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Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/the-winning-formula-on-and-off-the-ice- 448397353.html

Jets have legitimate in not-quite-as-tough Central

By: Scott Campbell

The Central Division is arguably the toughest one in the . It is perhaps also the most difficult to handicap.

I’ve gone over my preferred statistics. I've looked at some predictive models and I've waded through the lineups in an attempt to come to some conclusions about why I believe the Jets should make the this season.

I’ll start with the easy one, and toss the Avalanche onto the scrap heap after a brutal 48- 2016-17 season. I think they’ll improve, but not enough to threaten the other six teams.

The rest all have legitimate reasons to believe they’ll make the playoffs. Last season’s points are in brackets.

Minnesota Wild (106 points) They brought in , , Matt Cullen and to replace forwards , , and Christian Folin, defencemen and backup .

Rookie has won the backup job, but that could change.

They’ve taken a step back and will need a resurrection of Ennis’s play from years ago and Cullen to forget his age to help lessen the sting up front.

Their defence is top-heavy with and Ryan Suter. A second pairing of and Jonas Brodin should be OK.

Goaltender and rank in the top part of the league in their respective positions and they drive the boat.

Chicago Blackhawks (109 points) Notable additions are forwards , , Lance Bouma and Tom Wingels, along with defencemen and Jan Rutta.

They lost defencemen , , Trevor van Riemsdyk and along with forwards Artemi Panarin, Marian Hossa and Marcus Kruger and backup goalie .

That’s a lot of movement, and not for the better. The group’s younger players should move forward, and the 'Hawks are hoping for good things from dynamic rookie Alex DeBrincat.

Patrick Kane will still dominate and Saad may spark to a strong year.

The loss of Hjalmarsson is huge and overall the defence will have big problems with high- octane offensive teams such as the Jets. is still very good but his supporting cast has taken a nosedive.

They have a top goalie in and coach in , but the loss of backup Darling could prove costly.

Dallas Stars (79 points) They stepped up over the summer, adding goalie , forwards Alexander Radulov and Martin Hanzal and defenceman Marc Methot, and lost only forwards Patrick Sharp, Ales Hemsky and Cody Eakin.

The Stars have a group that should score a ton but their defence is still questionable.

If Bishop is healthy and close to his best and new head coach Ken Hitchcock can get the team to buy in on his defensive systems, they could easily win the Central.

If either of them fail, they could miss the playoffs. I have them in, but nothing will surprise me.

Nashville Predators (94 points) They added defenceman Alexei Emelin and forwards Nick Bonino and Scott Hartnell while losing sniper James Neal and .

With an overall decent group of forwards, it’s still the defence that holds this team together. They start the season with a very good out until the new year — a tough first test.

I’m not a fan, but the 35-year-old bounced back last year. Backup was excellent in 23 games, but that's a small sample.

Head coach has a good handle on this team, and while expectations are high in some areas, they still have a battle on their hands.

St. Louis Blues (99 points) They added forwards Brayden Schenn, Beau Bennett and former Jet Chris Thorburn. They got rid of Ryan Reeves, David Perron, Jori Lehtera and Nail Yakupov.

Schenn is a power-play monster, although playing with Vladimir Tarasenko might improve his even-strength numbers.

The forward group is decent but has lost one of its biggest hopes for internal growth, Robby Fabbri, for the season. Patrik Berglund and Zach Sanford are out for months.

They have two excellent defencemen in Alexander Pietrangelo and . The decline starts after them as age and mediocrity creeps into that group.

Goaltender went from roadkill early in the season to Superman from February on. He’s neither, and landing in the middle of that will be OK, but not good enough.

The Blues should join Colorado and miss the playoffs after many successful regular seasons. This puts the Jets in.

With my prediction of five Central teams in the post-season, the Pacific will get just three spots.

The expansion Las are out. The and Canucks are stuck in no-man’s land. The will jump ahead but not enough to challenge here.

I see the and Oilers at the top, but believe the elderly and the goalie-starved Flames are two more teams the Jets should beat to the finish line.

I didn’t list my five Central playoff teams in a projected order of finish because I’ve flipped them around many times while going through this process. Every team has a story that could propel them to the top, including the Jets. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them land in the middle here. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/mason-laying-a-solid-new-foundation- 448571793.html

Mason laying a solid new foundation Veteran netminder a total pro in eyes of coach, teammates

By: Jason Bell

Steve Mason’s comfort level with an unfamiliar city, new organization and different goaltending partner rises more and more with each passing day.

The veteran netminder says he did his due diligence before agreeing to a two-year contract with the over the summer, but has already soaked up a great deal of knowledge about the men he’ll go to battle with during the 2017-18 NHL season.

The premier players on the Central Division club’s roster didn’t get that way by accident, Mason said Thursday, following a skate at Bell MTS Iceplex.

"The best players are the best players for a reason," he said. "Right from Day 1, I was extremely impressed with the work ethic of the top guys, and I think that has a trickle-down effect on other players in the organization. When you see your captain (), your top scorer () and scorer () putting in extra work before and after practice, that has a huge impact — without (them) having to say anything — on the younger players. That’s what you want to see in an organization... that’s something to learn from, for sure."

Mason, 29, who has played in a pair of games during the pre-season, will get the start against the host on Saturday night.

Heading into his 10th season, Mason was signed as a free agent July 1 to take over the top job with the Jets. had an up-and-down 2016-17 season in his first go as a starter and will serve as his backup.

The former Calder Trophy winner as NHL rookie of the year (2009 with the ) — who left the after five seasons — said he’s enjoying his new surroundings and teammates.

"The first day there was some nerves and a bit of anxiousness... it was such an easy transition to feel comfortable in the locker room and that’s important. It didn’t take long for me to feel at home here," Mason said. "It’s an extremely tight group. The guys were extremely welcoming.

"We’ve understood the importance of this camp, treating every day as a work day and making sure we’re trying to get better."

Mason stopped 21 of 24 shots against Edmonton on Sept. 20 as the Oilers posted a 4-1 road victory; earlier this week, he turned aside 26 of 28 Flames’ drives — shutting down the visitors through the final 40 minutes — as the Jets posted a 5-2 win at home.

He feels like he’s rounding into form, he said.

"Especially the last period-and-a-half of my last game, I started to feel a little bit more into a rhythm," Mason said. "Exhibition games are sometimes difficult because you’re not always facing shooters that you’re familiar with and there’s not always constant momentum and sometimes you’re standing around a little bit, but for the most part I’m getting into a rhythm, which is what I want."

He’s also developing a solid bond with Hellebuyck.

"I think it’s great. We’ve had a pretty easy transition into having a friendship and, more importantly, a good partnership here. I’ve been impressed with the way he works and the way he handles himself every day," Mason said.

In the past, Winnipeg hasn’t had the benefit of a netminder who can effectively handle and move the puck. Mason brings that skill set to the club, but with it comes a period of adjustment for his blue-liners.

"He’s a really good puckhandler, so that’s been something that we’ve been working on and getting that chemistry. There’s a learning curve. It’s kind of like playing with a new D-partner," said defenceman Josh Morrissey, beginning just his second full season in the NHL.

"Maybe I skate back for a puck differently than () does, or when we’re calling a goalie-to-D pass, potentially I open up a little bit differently than Buff does... you do a lot of talking about it at this time of the year so you’re on the same page."

Jets head coach said Mason, a product of Oakville, Ont., has been a total pro since his arrival.

"He gets here early, knows what he wants to work on, reads the game and he’s interacting with his defencemen and developing those relationships," he said.

"The game is really important to him and he doesn’t take it for granted. One more veteran guy that prepares well can really help the room."

Mason understands he’s considered a linchpin for the Jets to become legitimate challengers for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, Maurice said.

"More than most because he’s played behind teams that have needed him to be that good," said Maurice, in his 20th season as an NHL head coach. "We’re going to work real, real hard at having our game defensively look a little more like (Wednesday) night (a 5-3 victory over the ) in terms of what we give up.

"Our job in front of him is to give those guys (Mason and Hellebuyck) a chance to play at their peak and then we’re going to need them to (excel)."

NOTED ’s time to shine with the Winnipeg Jets isn’t now.

As expected, the Jets assigned the young goaltender to the AHL’s Moose on Thursday afternoon.

Left to defend Winnipeg’s crease is the duo of and Connor Hellebuyck.

Comrie, 22, appeared in 51 games (19-26-2) for Manitoba last season and will likely get a ton of work during the ‘17-18 AHL campaign. Michael Hutchinson and Jamie Phillips are vying for the backup position.

Comrie, a second-round selection (59th overall) at the 2013 NHL Draft and one of the organization’s top prospects, earned a chance to start for the Jets at the end of the season, making his NHL debut on April 6 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

He stopped 35 of 39 shots in a 5-4 win in the team’s final road game of year.

● ● ●

Winnipeg made no other training camp cuts Thursday and likely won’t until Sunday or Monday when the team has wrapped up its seven-game, pre-season schedule.

“For the most part, everybody will stay through the weekend,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said.

The final tune-up for the Jets is set for Saturday night in Calgary against the Flames.

Winnipeg still has 19 forwards and eight defencemen on its training camp roster.

A few players, such as Adam Lowry and , have been nursing minor injuries, but Maurice indicated the general health and wellness of the squad is sound.

“I’m expecting (by) Monday that we’ll have everybody full go,” he said.

● ● ●

After a decade in the league, there’s little that surprises Steve Mason anymore.

Patrik Laine’s shot might be one of those rare exceptions.

The veteran goalie faces shots from the tall, powerful Finnish forward during practice sessions at Bell MTS Iceplex and watches pucks fly with a lot more hostility to them during games, even during a banal pre-season.

“It’s more fun to watch him... when he cocks that stick back, he has a pretty damn good shot going there,” Mason said.

“Facing him every day, you have an appreciation for how quickly he gets it off but, more importantly, how accurate it is.

“Some of the shots that he gets off, even in practice, you think you have most of the net covered but he finds a way to put it either off the post and in or just inside the elbow of the crossbar-post area. It’s a special talent.”

— Bell https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/jets-send-comrie-down-to-guard-moose- net-448526493.html

Jets send Comrie down to guard Moose net

By: Jason Bell

As expected, the Jets assigned the young goaltender to the AHL's this afternoon.

Left to defend Winnipeg's crease are veteran Steve Mason, signed as a free agent July 1 to take over the top job with the Jets, and Connor Hellebuyck, who had an up-and-down 2016-17 season in his first go as a starter.

Comrie, 22, appeared in 51 games (19-26-2) for Manitoba last season and will likely get a ton of work this year. Michael Hutchinson, Jamie Phillips is also vying for work in the Moose net.

Comrie, one of the organization's top prospects, earned a chance to start for the Jets at the end of the season, making his NHL debut on April 6 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He stopped 35 of 39 shots in a 5-4 win in the team’s final road game of year.

Winnipeg made no other training-camp cuts today, and likely won't until Sunday or Monday when the team has completed its seven-game pre-season schedule.

"For the most part, everybody will stay through the weekend," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said following this morning's skate at the Bell MTS Iceplex.

The final tuneup for the Jets is set for Saturday night in Calgary against the Flames.

Winnipeg still has 19 forwards and eight defencemen on its training camp roster.

Maurice hinted Mason will get the start against the Flames, and several skaters still battling for jobs will dress.

A few players, including Adam Lowry and Joel Armia, have been nursing minor injuries, but Maurice said the general health and wellness of the squad is sound. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/manitoba-moose/winnipeg-born-d-man- proud-member-of-moose-with-big-league-dreams-448533993.html

Winnipeg-born D-man proud member of Moose with big-league dreams

By: Mike McIntyre

Peter Stoykewych is coming off his best pro season, one that saw him go from being a fringe player to a reliable, everyday player.

Now the Winnipeg-born defenceman is looking to take another big step as he continues to chase the dream of one day suiting up for a National Hockey League game.

"I'd love to play there at one point. And I'm going to give it everything I have," Stoykewych, 25, said Thursday following the fourth day of Manitoba Moose training camp. He's currently signed to an AHL-only deal but hopes another good year could open the door to a two-way contract.

Stoykewych played two seasons with the Winnipeg South Blues before heading to Colorado College, where he spent four productive years refining both his game and his education. He played his first full season in the AHL with the Moose in 2015-16, putting up seven assists in 47 games. But last year, Stoykewych dressed for 72 games and scored five goals and added 15 assists.

"I think the offensive side came from just being put in a position, being put on the ice more. I think a lot of it had to do with confidence. You learn the league a bit, you learn the players, you know when to take chances and when to sit back," he said.

Stoykewych credited some of the veteran blue-liners on last year's team, including Brian Strait and Kevin Czuczman, with helping his growth. Now he's seen as one of the veterans on this year's team, which is loaded with young prospects.

"I love being a part of this team. It's the team I grew up watching. It's something that I'm proud to be a part of," he said. "I think as a team we need to take a step forward. We need to make a push here and prove to the rest of the league, and to ourselves, that we're headed in the right direction here as an organization. Which I believe we are."

The Moose are taking their show on the road, setting up in North Dakota for a pair of weekend exhibition games that will help trim the herd.

A total of 28 players — 14 forwards, 11 defencemen and three goalies — made the quick bus trip south. The Moose will take on the Friday in Grand Forks, then play a rematch Saturday in Fargo.

Coach Pascal Vincent will then have to cut down his roster, which will grow some early next week when the Winnipeg Jets make final cuts before they open the NHL season Wednesday.

The Moose reduced their numbers Thursday, releasing six players who were on professional tryouts: Travis Brown, Cristiano DiGiacinto, Chase Harrison, Kameron Kielly, Alexandre Ranger and Michael Webster.

Unlike the NHL, there is no 23-man maximum roster size in the AHL. Vincent said it's possible he could start the year with a handful of extra healthy bodies around.

"That's the one thing we can take advantage of, we don't have a set . We can keep more players, but it also has an impact on our practices. You have too many bodies, you slow down the practice, you slow down your drills, not enough repetition," he said.

"So we want to bring the number to a number that is fair to practice that makes sense to us, but we're not going to make cuts if we feel the player can be an eventual player for us."

The regular-season begins next Friday in Grand Rapids.

Michael Hutchinson's demotion to the Moose was hardly a surprise. From the moment the Jets signed Steve Mason in the summer to take some of the workload and pressure off Connor Hellebuyck, it became clear there would be no room in the crease for him.

But Hutchinson is apparently not ready to share his thoughts on the move just yet, declining a pair of interview requests from the Free Press this week.

Vincent said Thursday it's a case of actions speaking louder than words — and he believes Hutchinson is ready to compete to get his career back on track. Of course, that could mean spending a lot of time on the bench watching Eric Comrie get the big share of the workload.

"Well it's an adjustment for him. He's been working hard all summer, he's in good shape. He's a very mature person, very intelligent. He's got a plan," Vincent said. "Like I tell all the players, I'm like a GPS in your car. You have a final destination, I'm there to assist you. And if you take a detour I'll try to take you back to the highway. Hutch, he's a smart kid, he'll be fine."

Buddy Robinson could be a big part of the equation if the Moose are to enjoy some success this season.

And we do mean big, as the 25-year-old forward stands six-foot-six and weighs in at more than 230 pounds. He's a proven player at this level and said Thursday he's anxious to show his new organization what he can do in game action.

"Looking forward to some games here, that's why we play. We want to go out there and get the season started," said Robinson. "Timing is everything. You just need to get your legs back under you, get back into a game pace and find chemistry with your teammates, knowing where guys are gonna be. It's a new system for myself this year on a new team."

Robinson got in four NHL games last year with the Ottawa Senators and put up 10 goals and nine assists in 33 AHL games with the .

Winnipeg Sun http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/09/28/is-pre-season-a-precursor-for-winnipeg-jets

Is pre-season a precursor for Winnipeg Jets?

BY PAUL FRIESEN, WINNIPEG SUN

Call it a rust remover, a tuneup, a weeding-out process – the NHL pre-season is all of that.

Some nights it's almost too painful to watch, as we wait for the games that matter.

The Winnipeg Jets will bring their silly season to a close in Calgary, Saturday, where a win would make it three in a row.

But would that mean anything for this team, going into the most critical season in its relatively brief history?

An informal survey of players suggests it might.

Or it might not.

History says it needn't -- but it could.

Let's start inside the room.

“In my experience it has nothing to do with the regular season,” Bryan Little said. “I think we had a pre-season in Atlanta where we were undefeated, 6-0 or something.

“If you go 6-0 you're just asking to lose a game pretty soon.”

But wait – captain Blake Wheeler says the pre-season can be a precursor of what's to come.

“There definitely is some connection,” Wheeler said. “It doesn't necessarily correlate in terms of wins and losses. Just generally, how you're playing... if you go into the regular-season kind of sluggish you're probably not going to get off to a very good start.”

Wheeler may or may not have been thinking about last season, when the Jets dropped their last two pre-season games by a combined score of 10-3, then won just two of their first five that mattered.

Or maybe he was recalling the year before, when the Jets won three in a row to end the exhibition schedule, then promptly won four of five.

“Once the pre-season's over you kind of put it in the trash,” Wheeler acknowledged. “So I can't remember much.”

Probably nobody remembers this, either: in 2013-14, the Jets lost five straight to end the pre- season, only to win the first two real games.

So why even delve into this?

If the Jets are to accomplish what most everyone from the players to the owner to the janitor is saying they need to this season – qualify for the Playoffs – then getting off to a good start is a must.

Nobody would know that better than the oldest, most experienced player on the team.

“I'm a huge believer in the way seasons start,” Matt Hendricks said. “The success you find early can really propel you into the regular season.”

Hendricks recalls a season in Colorado that saw the Avalanche, with rookie centres Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly, gain all kinds of confidence with a great pre-season, then finish second in the division and make the playoffs.

“Another season in Washington we might have won our first eight or nine in a row,” Hendricks recalled. “You need to use this time to prepare yourself... so when the puck drops, Game 1, you're playing your best hockey and your body's prepared, your head's prepared and you're ready to go.”

CRUNCH TIME These last few days could mean everything to a player on the bubble.

Head coach Paul Maurice says he won't make the final cuts until Sunday or Monday.

“I've got my pairs down, up front, the tandems we're looking at, at least three pairs of them done,” Maurice said. “And then the back end I've got a pretty good idea on seven of them.”

That seventh spot is likely between veteran Ben Chiarot and impressive rookie Tucker Poolman.

My money's on Poolman to at least start the season with the Jets.

CONFIDENCE RESTORED Among those clamouring for roles up front is Nic Petan, in his third year as a pro.

“Used to it,” a grinning Petan said of the stress of being on the bubble. “My camp's been going good, so far. And my game's on the right track. So I don't think I need to change anything.”

Petan says he's regained the confidence that was in tatters at the end of last season.

“You're not playing much and you're getting scratched, in and out of the lineup, and pucks aren't bouncing your way, goals aren't going in,” he explained. “It was a hard-working summer. A lot of work in the gym, a lot of work on the ice.”

Does he dare predict where he'll start the season?

“I don't,” he said. “I want to help this team make the playoffs. So I really hope I'm on it.”

HE'S NO BOB DYLAN He may have been the first American NHL player to speak out about his president, but Blake Wheeler has no interest in becoming the voice of his generation.

After Wheeler's much-publicized tweets criticizing Donald Trump and his subsequent comments to reporters early this week, a national magazine contacted the Jets and offered Wheeler a chance to write an op-ed piece.

The captain said no thanks: he'd said what he had to say on the matter.

BEHIND THE MASK Goalie Steve Mason says he's learned something about his new team over the last two weeks.

“I was extremely impressed with the work ethic of the top guys,” Mason said. “When you see your captain and your top scorer, your top goal-scorer, put in extra work before and after practice, that has a huge impact, without having to say anything, on the younger players.”

Another thing Mason's learned: Patrik Laine's shot is even better than he thought it was.

“When he cocks that stick back, it has a pretty damn good shot at going in,” Mason said. “Facing him every day you have an appreciation for, first of all, how quickly he gets it off, but more importantly how accurate it is. You think you have most of the net covered, but he finds a way to put it either off the post and in or just inside the elbow of the crossbar-post area.

“He's one in a million, really.”

The Jets got down to two goalies, Thursday, assigning Eric Comrie to the AHL's Manitoba Moose.

TSN.ca (VIDEO LINK) http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/jets-trending-upwards-along-with-everyone-else-in-the- central~1220704

Jets trending upwards along with everyone else in the Central

The Jets are on the rise in the Central Division but That's Hockey explains why their only problem is that all the other teams appear to be keeping pace.

TSN 1290 (AUDIO LINKS) http://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/cooper-jets-talent-nearly-on-par-with-blackhawks- 1.870267

Cooper: Jets talent nearly on-par with Blackhawks

ESPN’s Josh Cooper joins the Afternoon Ride to project the Winnipeg Jets upcoming season. Cooper says the individual players on the Jets make the team look a lot like the Blackhawks, but they’re missing an element to make Winnipeg a perennial playoff contender. http://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/kelly-scheifele-has-incredible-hockey-sense-1.870144

Kelly: Scheifele has incredible hockey sense

TSN 690 Hockey Analyst Mike Kelly speaks with Kevin Olszewski about Mark Scheifele's ability go generate high quality scoring chances in the slot, where he ranks among centres in the NHL and Blake Wheeler's passing skill. www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/camp--connor-hellebuyck/t-277437442/c-53006003

CAMP | Connor Hellebuyck

Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck on his training camp and his relationship with Steve Mason https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/camp--steve-mason/t-277437442/c-53005203

CAMP | Steve Mason

Goaltender Steve Mason on coming together as a team as they head into the regular season https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/camp--paul-maurice/t-277437442/c-53006203

CAMP | Paul Maurice

Head Coach Paul Maurice spoke to the media following practice out at BellMTS IcePlex https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/camp--working-together/t-277437442/c-53007603

CAMP | Working Together

JetsTV's Jamie Thomas reports on the relationship between Connor Hellebuyck and Steve Mason and the importance of their partnership