Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/five-keys-for-jets-in-seasons-second- half-469431403.html

Five keys for Jets in season's second half

By: Mike McIntyre

Are you having fun yet?

The Jets have given fans plenty to get excited about with an impressive first half of the season that has them on top of the tough Central Division at 26-13-7 and among the 's heavyweights.

With players enjoying their bye week, it's a good time to take stock of how they got where they are and where they're headed.

Sure, the Jets stumbled a bit last weekend with back-to-back regulation losses in Chicago and Minnesota, the latter a virtual no-show as they seemingly ran out of gas. But their overall body of work suggests it's nothing to get too concerned about, at least right now, provided this little blip doesn't become a trend.

"We won’t let it affect us. We’re playing too well," veteran winger Mathieu Perreault told the Free Press last weekend. "We’ve got some injuries right now that we’re battling with. The five days (off) can be good. Some of those guys that are hurt are going to have time to take care and be back after the break.

"We’ll just have a break here, get a rest and go right back to where we were."

Winnipeg has 36 games remaining on the schedule — and even a .500 showing in that span, which would mean a significant drop in play and production from what we've seen so far, should be enough to give locals a taste of playoff hockey for only the second time in the seven seasons since the NHL returned to town.

But plenty can happen between now and then and there is much work still be done; nobody hands out awards or plans parades in mid-January. So with that in mind, here are five key questions coming out of the break, along with a preview of some notable dates you might want to circle on the calendar.

1) Can they quickly return to form after a week at the beach? As tough as their recent road-heavy schedule has been, things don't immediately get any easier as the Jets try to return to the type of play that had been so successful prior to hitting the Windy City: a dominant power play, ferocious forechecking, balanced scoring and great goaltending. Winnipeg's first game back is Saturday afternoon against the red-hot Calgary Flames, winners of seven straight. They'll then fly home for a date with Vancouver the following night, before taking off for California, where games against the always-tough and Anaheim Ducks await. Four games in six days, three of them on the road, in three different time zones. Not exactly a walk in the park. They'll need more of the "survival" instincts coach has been preaching recently.

2) Can they keep making hay at home? Winnipeg has made Bell MTS Place a house of horrors for opponents thus far with a 16-3-1 record, the second-best home record in the league. And they'll play 20 of their final 32 games on home ice, including 10 in a row coming out of the All-Star break later this month. The Jets could make life a lot easier for themselves if they take advantage of that part of their schedule. They should be well-rested, with plenty of time for practice. The risk, of course, is complacency seeping into their game. What might look like a positive could go south if they don't stay focused.

3) Can they heal quickly and then stay healthy? We know Mark Scheifele is on the road to recovery, with a return likely slotted some time during February. The sooner the Jets can get their No. 1 centre back, the better. It looks like injuries that kept Adam Lowry, Brandon Tanev and, most recently, Shawn Matthias out of the lineup are of the short-term variety, with Maurice indicating all three could be back by the weekend. That leaves the health of goalie Steve Mason as the one outstanding issue. Was he just battling a bit of a bug last weekend, forcing him to return to the city early? Or is he experiencing more concussion-type symptoms? Michael Hutchinson, banished to the minors earlier this year where he has excelled, might end up being a bigger part of this year's fortunes than anyone could have imagined.

4) Can the young stars find another level? Connor Hellebuyck has been sensational and is a deserving All-Star. Patrik Laine has already sniped 20. Best buddy Nikolaj Ehlers is right behind him with 19. Rookie Kyle Connor is up to 15. Jacob Trouba and Josh Morrissey are logging huge minutes against the opponent's best every night. If some or all of these young stars can take another step in the second half, the Jets become an even more dangerous team, lightening the load for proven veterans such as , Bryan Little, Mathieu Perreault, Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers, to name a few.

5) Will they be active at the trade deadline? Kevin Cheveldayoff has a pile of salary cap space to work with. The Feb. 26 NHL trade deadline could be an interesting one around these parts. On one hand, perhaps you don't want to tinker too much with a roster that has produced some solid results to date. On the other hand, you can never have too much depth, especially if you are gearing up for what will hopefully be a long playoff run. Not to mention the unpredictability of injuries. There's the old saying, "go big or go home," and you wonder how much of a splash the Jets might make. If ever there was a year, this would seem to be it.

There are plenty of big games on the horizon that could go a long way to determining whether the Jets are true contenders or merely pretenders. Here’s our look at 10 of the key matchups ahead:

Saturday at Calgary: The Jets face a Flames team that has won seven straight. Both clubs are coming out of their bye week. Jan. 30 vs. Tampa Bay: Winnipeg kicks off a 10-game homestand by hosting the NHL's No. 1 team. What better way to make a statement to the rest of the league then with a good showing against the mighty Lightning? Feb. 23 at St. Louis and Feb. 24 at Dallas: Back-to-backs don't get much tougher than this. Will provide a big test for the Jets on the road, especially with every game so important in the Central Division. March 12 at Washington and March 13 at Nashville: Another pivotal stretch that wraps up a six- game road trip. After facing the dangerous Capitals, Winnipeg has to regroup to take on the powerful Predators the following night. March 18 vs. Dallas: Could be plenty on the line at this point of the year in their final meeting of the regular season. March 25 vs Nashville: Ditto. March 31 at Toronto: Laine vs. Matthews is always a treat. Throw in a Jets team looking to avenge a terrible opening-night loss to the Leafs and it could be a beauty. April 7 vs. Chicago: The last of three games in the final 3 1/2 weeks of the season against the Blackhawks. And the final game of the regular season. Could have major playoff implications. Will they have already punched their ticket? Do they need to win to get in? Stay tuned.

Bottom line: buckle up, Jets fans. It should be quite the wild ride ahead.

Winnipeg Sun http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/jets-should-add-depth-six-weeks-to- bolster-roster-via-trade

Jets should add depth: Six weeks to bolster roster via trade

By Ken Wiebe

Kevin Cheveldayoff has made a habit of keeping his cards close to the vest during his tenure as general manager of the .

Although Cheveldayoff has mostly made calculated and conservative moves when it comes to trades, might this be the year where he pushes a few more chips to the middle of the table and swings for the fences?

As the Jets enjoy the five-day break mandated by the collective bargaining agreement, Cheveldayoff and his staff now have fewer than six weeks until the arrival of the NHL trade deadline to decide which route to go.

With the Jets in first place in the Central Division with 59 points and 36 games to go, the options for consideration are different than they have been in the past.

One thing you can be sure of is that the Jets won’t be selling.

Their level of buying – and what they might be willing to pay – very much remains a mystery.

Thanks to a record of 26-13-7, the Jets are considered a legitimate contender in the Western Conference at this stage of the proceedings.

There’s plenty of hockey left to be played, but the Jets have only suffered one three-game losing skid this season (and that third game was an overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning), so they’d need to stumble badly in order to miss out on qualifying for the post-season for just the second time in seven seasons.

The Jets have more organizational depth at each position than they’ve had since the franchise relocated from Atlanta, but that should only encourage them to add a piece or two.

One of the things the Jets don’t have much of is playoff experience – and history has often shown a franchise needs to endure some post-season heartache before making a deep run.

The Jets/ franchise doesn’t have a single playoff victory yet, so adding a bit of experience while not sacrificing a great deal of the future is the challenge Cheveldayoff has as he searches for a dance partner.

Historically, the Jets haven’t dipped much into the rental market for players with expiring contracts and I wouldn’t expect that to change much this time around – unless the health of Steve Mason becomes a concern.

Mason was sent back to Winnipeg on the weekend because he wasn’t feeling well and the last time the Jets said he wasn’t feeling well was after he suffered a concussion.

If this turns out to be another concussion, it would be the second for Mason in fewer than two months.

Although Connor Hellebuyck is expected to carry the bulk of the load during the stretch drive, the Jets are going to need someone else to play some games.

With Mason’s availability in question, the Jets are expected to recall Michael Hutchinson later this week but it remains to be seen if they’re willing to go with Hutchinson for an extended period as the backup or if they would be in the market for someone else (most likely on an expiring contract).

How long is it going to take for first-line centre Mark Scheifele to return from the suspected shoulder injury that knocked him out of the lineup on Dec. 27?

The initial diagnosis was that Scheifele would miss six-to-eight weeks, but the arrival of the bye week and the All-star weekend later this month could cut into the number of games he’ll miss, provided the recovery goes smoothly.

Given his makeup, Scheifele will do everything in his power to get back as quickly as possible, but adding a scoring winger or even a centre to this group makes plenty of sense even once he’s back.

With the Ottawa Senators struggling after getting to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final last season, one player that immediately comes to mind is Derick Brassard.

Brassard, who has one more season beyond this one on a contract that carries an average annual value of $5 million, has 12 goals and 28 points in 48 games this season.

Brassard’s playoff pedigree should appeal to the Jets.

A gifted playmaker, Brassard has 22 goals and 55 points in 78 playoff games – the bulk of those coming with the New York Rangers, who advanced to the final in 2014 before losing to the Los Angeles Kings.

Although Brassard, who is 30, carries a substantial cap hit, his salary is $3.5 million for this season and next, so that could make acquiring him more appealing to teams like the Jets (and other potential suitors).

On the back end, the Jets are happy with the development of Tucker Poolman and Sami Niku and have Ben Chiarot as the seventh defencemen, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them bring in another experienced insurance policy for Toby Enstrom, who is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Making an in-season deal is never easy, but the Jets have some salary-cap space available to them, several prospects that shoulder garner interest and for the first time since 2011, they might be willing to part with a first-round pick, especially if it was closer to the bottom of those 31 selections.

That’s why the Jets should be more active than usual in the weeks leading up to the NHL trade deadline.

Global Winnipeg https://globalnews.ca/news/3966537/winnipeg-jets-will-benefit-from-league-mandated-break- university-professor/

Winnipeg Jets will benefit from league-mandated break: university professor

By Mitch Rosset Reporter/Anchor

WINNIPEG – No matter the line of work, everyone enjoys a little time off.

The Winnipeg Jets have taken a hockey holiday – five days away from the rink to rest, relax and reset.

“I think it’s nice to have a little bit of time,” defenceman Josh Morrissey told Jets TV.

Players have welcomed the bye week ever since it was mandated by the NHL last year. The league saw it as a way to break up the dog days of the 82-game season.

“At this point of the year, it really starts to turn up,” Morrissey said. “Those energy levels need to be at their peak.”

Both psychologically and physically.

“They’ve all got bumps and bruises at this time of year,” University of Winnipeg Kinesiology and Applied Health professor Glen Bergeron. “They’ve all got some pain somewhere they have to deal with.”

Bergeron believes even just a few days off can help heal hurt players. With a restored roster, the Jets will be prepared for a playoff push.

“I think down the stretch, it’s going to pay rewards,” Bergeron said.

“You’ll see people having less of those fatigue type injuries. It’s not a long time but it really makes a difference.”

The Jets’ first game back from their break is Saturday against the Calgary Flames.

Sportsnet.ca http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets-become-canadas-best-nhl-team/

How the Winnipeg Jets have become Canada’s best NHL team

By Mark Spector

In a season of surprises, from success in Vegas to disasters in Ottawa and Edmonton, we bring you the Winnipeg Jets — Canada’s best National Hockey League team.

That’s right. The patient, draft-and-develop, trade-averse Jets have finally arrived. They’re big, deep, and fast with goaltending, an excellent defence, and talent up front that for the most part is only going to mature and improve.

The Jets are in first place in the Central, despite the fact Mark Scheifele — their best player, though Blake Wheeler fans may argue — has been on injured reserve since Dec. 27. He could be out another month.

So it’s up to the captain Wheeler, having a career year at age 31, a fast-maturing Patrik Laine, and a focused Jacob Trouba to get this club to the finish line. Along with the rest of a lineup that is way deeper than most of us gave the Jets credit for when we were making our pre-season predictions.

What is suddenly making head coach Paul Maurice so smart, after many folks questioned why he got a new three-year deal heading into the season? The talent at his disposal, that’s what.

He’s never had horses like this — plus a goalie. Here are a few thoughts on what’s going right in Manitoba this winter, and why we’ll be there this spring for only the second time since the Jets’ return.

• It starts in with goaltender Connor Hellebuyck‘s coming of age.

After a 2016-17 season in which a less consistent Hellebuyck gave Winnipeg a .907 save percentage, Jets management went out and signed Chris Mason. Do you think it was GM Kevin Cheveldayoff’s plan to have a $4.1 million backup this year and next? Yeah, me neither. Mason started the first two games of the season. Then Hellebuyck went in for Game 3 and hasn’t given the net back.

Hellebuyck has 35 starts this season and just six regulation losses. Six! Goaltending like that does a Stanley Cup contender make.

• Like almost every bottom-dwelling team that finds success, the Jets’ climb is based more on keeping pucks put of their own net as much shooting it into opponents’ goals.

Last season Winnipeg raked 27th in goals allowed. This season it sits 12th in goals-against per game (2.74) and is on pace to cut 30 goals-against off its total. It’s simple math: better team defence, a better defensive corps, better goaltending and a better kill — from 26th to 17th — makes for a better team.

• Offence doesn’t hurt, however, and Winnipeg’s power play has improved from 16th last year to second-best in the NHL today. The Jets are one of just five teams that have six players with 10 or more goals (the Lightning, Penguins, Blackhawks and Hurricanes were the others at the time of this writing). Laine looks like he’s good for another 35-goal season, and lightning-fast Nikolaj Ehlers is headed for another 60-plus point season.

More goals scored and less goals against makes for a path to success that is pretty easy to figure out.

• The blue line: Trouba and Josh Morrissey have settled into the Jets shutdown pairing all year — two young players developed in-house. Big Tyler Myers has been healthy this season — the Jets only played one period of hockey with their Top 6 D-men last season — and Dmitry Kulikov may finally have found a home on Myers’ flank, turning in a solid, plus-4 season in Winnipeg after going minus-26 in only 47 games with Buffalo last season. Which brings us to Dustin Byfuglien…

• Big Buff has always been a risk-and-reward player, and in the past the Jets had to roll the dice and play him a ton. Sure, he still leads the Jets in average ice time at 23:21 this season, but that’s a full four minutes less than the 27:26 he averaged in ’16-17.

The point is, the Jets are a deeper, better team that doesn’t have to run Byfuglien out for nearly half the hockey game. And he’s likely a better player at 23 minutes than 27, asked to take a few less risks and concentrate on being a sound defender.

One senses a passing of the torch here. That this isn’t Byfuglien’s team anymore. It’s more like Wheeler’s team now, soon to be Scheifele’s.

• Matt Hendricks. As a Minnesota guy, we’re betting that if there any waters to be smoothed over in the “reshaping Byfuglien” department, Hendricks is quietly brokering that transition. He is one of the solid leaders coming off the fourth line in the game today, and with Wheeler and Byfuglien both Minnesota natives, Hendricks speaks their language.

Meanwhile, with Hendricks in town the Jets penalty kill has moved from 26th last season to 17th this year. And it’s not like they are taking any less penalties. A Winnipeg team that was fourth in the NHL in minor penalties last season sits in sixth place this season, on pace for almost an identical number of minor penalties called against them.

TSN.ca https://www.tsn.ca/talent/tradecentre-western-conference-needs-wants-wishes-1.969408

TradeCentre: Western Conference needs, wants, wishes

By Frank Seravalli

Just less than six weeks remain until the NHL’s trade deadline, so here is a look at each Western Conference team’s needs, wants and wishes:

WINNIPEG Top priority: Impact centre Scoop: Kevin Cheveldayoff has made a league-low four trades since he last beefed up the Jets’ roster for a playoff run four seasons ago. But word is Winnipeg doing due diligence on a potential impact centre that would bolster the Jets for potential postseason matchups against Nashville or St. Louis in a significant way once Mark Scheifele returns.

TSN 1290 (AUDIO LINKS) https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/wiebe-jets-best-chances-for-a-deep-run-are-this-year- and-next-1.970123

Wiebe: Jets best chances for a deep run are this year and next

Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun joins Andrew Paterson and Rick Ralph on the Afternoon Ride. They discuss the Vikings miracle win vs. New Orleans, players the Jets should target at the trade deadline, if Jack Roslovic has earned a permanent spot on the Jets, the possibility of Blake Wheeler staying at center and the Jets championship window. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/seravalli-jets-would-like-to-acquire-an-impact-centre- 1.970114

Seravalli: Jets would like to acquire an impact centre

TSN Sr. Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli joins the Afternoon Ride and discusses the Winnipeg Jets needs leading up to the trade deadline. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/ates-jets-have-a-unique-number-of-value-contracts- 1.970110

Ates: Jets have a unique number of value contracts

Murat Ates of The Athletic joins Andrew Paterson and Rick Ralph on the Afternoon Ride. They discuss the number of value contracts currently on the Winnipeg Jets roster, how the team should approach the trade deadline and why the window to go for a Stanley Cup is sooner than later. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/cullen-good-but-not-mvp-season-for-wheeler-1.969704

Cullen: Good, but not MVP season for Wheeler

TSN analytics expert Scott Cullen joined host Kevin Olszewski to break down the numbers around the NHL, if Blake Wheeler is an MVP candidate and the play of this season's rookie class. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/campbell-jets-have-addressed-areas-that-needed- improvement-1.968898

Campbell: Jets have addressed areas that needed improvement

Former Winnipeg Jets 1.0 defenceman and current Winnipeg Free Press contributor Scott Campbell discusses the Winnipeg Jets performance at the player break, Wheeler's move to centre, how much credit Paul Maurice deserves for the Jets success, and the number of young stars on the team. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/billeck-jets-road-losses-not-concerning-1.968631

Billeck: Jets road losses not concerning

Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun joined host Kevin Olszewski to re-cap back to back losses for the Winnipeg Jets heading into a five day break. The two discussed what the Jets can do moving forward. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/johnston-hutchinson-and-comrie-make-the-whole-team- better-1.968599

Johnston: Hutchinson and Comrie make the whole team better

Manitoba Moose assistant coach Marty Johnston joined host Kevin Olszewski on the Donvito Roundtable to talk about the recent home-stand and the play of goaltenders Michael Hutchinson and Eric Comrie so far this season. www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/robinson-enjoying-breakout-year-with-first-place-moose/c- 295000466

Robinson enjoying breakout year with first-place Moose Six-foot-six winger signed with Jets in off-season, leads AHL affiliate with career- high 18 goals by Ryan Dittrick @ryandittrick / WinnipegJets.com

WINNIPEG - When he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Winnipeg Jets back on Jul. 1, Buddy Robinson was starting a new chapter with a renewed sense of confidence.

After all, it was around this time last year when the undrafted, then-25-year-old wasn't sure where the story was headed next.

It was the halfway point of his fourth year with the Ottawa Senators' affiliate in Binghamton, New York. Robinson was having a fine year focusing on his defensive game, but was just never able to break out offensively and become what he believed he could be at this level.

With the B-Sens well on their way to last-place finish in the AHL's North Division, a mid-season trade changed everything; and without a contract beyond what was left in the present campaign, he had to make the most of the opportunity in front of him.

Robinson played the final 33 games with the San Jose Sharks' top affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, scoring 10 goals and 19 points before playing a key role in helping the club reach the Western Conference Final in the AHL's Playoffs.

In 15 games that spring, he was the team's third-highest scoring forward with four goals and nine points. Now a member of the and leading the way as the team's top goal- scorer, Robinson has found that next gear as a reliable, one-two punch up front.

"It's just confidence. I'm playing well, but I've got to give a lot of credit to my teammates and to the coaching staff. The coaches have put me out there in every situation and have given me a long leash, and I'm going out there and am a confidence player [because of it]," Robinson said.

With a career-high 18 goals and 35 points, and with half the year left to play, confidence - clearly - goes a long way.

A little know-how never hurts, either.

"The playoff experience is a whole new game when you get to the later stages of the season, and it was huge for my career to experience that," Robinson said. "It was definitely a boost to my career and with that experience coming here, I'm just trying to keep it going, keep on learning, and pass (that experience) on to some of the younger guys here as we get later in the season."

The 6-foot-6, 232-pound winger is every bit the frightening, physical menace you'd expect of a man his size. But what separates Robinson from players of a similar build is the combination of hands, a high hockey IQ and quickness like no other on this already speedy Moose roster.

"I always knew I had the offensive ability in me," Robinson said. "In the first part of my career, I was really focused on the defensive part of the game and being a responsible player in all three zones."

The offensive side is simply a bonus considering how well the rest of his game has rounded out and contributed to the Moose's 26-8-3-2 record so far this year.

"I like his stick, I like his size, I like his reads," raved Moose Head Coach Pascal Vincent when asked about Robinson's value to his first-place club. "He's a very positive guy and on the bench, he's a student of the game. .. He's got tremendous experience, and he's pretty much mistake- free. He and [25-year-old right winger] Cam Maclise, they just run the system textbook.

"For him to perform the way he's performing right now and putting up points, it's because he's playing extremely well defensively. If he's on the ice and we don't have the puck, we'll get it back. Quick. Just because of his ability, his size and his reads. He's been a huge positive player for us so far."

Whether it's enough to one day make an impression with the parent club remains to be seen. Either way, his value to the organization in helping foster a winning culture down on the farm is undeniable.

"The team's been fun, the coaches are great - there's just a good vibe around the room right now," he said.

"Hopefully I can keep this thing rolling."

- Ryan Dittrick, WinnipegJets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/bye-week--mason-appleton-profile/t-277504582/c-56704403 (VIDEO LINK)

BYE WEEK | Mason Appleton Profile

JetsTV's Mitchell Clinton profiles Mason Appleton's first professional season in the AHL with the Jets' affiliate, the Manitoba Moose