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Home , Barry Trotz, Brian Lashoff, Central Division (NHL), Chris Mason (ice hockey), Chuck Fletcher, Clarence Campbell

Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/star-struck-481002963.html

How Music City became a hockey city have a lot in common with the Jets

By: Paul Wiecek

NASHVILLE — It says something about the remarkable star power of this Nashville Predators team that country music superstar will barely be the most famous woman in the luxury boxes at Arena when the Predators open their second-round series against the Friday night.

Downhill skier Lindsey Vonn — four-time Olympian, medallist and Tiger Woods’ ex — is reportedly now dating Preds P.K. Subban. After Vonn was spotted in last week taking in a Preds-Avalanche game, everyone here is wondering whether she will be in the house again this weekend — joining Underwood, who is Nashville forward ’s wife — when the two best teams in the NHL during the regular season .

You know you’ve got something special going for you when two of the most accomplished and recognizable women from the world of sport and music are dropping by to take in a hockey game.

Yet for all the attention this Nashville team is attracting off the ice, defenceman was lamenting Thursday the Predators still fly under the radar when it comes to some of the remarkable things they’ve been doing on the ice the last couple seasons, including a runner-up finish to the in last year’s final.

"I think everybody probably on this team is underappreciated outside of this market," Ellis said here Thursday after an up tempo practice at the team’s practice facility.

"You know, the only attention we really get is when we go far in the ."

If that complaint sounds familiar, it should — it’s almost word for word what Jets was talking about last month when he lamented how "everything goes under the radar when you’re playing in Winnipeg."

All of which is to say that while this Central Division rivalry has quickly become one of the most bitter in the NHL, these two franchises actually have a lot more in common than simply a burgeoning mutual hatred.

And that begins with the redemption tale that hockey represents to both cities.

You already know the Winnipeg story by heart: beloved hockey team falls on hard times; team moves to the desert; team returns 15 years later; everyone lives happily ever after, more or less.

But what you might not remember is how close Nashville came barely a decade ago to losing their hockey team, too.

Back in 2007, Blackberry billionaire made a $220 million offer to buy a Predators franchise that at that time was losing big money in a community that is second to none in terms of entertainment options, which run the gamut from world class music to an NFL team to huge college sports programs.

Balsillie’s plan at the time was to move the Predators to Hamilton and he even set up a website under the name "Hamilton Predators" and solicited 14,000 deposits of $500 each for season tickets.

Fans, community leaders and local sponsors in Nashville rallied to rescue the Predators and Balsillie ultimately went away. But the Preds' problems just got worse when it turned out one of the part-owners of the franchise — William "Boots" Del Biaggio — was a con artist who’d obtained fraudulent loans to buy his share of the club.

Del Biaggio ultimately went to prison and the Preds continued to be a league laughingstock, providing yet another embarrassing example for critics of NHL commissioner to to as evidence of Bettman’s failed experiment to bring hockey to the U.S. south.

But instead of going the way of the — who were purchased in 2011 and moved to Winnipeg — or the — who are forever rumoured to be moving — the Predators cleaned up their act and are now a shining example, alongside Tampa Bay and , that hockey really can work in the Deep South.

People here will tell you the turning point came in 2010, when a new management group took over the operation of the franchise and finally gave the club some stability.

Ever since, the Predators have been a model NHL franchise. I mean that literally — the wildly successful expansion modelled much of their game-day experience in their inaugural season on the remarkable scene the Predators create at .

That scene includes a quirky tradition that sees a derelict car painted up in the colours of the Predators opponent every game day during the playoffs outside Bridgestone Arena smashed to bits with a sledgehammer by Preds fans, who can earn a swing in exchange for a contribution to the team’s charity.

(The Predators towed an old airplane in for fans to beat up on for this series. A few Jets fans pointed out on social media that the single-propeller plane the Preds are using cannot even remotely be considered a jet. That’s not the point, of course. The point is to smash it up real good.)

All the smashing outside Preds games is in keeping with an entire Predators branding campaign down here called ‘Smashville,’ which is basically marketing hockey to a population with very little experience in the sport in terms they can understand, which is to say NASCAR.

You like speed and crashes? Never mind the racetrack, come on out to the hockey game.

It’s all been a monstrous success — ESPN last year named the Preds "the best franchise in sports," citing the value for money fans receive by supporting a team that is consistently competitive and yet charges only modest ticket prices, while delivering a level of customer service second to none

(Got a question about who the pre-game entertainment will be at Bridgestone Arena or whether the pretzels are fried in peanut oil? The Preds guarantee you will receive a personal reply to those questions or any other — and it might even come from the club’s chairman.)

And yet for all the success this franchise has had off the ice — they’ve played to over 100 per cent capacity in each of the last two seasons, after years of being unable to give away tickets — winning over a population with no history in hockey didn’t really begin in earnest until the team started winning on the ice.

And for that, virtually everyone here gives almost all the credit to , who was hired as the franchise’s first GM in 1997 and has been in the job ever since, through thick and thin.

With a stable ownership group to work with, Poile has rebuilt the Predators from scratch into a roster that is presently the envy of every team in the NHL not named Winnipeg.

Much of Nashville’s nucleus — , Subban, and, most recently, — were acquired via in a league in which no one really trades much anymore.

If Jets GM is the undisputed king at the draft table, it is Poile who is king at the trade table.

Last year, Poile was named the NHL’s GM of the year as the architect of a remarkable Predators run to the Stanley Cup final. Earlier this season, he became the all-time winningest GM in NHL history.

And now, the only accomplishment remaining, for Poile and this city of hockey neophytes, is a Stanley Cup.

But they’ve got the Jets, a team looking to complete its own redemption story, standing in their way in a series some people in hockey are calling the Stanley Cup Final before the Stanley Cup Final.

Hard to believe, isn’t it? Just a few years ago, one city didn’t even have an NHL team and the other was in real danger of losing theirs.

And yet here we are, just a few short years later.

Carrie Underwood will be watching. Lindsey Vonn as well.

So too will the entire hockey world. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/subban-will-play-the-villain-if-you-really- want-him-to-481018713.html

Subban will play the villain, if you really want him to

By: Mike McIntyre

NASHVILLE — He hears your boos, Winnipeg. Even if P.K. Subban doesn’t completely understand them.

Subban figures to be a central figure in the series between the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators, as the dynamic defenceman and Norris Trophy candidate has the ability to single- handedly turn a game on its ear.

He’s also likely to find himself in the middle of plenty of after-the-whistle mayhem, if history is any indication. Just look back at the five games Winnipeg and Nashville played this season, where Subban seemed almost obsessed with getting Jets star to drop the gloves with him.

Throw in the added playoff intensity and a rabid fan base that will likely jeer his every stride, and you have the makings of a classic sports villain.

So, does he embrace that role?

"I could probably answer the question if I knew why I’d be labelled as a villain. I don’t know what I’ve done particularly wrong. I don’t really focus on that. It’s a lot of noise," Subban said Wednesday following the Predators’ practice. "I did a documentary a few years back, it was called Skate Past the Noise. There’s a lot of noise going on, whether it’s from the crowd, from a player, in the media. I just choose not to listen to a lot of it. That’s seemed to help me throughout my career."

It’s always been a fascinating juxtaposition with Subban, who is one of hockey’s great characters and ambassadors and a true philanthropist who donated $10 million to ’s Children’s Hospital, among other endeavours. But on the ice, he seems to often get under opponents’ skin and draw the ire of rival fan bases.

"I’ve played a lot of playoff hockey in some really fun buildings to play in. It’ll be another fun building to play in. I’m just going to do my thing," Subban said of what he expects when the series shifts to Bell MTS Place for Games 3 and 4.

"There’s a lot of players that get booed. I’m sure you guys can figure out a solid story of why that happens. I don’t need to figure that out. The only thing I need to look at is the scoreboard when I leave the ice, and know if I’ve helped that or if I didn’t do my job," Subban said.

"We know the story about athletes and what happens when they go to other teams’ barns and arenas. That’s just the way sports is. That’s the best part of sports, is the energy around it. I just choose to embrace all the energy and feed off it. Just like everybody else is. That’s what you’re going to remember when you finish playing, is how much fun you had. Playing in is always great."

What makes the Predators a formidable foe is that Subban is just part of a "Fab Four" on a blue line that includes , who feasted on Winnipeg this season with one , eight assists and 16 shots in five games. Many observers believe Josi is the best defenceman in Nashville.

"He’s definitely one of those guys, if he’s on another team he’s a candidate for the Norris every single year," said defenceman Ryan Ellis, who along with round out that strong back-end core for the Predators.

Josi, 27, is in his seventh season in Nashville, and has put up 292 points in 481 regular-season games. His biggest offensive outburst came earlier this season, when he had five assists in a 6- 5 victory over Winnipeg.

"Both teams play a pretty responsible game defensively. But, for some reason, every time we play this season it’s kind of back and forth. Both teams have a lot of depth and have the ability of coming back if down a couple goals. That’s a main reason it’s such high-scoring games," Josi said Wednesday when asked why he’s enjoyed so much personal success against Winnipeg.

"They’re always intense games. And I think we’ve played them a lot every year, and it starts a bit of a rivalry. They’re always fun games, physical, intense. There were some really good games this year."

That trend is likely to continue with the stakes even higher now.

Subban posted 59 points (16 goals, 43 assists) this season, which was one off his career high. He said Wednesday the Predators defence will have a big say in whether the team moves on to the Western Conference final for a second straight year.

"We’ve been able to generate all year. We’ve done a good job of moving the puck out of our zone and having good gaps on the rush, which has created turnovers. That’s the key for our defence... whenever we’re using our skating and checking ability, that turns into offence for us," Subban said.

"We want to play solid defensively, get up the ice and be fourth- and fifth-man attacker on the ice, but also just generating opportunities. It’s not just off the rush, but in the zone, whether it’s off faceoffs or cycles or whatever it is. That’s the game, now. That’s what all teams want to do. We just happen to have a special group that can do it maybe a bit more often." https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/mccarthy-not-surprised-by-jets-fans- 481018693.html

McCarthy not surprised by Jets fans Predators assistant coach knows all too well the love for his hometown team

By: Mike McIntyre

NASHVILLE — Kevin McCarthy was amazed at the scenes coming from his birthplace, as Winnipeg Jets fans inside and outside Bell MTS Place celebrated their first-round playoff victory over the .

But now, McCarthy is hoping to crash the party as his Nashville Predators pursue the Stanley Cup they came so close to winning last season.

McCarthy, 60, is in his fourth season serving as an assistant coach with the Predators under . If they want to go all the way, they’ll have to eliminate the very team McCarthy once idolized.

"It’s something where, as a kid growing up, I was a huge Jets fan with the WHA. I played junior there, obviously. The Winnipeg Arena was my home. I still consider Winnipeg, even though I haven’t been there since I was 20 years old, but it’s still home for me," McCarthy said Thursday.

McCarthy said he watched as much as he could of the Jets’ five-game victory over the Wild, which included an ever-expanding downtown street party involving thousands of fans.

"It makes you proud as a Winnipegger. It was kind of similar to watching where it was in Nashville last year in the finals. That street-party mentality. Let’s face it, the fans in Winnipeg are one of a kind. It’s football in the summer and hockey in the winter. The Jets have got a special place in everybody’s lives," McCarthy said.

"If that rink had 25,000 seats, every one would be sold, we know that. It’s a great crowd. We’ve probably got two of the best rinks here in the NHL, as far as from a fan base and a crowd being loud. I don’t think you can see any better rinks than you’re going to see here."

McCarthy played his minor and junior hockey in Winnipeg, including stints with the Clubs and Monarchs, before being selected 17th-overall in the 1977 NHL draft by . The right- shooting defenceman played 537 regular-season NHL games with the Flyers, Canucks and Pittsburgh Penguins before calling it a career in 1988.

Lars-Erik Sjöberg was the player McCarthy tried to emulate early on.

"I was always amazed, he was one of those guys who could skate probably better backwards than most guys could skate forwards. He was just an amazing skater. He was one of my favourite players. He was such a cerebral player and a guy who could play both ends of the ice," McCarthy said.

McCarthy also fell in love with the Hot Line of Anders Hedberg, and Ulf Nilsson, which he said helped shape the up-tempo, offensive puck-control game we see today.

McCarthy has spent 22 years behind an NHL bench with previous stops in Philadelphia, Carolina and Hartford, and has also worked with Jets bench boss . He sees many similarities between his current head boss and his former one, who will now go head-to-head this series.

"They study the game, they look at the game differently than a lot of coaches I’ve been with. They look at the chemistry of a team probably more than a lot of coaches do. They have that ability to have every player in that lineup feel like they’re a part of it. I think that’s a huge thing, when you’re a , is to have everybody on that team on your side," he said.

"One of (Laviolette’s) biggest strengths is his passion for the game. He’s one of those guys, he’s got an innate ability to get players to play for him. The way he approaches the game, the way he coaches people, I think in this game, you have to have that ability to earn the players’ respect. I think a lot of it is because of who he is as a person. First and foremost, he’s a guy that’s just a good person. I really believe players don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care about them, and I think that’s a big part of his success. Players know he has their back. They want to play for him and don’t want to let him down."

Many are decrying the playoff format that sees the top two teams in the NHL meeting in the second round, and for a second straight season after the Pittsburgh Penguins and did it last season.

But McCarthy said you have to beat the best to be the best. Whoever survives this series will have earned it.

"You know, with the way it is, the matchups and how it works in each division, we kinda knew going in that something was going to happen like this. It’s tough. You look (Wednesday) night at and , you’ve got a really good team that’s no longer in the playoffs. You’ve just got to make sure you’re the last man standing," he said. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/predators-respect-round-2-opponent- 481015013.html

Predators respect Round 2 opponent Jets formidable foes for last season's Stanley Cup runner-up

By: Mike McIntyre

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The time for looking ahead is over. Now it’s what the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators do on the ice over the next couple weeks that will dictate where this compelling story goes from here.

The playoff series that everyone in the hockey world has been talking about finally gets going tonight as the NHL’s two best regular-season teams meet up, with a trip to the Western Conference finals on the line.

While the Jets stayed away from the rink Thursday before the flight to , the Predators held a 45-minute practice as they gear up for what could be a real page-turner.

"There’s going to be a lot of different stories. There will be a completely different story after Game 1, a different story after Game 2. It’s just part of the buildup. There’s ratings, they need to get people’s eyes on the game. That helps generate money and all that stuff. That’s important," Nashville defenceman P.K. Subban said Thursday of all the buzz surrounding this matchup. "For the players, it’s exciting because they’re a good team and we’re a good team. The best thing about winning — and you ask anybody who’s won a Cup — is the steps it takes to get there. You have to go through some thick walls, and this is definitely one of the thickest walls we’re going to have to get through to get there."

Among the many battles to look forward to is the one in the nets. and are both candidates this season and have shown the ability to steal victories from the jaws of defeat.

"They have a lot of firepower, a lot of offence. It’s always hard to expect what you’re going to get. Obviously if you want to beat that team you’ve got to be really good defensively, too. That’s something we’re going to focus on," said Preds netminder Rinne. "Of course you want to match (Hellebuyck) for save and be there for your teammates. I’m a proud guy. He had an exceptional season and he’s been great for that team. He’s 200 feet down the ice, so I’m not in contact with him. But in a way you have a battle with him as a goalie."

Preds coach Peter Laviolette was preaching discipline Thursday, saying he’s reminded his team about the importance of not getting caught up in the emotion and ending up in the box. Winnipeg vs. Nashville games during the regular-season were filled with extracurricular activity.

"We’ve got to be aggressive with our mindset. Play the game hard, play it fast," said Laviolette. "They have speed and skill, they have size. They have big goaltending, they’re well-coached. Those are just stating the obvious. I’m not trying to blow smoke here. They’re a good hockey team. You have to prove that though through the course of a regular season, and they certainly have.’’

Both teams will begin the series relatively healthy. Nashville has all of their regulars primed to play with lots of depth such as veteran waiting in the wings as a likely healthy scratch if needed. Winnipeg has some question marks in the form of defenceman Toby Enstrom, who missed round one, plus Patrik Laine, who left two practices early this week and didn’t skate Wednesday. Jets forward Joel Armia was banged up in Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild and has been in a non-contact jersey all week.

"We just want to tighten it up. Their power play scored a bunch of goals against us during the regular season. Penalties have been our misfortune all year. So staying out of the box is huge. You play these guys five-on-five, they’re a fast team. You go four-on-four, or down five-on-four, it makes it a little dicey for us," said Hartnell. "I love our competitiveness this week in practice. Guys are battling, guys are going to war, guys look sharp. I think come (Friday) night we’ll be ready to rock."

Laviolette said the playoffs are a much different animal than the regular season, so don’t expect all the same storylines to continue.

"I know that we tried to press it and score, I know they try to do the same thing. I know that they’ve got a good , so do we. Both teams play pretty good defence as well. I can’t explain the regular season. I don’t think it necessarily means it’s going to be the same way. But I guess we’re going to find out," he said.

Preds defenceman Ryan Ellis said risk management will be critical.

"It’s a fine line for sure. We know how dangerous they are in terms of an offensive team. You turn over one puck, make one mistake and they’re going the other way. There’s definitely a fine line between jumping into the rush and being aware defensively," said Ellis. "They’re deep at every position on their team. Even their injuries and extra players, they can step in. I feel like we’re a very similar team in a sense. It’s going to be a great series."

How much of a role will experience play? After all, Nashville made it to the Stanley Cup final last year before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Jets are in unchartered waters simply by making it this far.

"This was new to a lot of guys last year for us as well. But we kept our composure. It’s a young league now. A lot of young players, and they’re learning quickly and on the fly," said Subban. "How much experience do you need to make it to the Stanley Cup final? It’s more just the confidence as a group and in your locker room and how your guys manage things. They have some great veteran players and we have some good veteran players who are able to keep everybody even-keel."

Winnipeg had the best home record this season and Nashville wasn’t far behind, so they’ll be looking to tap into their rabid fan-bases for that extra boost along the way.

"That’s the reason you go after home ice. The regular season is really just jockeying for position. We did our job in the regular season, now it’s time to follow it up in the playoffs," said Ellis. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/manitoba-moose/moose-lose-3-0-in-grand- rapids-force-game-5-to-settle-series-481015893.html

Moose lose 3-0 in Grand Rapids, force game 5 to settle series

By: Jason Bell

The Moose and will go the distance.

Trailing 2-1 in their first-round playoff series, the Griffins staved off elimination with a 3-0 victory Thursday night over the visiting Moose at Van Andel Arena.

After a three-day break, the fifth and deciding game goes Monday at 6 p.m. at the Griffins' home barn.

Manitoba, the Winnipeg Jets' AHL affiliate, was playing a near-perfect road game, allowing the defending champions relatively few quality scoring chances on goalie Eric Comrie through nearly two full periods.

All that changed with a couple of defensive miscues, paving the way for two quick tallies by Grand Rapids forwards Matthew Ford and Ben Street in the final 1:35 of the middle frame.

"We played really well. We made two mistakes and it's part of the game — there are mistakes made on both side — but it cost us," said Moose head coach , in a telephone interview. "Other than that, we worked hard, we played the right way, we were very disciplined and we stuck to our plan."

Ford ripped his second goal of the series at 18:25 and Street supplied his fourth with just 20 seconds left in the period.

Brian Lashoff fired into an empty net late in the third period, his first goal of the postseason, to seal the win.

The Moose were handed four power-play opportunities but couldn't solve Griffins goalie . He handled all 25 shots he faced over 60 minutes for the .

Vincent said his squad worked the puck into Grand Rapids' territory effectively, particularly in the second period, but couldn't connect.

"We were maybe guilty of not shooting enough. We were looking for that extra play," he said. "But as far as work ethic and being engaged and paying the price to win a game in the playoffs, it was a great effort."

Comrie stopped 21 drives in the Manitoba crease.

Sensational rookie forward Mason Appleton was absent from the Manitoba lineup for the second-straight night. He didn't make the trip to Michigan after suffering an injury in Game 2 in Winnipeg when he took a head shot from Griffins forward Colin Campbell.

He's doubtful for Game 5, Vincent said.

Campbell served a one-game suspension Wednesday night but returned to action Thursday.

The Moose were also missing forwards Michael Spacek and Buddy Robinson. Spacek was slapped with a three-game suspension earlier in the day for leaving the penalty box Wednesday night to join a line brawl. Robinson was serving the second of a two-game suspension.

"We had a short bench," said Vincent. "The guys played hard. It's tough, but I'm proud of our guys. We earned the right to play a Game 5."

Winnipeg Sun http://winnipegsun.com/news/local-news/a-party-31-years-in-the-making-we-look-back-on-life- in-1987

A party 31 years in the making, we look back on life in 1987

By Scott Billeck

The Winnipeg Jets are on the cusp of their first appearence in the second round since 1987, but a lot has changed in those 31 years.

So much so that the franchise that will head to the second round in 2018 is different from the one that did so all those years ago.

The Winnipeg Jets of 2018 began as the Atlanta Thrashers back in 1999, just a few years after the Jets 1.0, as we’ll call them, left for the deserts of Arizona.

Winnipeg endured 15 long years without an NHL team until the Thrashers were bought by in 2011 and brought to Bell MTS Place.

The Jets returned to the postseason for the second time since returning to Winnipeg earlier this month. But the Jets haven’t graced the second round of the playoffs since the 1986-87 season.

It was then that the Jets 1.0 beat the Flames in six games to advance to the second round in the Conference (remember that?).

The Jets set themselves up for another meeting with , and the rest of the Oilers dynasty that owned the 1980s in spectacular fashion, winning the Stanley Cup five times between 1984 and 1990.

The Jets proved no match for the Oilers in the second round that year, getting swept in four games as the Oilers went on to defeat the in seven to win the Cup.

The Jets finished third in the that year with a 40-32-8 record under head coach Dan Maloney. Winnipeg was 17th (out of 21 teams) in goals-for with 279 and fourth in goals- against with 271.

Dale Hawerchuk, Winnipeg’s captain whose now hangs in the rafters in downtown Winnipeg, produced 47 goals and 100 points to lead the Jets in scoring.

The Jets took Bryan Marchment 16th overall in the 1987 NHL Draft. Hall of Famer was taken one pick earlier by the now-defunct Nordiques. Russell’s Theo Fleury was picked 166th overall.

But that’s just a brief history lesson for the NHL season that year.

What else happened, both locally and internationally, the last time the Jets made the second round of the playoffs?

Let’s find out.

Bryan Little is the only Jets player to have 1987 as their birth year. Little was born on Nov. 12 in Edmonton.

Locally, the late Bill Norrie was the mayor of Winnipeg and the late Premier Howard Pawley and his NDP party were in their last full year in power provincially.

Did you buy a 1988 Renault Medallion that year? The latest sedan model would have set you back $13,595 at Winnipeg Renault Jeep.

Jim Gauthier was selling a 1987 Chevrolet Sprint three-door hatchback coupe for $7,499 and they’d pay the sales tax, which was 5% at the time. There was no GST in 1987, and there wouldn’t be until 1991, brought in by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who took office in 1984 and lasted until 1993.

In need of some fuel for your vehicle? Gas prices in Canada hovered around 50 cents per litre in 1987, some 70-plus cents cheaper than the current price-per-litre.

Of course, everyone made less money back then.

The minimum wage in the province on April 1 of 1987 was $4.50. A typical full-time workweek would net a person $165.60 at that rate and $7,617.60 annually — just enough to snag that Chevy Sprint you always wanted.

Fancied some strawberries from Dominion Stores? They could be had 99 cents per pint. Laundry detergent went for $6.89 a bottle. Itching to get the barbecue going after a long winter? Blade steaks cost $1.59 a pound.

At Safeway, two loaves off Polly-Ann bread went for low, low price of 99 cents. Superstore, meanwhile, still sold things for really cheap — God bless them.

It’s safe to say, then, that much has changed between second-round appearances (other than Superstore’s cheap prices). What remains to be seen is if the Jets can change write a new chapter in Jets history.

The Jets have an opportunity to do one better than all the previous iterations of the club.

And they might have the best team they’ve had since the WHA days to do just that.

Elsewhere in 1987…

American President Ronald Regan

Famous Birthdays: Argentinian soccer superstar Lionel Messi – June 24 Four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel – July 3 Actor Zac Efron – Oct. 18 Tennis star and winner of 12 Grand Slam titles Novak Djokovic – May 22

Famous Deaths: Pianist Liberace – Feb. 4 Artist and director Andy Warhol – Feb. 22 Actress Rita Hayworth – May 14 Actor, singer, dancer Fred Astaire – June 22 Canadian actor Lorne Greene – Sept. 11 President of Ford Motor Company Henry Ford II – Sept. 29 Canadian politician and premier of Quebec Rene Levesque – Nov. 1 Four-time Stanley Cup winning Canadian hockey coach – Dec. 1

Nobel Peace Prize winner: Óscar Arias for his work ending the Central American Crisis.

Academy Awards: Best film – Platoon Best director – Oliver Stone (Platoon) Best actor – Paul Newman (The Color of Money) Best Actress – Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God)

Grammy Awards: Record of the Year – Steve Winwood (Higher Lover) Album of the Year – Paul Simon (Graceland) Song of the Year – Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder (That’s what friends are for) Best New Artist – Bruce Hornsby & the Range

Misc: U2’s The Joshua Tree dropped Canada introduced the loonie on July 30 The Meech Lake According was agreed upon in principle, paving the way for Quebec to become a part of the Canadian Constitution The New York Giants won Super Bowl XXI The Minnesota Twins won the World Series The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA championship Bill Elliott won the Daytona 500 Al Unser, Sr. won the Indianapolis 500 Larry Mize won The Masters Mike Tyson was held the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles in boxing http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/trading-places-ii-maurice-and-laviolette- in-rare-position-of-replacing-one-another-more-than-once

Trading places II: Maurice and Laviolette in rare position of replacing one another more than once

By Ken Wiebe

NASHVILLE – The coaching fraternity is still relatively small when you reach the NHL.

That’s why it’s not uncommon for coaches who replace one another to find themselves on opposite sides of the benches at some point and time.

But in the case of Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice and Nashville Predators bench boss Peter Laviolette, there was an unplanned sequel, which is strikingly rare.

Back in 2003-04, Maurice was into his fifth season as the head coach of the and seventh season since Jim Rutherford hired him as a 29-year-old to take over from with the .

The Hurricanes advanced to the Stanley Cup final under Maurice during the 2002 season, but were promptly swept by the .

They missed the playoffs the following season and were off to an 8-12-10 start when Maurice was fired and replaced with Laviolette.

The Hurricanes finished third in the Southeast Division that year and missed the playoffs, but following the NHL lockout of 2004-05, Laviolette guided the franchise back to the final, outlasting the in seven games.

It was the first Stanley Cup for the Hurricanes organization and the first for Laviolette.

But after two non-playoff seasons, the Hurricanes got off to a 12-11-2 start in 2008-09 before Laviolette was shown the door and replaced by Maurice, who returned for a second tour of duty.

As the Jets and Predators get set to face off in round two of the on Friday, the head coaches will be under the spotlight in this clash of the titans.

Despite their strange intersection in the coaching circle, it’s clear that both men were the right fit for their respective organizations when the current general managers decided to make changes.

The Jets identity adopted a new identity after Maurice replaced Claude Noel in January of 2014.

And while that identity has come to incorporate more youth and skill than the team he inherited, Maurice endured two more non-playoff seasons before helping the Jets reach new heights this season.

By going 52-20-10, the Jets set franchise records for wins and points (114), shattering the 99- points the 2014-15 edition of the club he coached was able to achieve.

Predators assistant coach Kevin McCarthy has worked with both Maurice and Laviolette during his career and has an interesting perspective to share when it comes to what makes them tick.

“(Maurice) and I go back. There are a lot of similarities (to Laviolette),” said McCarthy, a Winnipegger who was an NHL defenceman and has been an assistant or associate coach with the Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers and Predators. “They study the game, they look at the game differently than a lot of coaches I’ve been with. They look at the chemistry of a team probably more than a lot of coaches do. They have that ability to have every player in that lineup feel like they’re a part of it. I think that’s a huge thing, when you’re a head coach, is to have everybody on that team on your side.”

McCarthy has been on Laviolette’s staff since 2009-10, when the Flyers reached the Stanley Cup final before losing to the Blackhawks, and appreciates his ability to connect with his players.

“One of his biggest strengths is his passion for the game,” McCarthy said. “He’s one of those guys, he’s got an innate ability to get players to play for him. The way he approaches the game, the way he coaches people. In this game, you have to earn the players respect. What he does, is he has this ability to get players to want to play for him. A lot of it is because of who he is as a person. First and foremost he’s a guy that’s just a good person. I really believe players don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care about them. And I think that’s a big part of his success. Players know he has their back. They want to play for him and don’t want to let him down.”

Laviolette is just the second coach in Predators franchise history after replacing Dauphin product in the summer of 2014.

“I don’t want to take anybody’s X’s and O’s for granted, but what separates (Laviolette) is his ability to communicate and to motivate,” said Predators David Poile, who had some history with Laviolette with USA Hockey.

Laviolette has made an impact with the Predators, helping the team reach the Stanley Cup final for the first time last spring, falling in six games against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“He’s one of the best motivators I’ve ever played for,” said Predators forward Scott Hartnell, who was also coached by Laviolette with the Flyers. “He can say things to enable you to go through a wall for him, for this team and for this city. He’s made some runs, he’s won the Stanley Cup and he’s looking for more.”

Maurice is trying to help the Jets advance to the third round for the first time in franchise history.

Fittingly enough, these two coaches who once had the same office must now try to go through one another in order to get one step closer to reaching the ultimate goal. http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/jets-snaps-subban-unsure-about-villain- status-rinne-wants-to-match-hellebuyck-preds-plot-for-big-buff

JETS SNAPS: Subban unsure about villain status, Rinne wants to match Hellebuyck, Preds plot for Big Buff

By Paul Friesen

NASHVILLE — P.K. Subban says he doesn’t necessarily relish playing the role of Winnipeg’s villain.

Going into the second-round playoff series between his Predators and the Jets, the swashbuckling defenceman, a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best, isn’t even sure why he draws the attention he does.

“I could probably answer the question if I knew why I’d be labelled as a villain,” Subban said, Thursday. “I don’t know what I’ve done particularly wrong. It’s a lot of noise. I just choose not to listen to a lot of it.”

While the Preds, with 117 points, led the league in the regular-season standings, the Jets finished second, just three points back.

That’s caused some to call this series the final before the final.

“We’re a long ways from the finals,” Subban said. “The best thing about winning – and you ask anybody who’s won a Cup – is the steps it takes to get there. You have to go through some thick walls, and this is definitely one of the thickest walls we’re going to have to get through to get there.”

Nashville reached the Stanley Cup Final a year ago, bowing out to Pittsburgh, valuable experience the Jets don’t have.

That’s one of the reasons the Preds are favoured.

“This was new to a lot of guys last year for us, as well,” Subban said. “But we kept our composure. It’s a young league, now. A lot of young players, and they’re learning quickly and on the fly.

“How much experience do you need to make it to the Stanley Cup Final? It’s more just the confidence as a group… and how you manage things. They have some great veteran players and we have some good veteran players who are able to keep everybody even-keel.”

Even if the fans aren’t.

The teams play in two of the louder buildings in the NHL. In Winnipeg, the crowd usually picks one opposing player to boo relentlessly, and Subban has been it.

“There’s a lot of players that get booed,” he said. “I’m sure you guys can figure out a solid story of why that happens. I don’t need to figure that out. The only thing I need to look at is the scoreboard when I leave the ice, and know if I’ve helped that or if I didn’t do my job.”

Nashville held a full practise, Thursday, while the Jets didn’t, arriving late in the day.

MORE FIREPOWER? Preds coach Peter Laviolette isn’t sure the teams will match the offence they produced against each other in the regular season.

He’s not sure they won’t, either.

The Jets and Preds combined for 41 goals in five meetings.

“We try to press it and score, they try to do the same thing,” Laviolette said. “They’ve got a good goaltender, so do we. Both teams play pretty good defense as well. I can’t explain the regular season. I don’t think it necessarily means it’s going to be the same way. But I guess we’re going to find out.”

If the two Vezina-candidate goalies get their way, it’ll be a maddening series for the snipers.

“Of course you want to match him, save for save,” Nashville’s Pekka Rinne said of Connor Hellebuyck. “I’m a proud guy. He’s 200 feet down the ice so I’m not in contact with him, but in a way you have a battle with him as a goalie.”

A SHOOTER’S PERSPECTIVE Jets forward Jack Roslovic says the difference between Hellebuyck from last year to this is like night and day.

“I watched him a lot last year, even though I wasn’t on the team,” said Roslovic, with the AHL a year ago. “He didn’t seem to be himself at times or something wasn’t quite there, I don’t really know what it was. But this year, he really liked the new (off-season) trainer he was with and he got dialed in over the summer. “He wanted to take that No.1 spot and he did it.”

Roslovic is looking forward to seeing his teammate against Rinne.

“He always talks about not having the greatest numbers when they go head to head, but he’s a mentally strong guy and that’s not going to affect him. I think he’ll get the edge.”

HEADS-UP FOR BUFF Don’t think the Preds aren’t aware of Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien’s big hits in the first series against Minnesota.

“They got a lot of guys that can hit,” Laviolette said. “We saw some of the hits he made. But we got some guys that can hit too. It’ll be a good, competitive series.”

Forward says you can’t worry about getting run over by No. 33.

“I don’t think any of us will be afraid in our locker-room,” Sissons said. “We’ll be going toe-to-toe with him. Obviously he’s not someone you take advantage of, physically, because he’s so big and bruising. But it’s going to be an impact on the series. It’ll be fun.”

NOT BLOWING SMOKE Laviolette says he hasn’t been caught off guard by the Jets rapid improvement from 87 points last year to 114.

“It’s not surprising to me because we played them all year, and they’re a good hockey team,” the coach said. “They missed us by just a couple points. They have speed and skill, they have size. They have big goaltending, they’re well-coached. Those are just stating the obvious. I’m not trying to blow smoke, here.” http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/jets-gm-says-come-on-board-canada

Jets GM says come on board, Canada

By Paul Friesen

Hype and hyperbole fit Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff about as comfortably as a suit two sizes too small.

So it was interesting to see him try on the “Canada’s team” moniker foisted onto the Jets for being the last team north of the border to remain in the Stanley Cup chase.

“I don’t think things changed yesterday, or today, or last week or two weeks ago when the playoffs started,” Cheveldayoff said. “It’s just taking advantage of what we have in front of us here today. I’m proud to be a part of this. And I would love nothing more than continuing to make our city proud.”

The Jets’ reach might extend beyond Winnipeg city limits, though, now that Toronto is eliminated.

The GM says there’s room on the bandwagon.

“We’re probably a lot of people’s second-favourite team at any point in time. We’re welcoming that. But it’s about playing the games and it’s about not getting too caught up in the emotion. That’s for the fans, and that’s what we’re here to help keep providing.

“You go around the country and there’s lots of people that say, ‘I’m a such-and-such fan, but I really like the Jets, too.’ For whatever reason, there’s a soft spot somewhere under the colours of their own team.”

It’s been 25 years since the last Canadian-based team (Montreal) won the Stanley Cup. http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/marquee-match-up-has-arrived-not- much-to-choose-between-jets-and-predators-in-second-round-slugfest

Marquee match-up has arrived: Not much to choose between Jets and Predators in second-round slugfest

By Ken Wiebe

NASHVILLE – Flip a coin.

Honestly, that might be just as effective a way to try and determine the slight differences between the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators, going into the second-round series that the hockey world is patiently awaiting.

Game 1 goes Friday night at Bridgestone Arena (7 pm CT).

“It’s going to be a fast, physical, high-tempo series,” said Predators defenceman Ryan Ellis. “This is the one I’m sure they’ve had circled and I know we’ve had circled on our calendars. Both teams did their job to get by the first round and we meet here in the second. This is the battle of the two top ones and it will be a great series.”

No argument here.

The Presidents’ Trophy was captured by the Predators, who finished three points ahead of the Jets in the standings – thanks in part to a 3-1-1 record in head-to-head competition during a season series that produced 41 goals and a host of highlight-reel moments.

For two teams that have great goaltending and know what it takes to defend, there were plenty of high-scoring affairs, though things should be a bit tighter in what will be the first playoff meeting between the Central Division rivals.

“It felt for most of this season that this match-up was inevitable,” said Predators general manager David Poile. “Here we go.”

The Jets disposed the Minnesota Wild in five games during the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, while the pushed the Predators to six games.

Both teams earned convincing 5-0 victories in the series clincher, setting up this battle for the ages.

“It’s an evenly matched series right now, with the way everything is unfolding right now,” said Jets forward . “You’re not going to hear any complaints. You’ve got to go through the best teams to get to the final anyways, so you might as well do it now.

“Special teams are going to be key and discipline is going to be key. As the emotions seem to ramp up as the playoffs go on, you tend to see a little bit more uncharacteristic penalties from guys, in terms of stick work or extra curriculars after the whistles. You have to keep your emotions in check, which in turn will help you be more in control of yourself and your actions on the ice.”

The Jets aren’t planning to shy away from the scrums this round, though extra attention will be taken to try and avoid any retaliatory minors.

“Those kind of just come hand in hand with being in big games and being in the playoffs,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey. “The games are going to be intense. Sometimes you’re going to need to take a punch, go off (the ice) and live to play another day and keep going. No matter who you are playing, it doesn’t change. It’s the game within the game.”

Here is a closer look at how the two teams stack up position by position:

Goaltending It’s not often that a pair of Vezina Trophy finalists go head-to-head in Round 2, but the battle between Connor Hellebuyck of the Jets and Pekka Rinne of the Predators should be fantastic. Both netminders posted outstanding numbers, except during the season series. Hellebuyck went 2-2 against the Predators, posting a 3.91 goals-against average and .882 save % and Rinne wasn’t much better, going 3-1 with a 3.52 goals-against average and .901 save %. Both goalies were pulled once in the opening round but regrouped nicely. Rinne is the front-runner for the Vezina, which would normally give him the slight edge, but Hellebuyck comes into the series playing just a little bit better and he’s gone 120 minutes without allowing a goal, finishing the opening round with a 4-1 record, a 1.93 goals-against average and .924 save %.

Edge: Jets

Defence This is where things get really interesting. The Predators are considered by many to employ the best defence corps in the NHL and they’re led by the formidable top-four of P.K. Subban, Mattias Ekholm, Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis. The Jets counter with Jacob Trouba, Josh Morrissey, Dustin Byfuglien and should get a boost from the return of Toby Enstrom for the second round. Enstrom’s vision and passing ability will be a key to trying to limit the effectiveness of the Predators forecheck. Byfuglien was outstanding against the Wild, while Trouba looked more comfortable as the series wore on as he worked his way back from an ankle injury. The Predators bring plenty of offence from the back end, but they only got one goal against the Avalanche and it came from Ekholm. That number should be on the rise this round. The complementary pieces on the third pairing are also doing a nice job for both teams as well. Josi had a five-assist game against the Jets in February and remains one of the more underrated blue-liners in the NHL.

Edge: Predators

Forwards Both of these teams pride themselves on depth and boast plenty of high-end talent. The Jets top trio of Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and set the pace, while the Predators first line of Ryan Johansen with Filip Forsberg and does the same. But the supporting casts are also stocked with plenty of guys who can make an impact. It was a quiet opening round for Kyle Turris and , but the second line with enjoyed success against the Jets during the regular season and they’ll try to do the same. Predators and two-time Stanley Cup champion is a proven playoff performer and his wingers, and Colton Sissons, tied for the team points lead in the opening round. They’ll likely see a lot of the Scheifele line this series. The addition of bolstered the Jets down the middle and he’ll look to be a difference-maker against the Predators along with linemates Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers. The Jets have a little bit more offensive firepower up front.

Edge: Jets

Special teams The Jets finished in the top-10 on both the power play (fifth) and the penalty kill (tied for seventh) during the regular season, while the Predators were sixth on the penalty kill and tied for 12th on the power play. The Jets scored three times on the power play and allowed three goals while shorthanded in the opening round, while the Predators scored three and gave up only two goals in the special-teams battle against the Colorado Avalanche.

Edge: Jets

Coaching There’s some interesting history between the two head coaches in this series, a subplot worth noting. When Jets head coach Paul Maurice was fired by the Carolina Hurricanes 30 games into the 2003-04 season, it was Predators bench boss Peter Laviolette who took over for him. Laviolette led the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in 2006, but when he was dismissed 25 games into the 2008-09 campaign, it was Maurice who was brought back by general manager Jim Rutherford. Maurice has been to the Stanley Cup final once, with the Hurricanes in 2002, and is 29-33 in the post-season during his career. Laviolette is 70-60 and made it to the Stanley Cup final on two other occasions, in 2010 with the Philadelphia Flyers, and last spring with the Predators. Both men are smart tactically and are ready to face one another for the first time in the post-season. Laviolette gets a slight edge in this category based on the combination of his regular-season and playoff history.

Edge: Predators

The pick For the second time in these playoffs, the Jets enter the series with a severe disadvantage when it comes to playoff experience but that didn’t hurt them in the opening round and it won’t likely hurt them in the second either. The Predators have an outstanding team and are determined to finish the job after reaching Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final last spring. But it’s been a long time since the Presidents’ Trophy winner captured the title (2008, when the Detroit Red Wings got the job done). With that in mind, take the Jets in seven games in what figures to be a highly entertaining series.

Jets in 7 http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/growing-up-jets-come-of-age

Growing up: Jets come of age

By Paul Friesen

NASHVILLE — It was in the minutes after the Winnipeg Jets had eliminated the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs when I came across Jets chairman Mark Chipman.

There was still bedlam in the stands, fans celebrating a victory that was a long time coming in Winnipeg, and, to a lesser extent, bedlam in the press box, as reporters rushed to do their post- game thing.

“It’s a start,” I casually said to Chipman, over the din of the crowd.

“Yeah,” he said. “It’s a start.”

But the start of what, exactly?

I’ve spent some time thinking about that as the Jets head into the series opener against Nashville in Round 2, Friday.

The analogy may sound a little corny, but this moment, this series, feels a bit like a passage, of sorts. A coming of age. Like a person moving into adulthood.

This franchise didn’t even have a personality when Chipman adopted it down in Atlanta and brought it home, to hockey country.

It’s matured before our eyes, but not without suffering growing pains along the way: forgettable player signings, the hiring and firing of a head coach, one playoff appearance in the first six years.

For a while there, we weren’t sure how it was going to turn out. A frustrating underachiever? A nice guy who never wins the prize?

The last seven months have seen it undergo a growth spurt few saw coming.

Today, weighing in at 114 points on the NHL’s regular-season scale, right up there with the big boys, it’s ready to take its first man-steps, playoff and all.

“You do take certain steps as a franchise,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told me, Friday. “And when you have a team like we have, you have potential to continue to get better. If we were a band of 36-year-olds, I don’t know how much better we would have gotten. This is the next step for us.”

Cheveldayoff was referring to the youth movement, the rebuilding, that caused some of those growing pains. Pain that forced the GM, the coach, even Chipman, to face some tough questions.

“It goes back to when we did make the playoffs,” Cheveldayoff continued, referencing that four- game flameout in 2015. “And the young guys we had then are drivers on our team, now. They’re players that got some experience. Our veteran players that have stuck with us had that experience, but (they) also see the growth of a Scheifele and a Trouba and a Lowry — and now see that next wave of young players that are contributing on a regular basis.”

Like Nikolaj Ehlers. Kyle Connor. Josh Morrissey. Connor Hellebuyck.

And, of course, Patrik Laine.

Where would the Jets be without the lottery luck that brought one of the world’s elite goal scorers to Winnipeg?

Not as advanced, undoubtedly.

But still on the same track, most likely.

“In this game you make your own luck in a lot of respects,” Cheveldayoff said. “But you don’t win the lottery and say you didn’t get lucky. To win a championship, lots of things have to fall into place. You’ve got to get some key bounces along the way.”

Cheveldayoff was reluctant to try to quantify how far this franchise has come in the seven years since it was reborn.

“It’s difficult to quantify,” he said. “Because then you’re putting an absolute measurement on it.” And this GM abhors absolutes.

Even-keel is his mantra. Whether withstanding those first two awful games of the season or all the injuries that came later – it’s steady as she goes.

“And then when the bell rings and 82 games are done, you look up and you see the results,” he said. “Certainly the results are good. It is the first time, I was just reading here this morning, that all eight (playoff) teams have over 100 points. It’s a competitive, competitive environment.”

And so the GM lives only in moments of sameness, at least publicly.

Lose your grip on the moment, after all, and someone else will make it their own.

Looking at the Jets, the individual picture is a perfect reflection of the big one.

The young talent has grown into men, in the NHL sense. Just like the franchise has grown up.

Time to show the rest of the world what it’s become.

The Tennessean https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nhl/predators/2018/04/27/predators-vs-jets- predictions-round-2-nhl-playoffs-schedule-nashville-winnipeg/556018002/

Predators vs. Jets predictions: Who wins NHL second-round playoff series?

By Adam Vingan and Joe Rexrode, The Tennessean

Joe Rexrode, columnist: Predators in seven. This was my pick entering the playoffs, and I had drifted to Jets in six after five games of the first round. But Nashville's Game 6 pounding of Colorado switched me back — and if you think that's wishy-washy, sorry but that's what we have here. A coin flip. The Jets have everything a team needs to win it all and looked awesome against Minnesota. The Predators have the goods, too, and more experience and a coach who has won it all. Ultimately, this is about home ice. Bridgestone Arena will make just enough of a difference in Game 7 for the Preds to advance.

Adam Vingan, Predators reporter: Predators in seven. Here's something that I find interesting — the four remaining teams in the Western Conference are each seeking their first Stanley Cup, the third such occurrence in either conference since 1974.

Years with final four teams from one conference chasing first #StanleyCup:

2018 - @SanJoseSharks, @PredsNHL, @NHLJets, @GoldenKnights 1984 - Oilers, Blues, Flames, North Stars (EDM won Cup) 2012 - Kings, Blues, Coyotes, Predators (LAK won Cup)#NHLStatshttps://t.co/XURCnV84mjpic.twitter.com/UHRd9XpGET

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 26, 2018

That has nothing to do with my prediction. I just thought it was neat. Anyway, if the Predators are to win this marquee series, then they must prevent the Jets from stealing home-ice advantage.

Winnipeg has won 12 consecutive home games, last losing at Bell MTS Place on Feb. 27 to Nashville. The Predators simply can't afford to lose at Bridgestone Arena. I envision the home team winning each game, meaning the Predators will survive and advance to the conference final in a tension-filled Game 7.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution https://www.ajc.com/sports/hockey/the-thrashers-are-back-not-really-but- close/JK65cjDMS5WGW7cNqeUVPK/

The Thrashers are back; Not really but close?

By Chris Vivlamore, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

There is playoff hockey for Atlanta.

Well, kind of.

The Stanley Cup playoff between the Winnipeg Jets and the Nashville Predators, which begins tonight, is as close to the NHL as the city has come since the Thrashers packed up and moved away in 2011. There may be little solace in the seven-season absence of the sport in Atlanta but diehard fans might find some placation in the second-round series.

The Jets, you know the old Thrashers, still have several players who skated here in the final season, including Dustin Byfuglien, Tobias Enstrom, Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler. Nashville is just several hours drive from Atlanta, the backyard by NHL standards. Fox Sports South will televise a postgame show locally after each game. Trivia answer serves as the color analyst on Predators broadcasts for during the season and will appear on the postgame show to be aired in Atlanta. The trivia question: Who was the goaltender for the last Thrashers game? Mason made 15 saves in a 5-2 loss to the Penguins at Philips Arena on April 10, 2011, the final game in the 12-season history of the franchise.

Mason, who played just the final season for the Thrashers, played one year with the Jets after the move. He declined a two-year deal to remain to sign with the Predators the following season. His last season in the NHL would be memorable for two reasons. The start of the 2012- 13 season was delayed by a lockout. During his second stint with the Predators, he played his first six seasons with the franchise, he was part on an in-game television segment. During the third period, the backup goalie would put on headsets and talk to the broadcast booth. The segment was well received and Mason was so good that he had a standing offer to return once his playing days were over.

After three years in Europe, two in Italy and one in Germany, Mason retired. His family settled in Nashville and he worked radio broadcasts for the Predators last year. There was an opportunity to be an developmental goalie coach for another NHL franchise but there was something about broadcasting.

“I was over the moon,” Mason said when he was offered the television color analyst position this season working play-by-play man Willy Daunic.

Consider Mason as the of Nashville broadcasts. Eliot the former NHL goaltender was the color analyst for the Thrashers.

“The funny thing was when you are a player, you know there is other stuff going on with the production but you don’t know much about it,” Mason said. “It was quite an eye-opener for me to be on the other side. I just loved the passion that people have to do a broadcast. There are so many different layers to it that as I player I had no idea. It helped me to be part of a team again. You are working together to try to put on the best show.

“Nothing is ever going to replace playing the game you played your entire life and loved but I feel this is my calling after the game. I couldn’t have been happier with how this year went.”

As for those Thrashers - sorry Jets - they recently won the first playoff game in franchise history. The Thrashers made the playoffs just one, getting swept by the Rangers in 2006-07. After the move, the Jets made the playoffs just one before this season, getting swept by the Ducks in 2014-15.

However, this season the Jets finished second in the Central Division with 114 points, three behind the Predators. They eliminated the Wild in the first round, 4-1, with a series-opening victory on April 11 as the first playoff win. The Predators advance by eliminating the Avalanche.

“It was crazy,” Mason said of his reflections of the organization’s move to Winnipeg after it was sold by the Atlanta Spirit ownership group. “I tried to connect with the fans. The fans, they have are so passionate. They love the Thrashers. They love the game. That was the thing that I really felt bad about. That team got taken away from the fans who loved them. I don’t know who is to blame for that. … It was a tough situation all around.”

Game 1 of the seven-game series airs on the NBC Sports Network tonight. Game 2 in Sunday. The series moves to Winnipeg for Games 3 and 4 Tuesday and Thursday.

Global Winnipeg https://globalnews.ca/news/4169639/winnipeg-jets-brittany-greenslade-nashville/

Jets Road Trip: Brittany Greenslade heads to Nashville — one reporter’s journey

By Brittany Greenslade Senior Reporter/Anchor

It’s a crisp Thursday morning in Winnipeg as the journey to Nashville, Tenn., begins.

For the early risers, the first flight out of town toward the music city leaves Richardson International Airport at 6:30 a.m. with a layover in an all-too-familiar city — Minneapolis, Minn.

It’s almost poetic that Winnipeggers making the trek south, to see the Winnipeg Jets in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, need to stop in Minnesota first.

After all, it was the Jets win against the Wild in Round 1 that has many making the trip to Nashville in the first place.

The 700-kilometre trip to the Twin Cities is a quick 90-minute flight.

Airline staff in Winnipeg said the first flight out of Manitoba’s capital Thursday morning was full of Jets fans.

There are far fewer waiting to board the plane at Gate 3 for the next flight.

But while the Jets jerseys may be hidden amongst the crowd, I know there will some who bring the Whiteout to Smashville.

For all the Jets fans who aren’t able to make the trip to Nashville, I’m taking you all with me.

This is just leg one of the trip. There is plenty more to come. I’ll see you all in Nashville!

CTV Winnipeg https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/whiteout-street-parties-come-with-a-394-000-price-tag-1.3903794

Whiteout street parties come with a $394,000 price tag

By Gabrielle Marchand, CTV News Weekend Anchor / Reporter

Priceless memories for fans during Winnipeg Whiteout Street Parties didn’t come cheap.

Economic Development Winnipeg has pegged the cost of hosting the round one parties at $394,000.

Of this, True North Sports and Entertainment covered a total of $226,000. That includes a $30,000 contribution to the City of Winnipeg, which assisted with policing and transit costs.

Economic Development Winnipeg pitched in $28,000.

The remaining $140,000 lands on the city and includes costs for policing and transit.

The City of Winnipeg’s chief corporate services officer Michael Jack said that contribution is being managed within existing, council-approved departmental budgets.

“Should down the road it become clear that the expense was so significant that we need to go back to council to ask for something different then we will,” said Jack.

“But for now they’ve been asked to work with what they’ve got.”

The Office of the Mayor has also committed $120,000 from the Civic Initiatives Fund to Economic Development Winnipeg for its role through the rest of the post season.

Mayor Brian Bowman stressed that the street parties brought positivity to Winnipeg’s downtown.

“It has provided an incredible platform for Winnipeggers to show their pride in their city and their team,” said Bowman.

“And you really can’t buy that kind of advertising for the city when there are some that have an impression of Winnipeg’s downtown that is less flattering than reality is.”

Some Winnipeggers are opposed the use of funds, with one woman telling CTV News, “I’m really disgusted about it. And I don’t agree taxpayer dollars should be spent.”

Another man said he felt funds could be better used for other projects.

“Pretty sure if you walk around here you’re going to see a bunch of homeless people. Maybe we could take care of them?”

The economic impact of the parties has yet to be determined, but Economic Development Winnipeg said the benefits are being felt locally, and that a total would likely come after the playoffs.

Organizers said with the street parties, revelers were also flooding into downtown businesses.

At The Pint on Garry St., manager and bartender Theo Tutkaluk told CTV News the establishment was seeing major crowds.

“The reception of as many spectators and people visiting The Pint has been awesome: definitely has increased,” said Tutkaluk.

Some fans also echoed the sentiment.

Andrew Torbiak attended two of the street parties and called the atmosphere “amazing.”

“All we keep hearing and saying is that we need more people to be downtown throughout the year,” said Torbiak.

“So what better way then to get people out who might not normally come.”

CBC Winnipeg http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-white-out-party-1.4637216

'Fierce Winnipeg pride': Whiteout Street Parties expanding again for 2nd round of playoffs Cost of downtown street parties revealed to be $394K so far

By CBC News

The Winnipeg Jets Whiteout Street Party is once again expanding.

Organizers of the party, held outside Bell MTS Place for Jets home games during the playoffs, are pushing the boundaries of the event eastward down Graham Street for the first Round 2 home game against the Nashville Predators, on May 1.

The next round of parties will be able to accommodate an additional 5,000 fans, bringing the total to 20,000.

"In Round 1 we saw the city come out in an unprecedented wave of support for their city," said Dayna Spiring, president and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg in a release Thursday.

"The Winnipeg Whiteout Street Party has put our city on the map. People from across North America were amazed by the energy of our hockey fans, as well as our fierce Winnipeg pride."

The expansion will see the party grow from its current spot on Donald Street south of Portage Avenue to include a stretch of Graham Avenue up to Garry Street as well as Smith Street between Graham and Portage Avenues.

Organizers are also adding a new screen, measuring 11 metres by 6.7 metres, more vendors and amenities to accommodate the larger space.

Tuesday's street party will be the fourth since the Jets started their playoff run April 11.

Paying the price to party Also part of Thursday's announcement was a breakdown spelling out exactly how much is being spent on the parties.

According to Economic Development Winnipeg, the three parties held so far cost a total of $394,000.

Of that, Jets and Bell MTS Place owner True North Sports & Entertainment has kicked in $226,000 — including $30,000 to the city to help cover the cost of policing and rerouting transit buses around the party.

Economic Development Winnipeg has paid $28,000 to cover costs for street closures, barricades, and other required permits.

The remaining $140,000 is being covered by the City of Winnipeg through existing council- approved budgets, according to the release from Economic Development Winnipeg.

Michael Jack, chief corporate services officer with the City of Winnipeg, says the director of Winnipeg Transit and the chief of the Winnipeg Police Service have been working within their existing budgets to help accommodate the added costs of the events.

He says the city doesn't yet have a cap on how many parties it can handle financially.

"We're asking all of the directors involved to do their best, to be efficient and as economical as they can with service provision," he said. "No one knows how deep we'll go.… If costs balloon in a way that we didn't expect, that's something we'll deal with.

"It's a massive undertaking but one we're proud to be part of."

Mayor Brian Bowman's office has committed $120,000 from the Civic Initiatives Fund to Economic Development Winnipeg "to support their leadership role in organizing the initial three street parties and for the duration of the Winnipeg Jets' post-season," Thursday's release said.

Political party? The figures were revealed by Economic Development Winnipeg only hours after North Kildonan city councillor Jeff Browaty grilled the mayor over the costs at Winnipeg's city council.

Bowman had refused to give the numbers at the time but did concede some of the money would come from his office's Civic Initiative Fund.

The first street party saw just Donald Street between Portage and Graham closed off for fans, but the space was expanded for the next game when an estimated 9,000 people showed up in a space designed for 5,500.

The second event added an extra block south of Graham, an alcohol-free zone for families at Millennium Library Park, two more viewing screens and even more vendors.

The party was expanded again for Game 5 of the series to make room for about 15,000.

Organizers estimate 35,000 people attended the three parties during the first round.

Spiring says as the Jets get deeper into the playoffs, and the parties grow larger and attract more and more fans, organizers will continue to evaluate the success of the events. She isn't ruling out the possibility they'll be expanded further.

"The citizens of Winnipeg have really shown us what this event means to them and we're happy to be ramping it up for Round 2," she said. "Hopefully we're here celebrating at the end of Round 2 and talking about how we're ramping it up again."

While Spiring says it's too soon to know exactly what the economic impact of the parties has been for the city, she says downtown restaurants, bars and hotels have been packed thanks to the events.

"We're hearing these stories. We know the economic impacts are happening," she said.

'I'm surrounded': Winnipeg country singer, Jets fan stands out in Nashville For Round 2, Games 1 and 2 will be played in Nashville April 27 and 29, while Games 3 and 4 will be played in Winnipeg May 1 and 3.

The May 1 street party will start at 5 p.m. and the May 3 party gets underway at 7 p.m.

NHL.com https://www.nhl.com/news/winnipeg-not-intimidated-by-nashville-heading-into-second-round- series/c-298278740?tid=297171692

Jets not worried about Predators having edge in playoff experience 'Building that belief' entering second round by Tim Campbell @TimNHL / NHL.com Staff Writer

NASHVILLE -- It's been a season of firsts for the Winnipeg Jets. They set a franchise record with 114 points and won a Stanley Cup Playoff series for the first time in franchise history

Now they are getting ready for their first trip to the Western Conference Second Round, where they will play the Nashville Predators, who have much more postseason experience.

Game 1 of the best-of-7 series is here Friday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN360, TVAS).

The franchise, which moved to Winnipeg in 2011 after 11 seasons as the Atlanta Thrashers, had never won a playoff game before this season. The Thrashers were swept in the 2007 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals by the , and the Jets were swept by the in the 2015 Western Conference First Round.

But the Jets defeated the Minnesota Wild this season in five games, a series where they were light on playoff experience: Winnipeg players had played a combined 264 NHL playoff games, compared to 748 for Minnesota.

There is an even greater disparity of experience against Nashville.

The Predators have been to the postseason 11 times, reaching the Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, and their players have played a combined 1,114 playoff games through the first round of this year's playoffs. The Jets have 364.

"They got some experience from last year," Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers said. "We got some experience from the last five games and we've played some really good hockey, so I think this is a new season.

"We've taken a step up, and if we can keep this going the way we're playing right now and make it even better, then it's going to be an exciting series."

Not only have the Jets have never played a second-round game, the original Jets (now the Arizona Coyotes), who were in Winnipeg from 1979-96, played in two second-round series (1985 and 1987, both against the ) and did not win a game.

The Predators (53-18-11) won the Presidents' Trophy with 117 points. The Jets (52-20-10) were second in the Central Division and League with 114.

Ehlers was one of 10 Jets players (goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, defensemen Tucker Poolman and Josh Morrissey, and forwards Andrew Copp, Brandon Tanev, Patrik Laine, Joel Armia, Jack Roslovic and Kyle Connor are the others) in the first round who had never played a playoff game until this season.

Winnipeg has five players who have played in the second round with other teams: forwards Paul Stastny (Colorado Avalanche, 2008; St. Louis Blues, 2016, 2017), Blake Wheeler (, 2009, 2010), (Washington Capitals, 2012; Anaheim Ducks, 2014), and Matt Hendricks (Capitals, 2011, 2012), and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien (, 2009 and 2010, when he won the Stanley Cup).

Nashville has two players -- forwards and -- who have never played in the second round. Tolvanen, 19, who played three regular-season games after signing a three-year entry level contract March 29, is the only Predators player who has never played a playoff game.

"Some firsts have been passed," Maurice said of his players getting postseason experience. "They've got their game out of the way, they won a game on the road, they've lost a game, haven't seen an game, yet, that's the one that's left.

"At the end, experience (or) maybe a better word is belief. After you've been to the [Final] like they (the Predators) have, they believe they're good enough to win, they know how strong they are. We're building that belief as we go."

Maurice is in the second round for the third time in his NHL coaching career. He reached the 2002 Stanley Cup Final (against the Detroit Red Wings) and the 2009 Eastern Conference Final (against the Penguins) with the Carolina Hurricanes, each time as an underdog.

Being underdogs against the Predators wasn't an idea he was promoting, at least not too strongly.

"I think you're going to see that word more in the first round when you get one and eight (seeds) going against each other," Maurice said. "Then you get to this and there doesn't look to be a story coming out of this, other than [the] Vegas [Golden Knights] but that started in August. [The Predators'] play says they're an elite team.

"The team that starts at home has proven to be better than the team that starts on the road over the course of 82 (games); it's a close gap. They have an experience advantage from last year, and this is a new year."

Jets forward Bryan Little, though, was embracing the underdog concept.

"I wouldn't think people would call us huge underdogs," Little said. "We finished really close in the standings. But they've been in this situation before. They were in the Stanley Cup Final last year. We take it as a great challenge. We'd like nothing more than to upset these guys.

"But I think it's close. It's going to be a really tough series and a tight series so I think that's why everyone's so excited about it." https://www.nhl.com/news/pk-subban-not-changing-philosophy-in-playoffs-with-nashville/c- 298277138?tid=297171692

Subban trying 'to have a little bit of fun' with Predators in playoffs Defenseman hasn't changed hockey philosophy eight years after first NHL postseason game by Dave Stubbs @Dave_Stubbs / NHL.com Columnist

NASHVILLE -- P.K. Subban couldn't help but smile when the words were read back to him.

The Nashville Predators defenseman had just finished practice ahead of Game 1 of the Western Conference Second Round against the Winnipeg Jets, which will be at Bridgestone Arena on Friday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN360, TVAS), when he was brought back to his first experience in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Subban made his playoff debut for the eight years ago Thursday, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Washington Capitals. Montreal would win that game and take the series in seven games, then defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in a seven- game second-round series before falling in five games to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Final. In the hours before Game 3 against the Flyers, which would be his 14th career NHL game -- 12th in the playoffs -- he distilled his hockey life into two brief sentences.

"I have no control over what the fans do or what the media say. I just do what I can -- go out there and play hockey and have a smile on my face when I do it, just try to have a little bit of fun," Subban, 20 at the time, said in May 2010.

On Thursday, hearing those words read back to him, it was clear to Subban that for all of the things that have changed in his life during the past eight years, the philosophy he spoke of then is precisely the same now.

"That's what I believed when I came into the League," Subban said. "And it's what I believe now."

He spoke with NHL.com on Thursday about his playoff debut, as well as Predators' chances of going back to the Stanley Cup Final and winning it all this season.

Game 1 against the Jets will be your 84th career playoff game. Eight years ago today, you were called up from Hamilton of the American Hockey League for your first NHL playoff game as an emergency replacement for defenseman Jaroslav Spacek, who was ill. No pressure, right? The season was on the line for the Canadiens. What do you remember about it?

"It was bang-bang, an elimination game in Montreal. My thought is, 'I don't know if we're going to win or lose or what's going to happen.' Obviously, I wanted to help the team win, so I just went in and played loose. I remember I got in and did my thing, [Mike] Cammalleri scored that goal from the half-wall, [goalie Jaroslav] Halak had an unbelievable game (53 saves in a 4-1 victory), and we went into Washington. I remember going to Verizon Center and [veteran Canadiens center] Glen Metropolit telling me, 'Well, kid, listen. You've got to enjoy these moments. You never know how many chances you're going to get.' We played such a solid road game. I remember Dominic Moore scoring the big goal at the end to ice it, Alex Ovechkin having a goal called back (early in the third period), then me and (fellow rookie) Tom Pyatt later in the locker room being like, 'Is this really happening? Did we just beat Ovechkin and the Capitals? Wow…'

"Then we go into Pittsburgh and I'm thinking, 'You're playing [Sidney] Crosby and [Evgeni] Malkin. …' But I'm just feeling more and more comfortable and I'm saying, 'This is my chance to have a job in the NHL.' Then [defenseman] Hal [Gill] gets hurt, Spacek has some type of disease. Then [Andrei Markov] goes down with a blown knee [in the first period of Game 1 in Pittsburgh] and I just stepped in and said, 'You know what? I'm just going to play loose. The reality is, nobody is picking us to win. At the end of the day, I don't think I'll be crucified if I make a mistake.' So I played loose and played well. I took on the big minutes against guys like Crosby and Malkin, and we found a way to win.

"We shut down the Igloo (Mellon Arena, which closed after the Canadiens' seven-game series win) by knocking out the Penguins. Unbelievable."

You were excited about going to Washington for the first time in your life for Game 7 against the Capitals. You even joked, and I quote, "Who knows? Maybe Obama will show up." The U.S. president didn't, but Vice President Joe Biden did.

"And I remember sitting on a folding chair in the middle of the dressing room at Verizon Center because they didn't have room for my stall. Then sitting on a chair against a wall in our room at the Igloo that I had to get out of any time anyone wanted to go through the door."

Does all of this seem like it was eight years ago?

"No. No. That's a long time. That's a lot of hockey and a lot of life experiences. I look back at it and I think, 'Wow.' But by the same token, that run to me isn't the highlight of my NHL playoff career. I look at last year, going to the Stanley Cup Final here, as a highlight, and we're going to have another opportunity to make a highlight this playoff run. But in my opinion, the 2010 run is where I cemented my position in the NHL. It wasn't the year I won the Norris Trophy (2012-13). It's when they said I could play against Crosby and Malkin and Ovechkin in the 2010 playoffs.

"For me, that's where my confidence defensively comes. That's why there's never an excuse for me defensively. Every game, I expect to shut down the other team's top line because that's what I did when I was 20 years old."

Getting to the Stanley Cup Final last season against Pittsburgh … How much value can you and your teammates attach to having that experience as you hope to make a long run this season?

"Big time. We were all there last year. Every single guy, almost. I'm sitting here saying, we understand the feeling of what it was like, sitting in that locker room. I remember. I can't recall one guy who wasn't in tears [after losing Game 6 of the Final to Pittsburgh]. We know what's at stake. This year's first round (against the Colorado Avalanche) was kind of a pinch for us of, 'Hey, listen. Just because you were there last year doesn't mean you don't have to make the right steps now.' It's hard. But that's the best part about it. We look forward to it and we enjoy that. We're excited to get started [Friday against Winnipeg]."

Sportsnet.ca https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/jets-vs-predators-early-clash-titans-nhl-playoffs-rarely-see/

Jets vs. Predators an early clash of titans NHL playoffs rarely see

By Mark Spector

NASHVILLE — So, you don’t like the playoff format that gives us Winnipeg versus Nashville in Round 2, as compelling a matchup as we’ve looked forward to in years? Let’s talk, shall we?

In 49 years of playoff hockey — since expansion in 1967 minus one lockout year — the top two regular season teams have met in the playoffs prior to Round 3 only once. That was last season, when No. 1 Washington lost to Pittsburgh in Round 2.

In this, the 50th playoff season, it happens again when the 117-point Predators host the 114- point Jets, a series that some folks complain will unfairly eliminate one of the top two regular season clubs. Others, like me, will remind that in the 36 seasons of a "one vs. 16" or "one vs. eight" format, the top two clubs met just eight times — in a Conference or Stanley Cup Final.

So, there are no guarantees, right?

While the current format may allow a "one vs. two" matchup in the second round twice in the 15 seasons it has been used since ’67, the other format dictates we get a series with the pedigree of Jets-Preds just nine times in 35 years. Rounded off, that’s once in eight years versus one in four years, if you’re scoring at home.

Personally, we’ll take a matchup like this one any time we can get it, and then enjoy the residuals when Nashville and Winnipeg play five times next season when the Central Division games will have that much extra juice.

The one-two matchup isn’t only thing that makes this Western Conference Semifinal — or more accurately, Central Division Final — special, however. It is also a historic time in Winnipeg, a hard-luck hockey town that finally gets its day in the Prairie sun.

For the first time in the history of either Winnipeg franchise — the Jets-Coyotes or Thrashers- Jets — Winnipeg represents Canada’s last remaining hope of bringing Stanley home to where he originated. Back to the land where Big Silver has not summered since 1993.

So, you can moan about a series that may or may not have happened had Nashville met San Jose and Winnipeg played Vegas, or you can book off every second night starting Friday to watch a pair of teams that combined for 41 non-shootout goals in five meetings this season.

"They come at you in swarms, they have good goaltending, a lot of good D-men, a tough building to play in but a fun building to play in," Jets centre Paul Stastny said of Nashville this week.

Winnipeg’s is the smallest rink in the NHL, and as such, likely the loudest. Nashville’s isn’t far behind, with fans whose rehearsed chants remind of NCAA football. This series should be sponsored by a company that manufactures job site ear protection, a rare corporate sell being missed by the NHL.

"It gets loud, it’s almost like (Bell MTS Place)," Stastny said of Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, which is about a four-iron from Legend’s Corner, Tootsie’s and the beginning of the best, booziest country music strip on the circuit. "It’s not as big an arena, so it’s almost like (the fans) are sitting on top of you. You feed off the crowd and you’ve got to do everything you can to silence the crowd."

Nashville likely has the best defence corps in the NHL. The Jets are better than most teams in that category, but not Nashville.

So it becomes a game between teams that are accustomed to playing in the offensive zone and having the puck a lot. Something has to give, and in the regular season it was often one of the two Vezina candidates in this series, Connor Hellebuyck or Pekka Rinne.

"They’re high-event games," Jets coach Paul Maurice told reporters in Winnipeg. "Something’s happening all the time. They’re very physical. They’re certainly really fast. Great saves. Neither team is passive in how they play. Neither team sits back and tries to slow the game down in terms of what they do with the puck. There’s lots of action in these games.

"The change of possession in these games and the opportunities off those changes in possession are as fast as you’ll see. You think you’re in a good spot, you bobble the puck, and you’re in a real bad spot."

Nashville won the season series 3-2, by scores of: Preds 5, Jets 3; Jets 6, Preds 4; Preds 6, Jets 5; Preds 3, Jets 1; and Jets 5, Preds 4, in a shootout.

The biggest advantage? Nashville has all the experience a run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring can furnish them with, while the Jets are playoff newbies.

When we get to Game 7 that might make a difference. Then again, by that point Winnipeg will be a lot more experienced, won’t they?

Our pick: Jets in seven.

The Athletic https://theathletic.com/331601/2018/04/27/josh-morrissey-on-why--forecheck-works- and-preparing-for-nashvilles-versatility/?redirected=1

Josh Morrissey on why Winnipeg’s forecheck works and preparing for Nashville’s versatility

By Murat Ates

To beat the Nashville Predators, Winnipeg’s puck pressure will have to be at least as good as it was against Minnesota in Round 1.

Strictly in terms of shot attempts, there was no first-round series more dominant than Winnipeg’s five-game walk over the Wild.

The Jets 59 per cent control of 5-on-5 shot attempts was the best number by any team in the first round, and while the Wild limited Winnipeg’s penetration of their slot, the Jets forechecked in waves and spent exceptionally long stretches of play in Minnesota’s zone.

The success or failure of those waves to cause problems for the Predators will dictate the Jets fortunes in Round 2.

The biggest reason Winnipeg’s forecheck is so effective is that the Jets start attacking the puck further up the ice than most NHL teams. It is typical for Winnipeg to attack opposing breakouts with two waves – more than a standard 2-1-2 forecheck, Winnipeg often attacks the puck with a defenceman as high as the opposition’s blueline.

It’s a formula that has worked tremendously well for Winnipeg in the playoffs so far.

But will it work against the Predators in Round 2?

There is perhaps no better person to explain the mechanics of Winnipeg’s forecheck than top- pairing defenceman Josh Morrissey.

“It’s all based on the individual play,” Morrissey told The Athletic this week. “One of the things that we always talk about for our forward group is being on it and above it, which basically means trying to be on the puck and being aggressive – buzzing them all the time.”

We used this Wild breakout attempt to illustrate Winnipeg’s forecheck in the first round.

This time, as you watch it, focus on three things:

• The speed and aggression of Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor as soon as the Jets lose the draw; • The aggressive pinch by to keep the puck in at the Wild blueline; • Mark Scheifele, who stays above his guy until the moment Morrow turns the puck over and only attacks after Winnipeg wins the puck. • Morrissey says Winnipeg’s defencemen can only make the play that Morrow does if they have confidence in their forwards to be in the right spot.

“Especially what we’re going to see against Nashville,” Morrissey explains, “If you’re not above where the puck is as a forward, all of a sudden they get 3-on-2s and it doesn’t let our D have a good gap and pinch. When our forwards have that above motion – of always playing above the puck – then it allows us to pinch, depending on the situation in the game.”

Winnipeg’s territorial control is built on successfully executing this pressure and making the right decisions all of the way up the ice.

This is why, when Paul Maurice talks to reporters and stresses team speed against the Predators, he’s doing more than uttering hockey truisms – he’s explaining the key to Winnipeg’s success.

“You’ve got to get to the puck first so that you can create a gap,” Maurice told me earlier this week. “Both team’s defences (play) different systems but the mentality is the exact same: don’t give them any room to play on.”

The Jets forecheck depends on making good decisions at high speeds and requires a combination of footspeed, positioning and quick reads.

Morrissey says the key to executing this system correctly is watching how the puck is coming up the ice, knowing where all of his opponents are, and even being aware of exactly who all five opposing skaters are and what they can do.

Still, the most important part of Morrissey’s decision making depends on his teammates.

“Most of the time, the number one read is if you have forwards coming back and you have an opportunity to get there and either get the puck or the guy at least. That’s the first and biggest key,” he said.

To illustrate Morrissey’s point, Jets fans will recall this goal against from Game 1 against the Wild.

To start this play, Dustin Byfuglien gambles that he can generate a turnover off Mikko Koivu, who has momentarily lost sight of the puck. He loses that gamble, the Wild get a 2-on-1, and makes a terrific play to Zach Parise for the goal. If you cheer for the Jets, I’m sure you remember the goal.

Lost in the aftermath of this play was Maurice’s telling explanation of what upset him the most about the goal against.

“On every single pinch that we have there’s a forward component to it,” Maurice said of Parise’s goal. “There’s a certain amount of offensive zone time that we generate by an active blueline. That one got away off a blocked shot, puck was lost, thought he could get to it. We give our defencemen room to make that decision.”

I think that’s telling with respect to Winnipeg’s priorities. Up-ice pressure is encouraged, as long as there is puck support to back it up.

Maurice clearly gives his defencemen the green light to be aggressive at the offensive blueline and, just as Morrissey says, the key is to have forwards coming back to help.

I believe this is an excellent system and that the Jets are playing it well. Still, all of Winnipeg’s up-ice pressure does come with vulnerability – namely, the stretch pass.

Unfortunately for Winnipeg, Nashville is very good at making the long play when a short one isn’t available: Check out Victor Arvidsson’s goal from Nashville’s Game 6 win over Colorado.

P.K. Subban begins this play out of options in his own zone. Part of that, of course, is because Arvidsson is flying the zone on a set breakout. Subban executes the aerial, Arvidsson pulls it down, and before Colorado can react, it’s 5-0 Predators.

If Winnipeg’s potent up-ice pressure means that it overcommits to Nashville’s blueline, the Jets could become the next victims of the Predators’ set play. Morrissey says Winnipeg is well aware of the risk.

“One of the biggest things with Nashville is they have such an active blueline,” Morrissey explains. “They really like to work that high flip play which you saw (in) Arvidsson’s goal against Colorado – that’s something they do all the time and it creates a lot of chaos. That’s a play they’re always looking for.”

Morrissey says it’s a difficult play to defend against.

“As a D-man, when they run that high flip, it’s tough – it’s sort of like being the punt returner. The puck’s coming in the air and you know guys are coming at you to hit you. That’s where we need to have our forwards getting back for us and supporting us that way.”

To make the right decision about whether to be aggressive at Nashville’s blueline or to back off and get ready for an aerial, the Jets are going to have to make their reads faster than they ever had to make them against Minnesota.

This kind of variation in just one aspect of the Predators’ game is one of the many reasons Nashville was the NHL’s top team this season. Their success is about more than talent and depth – it’s about how the Predators use their talent to create so many different looks opponents must contend with.

Maurice says that dealing with Nashville’s many different looks will take more than speed alone.

“(Speed is) really important,” Maurice concedes, “but equally important is the pressure on that puck so it’s not clean. They do stretch. They will run the flipper an awful lot. They’ll bring it back and counter back, double swing away from you.

“All those things you see over the course of the year, they’ll run two or three of them on you. If it’s a flat, straight pass then you’re going to have a problem to deal with. And if it’s up in the air and rolling, hopefully we’re a little better at than they are.” https://theathletic.com/327891/2018/04/27/as-the-nhls-top-regular-season-teams-converge-in- round-2-the-league-stands-by-its-playoff-format/

As the NHL’s top regular-season teams converge in Round 2, the league stands by its playoff format

By Jeremy Rutherford

The second round of the NHL playoffs is underway, and while the matchups are certainly exciting, they are also ex-SIGH-ting.

Yes, please give us Nashville-Winnipeg, two teams that combined for 42 goals in their five regular-season meetings, but also have two of the three Vezina Trophy finalists in Pekka Rinne and Connor Hellebuyck. We’ll also take Tampa Bay-Boston, with the league’s highest-scoring offense (3.54 goals per game) facing four-time Selke Trophy winner .

But in the second round?

Nashville won the Presidents’ Trophy with 117 points, and the top four teams in the regular season in order were Winnipeg (114), Tampa Bay (113) and Boston (112), and now two of them will be conducting locker cleanout day before the conference finals. “Sigh” was the reaction of many after the matchups were set.

It’s been a recurring issue for the NHL, which realigned in 2014 and changed its playoff seeding to a more division-minded format. The top three teams from the four divisions — Central, Pacific, Metropolitan, Atlantic — along with two wildcards from both the Western and Eastern conferences qualify for the playoffs.

In the first round, the division winners face the wildcards, and the Nos. 2-3 teams from each division face one another. A year ago, that created a situation where Pittsburgh and Columbus, Nos. 2 and 4 in the Eastern Conference, respectively, met in the first round. After putting up a franchise-best 108 points, the Blue Jackets were out in five games.

Blockbuster matchups have been extremely common in Round 2, where clubs stay within the division regardless of their records.

The Nashville-Winnipeg series will be the second time in five years since the new format came into existence that the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the league’s regular-season standings will meet in the conference semifinals. Furthermore, five of the 20 second-round matchups have featured two of the Nos. 1-4 teams in the league and the Nos. 1-2 clubs in their respective conference.

If it’s a concern within the league, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly wasn’t letting on when asked this week by The Athletic.

“We are actually pretty excited about the matchups we’ve had so far in this year’s playoffs and, in particular, what we are going to see in the second round,” Daly said in an email to The Athletic. “There are going to to be some epic matchups. That’s what this system was designed to generate, and that has been our experience to date. While it’s only been four years, this playoff format has been the most competitive format in the league’s history — with clubs participating in approximately 87 percent of all possible games. In short, I think there continues to be a high level of satisfaction with the current format.”

The adoption of the new format was designed to let rivalries blossom, cut down on travel early in the postseason and have teams from the same time zone playing a TV-friendly schedule, and from that standpoint, it hasn’t disappointed.

St. Louis, for example, hadn’t seen Chicago in the playoffs since 2002 when the Blues and Blackhawks met in 2014, the first year of the new seeding system. They’ve now played twice in the past four years, including a second-round series in 2016 that the Blues won in Game 7 on a goal by former Blackhawk Troy Brouwer.

“Building, deepening and continuing rivalries was undoubtedly one of the driving forces underlying the adoption of this format,” Daly wrote. “And that means, almost by definition, more compelling early round matchups. That’s what we wanted and that’s what we’ve seen.”

The old seeding structure, used from 1998-2013, included the top eight teams from the Western and Eastern conferences and pitted them Nos. 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5. In the second round and beyond, teams maintained their seeds and the highest played the lowest. Travel and time zones were not a concern.

In 2013, the first round featured Anaheim vs. Detroit and Los Angeles vs. St. Louis, leading to some start times that were three hours different. This year, 11 of the 12 matchups in the first two rounds will be played in the same time zone, with the exception of Nashville-Colorado in the conference quarterfinals, and that was only a one-hour difference.

But while those factors have played out more favorably, not all executives, players and ex- players-turned-analysts completely share the NHL’s satisfaction.

The support for any system is that eventually, you have to “play the best to be the best,” but that, in the eyes of many, doesn’t reward teams for outstanding regular seasons. Nor does it take into account the timing of when teams play, the impact it can have on how players’ careers are viewed, whether or not general managers and coaches are retained, a round of lost playoff revenue and perhaps TV ratings as well.

Washington won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2015-16 and 2016-17 with a total of 238 points, but bowed out in back-to-back seasons in the second round to Pittsburgh. The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup in both years, beating a No. 6 seed in the East and No. 7 seed in the West in 2016 and a No. 6 seed in the East and No. 8 seed in the West in 2017.

A request to interview Washington general manager Brian MacLellan for this story was politely turned down because the Capitals remain involved in this year’s postseason, but a year ago he told reporters: “It seems to me that there’s a little bit of a benefit to finish first, but it’s not the best. It’s not a good system when your one wild-card team can cross over and kind of have a clear path — if they perform — to get to the final. I think the incentive should be the higher team gets the easier path, however you work that out. That’s not the way it is now.”

In the 2016 playoffs, Washington beat Philadelphia in six games in the first round, and if the NHL had maintained seeding in the second round as in the past, the Capitals would have played No. 6 Tampa Bay in the next round. The Caps were 3-0 against the Lightning that season, and captain Alex Ovechkin had three goals and five points in those three games.

In the 2017 postseason, Washington knocked off Toronto in another six-game, first-round series, and would have moved on to play No. 6 seed in the second round. The Capitals were 2-1 against the Senators that season, and in those three games, two-time Norris Trophy- winning defenseman had no points and a plus-minus of minus-3.

“They are two teams that the Caps have dominated in those years,” said Alan May, who played five of his 10 NHL seasons with the Capitals and is now an analyst for NBC Sports Washington. “(Ovechkin’s) stats and Nick Backstrom’s stats against those teams, Tampa and Ottawa, are pretty spectacular, and the Caps have really dominated Erik Karlsson.”

Instead, Washington twice faced Pittsburgh in the second round, and in 2017, Ovechkin was playing the Penguins after suffering a knee injury in the first round against Toronto. It happened late in the first period of Game 5 on a collision with the Maple Leafs’ . Here is video of the play.

Ovechkin returned to the game for the start of the second period and finished the series.

In the next round against Pittsburgh, Ovechkin suffered a hamstring injury in Game 3 that May believes might have been connected to the knee injury. The analyst added that if the Capitals hadn’t been playing the Penguins, Ovechkin may have taken more time to get healthier.

“He was black and blue from the top of his hamstring all the way to the back of his knee,” May said. “(But) he wants to play the game. Should he play the game in hindsight? No. In hindsight, would the coaching staff think different if it wasn’t such a pressure-packed situation? If they’re playing a team that’s maybe 12th place, maybe there’s not pressure from himself to play so banged up — live to fight another day because you should be able to win that series. But when it’s the Pittsburgh Penguins, and you figure the team that wins that round is going to win the Stanley Cup … I just think players feel pressure to play and coaches feel pressure to have those guys in the lineup because those series are so important so early on.”

Another early exit continued to tarnish Washington’s — and thus Ovechkin’s — playoff image. How much different would it have looked, though, if the Capitals had beaten Tampa Bay or Ottawa in the second round and lost to Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference finals? Maybe not a lot, but a little for a player who has 100 points (52 goals, 48 assists) in 104 career postseason games.

“People try to say that he’s not a playoff player,” May said. “He’s been doing his part and you have other guys that haven’t risen up to the occasion. And no one else on this team has an entire coaching staff on the other (side) making their entire game plan to shut down one guy. That’s what he’s had to deal with. If he doesn’t have to play the best team in the league every year when it comes to that round, the storybook is a little bit different.”

Dallas Stars general manager agreed with May.

“From the view of it, (Washington losing in the second round) looks terrible,” Nill said. “But you’re dead on. It’s not fair to judge (Ovechkin) on that. It’s not a fair assessment.”

Dallas had its own second-round disappointment to deal with 2016. The Stars had qualified for just their second postseason in the last eight years when they finished second in the NHL standings and first in the Western Conference with 109 points.

Dallas got by Minnesota in the first round — though it cost the club , whose return in that series after missing a month with an Achilles injury put him out for the remainder of the season. Nill said Seguin had no chance of playing in the second-round series against St. Louis, but he supported the notion that the timing of when top teams play one another can make a difference depending on who’s healthy.

“Timing does come into play,” Nill said. “A good example is (Philadelphia’s Sean) Couturier with his MCL. Could two weeks have made the difference in the next round? Is that the luck of the draw, I don’t know. But I don’t disagree.”

Without Seguin, Dallas met St. Louis in the second round. If the league had maintained its seeds, Dallas would have played San Jose, and the Stars were 2-0-1 against Sharks in the regular season. They ended up losing in seven games to the Blues.

As it turned out, San Jose beat St. Louis in six games, so Nill realizes there is no clear path to the Stanley Cup, but he still questions whether it’s the perfect system.

“I think even when it went 1-8, I think sometimes this may happen,” Nill said. “It’s just the parity of the league. But I guess the tough thing with our (current) playoff format is there should be some advantage to the best two teams — the best teams in each conference. I don’t think enough emphasis is put on how hard it is to win in the regular season. That would be my only thing. Both teams, the top teams in each conference, if there’s some way to give them an advantage, (the format should reflect that).”

And as with Ovechkin’s legacy, Nill admits there are lasting impressions that can be formed as a result of a team’s season ending prematurely.

St. Louis’ win over Dallas, even though the Blues lost to San Jose in the conference finals, was enough for management to bring back on another one-year contract in 2016-17. He was eventually fired midway that next season.

Meanwhile, the loss for Dallas coach may have eventually cost him his job. Ruff did return for the 2016-17 season, but when the Stars missed the playoffs that year, Nill elected not to renew his contract. Would a trip to the third round the prior year have made a difference?

“It does, you’re right,” Nill admitted. “That’s managing the expectations of the business now between ownership, fans, media and internally with your team. Everything is so close and when you don’t … (former Minnesota GM) just lived it. They’ve been in the playoffs six years in a row — that’s a pretty fair accomplishment — and he just lost his job. That’s the challenge now I guess with our sport is managing those expectations.”

That’s where Nashville-Winnipeg and Tampa Bay-Boston sit now.

After a Presidents’ Trophy season, a loss for Nashville in the second round, like with Washington, would likely render the season a failure. But should that be the case because of a playoff format that has the Predators playing a Jets’ team that finished just three points back?

“I think it’s a fun matchup and I think if you want to win the Cup, you’ve got to go through the best teams,” Nashville defenseman Roman Josi said. “I remember two years ago when we played Anaheim (in the first round) and then San Jose in the second round, which was a lot of travel, which kind of wears you down. So I think there’s positives and negatives about both. I think it’s a fun matchup and obviously we’re excited for it.”

Regardless of the outcome, this is not the end of the debate. In March, Washington defenseman Brooks Orpik told reporters that players want the NHL to return to the previous format.

“You can’t manufacture rivalries, and that was the whole thing with changing the format, which the players had a lot of push back,” Orpik said. “I know the players are waiting for it to get changed back. I know the players want to be heard on that. I don’t think any player in the league is really too happy with the way the format is. There’s not a whole lot of logic there.”

The current divisional alignments and playoff format will remain in place through at least the end of the 2018-19 season, when both sides will have a chance to opt out of a collective-bargaining agreement that expires in 2020. There’s some anticipation that the league and the NHL Players’ Association will talk this summer to see whether modifications are necessary moving forward.

“We will continue discussing the playoff format with the players throughout the spring,” NHLPA special assistant wrote in a statement to The Athletic. “Certainly this is a topic that is very important to the entire membership from a competitive standpoint.” https://theathletic.com/325747/2018/04/27/ryan-johansen-is-no-stranger-to-questions-about-his- ability-to-be-the-man-finds-a-hockey-home-in-nashville/

Predators’ Ryan Johansen is no stranger to questions about his ability to be ‘the man’

By Scott Burnside

NASHVILLE – Take a picture of this, and think about it in the coming days.

Nashville center Ryan Johansen literally bonking heads with former Frank J. Selke Trophy winner in the face-off circle in the Western Conference final last year. The hockey equivalent of two full-grown mountain goats trying to buck each other off a snowcapped mountain peak.

At the end of the day, it was Johansen and the Predators who got the better of the Ducks, advancing to their first-ever Stanley Cup final after a particularly nasty six-game conference final.

For the Predators, it was another in a spring of firsts, of knocking other opponents from the mountaintop, of banishing long-present demons.

On a very personal level, the same can be said for Johansen.

The Vancouver native, who grew up following the hometown Canucks and idolizing big center , would leave the series against the Ducks after Game 4, undergoing emergency surgery for acute compartment syndrome in his left thigh. The freak injury ended his season, and he watched on crutches as the Predators closed out Anaheim and then were bested in six games by Pittsburgh.

In a final series that was decided on a late Patric Hornqvist goal in Game 6 at Bridgestone Arena, would Johansen’s presence have altered the outcome, changed history? A moot point to be sure. But given Johansen’s inspired play in the postseason, it’s hard to imagine that, if he’s in the lineup, things don’t end exactly the same way.

Not that Johansen, just 25, thinks much about it.

“For me, you’ll never find out. You’ll never know. Nothing you can do. The only thing you can do is move forward and take all the positives you can from the playoffs,” Johansen told The Athletic on the eve of the Predators’ highly anticipated second-round series against the Winnipeg Jets, a series featuring the two top point-producing teams during the regular season.

“There were a lot of positive things that happened,” he said. “And just move forward and learn from it, and now we’re able to sit here and talk about starting the second round in next year’s playoffs. It’s a very eager time and anxious time for me to do what I can to try and get us back in that situation.”

Mike Johnston coached Johansen for Portland of the . Scouts would come to watch the lanky center, and Johnston would tell them not to look at the kid they saw losing the puck battles but to imagine him fully grown down the road. Indeed, by the time the 2010 draft rolled around, Johansen had gone from projecting as a late second to early third- round prospect to the fourth overall pick in the draft, selected by the .

It wasn’t just that his body hadn’t filled out that took scouts a while to come around but also that Johansen suffered from the same kind of skepticism that has dogged big centers for years in the . That they sometimes don’t look like they’re doing all that much.

“Those big guys, they have that look about them. Big lanky guys that jump into holes at the right time play a smart game, but they get that criticism,” Johnston noted.

It happened to Frank Mahovlich, , Thornton, too. Go down the list.

The skepticism was there for Johansen, too. It’s still there in some circles.

During the first round this spring as Nashville was pushed to six games by plucky Colorado, one NHL executive told The Athletic he had questions about the Predators’ depth down the middle and specifically if Johansen and Kyle Turris were up to the task of carrying them deep into the playoffs.

Another longtime NHLer and pro scout said Johansen has such a high skill set that he sometimes leaving you wanting more: “Can be dominant player when he chooses. Can be very effective in most situations yet his effort comes and goes,” the scout said. “If plays like a C1 (No. 1 center) in the playoffs then most teams (except Pittsburgh) will be hard pressed to match up with Nashville centers.”

Johansen doesn’t mind the questions. He’s heard them before, and he admits he’s had them himself.

In many ways, they were answered, or were at least beginning to be answered, not just in his literal head-to-head matchup against Kesler but in the first round against heavily-favored Chicago, whom the Predators swept. And then against St. Louis as the Predators advanced beyond the second round for the first time in franchise history.

“I guess looking back at it now, I felt like I took a big step as a player,” he said. “To me, that was my opportunity last year to … it was going to be the answer if I was the guy that could help get this team past the second round, if I was going to be that guy that could outplay [Jonathan] Toews and get past Chicago. So, there was a lot of question marks going into the playoffs if I could get that done.

“There’s going to be questions anytime you’ve never been in that situation. And for me it was, ‘Okay the Preds haven’t got passed the Blackhawks. And three-time Stanley Cup champ and Johansen are the two first-line centers. Who’s going to come out?’ And every single person in the hockey world said Chicago’s going to win that series. For me, that was a huge challenge. I took it head-on and just gave it my all. Now, as an individual and as a team, we surprised a lot of people, and we proved to everyone that we’re legit, and we’re here. And then you go on to the second round, and then it’s a team that’s never made it past the second round. Okay, was that one good series? ‘Can they keep going? Can he keep going?’ Then you close out that one, and we outplayed them for the most part, and then, obviously, in the Western finals, I got injured, but this team just had a mindset, and nothing was stopping us.”

Johnston likewise felt last spring was a statement time for Johansen. In fact, early in the Anaheim series, he sent Johansen a note praising him for having elevated his game at such an important time of the year.

His two-way game is very strong, Johnston said.

“He slows the game down to a degree at times,” not unlike Thornton, he added. “Their hockey IQ is very high. They read things, and they’re constantly thinking and reading.”

Johnston figures Johansen could shoot more, but that’s often a complaint of top playmakers.

“I think his pace has picked up over the years, which is good,” he said. “He’s matured a lot over the years.”

To understand the impact Johansen has had on the Predators, one first has to understand that the path from celebrated prospect to celebrated NHLer is a complicated one, sometimes filled with all kinds of detours and washed-out bridges.

After a couple of less-than-inspiring seasons to start his NHL career in Columbus, Johansen racked up 33 goals and 30 assists in 2013-14 to help the Blue Jackets to a rare playoff appearance. He followed up with 26 goals and 45 assists the following season, but things went off the rails in Columbus the following season. He had six goals and 20 assists in his first 38 games for the disappointing Blue Jackets.

I happened to be in Arizona in December 2015, when head coach made Johansen a healthy scratch, signaling at least publicly the beginning of the end for the man who was supposed to help lead the Blue Jackets out of the wilderness.

Even then, Johansen was gracious and polite in answering questions from the handful of reporters who waited for him after a long, post-practice skate that day in Glendale, Arizona.

He answered questions about the rumors of his possible move from Columbus and insisted he wanted to make it work in Ohio, to be part of the answer to the problems that plagued the franchise.

Less than three weeks later, Johansen was on his way to Nashville in an eye-popping deal that saw another fourth-overall pick, , go to Columbus. The two physically crossed paths as they traveled to their new homes; Jones ended up renting the apartment Johansen had rented in downtown Columbus.

Whatever questions dogged Johansen in his time in Columbus, about whether he was up to the task of being a No. 1 one center in the NHL, Nashville GM David Poile is unequivocal about Johansen’s importance to what the Predators have accomplished and what they might yet accomplish in the coming days.

“I think it’s like a lot of younger players; they all mature at different times. They get their consistency at different levels. I’ve seen tremendous growth in Ryan from the time that he’s been here both on and off the ice,” Poile told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun in a conversation Thursday. “Again, could he or any player be a little bit more consistent? I guess the answer is yes. But in the two years we’ve had him, starting his third year with him in the playoffs, I’d have to give him an A-plus for how he’s played. I mean, the matchups are critical. All those things that go into winning a playoff series. I can’t imagine that we would have had anywhere near the success we had if we didn’t have Ryan Johansen. That’s with all due respect to who we traded. It’s just positionally we needed this so bad. And I just think Ryan is getting better and better and more consistent. So, we’re happy with what we got, and let’s see how it plays out this year.”

How happy? In late July, in spite of the thigh injury, Poile inked Johansen to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension.

Jody Shelley was a longtime NHLer who has evolved into an astute analyst covering the Blue Jackets. At the time, what the Blue Jackets needed from Johansen – a game-breaking top center who could turn the fortune of a game on his own and, by extension, turn the fortunes of a long-suffering franchise – wasn’t who Johansen was. Or, more to the point, it wasn’t who he was at that point in his career.

In Nashville, though, surrounded by top talent and big personalities like Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, Pekka Rinne and Filip Forsberg, Johansen might be in the perfect place to showcase his skills, Shelley said.

“He’s so skilled. He’s so talented,” Shelley said. “He’s so big, and he’s smart, and he’s got it all.

“The thing about him, he’s got the potential to lead the league, I think. He’s that guy. He’s got the potential to put up those numbers that are top five in the National Hockey League. Offensively, he sees things two steps ahead of everyone else.”

Coming off surgery and the signing of the big new deal, Johansen was part of a Predators team that rebounded from a trip to the final by winning the team’s first-ever Presidents’ Trophy. Johansen had a rather pedestrian 54-point campaign but picked up five points in six games in the first round of the playoffs.

Overall, he’s collected 32 points in 40 postseason games in his career.

The challenge, and perhaps the questions about meeting that challenge, will be even more pronounced in this series against the Jets. He is likely to square off against either Mark Scheifele or veteran Paul Stastny on the deep, physical Jets.

Not that Johansen shrinks from either the challenge or the questions.

“And now, I think looking back at last playoffs, I was definitely really happy with my game and knowing that I answered the bell, that there was a lot of questions surrounding if I was going to be able to achieve that,” he said. “For me, going through last year’s experience and stuff, now in the back of my mind, I have the confidence knowing that I’m able to go out there and outplay some of the best players in the world. For me just looking back to last year, I can use that as confidence moving forward in this year’s playoffs.”

The owner of two beloved English bulldogs, Doug and Dozer, and preparing for a wedding in a little over a year, Johansen has the feel of a player who has found his own personal comfort zone, has found a hockey home.

“Hundred percent. Just speaking for all the guys in this room, we feel so comfortable with each other and comfortable in our game plan and our system,” Johansen said. “I think it shows every time we take the ice as a team because we’re all when we’re successful we’re in sync. We’re all contributing. Everybody brings something to the table. I think I’m so lucky to be here with just this team we have right now and how the organization has put everyone together here. We feel like we got a team that’s going to have a lot of fun for many years. You can’t take these times for granted right now.”

Canadian Press https://www.tsn.ca/jets-predators-ready-for-clash-of-nhl-s-two-best-teams-1.1069177

Jets, Predators ready for clash of NHL's two best teams

By The Canadian Press

NASHVILLE — Playing the Winnipeg Jets is exactly why Nashville coach Peter Laviolette wanted home-ice advantage in the NHL playoffs.

Even if it's a round — or two — earlier than anyone really wants.

Laviolette's Predators play Winnipeg in the Western Conference semifinals after turning in their best season in franchise history to grab the right to start and end a series in the place called "Smashville."

They edged out their Central Division rival by a mere three points for the Presidents' Trophy, and this will be just the fifth series since 1990 between the NHL's top two teams in the regular season.

"They wanted divisional battles, got them," Laviolette said. "This should be a big series."

It's the second straight post-season that division foes and the league's top finishers meet in this round. Pittsburgh, which wound up beating Nashville in the Stanley Cup Final, advanced to the Eastern finals by downing the Capitals in Game 7 in Washington.

Winnipeg and Nashville played so well that this series has been anticipated for weeks, so good it could be a Cup Final despite the Predators winning the regular-season series 3-1-1. Nashville defenceman dismissed such talk Thursday, noting this round remains a long way from the Stanley Cup Final.

A thrilling series with lots of speed and goals? That the Jets and Predators can provide.

"The thing about winning, and I'm sure you ask anybody who's won a Cup, is the steps that it takes to get there," Subban said. "You have to go through some thick walls, and this is definitely one of the thickest walls that we're going to have to get through to get there."

Winnipeg goes against the defending Western Conference champs coming off the franchise's first post-season series victory after relocating from Atlanta in 2011 with 10 Jets making their playoff debuts against the Wild. Winnipeg centre says that makes the Jets the underdogs by just a little bit.

"It's going to be a really tough series and a tight series, so I think that's why everyone's so excited about it," Little said.

Some things to know before Game 1 on Friday night:

VEZINA FINALISTS Goalies for both the Jets and Predators are finalists for the Vezina Trophy with Nashville veteran looking to win the award in his fourth try. made his post-season debut, shutting out Minnesota twice with a 1.94 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. Rinne's numbers weren't nearly as glitzy against Colorado, but he tightened up over the final three games with a 1.34 GAA and .951 save percentage, including a shutout in the series clincher.

HOME AND ROAD Nobody was better in the NHL at home than the Jets who went 32-7-2, and they have won 12 straight in Winnipeg, including all three in ousting Minnesota. The Jets haven't lost at home since Feb. 27 — to Nashville. The Predators were the league's best away from home (25-9-7). The Predators won twice on the road in the first round, including clinching in Colorado in Game 6.

OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER Even with Rinne and Hellebuyck in net, these teams combined for 42 goals in five games in the regular season with Nashville outscoring the Jets 22-20. It was the most goals the Jets scored against any team, while they also gave up the most goals to any opponent. The Jets also ranked second in the regular season for both most goals (273) and average goals per game (3.33)

SHUT DOWN WHO? Nashville's top trio is nicknamed the "JOFA" line for , and . But the Predators' top scoring line against Colorado was their third line of centre with and , who combined for 19 points. The Jets can match Nashville's scoring depth with seven players scoring at least 43 points in the regular season led by (91 points) and (team-high 44 goals).

SO DEFENSIVE Nashville has four of the NHL's best defencemen in , , Subban and . But the group that led the league with 55 goals only had one goal in the first round, and that came in Game 6 from Ekholm. Subban says defending comes first for a team that ranked second in the regular season in allowing both the second-fewest goals (204) and average goals per game (2.49).

TSN.ca https://www.tsn.ca/video/will-laine-be-good-to-go-for-game-1~1380876 (VIDEO LINK)

Will Laine be good to go for Game 1?

With his status still in question after missing practice Wednesday, what's the latest on Patrik Laine's status for Game 1 against the Predators? How does Winnipeg match up against a Nashville team that's as deep as anyone in the NHL? That's Hockey gives its thoughts. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/how-big-of-a-role-will-special-teams-play-in-the-jets-predators- series~1380795 (VIDEO LINK)

How big of a role will special teams play in the Jets/Predators series?

It remains to be seen how much of a storyline special teams will end up being in the Jets' second round series against the Predators, but it was certainly a storyline during their five regular season meetings. As Sara Orlesky explains, of the combined 41 goals that the two teams scored in those games, two were shorthanded and 11 came on the power play.

TSN 1290 (AUDIO LINKS) https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/mckenzie-health-could-be-the-difference-in-jets-series- 1.1069904

McKenzie: Health could be the difference in Jets' series

TSN hockey insider Bob McKenzie joined the Big Show and went around the NHL Playoffs, including the opening night of Round 2 action, the Jack Adams finalists and what could separate the Jets and Predators in their highly anticipated matchup.