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Home , Andrew Copp, Atlanta Thrashers, Ben Chiarot, Brandon Tanev, Bryan Little, Jack Roslovic

Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/a-fleet-transformed-449138983.html

A fleet transformed Just five members of the relocated Thrashers are still flying Jets colours seven years later as the rebuilt youthful, speedy squadron prepares for takeoff with soaring expectations

By: Jason Bell

Let’s hop in the time machine and program the date to Oct. 9, 2011.

Winnipeg is buzzing over the return of the NHL, and the puck is about to drop on the inaugural season of the Jets 2.0 at the barn on Portage Avenue.

The are the visitors as , , , and Toby Enstrom line up for the opening faceoff. A tall, slender teen named is on the bench during the national anthem and will make his NHL debut just 3:05 into the first period.

Ondrej Pavelec guards the net, offering the last line of protection against the Habs.

There’s great hope surrounding the former — an eclectic mix of veterans, including two with rings, and a reasonable crop of talented youngsters. Much of that initial excitement is little more than misguided, blind faith in a team that possesses a few key pieces, but is severely short on roster depth and the prospects cupboard is nearly bare.

The Montreal Canadiens bring a of reality to the thunderous, electrified celebration at the MTS that historic Sunday afternoon, beating the Jets 5-1.

Credit the transplanted group for finishing the season with a respectable 37-35-10 record in the Southeast Division, rocking it at home at 23-13-5.

A look at the roster today, on the eve of the 2017-18 campaign, shows just how far the team has come after six seasons fraught with growing pains, inconsistent play and post-season absences.

Wheeler, Little, Byfuglien, Enstrom and Scheifele are the only originals left, and endure as cornerstones of the hockey club.

Wheeler owns the captaincy and is regarded as one of the league’s premier power forwards, Scheifele, the organization’s first guinea pig for its draft-and develop experiment, has progressed into an elite middle man, while Little remains a highly regarded two-way centre.

Byfuglien is gargantuan and one of the most offensively skilled blue-liners in hockey, yet is still prone to ill-timed blunders that drive fans crazy. Enstrom remains the small, steady puck- moving who has difficulty staying healthy.

Added by way of the NHL Draft in recent years are last year’s rookie sensation, born-to-score right- (who fired 36 goals last season and netted five in this year’s seven- game pre-season slate), exhilarating left-winger , top-notch defencemen and and much-maligned goalie , who has had a solid training camp this fall. Acquired via trade is blue-liner and former NHL rookie of the year , while goalie , forward and defenceman Dmitry Kulikov are aboard because of free agency.

No significant drop-off in offensive production is expected this season but the club’s success will come down to its ability to defend.

Assistant coach , the longest-serving member of the Jets bench staff, said he’ll work with the finest group of blue-liners the team has assembled in its short history in Winnipeg.

"We have eight or nine guys who can play in the NHL," he said. "We have great depth and it’s fun to be able to work with those guys because they all want to get better."

Beyond the regulars on the back end, East Grand Forks, Minn., product looks NHL-ready now, but could begin the season with the Moose, while and will play with the AHL club. The Jets are also high on recent draft selections Dylan Samberg, Jonathan Kovacevic and Leon Gawanke, and haven’t given up on .

The prospects pantry is stocked up front; forwards , and are knocking on the door, and and will likely be pushing for employment in a year or two.

There is legitimate reason for optimism and lofty goals. And a lot of the pressure is coming from inside the locker room.

The was asked recently how he views transformation since 2011.

"I think talent-wise we’ve come a fair ways," Wheeler says. "It’s tough, because you inherit a group of guys and maybe not necessarily the direction that they wanted to go. So it took time to assemble where we’re at today.

"There were some really good hockey players on that team, but over time you start to accumulate talent and a new team starts to take shape, more of what they were trying to build."

Ladd and Pavelec were considered fundamental pieces in the future success of the team, which had transferred that spring from the hockey wasteland of Atlanta, the only city to lose two franchises in the NHL’s post-1967 expansion history.

Both players have since taken their leave. Ladd was dealt to Chicago near the 2015-16 trade deadline, while Pavelec earned most of his US$4.7 million last season playing with the Moose before he accepted a one-year deal in the summer with the at a reduced rate.

The rest of that cast of characters from the original team, including head coach Claude Noel, left town a while ago. Noel was turfed in January 2014 after the team suffered uninspired losses to Tampa and Columbus, falling to 19-23-5 and 10 points back of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

He was replaced by current head coach .

Little said he ignored rumours of relocation during the 2010-11 season in Atlanta but was shocked when the news of the move to Winnipeg was officially announced.

He said the group that headed north was far from being a powerhouse.

"We had a weird mixture. We were definitely an older team than we have now, a lot of guys that had been around the league, and we had struggled the last few years in Atlanta to find any kind of positives," he recalls. "Guys were in and out (of the lineup), coaches were in and out and we didn’t have a lot of prospects and depth like we do now.

"The guys on the team knew it would be a struggle (in Winnipeg), but I think we did even better than we probably should have and our home record was one of the best in the league because it was so new and exciting and the fans were going crazy every night. That definitely gave us a lift. But we didn’t have anywhere close to the talent we have now."

One of the big names on that squad, — who scored the club’s first-ever on that opening Sunday past a sprawling — played parts of two seasons with the Jets before ending his career in the KHL. Talented misfit Alex Burmistrov, who drew an assist on Antropov’s historic tally, played for two seasons but left in a huff and played in Russia for two more. He returned to Winnipeg for parts of two years before being waived by the club.

Long gone, too, are a couple of veteran defencemen, and , who went on to hoist Stanley Cups after leaving. Hainsey also made a name for himself as a savvy players union negotiator.

Wheeler said the now-Toronto blue-liner, who visits Wednesday with the rest of the Maple Leafs for the season-opener, had a strong presence in the locker room in Atlanta and during the club’s early days here.

"Ron Hainsey’s probably the coolest guy in the history of the league. He was really dry, really sarcastic. He and () had some pretty good moments," he said. "The room was fun. It was a different group, but the guys were fun."

Evander Kane ignited the then-MTS Centre crowd with his speed and sizzling shot – he potted 30 goals that season – but wore out his welcome with his antics on social media and his tempestuous behaviour and was shipped along with erratic defenceman to the in 2015.

Meanwhile, the rough-and-tumble trio of , and Thorburn, dubbed the "GST Line" by some Winnipeg wiseacre, played limited fourth-line minutes. Fans chanted for them and wore T-shirts bearing slogans such as, "GST — they make you pay," but that lasted just a season as Glass opted for free agency in the summer.

Little laughs when the line considered "taxing on opponents" was mentioned.

"That brings back a lot of memories. It was funny because fans would get the chant going when they’d be stuck in their own end for a couple of minutes. They’d be hemmed in and (spectators) would be chanting, ‘GST, GST,’" he says. "That thing took off out of nowhere. That was really funny."

Backup goalie and forward , two other notables from the opening- night roster six years ago, were at the tail end of their NHL careers and destined for Europe by 2013.

Proof the club was thin up front: Left-winger Brett MacLean, a castoff from the Phoenix Coyotes, was plucked off just 72 hours before Game 1 of the season, replacing on the roster. MacLean had 18 shifts against the Habs, but competed in just four more games in the NHL; he played a portion of the year with the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate in Portland, Ore., before suffering a heart attack in July 2012 during a casual pickup game with friends in Owen Sound, Ont. He made a full recovery, but that was the end of the then-23-year-old’s pro hockey career.

The last group of originals are recent departures Pavelec, Thorburn and defenceman . Rugged, hard-working Thorburn, a pending unrestricted free agent, was scooped up by the in June’s NHL expansion draft and Stuart was handed a buyout. Thorburn ended up signing with the St. Louis Blues in July; Stuart is still looking for work.

Scheifele played just seven games to begin the 2011-12 season before being returned to his junior club, the . But memories of his first-ever training camp and a few weeks with the big club — including his first NHL goal at Toronto’s Air Centre, with family and friends in the crowd — are forever etched in his memory.

"It was definitely awesome to be a part of that first team. I was 18, I was new to it all and it was a pretty exciting time for me," he says. "It’s crazy how much has changed over since then. But that’s the way this business is.

"To be a part of that first group definitely meant a lot, and I think the few of us left still are really hopeful that was the start of something really special here. Everyone wants to be on a winning team, and that’s what we’re trying to accomplish here, from management to the players to the training staff. We all want something special to happen in Winnipeg." https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/jets-close-to-opening-night-lineup-after- demoting-lemieux-roslovic-spacek-and-lipon-449082913.html

Jets close to opening-night lineup after demoting Lemieux, Roslovic, Spacek and Lipon

By: Jason Bell

The look of the ' opening-night roster is getting clearer after a handful of forwards was sent down to the Monday morning.

Brendan Lemieux, Jack Roslovic, Michael Spacek and JC Lipon were all assigned to Winnipeg's affiliate. Lipon must clear waivers before officially joining the Moose.

Winnipeg now has 15 forwards, eight defencemen and two still with the NHL club, including forward Kyle Connor and defenceman Tucker Poolman.

The Jets must declare a 23-man roster by 4 p.m. Tuesday, although injuries are now a factor in who plays in Wednesday's season-opener.

A pair of centres, and , are both nursing injuries and missed practice Monday. Jets head coach Paul Maurice confirmed Hendricks will not play Wednesday against and the at Bell MTS Place (6 p.m., , TSN 1290).

Copp is listed as day to day after blocking a slapshot on Saturday in . If he stays off the injured reserve list, the Jets must trim a player before the roster deadline.

Line rushes on Monday had centre Mark Scheifele with Mathieu Perreault and Blake Wheeler, Bryan Little with Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine, alongside and and partnered with Marko Dano and .

Connor was also spotted in a of drills.

Laine, who fired five goals to tie Matthews and Oilers rookie Kailer Yamamoto for the pre-season goal-scoring lead, said he's pumped about the potential of his trio.

"I've played with both of (Little and Ehlers) last season and we had some chemistry between the three of us and got some success, so I'm excited. Hopefully, they're as excited as I am," said the 19-year-old Finn.

Laine's comment generated a smart-alecky "No" from Ehlers, seated to his right in the Jets dressing room.

"OK, you're not," Laine said. "But I'm still excited and looking forward to Wednesday."

Winnipeg still has eight defenceman up — Dustin Byfgulien, Toby Enstrom, Jacob Trouba, Josh Morrissey, Tyler Myers, Dmitry Kulikov, and Poolman.

Maurice said he hasn't ruled out carrying eight blue-liners to begin the campaign.

Steve Mason is expected to start in the Winnipeg net Wednesday with Connor Hellebuyck as his backup.

Mason, signed as a free agent July 1, said the group is relieved the grind of training camp is in the rear-view mirror.

"It's nice that it's over and done with and we can focus on meaningful games and finally put everything we've been working on the last couple of weeks to use," he said. "For the last two weeks we've been going at it pretty hard, working on things diligently, and making sure that each and every (pre-season) game was put to good use.

"I think our last game in Calgary (a 3-2 shootout defeat), even though we were missing a couple of key guys in the lineup, we went in there and executed a pretty good road game so that was good to end on pretty positive note and focus here now on a tough task with Toronto."

Maurice said the players assigned to the Moose all had solid training camps.

"We're pleased with their progress... four positive meetings (with them).," said Maurice, noting Lipon, in particular, is very close to being an NHLer. "JC Lipon had a great camp where I have no problem putting him in the lineup now. I still have him slightly behind other guys, but... he closed that gap in camp."

Roslovic led Manitoba in scoring last season — his first year of pro — with 13 goals and 35 assists in 65 games. Lipon had 12 goals and 30 points in 71 games, while Lemieux supplied 12 goals and 19 points in 61 games with the Moose.

Spacek had a sensational final junior year with the Deer Rebels of the , scoring 30 goals and adding 55 assists, before joining Manitoba for the last four games of the regular season. He contributed one assist.

Meanwhile, the Moose today sent three players to their ECHL affiliate, the , including goalie Jamie Phillips, forward Elgin Pearce and blue-liner Chris Dienes.

Manitoba opens the 2017-18 season in Grand Rapids against the defending league-champion Griffins on Friday.

Winnipeg Sun http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/10/02/jets-send-four-to-moose-keep-poolman

Jets send four to Moose, keep Poolman

BY PAUL FRIESEN, WINNIPEG SUN

Cut-down day for the Winnipeg Jets produced no surprises, Monday, but some difficult decisions still remain.

The Jets sent four players down to the American League's Manitoba Moose: forwards Jack Roslovic, Brendan Lemieux, JC Lipon and Michael Spacek.

Lipon is the only one who has to clear NHL waivers before joining the Moose.

The moves leaves players like Kyle Connor, Brandon Tanev, Marko Dano and Nic Petan breathing a little easier.

But with Andrew Copp and Matt Hendricks injured, the Jets are still at 25 players, two more than the roster limit.

Hendricks has been placed on injured reserve and won't be available for Wednesday's season- opener against Toronto.

Head coach Paul Maurice says he'll know more about Copp's status for the game on Tuesday.

Assuming Copp is not placed on IR, the Jets would have to cut one more player before Wednesday's game.

“It's all business from here,” Connor said. “We've got to get into the grind of it now. You never know. It's a tough league. Every day... you've got something to prove.”

Of those to stay on the roster this long, 24-year-old rookie defenceman Tucker Poolman might be seen as the most pleasant surprise.

“I was excited to find out what was going to happen today,” Poolman said. “I'm happy about it, for sure. With the summer and the rehab and coming into my first camp, I really didn't know what to expect. So I just tried to come in every day and compete and try to learn. I'm just going to keep doing that.”

Surgery on both his shoulders didn't stop the University of North Dakota product from looking right at home during camp and the pre-season.

With Ben Chiarot still around, too, the Jets still have eight defencemen, a scenario head coach Paul Maurice says he could live with, for a while.

“I don't love it over the long term, because of practice stuff,” Maurice said. “There's not enough reps in there. But short-term – we play here, we're going to go on the road for three – I wouldn't rule that out.”

The Jets will go into Game 1 with Mathieu Perreault skating on a line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler.

A second scoring line has Bryan Little between Nik Ehlers and Patrik Laine.

The third line in Monday's practice: Adam Lowry centring Joel Armia and Brandon Tanev.

Line 4 – keeping in mind Copp could still join it – had Shawn Matthias between Marko Dano and Nic Petan. http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/10/02/jets-go-with-old-faithful-on-the-wing

Jets go with Old Faithful on the wing Perreault beats out up-and-comers for coveted spot

BY PAUL FRIESEN, WINNIPEG SUN

They tried Kyle Connor and they auditioned Nic Petan, but the Winnipeg Jets will turn to Old Reliable to play left wing on the top line to start the NHL season.

Mathieu Perreault will skate alongside Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler against the Leafs here, Wednesday, after younger players failed to grab one of the most coveted spots on the roster through training camp.

“It looks like it,” Perreault said after practice, Monday. “I love that, actually. I've got to play with them a little bit the last two years, and we always seem to produce. So I'm very excited.”

Young stars Patrik Laine and Nik Ehlers will flank centre Bryan Little on a second scoring line.

But it's clear which line will get the heavier assignments, beginning Wednesday.

“We're going to be given some tough assignments, especially at home,” Wheeler acknowledged. “We're going to play against some teams' top players more nights than not. On the road we're going to play against the other teams' best defensive players.”

Perreault, with his veteran smarts and non-stop motor, fits into that role better than the still- developing Connor and Petan – particularly on a team whose top priority this season is to cut down goals against.

“He had a really good camp,” Maurice said of the 29-year-old Perreault. “It fits. It's easy.”

It certainly takes the gamble out of the position.

The Jets know what they'll get from Perreault.

“The game Scheif and I need to play, Matty plays that game tremendously well,” Wheeler said. “He's hard on every puck, he's relentless on the forecheck, responsible in our own end.”

Winnipeg's lineup looks stacked on the top two lines, but mostly blue-collar beyond that.

Maurice downplayed concerns about his bottom six, saying it should have similar production to last season.

“We feel we're going to score at least as many goals as we did last year,” Maurice said. “And goal-scoring wouldn't have been the thing that you circled over the summer as the area we needed to improve. We finished seventh.

“It'll be the defensive part of the game that defines the wins and losses.”

THE SUPPORTING CAST Injuries will affect the look of Winnipeg's bottom six going into Game 1.

Matt Hendricks has been placed on injured reserve, meaning he's out for at least one game, while Andrew Copp's status for Wednesday is up in the air.

Copp's spot on the third line, with Adam Lowry and Joel Armia, was taken by Brandon Tanev in Monday's practice.

Why Tanev?

“He's a big part of the killing,” Maurice said. “He gets in on the puck real well. Adam and Joel do some other things very well, but having a little bit of speed with them works.”

Tanev embraces his role, whether it's temporary or not.

“Now when the points are on the line, the work starts,” he said. “Throughout the pre-season my game got stronger each game, and that's what it's about.

“That's something you relish, playing the dirty minutes of the game, and doing anything you can for the team.”

The fourth line, assuming Copp misses Game 1, appears to be Shawn Matthias with Petan and Marko Dano.

That would leave Connor as the odd man out, although that's still better than being sent down to the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose.

Connor certainly isn't breathing any easier.

“It's all business from here,” Connor said. “We've got to get into the grind of it now. You never know. It's a tough league. Every day... you've got something to prove.”

If Copp isn't assigned to IR, the Jets need to release one more player to get down to the 23- man limit.

EIGHT IS ENOUGH All four players sent down to the Moose, Monday, were forwards, leaving eight defencemen still with the Jets.

Maurice says he's OK with that, for a while.

“I don't love it over the long term, because of practice stuff,” the coach said. “There's not enough reps in there. But short-term – we play here, we're going to go on the road for three – I wouldn't rule that out.”

Rookie Tucker Poolman proved too good to send down, so he and Ben Chiarot – Chiarot would have to clear waivers to join the Moose -- are potentially looking at seats in the press box, to start.

“I was excited to find out what was going to happen,” Poolman said. “I'm happy about it, for sure. With the summer and the rehab and coming into my first camp, I really didn't know what to expect.”

Surgery on both his shoulders didn't stop the University of North Dakota product from looking right at home during camp and the pre-season.

GONE, NOT FORGOTTEN Here's Maurice on the four players sent down to the Moose.

On Brendan Lemieux: “Brendan Lemieux made huge, physical strides this year. He put an awful lot of time in this summer, and it showed in his speed... He's got some nice hands around the net. We really see that developing into that power-forward game.”

On Jack Roslovic: “We look at him as the opportunity to be that next centreman out of that group that comes in and plays for the Jets.”

On Michael Spacek: “He might be a guy that doesn't have to go to the wing, but can go from the AHL to the NHL at centre. But this is his first year pro, so there's lots of time there.”

On JC Lipon (who has to clear waivers): “JC had a great camp. I have him slightly behind other guys, but he closed that gap very well at camp.”

Global Winnipeg https://globalnews.ca/news/3780923/winnipeg-jets-reduce-roster-by-4/

Winnipeg Jets reduce roster by 4

By Russ Hobson Sports Anchor/Reporter

The Winnipeg Jets made another round of cuts on Monday.

The Jets cut four more players from their training camp roster to get down to 25 players. Forwards Brendan Lemieux, Jack Roslovic and Michael Spacek were assigned to the Manitoba Moose while JC Lipon was placed on waivers for the purpose of sending him to the Moose if he clears.

“The four that went down all had really good camps. We’re pleased with their progress.” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said. “Brendan Lemieux made huge physical strides this year. He put an awful lot of time in the summer and it showed in his speed on the ice.”

The Jets are still two players over the 23-man limit ahead of Tuesday’s deadline but with injuries to Andrew Copp and Matt Hendricks the Jets could start the season with their present roster.

“Matt’s gone on the IR (injured reserve) but we’ll list him at day-to-day,” Maurice said. “Andrew, we’ll get a better feel tomorrow before we decide what we’re doing with him.”

Rookie defenceman Tucker Poolman survived the latest cuts and it appears he could start the season with the Jets.

“I think Tucker’s had a real good training camp and I have no problem putting him in the lineup,” said Maurice. “Tyler (Myers) feels good but we got an eye on his health here in the early going. He deserves to be here.” Poolman is one of eight defenseman still on the Jets’ roster and the head coach was asked if he would rule out starting the campaign with that many players on the blueline.

“I wouldn’t rule that out,” said Maurice. “I don’t love it over the long term because of practice time. There’s not enough reps in there. But short term, we play here, we’re going to go out on the road for three. I wouldn’t rule that out.”

With more players heading to the Moose, the Jets AHL affiliate also trimmed down their roster. The Moose assigned Elgin Pearce, Chris Dienes and goalie Jamie Phillips to the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen.

The Jets play their season opener on Wednesday at home to the Toronto Maple Leafs while the Moose kick off their season on Friday against the defending champion Grand Rapids Griffins.

The Athletic Winnipeg https://theathletic.com//116295/2017/10/02/duhatschek-jets-have-pieces-to-compete-but-still- need-to-put-them-all-together/?redirected=1

Duhatschek: Jets have pieces to compete but still need to put them all together

By Eric Duhatschek

WINNIPEG — Years ago, back when I was a regular correspondent to The Hockey News, we received an assignment one September, which informed the way I’ve treated NHL season previews ever since. The task was to write two separate lookaheads for the teams we covered.

In the first, we were instructed to imagine a best-case scenario, when all the carefully made plans of the summer off-season click neatly into place. Then, for a story that would run side-by- side with that upbeat Pollyanna outlook, we were asked to detail just the opposite – and what a worst-case scenario might look like, if injuries, poor performance, disenchantment with the coaching staff or the effect of contract talks turned the year completely sour.

It was a thoroughly enlightening and useful exercise because it forced you to consider all the possibilities, when the temptation at the start of every year is just to accentuate the positive. Consider, for a moment, how things looked a year ago, with the 2016-17 season about to begin for three teams — the Toronto Maple Leafs, the and the — coming off years in which they were three of the four worst teams in the NHL.

All could see the promise of Toronto and Edmonton and even some could identify the nice pieces being assembled in Columbus. But few looked into their early October crystal balls and predicted the sort of boundless strides forward all three made – a cumulative gain of 91 points, season-over-season.

On the other side of the forecasting equation were the and the , two of sexiest picks for the Stanley Cup. Both had abysmal seasons, when just about everything that could go wrong did. You know the rest of the story – they missed the altogether. Few some that coming.

All of which is just a roundabout way to getting to the Winnipeg Jets, a team that — like Edmonton and Toronto a year ago — boast the sort of promising line-up that forces you to sit up and take notice.

Patrick Laine is a goal-scoring machine, a candidate for the Rocket Richard trophy. Mark Scheifele is an emerging star down the middle. Blake Wheeler is one of the most underrated players in the game. Nikolai Ehlers is a lift-you-out of your seats talent. Bryan Little and Mathieu Perreault round out a potent top-six that’s ably supported by energetic role players. The blueline – from one-to-six – is as deep as any but the top few teams in the league. There are question marks in goal, but between Connor Hellebuyck and Steve Mason, they should cobble together a 1A-1B tandem that’s good enough to compete most nights.

Eventually, the Jets need to stop taking so many undisciplined penalties – their decision to invite former referee Paul Devorski to camp to provide a perspective on what is and what isn’t allowed was smart, outside-the-box thinking. Winnipeg, on paper, looks as if it could do this season what Edmonton and Toronto did a year ago – and contend in the deep, tough Central Division.

That’s the upside view and it’s one I share. But it is worth examining the flip side of the coin — that injuries derail them; that the goaltending is no better than it was a year ago; that the penalty parade continues; or that the young players that will form the nucleus going forward can’t provide the day-in and day-out consistency that good NHL teams require.

Wheeler, who moved from Atlanta to Winnipeg when the Jets relocated for the start of the 2011- 12 season, has been patiently waiting for the slow-but-steady building plan to pay dividends. The question was put to him in a one-on-one interview last week: Does it feel as if it’s gotten to the in Winnipeg where the turnaround is at hand?

“We’ll see,” answered Wheeler, carefully. “We feel as if we have enough talent to compete. We just need to come together as a team and learn how to win games and do the little things the right way. That’s going to be our challenge.”

After playing in 21 playoff games in his first two seasons with the , Wheeler has managed to get into only four playoff games since. That came two years ago, in a first-round sweep at the hands of the , and the Jets went deliberately younger right after the series, pressing a reset button that obliged them to endure some growing pains.

According to Wheeler, for the Jets to take that next step, they will need to “figure out a style of play you can win games with, having confidence in it, and having confidence to do it every single night, and not try to do more than that. Just go into every game, where everyone knows their job and everyone does their job every night. It makes things a lot easier when 20 guys are pulling on the rope in the same direction.”

The Jets’ home opener is Wednesday against the Maple Leafs, which will provide an early useful measuring stick at a time when they have arrived at an organizational crossroads. The pieces look good. Putting them altogether will be the job of coach Paul Maurice, his staff and a collection of players weary of falling short of the playoffs in five of their first six seasons in Winnipeg. This is Year 7. Maybe it’ll be a lucky one.

Sportsnet.ca http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/laine-wants-focus-rivarly-toronto-not-matthews/ (VIDEO LINK)

LAINE WANTS TO FOCUS ON RIVARLY WITH TORONTO, NOT MATTHEWS

TSN 1290 (AUDIO LINKS) http://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/campbell-jets-need-more-contributions-from-bottom-six- 1.873593

Campbell: Jets need more contributions from bottom six

Tim Campbell of NHL.com joins the Afternoon Ride to discuss the Winnipeg Jets season opening roster, saying he likes the mix of experience and youth but says the expectations are high for the bottom 2 lines. Campbell also says the tighter standards on stick & faceoff penalties will challenge the Jets to play smarter http://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/wiebe-no-real-surprises-on-jets-opening-day-roster- 1.873440

Wiebe: No real surprises on Jets opening day roster

Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun joins Kevin Olszewski and discusses the Winnipeg Jets opening day lineup. www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/lowry-returns-to-practice-as-jets-prepare-for-home-opener/c- 291515254 INTERVIEWS INCLUDED

Lowry returns to practice as Jets prepare for home opener 24-year-old skates with Armia and Tanev at today's skate by Mitchell Clinton @MitchellClinton / WinnipegJets.com

WINNIPEG - Adam Lowry was back on the ice with his teammates on Monday for the first time since leaving a 5-2 preseason win over the one week ago.

The 24-year-old centre says he's feeling better now, and was thankful his lower-body injury happened in the preseason.

"It was nice to get back out there in practice with the guys," said Lowry. "I'm looking forward to getting back out there. I think we're all excited for the regular season to begin. We have high expectations for our group, and we're excited to get things underway."

Lowry was a regular participant in line rushes between Joel Armia and Brandon Tanev. The pair of Lowry and Armia have been a constant dating back to last season, and head coach Paul Maurice says he expects Tanev to bring speed to the trio.

"He gets in on the puck real well," Maurice said of Tanev. "Adam and Joel do some other things very well, but having a little bit of speed with them works."

With two days to go until the home opener against Toronto, the full Jets line rushes looked like this:

Perreault-Scheifele-Wheeler

Ehlers-Little-Laine

Tanev-Lowry-Armia

Dano-Matthias-Petan

Connor

Morrissey-Trouba

Enstrom-Byfuglien

Kulikov-Myers

Chiarot-Poolman

Earlier in the preseason, Maurice singled out Nikolaj Ehlers for his improvement on 'stops and starts' in the defensive zone. He said the 21-year-old's strides in that department made the line with Little and Laine possible.

"Bryan is a very quick player. But because Nik has come in and stopped and started, and done all the things defensively, I don't have to worry about the two of them," said Maurice. "Last year it was a lot for whoever played centre ice with (Laine and Ehlers), they had to cover off a lot of ice. With Nik's game, I don't think that puts undue burden on Bryan, and now there's that speed that line does need."

Little, who has played with the young duo before, says the added experience both Laine and Ehlers have in the defensive zone benefits him as a centre.

"A year's experience in the league is huge, especially when you're that young. I've went through that. It took me a few years to really get comfortable," said Little. "These guys are really mature for their age. Even playing with them in exhibition, I felt like they turned it up a notch and improved more on the defensive game than last year.

"I expect them to take another step forward this year and use that experience from last year."

ICE CHIPS Andrew Copp (lower-body) and Matt Hendricks (lower-body) didn't take part in Monday's practice at Bell MTS Place. Maurice said the veteran Hendricks will start the season on injured reserve, but listed him as day-to-day. As for Copp, Maurice said the team will have a better idea of his status tomorrow.