Mark Scheifele and Paul Postma, who have both had impressive pre-seasons so far with Scheifele leading the league in pre-season scoring and Postma chipping in heavily with two goals through three games.

The final 36 man roster of players still in camp includes 20 forwards, 10 defenseman, and three goalies as well as three injured players.

Also still on the roster looking to finally get some full-time NHL work are forwards Kenndal McArdle, Spencer Machacek, Jason Gregoire, Aaron Gagnon (injured), Carl Klingberg, Derek Meech, Randy Jones, Patrice Cormier, and Brett Festerling.

The Jets next play on Wednesday night at the MTS Centre against the Carolina Hurricanes.

That game is available on TSN-Jets and Sports Radio 1290 at 7:30 PM CT.

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)

Jets All Out Top 25: #12 Johnny Oduya & #11 Chris Mason

Johnny Oduya, 29, Defense, 6'0, 200 lbs
Last Year's Rating: N/A This Year's Rating: #12 Difference: N/A

Chris Mason, 35, Goalie, 6'0, 200 lbs
Last Year's Rating: N/A This Year's Rating: #11 Difference: N/A

After a successful junior career in the QMJHL with both the Victoriaville Tigres and Moncton Wildcats in 2000-01, defenseman Johnny Oduya decided to spend more time back in his native Sweden, playing in the Swedish Elite League from 2003-04 until the 2005-06 season.

Despite being drafted 221st overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Oduya did not debut in the NHL until the 2006-07 season with the New Jersey Devils - the team who selected him in the seventh round.

Oduya made an immediate impact, playing 76 games in his rookie season collecting 11 points (two goals, nine assists).

He would spend three full seasons in New Jersey, playing in all 82 games in 2008-09, scoring a career high 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists).

Known as a two-way defenseman, Oduya can chip in with five-ten goals per season, around 25 points and bring a solid defensive game to the ice. His leadership has shown through in his career. Though only in the league for five seasons, Oduya has become a leader on the Jets blueline while in Atlanta along with veteran Ron Hainsey.

Look for Oduya to help in aiding the development of young defenders such as Zach Bogosian, Paul Postma, Andrey Zubarev, Zach Redmond, and Cody Sol in the future.

Behind Oduya and the defense is veteran backup goalie Chris Mason.

Though situated as the Jets backup since his time in Atlanta, Mason did end up starting 33 games last season, taking over main duties early in the season with starter Ondrej Pavelec was out with injury issues.

Though he had a mediocre 13-13-3 record and subpar numbers: 3.39 goals against average and a .892 save percentage, his leadership and experience is what is keeping him in a Jets uniform as a mentor for the young Pavelec.

Mason has seen many different cities and been the starter for other clubs, including St. Louis, where he won a career high 30 games in 2009-10. He has also won 20 games during two other seasons, with the Blues and Nashville Predators.

For Mason, his main duty is the supportive, mentor-like backup goalie. But his enthusiasm and his knack for having one of the sharpest masks in the NHL will help a young Jets team be even more exuberant about coming to a hockey mad city in Winnipeg.