Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/jets-players-say-no-roster-additions- necessary-473270863.html

Jets players say no roster additions necessary

By: Mike McIntyre

They appear to be a legitimate playoff contender and have all the tools — namely salary-cap space and a deep prospect pool — to make a big splash at the trade deadline.

How active will the be?

General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will have plenty to consider between now and Feb. 26. His team occupies top spot in the ultra-competitive Central Division with a 32-13-9 record, and sits second in the Western Conference and third in the NHL in points.

They’ve done it, especially lately, with several key pieces out of the lineup.

Some are making their way back, beginning with the expected return of No. 1 centre when the Jets host the St. Louis Blues on Friday night.

The Jets had seven regulars on the sidelines in Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes, which ran their streak to eight games without a regulation defeat (6-0-2).

It is for that reason that several players said Wednesday they’d be comfortable if Cheveldayoff does nothing before the trade deadline.

"We’ve got so many guys here right now, with all the injuries. When these guys come back, we’ll have a boatload of players. I don’t know if we necessarily need to add players to our team," said .

The veteran forward offered up an interesting perspective on the issue, noting he was a part of several teams between 2009 and 2013 that dominated during the regular season and always tried to load up.

"I feel like we pretty much did that every year. We’d be the top team in the league, then go out and get somebody at the deadline and it never really worked out, from my experience anyways," said Perreault. "It’s not our call at all. We’ll see what happens. We like what we have here right now."

Goalie Connor Hellebuyck said he believes the team has the right ingredients to go on a lengthy run.

"I think we have the locker room to do it," said Hellebuyck. "I like the guys in this locker room. We’ve been winning with the guys in this locker room. I don’t get caught up in the GM stuff. I’m just here to do my job to the best of my ability."

In addition to Scheifele’s return, recovering forwards Adam Lowry, Matt Hendricks, and Shawn Matthias, Jacob Trouba and goalie Steve Mason are all expected to be options in the coming weeks. Their absences have allowed players such as , Jack Roslovic, Marko Dano, Nic Petan, , Ben Chiarot and to make contributions.

"Really out of my control, but we feel really comfortable with what we have in the room right now, I think. From the goaltenders to the defensive depth that we have to the forward depth that we’ve been able to show, too, I think we’re really comfortable with the group we have now," forward Andrew Copp said.

"Obviously, we know the position we’re in and adding pieces at the trade deadline is usually a part of (trying to get better), but we feel really comfortable with where we are. With that being said, if something did happen we’d obviously try and incorporate him and make him feel welcome," said Copp. "Totally out of our control in the room, but we’re really happy with what we have right now."

Winnipeg went 11-2-3 in 16 games without Scheifele. Ten of those games also had Lowry out with injury, and Winnipeg went 7-2-1 in that span. It’s a testament to the organization’s depth that they’ve thrived despite missing such pivotal centres.

"We have a great team here. No matter who went down, guys have stepped up and played awesome. That’s what a good team does," said Scheifele.

Does that mean status quo is the way to go?

"It’s not in our job description. We go out there and play, that’s our focus. We know we have a good team here, that’s obviously a positive. We just gotta continue to focus on playing our game and doing what we need to do to win," said Scheifele. "If there’s a player added, no matter what it is, we’re going to continue to play our game and continue to try and get points and make the playoffs." https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/scheifele-off-the-shelf-ready-for-game- action-473222233.html

Scheifele off the shelf, ready for game action

By: Mike McIntyre

Reunited — and it feels so good.

Mark Scheifele was all smiles following Wednesday's practice, as he slotted back into his familiar spot centring the Winnipeg Jets' No. 1 line. Scheifele is expected to make his return to the lineup Friday against the St. Louis Blues at Bell MTS Place.

Based on Wednesday's line rushes, it looks like he'll be flanked by sniper and Blake Wheeler.

"It was awesome to be back and get in some game-like reps," a champing-at-the-bit Scheifele said. "Obviously, being with Wheels feels really good.

"You can practise as much as you want, but nothing's like a real game."

The return of No. 55 will have a domino effect on the roster. Wheeler will go back to the right wing after holding down the centre position during Scheifele's 16-game absence following a shoulder injury on Dec. 27.

Rookie Jack Roslovic was dropped down to the fourth line Wednesday, skating with Nic Petan and Marko Dano. Brendan Lemieux, who was the other winger on that line in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes, was the extra forward at practice.

The other two lines remained intact at practice, with Bryan Little skating between Mathieu Perreault and Nikolaj Ehlers, and Andrew Copp centring Kyle Connor and .

"He's a great player, so we're really happy he's back," Perreault said of Scheifele's return.

The Jets have gone nearly two full months since their last regulation defeat on home ice and are an incredible 20-3-2 on the season at Bell MTS Place.

So, what's the secret to success?

"I like when we’re healthy how we can match with the other teams," coach Paul Maurice said after Tuesday's victory. "We have enough depth. We’ve got a good balance here of guys that can grind and certainly enough offence that we can score goals.

"It should be an advantage to (play at home), but in order to do that you have to have a certain structure in your lineup, and we’re closer to that, where we want to be with that structure, then any of my time here."

Winnipeg is now 9-0-1 in their last 10 home games, outscoring opponents 33-16 in that span. Their last regulation defeat came on Dec. 14 against the Chicago Blackhawks. The only other two regulation losses this season came in their first three home games of the season (Oct. 4 vs. Toronto and Oct. 17 vs. Columbus). That means they are 19-1-2 since then.

"For the most part, we’ve come out ready to go. Right off the hop. Just sticking to our game plan," said veteran defenceman Dustin Byfuglien. "We’ve been working on things, just to stay consistent and be ready for the long stretch down the road. We’ve been doing a good job at sticking to our program."

It took the Jets just 30 seconds to open the scoring Tuesday, the 32nd time in 54 games that they've lit the lamp before their opponents.

And that's been a major factor in the team's success, given the Jets are 25-1-6 when they get on the board first, and 7-12-3 when they don't. They have similar eye-popping stats when they hold a lead after the first period (19-1-2) and the second period (25-0-1). Winnipeg is 6-8-0 when trailing after the first, and 1-12-2 when down after two.

In other words, teams that give up the first or head into either intermission trailing the Jets are in big trouble this season.

Winnipeg Sun http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/coyote-ugly-jets-beat-phoenix-but-it-wasnt-pretty

Scheifele, Wheeler reunited

By Paul Friesen

Mark Scheifele was back between Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine at Jets practice on Wednesday, indicating Wheeler’s time at centre is likely over.

Scheifele is set to play his first game since a shoulder injury, Dec. 27, when the Jets host St. Louis.

The No. 1 centre got the feel of a real game a few times, even getting knocked down, compliments of some contact with defenceman Dustin Byfuglien.

“I should have went a little easier — I go up against Buff every time,” Scheifele said. “But it felt good to get those bumps. I haven’t been able to get into any of those game situations … that’s how you get used to it again. You can try to emulate it as much as you can in practice, but nothing’s like a hockey game.”

Based on practice, Brendan Lemieux could be the odd man out, with a fourth line consisting of Nic Petan between Marko Dano and rookie Jack Roslovic.

Roslovic, who had been skating with Wheeler and Laine, has three goals in his last five games.

TIME TO LIVEN UP Andrew Copp says the uneven effort against Arizona on Tuesday, extended off the ice.

“We weren’t as lively as we usually are, especially on the bench,” Copp said. “That’s something we need to clean up.”

It shouldn’t be hard against the rival Blues.

“Those in-division games, there’s maybe a bit more grind to them, a bit more intensity,” Copp said. “Just because we know what’s on the line, what’s at stake. It’s that time of year — everyone’s making their push.”

Copp stayed between Kyle Connor and Joel Armia in Wednesday’s skate.

OUCH UPDATE Defenceman Toby Enstrom missed Wednesday’s practice, but it could just be maintenance.

Head coach Paul Maurice got the day off from his media obligations, so there was no update on any injured players. http://winnipegsun.com/news/local-news/ehlers-dishes-out-an-assist-with-skip-the-dishes

Ehlers dishes out an assist with Skip The Dishes

By Scott Billeck

Melissa Ferens was shaking with excitement even before her Skip the Dishes delivery driver got off the elevator.

She had a bit of an inkling. Her driver’s name was simply, Nikolaj.

A few days before, Ferens saw a contest on Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers’ Instagram account. On a whim, she figured she’d enter. She pre-ordered some donuts from Oh Doughnuts just up the street, entered the promo code ‘Ehlers’ and hoped for the best.

On Wednesday, Winnipeg’s No. 27 was standing at the door of her office at the Regency Community Law Centre of Legal Aid Manitoba at 287 Broadway.

“I was shaking, it was amazing,” Ferens said. “He always seemed like a really nice guy and that proved true today.”

Ferens got more than just a chance meeting with her favourite player and the donuts she ordered. Ehlers made sure Ferens had seats for Sunday’s matinee matchup between the Jets and visiting .

Given it was a surprise visit from the winger, autographs were signed on the back of business cards. The lack of Jets attire to be signed left more time for selfies for Ferens and her colleagues.

A 3-2-1 countdown before a group picture was supposed to end on ‘Ehlers,’ but the 22-year-old was the only to say his name at the end of it.

“That was awkward,” Ehlers said, laughing.

Ferens didn’t care. She was smitten.

“I’ve always liked his enthusiasm for the game, it really comes through in his interviews and stuff like that, and I like how fast he is,” Ferens said. http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/if-it-aint-broke

If it ain't broke ...

By Paul Friesen

Ask a player about the NHL trade deadline and you usually get the standard answer about how those decisions are above their pay grade, they have no control over them, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Mathieu Perreault of the Winnipeg Jets feels the same way.

But Perreault, as is his wont to do, stepped outside the box a little bit, too, on Wednesday.

Asked about his team’s situation as the Feb. 26 deadline approaches, Perreault raised an interesting possibility that goes completely against the grain of today’s NHL.

“We’ve got so many guys here right now,” he said. “With all the injuries, when these guys come back we’ll have a boatload of players. So I don’t know if we necessarily need to add players to our team.”

That, of course, counters the general consensus.

You’re either a buyer or a seller at this time of year, the thinking goes, and the Jets should be at the head of the class of the former.

GM Kevin Cheveldayoff should be going hard after a player who can put his team’s Stanley Cup hopes over the top, they say. That means giving up a piece of the future: a top prospect or a high draft pick, often both.

But Perreault has been there and done that, and his fingers are still without a Cup ring.

“Thinking back to when I was in Washington, we did that pretty much every year,” Perreault said. “We were a top team in the league and then we’d go and get somebody at the deadline, and it never really worked out. From my experience, anyway.

“So we’ll see what happens here. We like what we have right now.”

Perreault was in Washington from 2009-10 to ’12-’13. Among the players the Caps acquired at those deadlines were forwards Martin Erat and Jason Arnott and defencemen Dennis Wideman and Joe Corvo.

The Erat deal is still seen as one of the worst in D.C. hockey history: the Caps gave up blue- chip prospect Filip Forsberg, to Nashville.

Of course, for every example like the one in Washington, there’s probably one where a last- minute deal did help put a team over the top.

But the point is the GM of a front-runner has to be mindful at this time of year not to over-think it. To not mess up the chemistry his team has worked so hard to create.

If your team has a weakness, fine, you address it.

The Jets will get No. 1 centre Mark Scheifele back when they host St. Louis, Friday.

When bottom-six centres Adam Lowry and Matt Hendricks return, along with defenceman Jacob Trouba – never mind role players like Brandon Tanev and Shawn Matthias – is there a glaring weakness in this roster?

“Our D corps is as strong as any other D corps, so I don’t see anything we should be changing there,” Perreault said. “Up front with Scheifs coming back, and then you’ve got Adam Lowry coming back – we have a bunch of guys. So I don’t really see the need. But if it happens, it happens.”

More injuries, of course, could change things.

Right now, though, Nik Ehlers doesn’t see the need, either.

“We’re doing really well — why change that?” Ehlers said. “That’s how we feel right now.”

This team just went 11-2-3 without Scheifele, which only the most blindly-optimistic would have predicted.

“It felt like we aren’t missing someone,” Ehlers said. “We’ve got a lot of depth in here. We have a lot of fun. The guys are amazing.”

I’m not a big fan of the whole rental-player concept. Yet, it’s been standard operating procedure in the NHL for years.

Maybe this close-knit bunch in the league’s smallest market should be the exception.

The popular opinion has the Jets in the market for a top-six forward.

I’d argue the backup goalie spot could use some attention, given the unsure status of Steve Mason and the apparent lack of faith in Michael Hutchinson.

But why mess with the second-place team in the Western Conference?

Only one man is in the pay grade to answer that.

The Athletic Winnipeg https://www.chrisd.ca/2018/02/06/dustin-byfugliens-goal-assist-lead-winnipeg-jets-past-arizona- coyotes-4-3/#.WnsidCXwZhE

How Winnipeg's new top line of Perreault-Little-Ehlers became a dominant trio

By Murat Ates

Since losing Mark Scheifele to injury on December 27, the Winnipeg Jets have the NHL's second-best record.

That Winnipeg is 11-2-3 in 16 games without its No. 1 centre is a testament to many factors. Goaltending, special teams, and puck luck have all played a role but, to me, the biggest reason for Winnipeg’s success has been the play of its new top line.

In Winnipeg’s 16 games since Scheifele’s injury, Bryan Little, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Mathieu Perreault have dominated possession at even strength, earning 60.7 per cent of the attempts, 64.3 per cent of high danger scoring chances, and 62.7 per cent of expected goals. Without Scheifele, these three players (and not Blake Wheeler) have led Jets forwards in even strength ice time per game (Wheeler is fourth.) They've also split tough minutes with Adam Lowry's line (when it was healthy) and, while doing so, have the highest relative Corsi of any line the Jets have iced all season long.

To put that relative Corsi stat another way: strictly in terms of shot attempts, Perreault/Little/Ehlers have been better than their teammates by a larger margin than any Jets line since opening night.

This week, I spoke to all three members of the line about their on-ice success.

“We’re three skilled players that can make plays (and) work hard,” Perreault said. “We feed off of each other. We’re a hard forechecking line. We’re not overly big but we can really skate.”

“We’re using our strengths and I think (the three of us) are a pretty good fit,” added Ehlers. “I can use my speed and (Perreault) has incredible hockey sense. He reads the game really well and can make some nice passes. Bryan is a great two-way centreman who cleans up when me and Perreault do something stupid. I think we complement each other really well and we’re trying to play a simple game every single game and create chances that way.”

One of the hallmarks of this line is its speed in transition. I asked Little to explain what the Jets do with their breakouts that leads to neutral zone success.

“There needs to be some kind of communication between the centremen and the wingers,” Little said. “Most of the time when it gets rimmed around, the wingers can’t see anything and they’ve got a defenceman coming down the boards. It’s up to both guys – the centreman talking to him and letting him know how much time he has – and the wingers working on picking the puck off the wall.

“That’s a tough play. I’ve played wing a bit and when that puck’s coming around the wall pretty hard and you’ve got a defenceman coming right down the wall… It’s something you’ve got to work on and it’s something you’ve got to work on with your centreman, too.”

Ehlers was quick to agree.

“One thing we’ve worked really hard on is communication. We haven’t talked enough together on the ice – you know, yelling for the puck and letting the guys know where we are – and it’s something we’re working on.”

If their communication is clear and everything works as it should, Winnipeg comes out of its zone with possession. More often than not, that means Jets fans experience the thrill of watching one of the fastest skaters in the NHL do what he does best.

I asked Ehlers what he looks for when he takes flight.

“I try to pick up a little bit of speed and then get the puck and go,” Ehlers said, as if dodging densely packed bodies in the neutral zone were an easy task. “I don’t have any special routes but we have our system that we play and I try to put that together.”

Little and Perreault are strong on the forecheck. Even with those two players on his line, is it important to get across the line with the puck instead of chipping it into the zone?

“Of course,” Ehlers said. “If you can get over the blueline with the puck instead of having to throw it down, that’s way better.”

Ehlers wasn't alone in his answer. After Tuesday night's 4-3 win over Arizona, Paul Maurice said, “I'm all for putting pucks in deep. I'd much rather we skated them in and did something with it.”

But with as many as five defenders waiting in the neutral zone, gaining the opposition's blueline isn't always easy.

“Teams are so good defensively and they’re right on top of you,” Little said. “You don’t get that many clean plays or set plays. You’re basically trying to get speed and get in behind their defencemen and get on the forecheck. Ideally, it would be nice to carry it in and do something clean off of it… Most of the time, there’s a guy right on you.”

Fortunately for Winnipeg, Ehlers is one of the NHL's very best at gaining the blueline with the puck. According to data gathered by Corey Sznajder and presented by CJ Turtoro, Ehlers is seventh in zone entries with possession per 60 minutes:

Of course, there are times when even Ehlers needs to dump it in.

“There’s going to be times where the D is a little too close and there’s five minutes left in the game, it’s 2-1, and you want to just get it down and try to get the puck back.”

That’s where Perreault comes in. I asked him what he focuses on when chasing down defenders on the forecheck.

“I feel like anticipation is a big part of this game,” Perreault said. “I try to read the game as much as I can to see where the other team might want to go with that puck. It comes with reading the play and getting real hard on the puck with my stick – I think I have a good stick, it helps with that. It comes with anticipation and a good stick.”

Being hard on the puck wasn't always a big part of his game.

“I worked over the years,” Perreault said. “If you go back to junior, I was more of a skilled guy. I had the puck on my stick and didn’t have to chase it as much.

“When I first got to the NHL, I was a fourth line guy with Washington. So I kind of learned how to play more of a grinding game. Being physical, trying to give body checks and get really hard on the puck. I just felt it made me a better player, playing that way. So I worked on that game and I've grown into that game. It’s my identity as a player. I just want to be the hardest working guy.”

Analytics wise, Perreault is unique – nearly every single one of his teammates is far better with him on the ice than without him. Here is a shot attempts visual which shows how well Perreault’s most common teammates do with him (their numbers in black) vs. how well they do without him (their numbers in red.)

The results are stunning:

At 5-on-5, every player that Perreault has been on the ice with for at least 64 minutes has generated more shot attempts with Perreault than without him. All except Patrik Laine have allowed fewer shot attempts with Perreault than without him.

Perreault cited former teammates (including Matt Hendricks, who he also played with in Washington) for helping him become a better player.

“At first, I was trying to make plays at the blueline and stuff like that and it wasn’t really working for me. So I kind of got told and I realized that when I was (forechecking well), it made me a better player. I figured if I can be a physical guy that plays really hard, I’d have more chance to get more ice time in this league. So I just worked on it and got good at it and here I am.”

Perreault's current home is on Winnipeg's top line where he's enjoying a great run of success. There are, however, some caveats to all of these good vibes.

For example, Perreault/Little/Ehlers are enjoying a .963 on-ice save percentage – markedly higher than Connor Hellebuyck’s season average of .932. Also, their incredible relative Corsi could be interpreted as a description of Winnipeg's injury trouble or an indictment of Winnipeg’s other lines.

It’s just that their possession numbers since Scheifele's injury are so superlatively good. For a trio to play above 60 per cent in all of shot attempts, high danger scoring chances, and expected goals percentage without being sheltered is simply elite. And it's not like we're dealing with small sample sizes either – they've played almost 200 5-on-5 minutes together in that stretch.

And, to cite a bit of bad luck affecting their numbers, Perreault/Little/Ehlers' 6.4 per cent on-ice shooting percentage at 5-on-5 is a little low compared to the league average of 7.6 per cent. They've scored eight goals at 5-on-5 in 16 games since Scheifele was injured but they could realistically be at nine or 10. Meanwhile, they've combined to score five power-play goals over that same stretch, bringing their total to nearly one goal per game.

It’s this kind of success that makes you hope Perreault, Little, and Ehlers stay together well after Scheifele returns to action against St. Louis on Friday night. If they do, Winnipeg will enjoy the luxury of two lines capable of “first” line production. https://theathletic.com/234447/2018/02/08/team-usas-jim-slater-how-i-got-ready-for-the- olympics/

Team USA's Jim Slater: How I got ready for the Olympics

By Jim Slater

It started in the summertime at my house in East Lansing and I don’t think my wife was too crazy about it. I’d take a black marker and write down on computer paper what I was playing for this season. Using hockey tape, I started putting these signs all over the house, with a simple reminder.

Team USA.

Make the Olympic team.

I’m big on positive affirmation. I believe if you see something and go over it in your mind, you’ll do it. So I made these signs. There were a few in my living room. One in my bathroom. One right in front of my bed.

They were also my artwork at my place in Switzerland. You have teammates or buddies come over and they look at it and rip you a little bit but they understand it’s important to mentally see it and focus.

When you go to the kitchen and you’re a little hungry, there’s a temptation to grab a bag of potato chips or a Snickers bar. Then you see the sign and grab a banana instead.

I did the same thing my senior year at Michigan State before I played for the Thrashers.

Play in the NHL.

Play in Atlanta.

It worked for me then and it worked for me now.

I woke up on the morning Dec. 27th with a text from the late Jim Johannson, who built our men’s Olympic hockey roster, telling me that I needed to call him back and that the news was good. It’s a text that changed everything for me and my family. Those signs all over the house came true.

I just had to get through my games in Switzerland without getting hurt, which is something that weighs heavily on the mind of hockey players in the games leading up to the Olympics. I can tell you exactly how many games I had to play between finding out I’d made the Team USA roster and the Olympic break: 12. The team I play for in Switzerland, HC Fribourg-Gotteron, was in the middle of the playoff hunt and that became my focus in those games. But in the back of my mind, it was 'Don’t get hurt. Don’t get hurt. Don’t get hurt.' You can’t play hockey that way, you have to do the little things that got you to that point. So you have to block that shot, you have to take a few cross checks, you have to get to the front of the net. But you’re hoping and praying nothing happens, because you have no time to recover before the Olympics.

The last game before the break was against Bern, the top team in the league. They had 12 guys going to the Olympics on their roster and they were thinking the same thing I was. All game, I was matched up against Mark Arcobello, who is also on the Team USA roster. Before the game, it was a bit of a nod and a 'Good luck out there.' But I’m sure he was thinking like I was thinking.

We both know that the moment you start making lazy plays, that’s when you get hurt. So it was an intense game. We won 3-2 in a game that felt like a playoff game. It was a great way to go into the break.

I spent the next couple days in the Black Forest region in Germany, right on Titisee Lake. I’d been in the region before and fell in love with it. It’s a beautiful part of the world and I just wanted to take a step back from our season in Switzerland. I wanted to push that to the side and switch my focus to Team USA.

Tony Granato and the coaching staff has been sending us video clips of our systems that we’ll be using in the Olympics, so I used this time to really study them, to go over them in my head so I was completely prepared when I got there. I’m a visual guy, so it’s nice to see exactly what the coaches want – from the kill to the power play and all the different situations throughout the game. When you’re doing that, in that setting, I realized how truly lucky and blessed I am to make this team, to represent the country on this stage.

I returned to Switzerland, and bag-skated myself. I was on the ice mostly alone, just pushing. I have some good drills that I like to incorporate and at one point I had a teammate come out and feed me a few pucks just to get the feeling of the puck on my stick. But there was something special about being alone on that big sheet of ice, thinking about what’s ahead.

On Tuesday, I began the commute to South Korea. I got on the train at 3 p.m. for a 90-minute trip to Zurich. Then came a 7:45 p.m. flight that lasted 11 hours followed by another four hours on a bus. Somewhere in there was an eight-hour time change.

I listened to podcasts and watched some episodes of Designated Survivor on Netflix. I’m reading a book called Grit, by Angela Duckworth, that explores the power of passion and perseverance, about how people with grit often fail but always get back up and keep going.

Sometimes they end up in the Olympics.

I can’t wait for the opening ceremonies. One of the cool things about the Olympics is interacting with the other athletes, not just the Americans, but athletes from other countries. I bought a new phone just to make sure I had enough room for all the pictures and videos I’m going to take. My mom bought me a journal so I would write down a few memories along the way, too.

She did the same thing when I was 12 years old for a youth hockey tournament in Quebec. A couple years ago I went back and read everything I wrote as a kid and it was so great to relive those memories as they came flooding back. You remember exactly what you did on each day. You remember your roommates. I laughed because I was trying to be so cool and I wasn’t cool at all. I know in 20 years when I show my daughter the journal from these Olympics, she’ll be like, 'Dad, you were so cheesy.'

But I have to do it. Just like I had to write those signs.

In January, when I got back from Christmas break, I took them all down. It was no longer about making the team, it was about team success.

In my Switzerland apartment, I grabbed a black marker and started making new signs with just two words.

NHL Network https://www.nhl.com/video/nhl-now-glen-lafrenais/t-277774708/c-57413003

NHL Now: Glen Lafrenais

Jets manager of venue and event security Glen Lafrenais discusses living his dream; filling in at goalie during practice

TSN 1290 (AUDIO LINKS) https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/laine-it-s-my-job-to-be-open-and-shoot-the-puck-right- away-1.991534

Laine: It's my job to be open and shoot the puck right away

Winnipeg Jets forward Patrik Laine joins Andrew Paterson and Darrin Bauming on the Afternoon Ride. He discusses the difference between last season and this season, the Jets play at home this season, Blake Wheeler's transition to centre, Mark Scheifele's return on Friday and his friendship with Nikolaj Ehlers. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/beyak-jets-roster-will-get-a-boost-when-scheifele- returns-friday-1.991573

Beyak: Jets roster will get a boost when Scheifele returns Friday

Winnipeg Jets play-by-play voice Dennis Beyak joined Andrew Paterson and Darrin Bauming on the Afternoon Ride. They discussed the Jets extended homestand, Mark Scheifele’s return from injury on Friday vs. St. Louis, last night’s win vs. Arizona and Nic Petan’s play in his return. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/dreger-jets-are-on-the-right-path-1.991542

Dreger: Jets are on the right path

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger discusses the potential suspension to Alex Burrows for kneeing Taylor Hall, Ottawa's miserable season, how they'll approach the trade deadline, and what Kevin Cheveldayoff may do leading up to the trade deadline. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/billeck-jets-call-ups-injected-some-life-in-tuesday-win- 1.991291

Billeck: Jets call-ups injected some life in Tuesday win

NHL.com Winnipeg correspondent Scott Billeck joined host Kevin Olszewski to discuss Tuesday's Winnipeg Jets win over Arizona. www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/jets-get-back-to-work-after-extending-point-streak-to-eight/c- 295717810

Jets get back to work after extending point streak to eight Scheifele skates with Wheeler and Laine as return gets closer by Mitchell Clinton @MitchellClinton / WinnipegJets.com

WINNIPEG - Head coach Paul Maurice said yesterday that Mark Scheifele was cleared for full contact.

The 24-year-old Scheifele got exactly that at Wednesday's practice.

"I should have went a little easier, I went up against Buff every time," said Scheifele with a laugh. "It felt good to get those bumps. I haven't really been able to get into any of those game situations. When they're playing games, it's tough to get that game like grind. Every day I want to feel better and better, and more comfortable.

"I'm sure once you get back into game form, you start to feel that contact, and that's how you get used to it again."

Scheifele was reunited with Blake Wheeler during five-on-five drills today, with Patrik Laine occupying the left wing.

"It was awesome to be back getting in some more game-like reps. Being with Wheels feels really good," said Scheifele, who was proud of his team for putting up a record of 11-2-3 since Scheifele's injury on Dec. 27.

"We have a great team in here. No matter who has went down, guys have stepped up and played awesome."

The full line rushes looked like this, with Toby Enstrom not skating:

Laine-Scheifele-Wheeler

Perreault-Little-Ehlers

Connor-Copp-Armia

Dano-Petan-Roslovic

Morrissey-Myers

Poolman-Byfuglien

Chiarot-Kulikov

Adam Lowry, Matt Hendricks, and Brandon Tanev also didn't skate, joining Steve Mason, Jacob Trouba, and Shawn Matthias on the sidelines with injuries.

Trouba's is the only lower-body injury in the group, though his former teammate Andrew Copp nearly joined him at the end of the 4-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes last night.

Copp's lower body slammed into the end boards after an offensive chance late in the third period, and although he was slow to get up, he continued to play to help the Jets preserve the one-goal lead.

"It didn't feel good. I was a little sore this morning for sure, but nothing really wrong with it," Copp said following today's one-hour skate.

"It wasn't really a play where I feel like I would have gotten seriously hurt. But anytime you crash into the boards like that, it's a bit frightening. It's similar to what I had in preseason when I blocked that shot off the knee."

The 23-year-old Copp finished last night's game with 15:06 of ice time and one assist, moving the Jets to 20-3-2 on home ice this season, the best record in the NHL.

"We don't really look at it big picture like that. We kind of have to take it day by day and worry about the next opponent, which is St. Louis, and obviously a huge division game," said Copp. "Just because our record at home is good, it doesn't mean anything going into that game. We still have to perform and do all the little things right, and come away with two points."

Before they get to Winnipeg, the Blues host the Thursday night at Scottrade Center. St. Louis (32-20-3) won the first match-up of the season against the Jets, before Winnipeg picked up a win of their own on the back half of the back-to-back, home-and- home set.

At 32-13-9, the Jets have a six-point edge on the Blues in the Central Division standings, with one game in hand.

"They're a little different than they have been before, and so are we. It's such a fast game," said Copp.

"We know it's really tight, and we're trying to give ourselves a little bit of separation. It's that time of year. Everyone is making their push, and St. Louis knows they're chasing us right now. We know we're going to get their best, so we have to be ready to go." https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/sights--sounds--armed-forces/t-277437442/c-57473103

SIGHTS & SOUNDS | Armed Forces

A slo-mo look as Canadian Military personnel took in Tuesday's game on Canadian Armed Forces Night at Bell MTS Place https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/jetstv--reading-takes-flight/t-277437442/c-57465903

JETSTV | Reading Takes Flight

The Winnipeg Jets visited schools across Winnipeg and the surrounding area to read to students in support of 'I Love to Read Month'