Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/nhl/wheeler-sounds-off-with-pro-athletes-on- trumps-controversial-comments-447238233.html

Wheeler sounds off with pro athletes on Trump's controversial comments

By: Mike McIntyre

EDMONTON — captain Blake Wheeler – never one to shy away from an on-ice battle — took the fight to Twitter on Saturday to speak out against U.S. president Donald Trump.

In the process, the Minnesota native appears to have gone where no other pro hockey player has publicly ventured to date.

Wheeler, who uses the handle @BiggieFunke, fired off a pair of short, pointed messages as part of an ongoing controversy between Trump and a growing chorus of other pro athletes.

"It's the First Amendment to our Constitution. The First one!!" Wheeler said in his first Tweet.

"Regardless of how it makes you feel individually, these are literally the principles the US was founded on. Come on, Mr. President," he typed moments later.

Wheeler’s comments appear to be mostly well-received through social media. As of Saturday evening, they had been "liked" more than 6,500 times and re-tweeted by other users almost 2,000 times. There were also a few hundred comments, with the majority being supportive of his position.

"I couldn't agree more! Guess I have a new NHLer to root for. Thank you for speaking up," said one user.

"Good for you to stand up for what is right regardless of the backlash you may receive. Proud to have you as Captain of our Jets!" wrote another.

But not everyone was on his side.

"Stick to hockey! Stay out of politics!" reads one of the few dozen negative replies.

Trump has come under fire for comments he made at a rally in Alabama on Friday, where he suggested National Football League players who protests during the national anthem should be "fired."

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a b— off the field right now. He is fired," Trump said.

The comments triggered an immediate backlash on a number of fronts. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell called them "divisive" in a statement, while the player’s association went even further in their reaction.

"We will never back down," NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith tweeted early Saturday morning. "We no longer can afford to stick to sports."

Trump, as he is prone to do, carried the matter over to Twitter. On Saturday morning, he took aim at Stephen Curry of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors by "uninviting" him to the White House for waffling on his invitation.

A slew of basketball players then jumped into the fray, with Lebron James calling the president a "bum" among other things.

Wheeler then weighed in, answering a question many had posed about whether a hockey player might ever enter the fray. It remains to be seen if others will now follow suit. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/oilers-grease-winless-jets- 447284003.html

Oilers grease winless Jets Winnipeg is painful to watch, but it's just the pre-season

By: Mike McIntyre

EDMONTON — Look, it’s still preseason hockey — a necessary evil this time of year that serves a purpose for coaches but can often be painful to watch for fans counting down the days until they start playing for keeps.

But we’ll give the Winnipeg Jets and this much: The two Western Conference squads came out with some fire in their bellies and some giddy-up in their steps Saturday in what began as a testy battle and turned into a rout.

After dropping a 6-2 decision, coach Paul Maurice has plenty to ponder. There was plenty of pugnacity, physicality, playmaking — not to mention a parade of penalties and even a touch of controversy — as his team seemed to recognize the urgency of the situation early in the game only to implode down the stretch.

"There was good jump in the game until we ran out of gas there a bit in the third," Maurice said following the loss, which puts Winnipeg at 0-3-1 through the preseason with three games remaining. Edmonton is a perfect 5-0-0.

Michael Spacek set the tone early, taking a healthy run at an Oilers blue-liner which ended with him making a loud splat into the boards.

Moments later, Spacek showed off the kind of hands which helped him score 30 last season with the Red Deer Rebels of the . With the Jets enjoying a power play Spacek used a nifty backhand to put the puck over the shoulder of Oilers goalie Cam Talbot

Nic Petan and Brendan Lemieux drew the helpers with Lemieux establishing the kind of solid net-front presence which the Jets would undoubtedly like to see more of. Lemieux was noticeable all game — more on that in a moment — and fired a team-best four shots.

Connor McDavid dressed for his second exhibition game of the year and came out flying. Jets defenceman Dmity Kulikov made a fine poke check midway through the opening period to halt a scoring chance for a streaking McDavid.

The Oilers tied it just before the halfway mark of the opening frame, as Matt Benning’s was tipped in front by Jussi Jokinen.

Just 17 seconds later, a turnover by Brandon Tanev quickly resulted in a pair of Oilers being left alone in front of Michael Hutchinson. Brad Malone finished it off for the easy .

Thing got chippy near the end of the period. JC Lipon took exception to a hit from Edmonton’s Jujhar Khaira and the two dropped their gloves, resulting in a lengthy, hard-hitting scrap.

The Jets earned themselves a five-on-three chance early in the second, but a Petan holding quickly negated it.

Lipon used his hands for good instead of evil midway through the second, banging in his own rebound to tie the game. It was yet another power play tally, the fifth so far for the Jets in their four pre-season contests. The bad news is they’re still searching for their first even-strength goal.

Dustin Byfuglien caught McDavid with a hard shoulder check near the end of the second that sent the superstar to the ice. Patrick Maroon, playing the role of bodyguard, came over to express his displeasure and was flagged for roughing.

Byfuglien seemed especially engaged Saturday, throwing four hits.

Khaira had a partial breakaway early in the third but rang it off the post while shorthanded. McDavid made no mistake moments later, turning defenceman Julian Melchiori inside-out and blowing by him, then sliding the puck past Hutchinson to put the Oilers ahead.

Tanev looked to have tied it with just over 13 minutes left in the third, but the goal was waved off due to a goalie interference penalty against Lemieux. Maurice challenged the call believing Lemieux was pushed into Talbot, but it was upheld after video review.

"I thought he had tried to stop a bit. There wasn’t a huge amount of contact," Maurice said of the call. "It’s a tough play, but that’s where he’s at in his career. He’s got to learn to get to that net just as hard, and then expect something, expect a body coming in and be real strong when that hit comes so he can stay off the goalie."

That marked a big turning point as Jesse Puljujärvi scored on the ensuing power play to make it 4-2. Malone then got his second of the game off a juicy Hutchinson rebound, and then Puljujärvi finished off the scoring with his second.

GREATEST HITS: The teams combined for 60 hits in the game.

HUTCH IN FLUX: Hutchinson, making his first appearance of the preseason, stopped 34 of 40 shots in going the distance. His fate is a bit unknown at this point, with Steve Mason and Connor Hellebuyck seemingly set in net for the Jets and Eric Comrie likely to get a majority of starts with the Moose. "He got a number of bad breaks around the net," said Maurice.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Penalties continued to be a storyline, with NHL officials being told to crack down on a number of infractions. Winnipeg went 2-for-7 with the extra man, while Edmonton was 1-for-6.

UP NEXT: The Jets are off today, but there could be news coming down the pipe about a number of cuts, especially with the Moose set to begin their training camp on Monday and in need of some warm bodies. Maurice said following Saturday’s game he’d like to get down to the range of 26-28 healthy skaters. Winnipeg returns to pre-season action by hosting Calgary on Monday night at Bell MTS Place.

Winnipeg Sun http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/09/23/wheeler-uses-twitter-to-express-frustration-with-trump

Wheeler uses Twitter to express frustration with Trump

BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN

EDMONTON – - Blake Wheeler has made it abundantly clear he usually prefers to stick to sports conversations and steer away from politics.

But after President Donald Trump made his latest claim that NFLers who kneel down during the national anthem should be fired, the Winnipeg Jets captain took to Twitter to express his disappointment.

“It's the First Amendment to our Constitution. The First one!!” Wheeler, an American citizen, wrote on his official account, @BiggieFunke on Saturday afternoon. “Regardless of how it makes you feel individually, these are literally the principles the US was founded on. Come on, Mr. President.”

These were Wheeler’s first Tweets since August 30, so his frustration is evident.

Wheeler wasn’t in the lineup on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers and isn't expected to speak on the subject until Monday, when the Jets return to practice.

There was plenty of push back to Trump’s comments on social media on Saturday.

Among them was the Golden State Warriors announcing in a statement they would forego their visit to the White House after Trump said he was withdrawing his invitation to Steph Curry. http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/09/24/jets-fall-to-oilers-axe-coming-to-roster

Jets fall to Oilers, axe coming to roster

BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN

WINNIPEG - EDMONTON — Sometime on Sunday afternoon, a number of Winnipeg Jets hopefuls will be checking out of the Last Chance Hotel.

Others are hoping they did enough to extend their stay.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice made it crystal clear that a number of cuts would be coming following Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.

That tilt represented a final opportunity to leave a lasting impression or make a mark.

Several players were able to reinforce their standing, while some will need to regroup after being placed on or being sent directly to training camp, which opens on Monday.

The Jets fell to 0-3-0-1 after the 6-2 loss and will take Sunday off, while the coaches and management team pare the group down significantly.

"A few guys made the case (to stick around)," Maurice said, noting he's hoping to get down to between 26 and 28 healthy bodies. "That's what this time is about. Wind yourself up to play the best you possibly can. They are going to be tough decisions, but the real tough ones come in a week."

During the final three pre-season games — including Monday’s home game against the — the Jets will be looking to primarily use guys who will be in the opening-game lineup against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 4.

The Jets lack of scoring to date is a subject that has garnered plenty of attention and it should, as they’ve now gone four games without producing an even-strength marker.

During an early power play on Saturday, the Jets had plenty of strong puck movement before Michael Spacek banged in a rebound on his backhand with the man-advantage at 4:51 of the first period.

The Oilers took advantage of a fortuitous bounce to even the score as Matt Benning’s point shot was tipped by Jesse Puljujarvi before caroming in off the back of Jussi Jokinen at 8:28.

Just 17 seconds later, the Oilers took advantage of a turnover by Brandon Tanev to take the lead as Brad Malone scored.

Jets winger JC Lipon evened the score just before the midway point of the second period, depositing his own rebound past Cam Talbot after the puck bounced awkwardly off the end boards.

Although Lipon is destined to return to the minors, he was more involved in this contest.

Prior to scoring, Lipon drew a minor penalty and then got into a spirited tilt with Oilers forward Jujhar Khaira.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid provided the go-ahead goal early in the third, accelerating past Julian Melchiori before stuffing the puck home.

The Jets thought they had tied the game, but the apparent marker was immediately waved off as Brendan Lemieux was given a goalie interference penalty.

Although replay appeared to show Lemieux was guided into Cam Talbot by Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse, the call on the ice was upheld after a video review.

"It's a fast game and it's hard to see," said Lemieux. "The ref doesn't always have the best angle. I felt I got pushed. But I'm not a ref, I'm a hockey player, so I'll leave that to them."

Instead of a tie game, the Oilers extended the lead with a power-play goal from Puljujarvi that put the game out of reach.

"It was close. I know (that) when I'm making that call," said Maurice. "I saw a replay where I thought (Lemieux) tried to stop a bit. There wasn't a huge amount of contact."

Spacek, who was making his Jets pre-season debut, took a tumble into the boards on his first shift when he appeared to lose an edge but he regrouped quickly and was able to showcase his soft hands and smarts throughout the contest.

His first pro season will be spent with the Moose, but he’s a prospect to keep an eye on moving forward and you can tell his time with the Red Deer Rebels has helped prepare him for the jump to the professional ranks.

When it comes to the quest to create a bit more offence, Jets left-winger had a few flashes early and was more dangerous than he’s been but remains without a point in three games.

On defence, the Jets got another strong game out of rookie pro Tucker Poolman, who continues to answer every challenge thrown his way.

And it’s not like the Jets were trying to shelter him either.

Playing on a pairing with Josh Morrissey, Poolman found himself out on the ice plenty against McDavid.

Maurice also gave the potential pairing of Dustin Byfuglien and Dmitry Kulikov a test drive and the results were mostly positive – though Kulikov lost his check (Malone) on a power play goal that made it 5-2.

Puljujarvi’s second of the contest rounded out the scoring.

Last but not least, Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson got the call in goal in what could be his only pre-season appearance and he gave up six goals on 40 shots against a superior Oilers lineup.

Hutchinson finds himself in an interesting predicament.

The arrival of Steve Mason leaves Hutchinson as both a valuable insurance policy and in some ways, a roadblock to the promotion of Jamie Phillips — who is ready for full-time duty in the AHL after being an ECHL All-star last season.

THREE STARS

1. Connor McDavid (Oilers) With the game tied in the third, the captain delivered the game-winning goal, added two assists.

2. Jesse Puljujarvi (Oilers) The fourth overall pick in 2016 scored a pair of goals and added an assist.

3. Michael Spacek (Jets) Scored a power-play goal on a nifty background and showed off his creativity. http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/09/23/comrie-pushing-for-more

Comrie pushing for more Jets top goalie prospect cherishes off-season experience

BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN

EDMONTON – - For some goalies, it would have been viewed as mostly a thankless job.

But when your country comes calling with the opportunity to serve as the third-string goalie for the 2017 IIHF World Men’s Hockey Championship, Eric Comrie wasn’t about to say no or suggest he had better things to do.

Even if the chances of him actually getting into game action once the event began was essentially in the slim-to-none range.

“It was a dream come true,” Comrie said during a break in the action at Winnipeg Jets training camp last week. “Putting on that Canadian sweater is something that has been such a fond moment for me. From U18, world junior and now the world championship, to be able to that was so incredible. I was so lucky to have that opportunity. It was such a great experience.”

Staying on the ice late for extra shots from NHL sharp-shooters isn’t for everyone.

But for Comrie, a tireless worker who enjoys the technical aspect of the position and is always looking for ways to improve, being able to work closely and bounce ideas off fellow goalies Calvin Pickard of Winnipeg and Chad Johnson was invaluable.

“Those goalies are unbelievable – they were such great guys and they really know the game well,” said Comrie, who earned a silver medal after Canada lost in a shootout to Sweden. “Bouncing ideas off of them, they were so receptive and so nice to me. Just like all goalies are. To be able to talk with them is something you can’t replace.”

Although some of his Team Canada teammates stuck around Europe to do some sight seeing after the tournament, Comrie didn’t have time for any rest and relaxation.

“I was gone long enough,” said Comrie, chosen in the second round (59th overall) by the Jets in 2013. “I didn’t play a lot of minutes out there, so I needed to get home, start training and really get ready for the season.

“It’s a big year for myself and I’m excited to get going.”

The Jets’ top goalie prospect is coming off a strong second season of professional hockey that saw him show once again he could handle the load of being a No. 1 guy in the minors.

While his numbers were pedestrian – Comrie was 19-26-2 with a 2.96 goals-against average and .907 save % in 51 AHL games last season – that’s only a part of the equation as the Jets’ top farm club suffered through another tough campaign and featured a pretty thin defence corps.

As a reward for his hard work, Comrie was recalled by the Jets in April and he made his NHL debut against the , turning aside 35 of 39 shots in a 5-4 victory.

“It was definitely a pretty surreal three weeks,” said Comrie. “Getting that NHL and going to the world championship, not many guys get to do that. It was something I was so fortunate to be able to do. It was a stepping-stone for the future. Another step to help you reach your goal.

“You take that experience, learn from it and move forward. Try to build to your game and build your confidence to really know that you can play.”

Comrie’s career arc is trending in the right direction, but he’ll need a bit more patience before realizing his goal of becoming a full-time NHLer.

With Steve Mason brought in by the Jets via free agency on a two-year contract to help shore up the goaltending position, Comrie is destined to return to the AHL for another season.

“I’m just trying to stay here (in training camp) as long as I can,” said Comrie. “A lot of parts of my game (improved). I’m rolling with the punches more, understanding the game more and living in the moment.”

Unless Michael Hutchinson is traded by the Jets or claimed off waivers by another NHL club, Comrie will have an experienced guy to share the crease with.

Jamie Phillips is also waiting in the wings and 2016 seventh-rounder Mikhail Berdin is heading back for a second season in the USHL, so the depth in goal is strong.

So is the competition for playing time, both in the NHL and the AHL levels.

Global Edmonton https://globalnews.ca/news/3765550/edmonton-oilers-explode-for-four-in-the-third-to-take-down- winnipeg-jets/

Edmonton Oilers explode for four in the third to take down Winnipeg Jets

By Reid Wilkins Radio Host

Jesse Puljujarvi scored two of the Edmonton Oilers four third period goals in a 6-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets Saturday night at .

The Oilers run their pre-season record to 5-0.

“Good game. The whole team played well,” Puljujarvi said. “A couple power play goals for me, that’s nice.”

Michael Spacek gave the Jets the lead with a power play goal 4:51 into the game. The Oilers replied less than four minutes later when Jussi Jokinen and Brad Malone bagged goals just 17 seconds apart.

In the second period, J.C. Lipon tied it when a shot took a funny bounce off the glass. With Cam Talbot looking the other way, Lipon tapped the puck home for a power play goal.

Puljujarvi helped give the Oilers the lead early in the third. He chipped a puck to a streaking Connor McDavid, who cut in from the right wing and beat Michael Hutchinson.

The goal came after Puljuarvi replaced Ryan Strome on the Oilers top line.

“A number of things,” explained Oilers head coach Todd McLellan on the reason for the switch. “All of the penalties took a number of players out of the game and Jessie was one of them. Two, I thought Ryan Strome had to get a little harder and a little more competitive. And three, we wanted to get Jesse going and obviously he had a bit of a spark there and worked well with Connor [McDavid].”

Puljujarvi scored from in tight on the power play about five minutes later to make it 4-2. Malone tallied his second of the game with 8:14 left when he slid home the rebound from a Caleb Jones shot.

Puljujarvi added another power play goal with 4:24 left.

“It was good for him,” said McDavid on playing with Puljujarvi. “He’s a young guy. Confidence is everything.

“Feeling like you belong in this league, knowing that you can compete against these guys and be successful. For any young guy that’s the true battle. Hopefully this gives him confidence.” The Oilers outshot the Jets 40-22, including 21-6 in the third. Talbot made 20 saves for the win in net.

After the game, the Oilers assigned Jones, Grayson Downing, Joey Laleggia, and Ryan Mantha to Bakersfield of the AHL. They also placed Mitch Callahan and Keegan Lowe on waivers for the purpose of assignment.

The Oilers will host Carolina on Monday.

Canadian Press http://www.tsn.ca/puljujarvi-strong-as-oilers-take-care-of-jets-1.865097

Puljujarvi strong as Oilers take care of Jets

By The Canadian Press

EDMONTON — Jesse Puljujarvi had two goals and an assist and Brad Malone also scored twice as the Edmonton Oilers remained perfect in pre-season play with a 6-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.

Jussi Jokinen and Connor McDavid also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 5-0 in exhibition action.

Michael Spacek and JC Lipon responded for the Jets (0-3-1), who dressed a far more inexperienced lineup than Edmonton's for the game.

The Jets started off the scoring five minutes into the first period as Spacek slipped a backhand shot past Oilers goalie Cam Talbot on a power play.

Edmonton quickly took the lead a few minutes later with goals just 17 seconds apart.

After Jokinen deftly tipped a Matt Benning point shot past Jets starter Michael Hutchinson, Malone was able to smack home a rebound in the crease to make it 2-1 for the home side.

The first period also featured a spirited fight between Oiler Jujar Khaira and Jet Lipon.

The Jets tied the game midway through the second period on another power-play goal, as Lipon took advantage of a weird bounce off of Talbot and slammed it into the net.

Edmonton regained the lead early in the third as Puljujarvi's touch pass sent McDavid in alone, and he undressed Hutchison to make it 3-2. Winnipeg appeared to have knotted it back up again, but had a goal disallowed on interference.

The Oilers scored on the resulting power play, as Puljujarvi lifted home a rebound in tight.

Edmonton made it 5-2 as Malone showed good hands in front to score his second of the game on a rebound.

Puljujarvi capped off a strong game with another power play goal with four minutes left, with McDavid picking up his second assist of the game.

Both teams return to action with home games on Monday, as the Oilers play host to the and the Jets return to Winnipeg to face the Calgary Flames.

Notes: The Oilers won the previous pre-season game against Winnipeg 4-1 last Wednesday, with the Jets having much closer to their NHL lineup for that game than the one in Edmonton… The Oilers won all three regular season games against Winnipeg last season.

Sportsnet.ca http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/jets-captain-blake-wheeler-calls-donald-trump-twitter/

Jets captain Blake Wheeler calls out Donald Trump on Twitter

By Sportsnet Staff

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler has called out U.S. President Donald Trump after his comments about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem.

Trump said on Friday that he believed any NFL player that kneeled during the national anthem is “ruining the game” and should be “fired.”

Wheeler, who is from Plymouth, Minn., is just the latest professional athlete to speak out against the U.S. president’s comments. LeBron James, Steph Curry and Richard Sherman are just some of the athletes who have spoken out so far.

CBS Sports https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/jets-blake-wheeler-joins-nfl-nba-criticism-of-trump-come- on-mr-president/

Jets' Blake Wheeler joins NFL, NBA criticism of Trump: 'Come on, Mr. President' The Winnipeg winger suggests Trump is going after 'the principles the U.S. was founded on'

By Cody Benjamin

President Donald Trump made headlines for his sports talk to start the weekend, first encouraging NFL owners to "fire" any players who protest social injustice by kneeling during national anthems, then on Saturday rescinding an invitation to visit the White House for Stephen Curry and the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.

Now, in response, from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell deeming Trump's words "divisive" to longtime face of the NBA LeBron James saying Trump is a "bum" and that Curry didn't want to visit him anyway, teams and athletes across professional sports have countered the president's statements.

That includes the NHL's Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets forward, who tweeted Saturday suggesting that Trump's statements were an attack on freedom of speech.

"It's the First Amendment to our Constitution. The first one!" Wheeler said. "Regardless of how it makes you feel individually, these are literally the principles the U.S. was founded on. Come on, Mr. President."

Tampa Bay Lightning forward J.T. Brown chimed in as well, retweeting Saturday three different criticisms of Trump, including James' comments and an earlier tweet from Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who said "the behavior of the President is unacceptable and needs to be addressed." Trump has not directly addressed the NHL, but Brown has previously been outspoken about athletes' freedom not to "stick to sports," especially when, as Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron tweeted Saturday, the president doesn't "stick to politics."

The 27-year-old right winger told ESPN in August that "if everybody stuck to what they're supposed to do, we wouldn't have made the strides we made to get to where we are." And those comments came just weeks after Brown donated $1,500 toward the relocation of a Confederate statue in downtown Tampa, an effort endorsed by the area's three major professional sports teams. In September 2016, the Lightning forward also questioned whether Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, in suggesting he would bench any player if they mimicked the national anthem demonstrations of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, would "only further prove Kap's point of oppression." . TSN.ca http://www.tsn.ca/jets-wheeler-chimes-in-on-trump-s-tweets-1.864943

Jets’ Wheeler chimes in on Trump’s tweets

By TSN.ca Staff

U.S. President Donald Trump came under criticism from many pro athletes and teams on Twitter Saturday and Winnipeg Jets’ captain Blake Wheeler was the first NHL player to chime in.

“It’s the First Amendment to our Constitution. The First one!!” the American-born Wheeler tweeted. “Regardless of how it makes you feel individually, these are literally the principles the US was founded on. Come on, Mr. President”.

Wheeler’s comments stemmed from tweets this morning made by the President of the United States, who doubled down on denouncing in-game protests by NFL players and withdrawing NBA star Stephen Curry's White House invitation.

His tweets drew immediate response from football and basketball stars and prompted Cleveland Cavaliers’ superstar LeBron James to call the President a "bum."

James took to Twitter Saturday evening to clarify his reasoning for tweeting what he did. "[President Trump] has tried to divide us once again ... and now it's now it's hit [closer to home] for me because he's using sports as the platform to try and divide us even more," James said in a video posted on The Uninterrupted's website and Twitter account. "It's not something I can stand for or something I can be quiet about."

The Golden State Warriors released a statement Saturday afternoon, expressing their disappointment with the remarks that President Trump made on Twitter.

The team added that if they are given an opportunity to still make the customary trip to the White House in February, they want to use it as a way to celebrate the positive values that the organization stands for.

The New England Patriots met with the President at the White House after they won the Super Bowl, but several players declined to attend. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Dave Molinari, the , who won their second-straight in June, will not turn down an invitation to the White House. Molinari added that a Penguins official said no player would be forced to attend the ceremony.

“The Pittsburgh Penguins would never turn down a visit to the White House and, if invited, we would go as a team,” team CEO/president David Morehouse said on June 13 in a prepared statement.

The only instance of a hockey player not attending the team’s trip to the White House was ’ goaltender Tim Thomas. He declined to accompany the team in 2011 when Barack Obama was President of the United States. www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/oilers-score-four-in-the-third-to-ground-jets-6-2/c-291306766

Oilers score four in the third to ground Jets 6-2 Michael Spacek and JC Lipon score for Winnipeg by Ryan Dittrick @ryandittrick / WinnipegJets.com

EDMONTON, AB - With cut-down day only hours away, Saturday's preseason game in Edmonton was the very last chance for many to leave their mark in the fight for a job.

Some did, and the Jets' head coach left Rogers Place with a clearer picture of how the coming days will unfold at the offices back Winnipeg.

Said Paul Maurice in his post-game press conference: "A few guys just made a case."

The Jets, who had 10 players with less than 50 games of NHL experience in tow, were right there with the Oilers for the first 40 until their veteran opponents flipped the switch in the final frame.

Connor McDavid broke a 2-2 tie at 2:21 of a four-goal third period as the Oilers went on to a 6-2 win over the Jets, who fall to 0-3-1 in the exhibition campaign.

On the winning goal, McDavid took a feed from Jesse Puljujarvi and showed great acceleration to drive wide past Julian Melchiori before making a nice move on the forehand and stuffing it home.

Puljujarvi put the Oilers up by two with a power-play goal at 7:03 and that was it for the Jets, who were unable to fight back. The PPG was the result of a Brendan Lemieux goaltender interference penalty that washed out Brandon Tanev's would-be tying goal just moments earlier.

"I thought there was a lot of good stuff to build on tonight," Lemieux said. "I thought of a lot of guys brought their A game and there are definitely some things to improve, but there were some good performances tonight that I'm sure the coaches are happy with.

"This is preseason and that's what this is about. We using this to build off stuff to take into the regular season."

Puljujarvi and Brad Malone added a couple of late goals to round out the scoring.

Michael Spacek and JC Lipon supplied the offence for Winnipeg, while Michael Hutchinson made 34 saves in the loss.

Lipon, in particular, had a strong night as he pushes for a spot, finishing with two shots, two takeaways and three hits in just over 10 minutes of puck-hounding ice time.

"I thought JC Lipon had a real strong game," Maurice said. "That's what this thing is all about. You line yourself up to play the best that you can. He made the most of tonight's game, anyway."

So did Tucker Poolman, who continues to impress in his first camp, playing 16:51 of solid defensive hockey that included some beautiful stick work when he broke up a McDavid 2-on-1 early in the first period.

"He's has a really strong camp," Maurice said. "He hasn't a dip, he hasn't had a lull. He came off the shoulder injury, went into Penticton and got into a game and that, I think, gave him the confidence that he could just relax and go. Right from Penticton on he's been really good."

For the third time in four games, the Jets opened the scoring with a power-play goal. On a jam play in front, Lemieux had his initial try turned aside, but stayed with it and made a slick pass over to Spacek, who chopped it home from a sharp angle past Oilers goalie Cam Talbot at 4:51.

Nic Petan drew the other assist for his first point of the preseason.

"I liked (the power play) the whole game," said Petan, who played wing on a line with Kyle Connor and . "It was really high intensity and we were moving the puck quick. It would have been nice to get a few more (goals). The thought process was right but the execution was lacking."

The Jets finished the night 2-for-7 with the man advantage.

It was a good start for the Jets, who outshot the Oilers 5-3 in the opening five minutes, but the Oilers fought back and scored twice in in 17 seconds to take a 2-1 lead before the 10-minute mark.

Jussi Jokinen struck first for the Oil, as he got a piece of Matt Benning's long point shot to even the score at 8:28. Then, off the ensuing faceoff, Brad Malone shoveled home a loose puck in tight after Hutchinson made a toe save off Kris Russell.

The Jets had a bounce-back middle frame and controlled the majority of play offensively. In doing so, they drew three penalties and just like it did earlier in the game, the extra man paid dividends.

Lipon took a beautiful stretch pass from Dustin Byfuglien, wheeled his way down the far side and rifled a shot on goal. The rebound careened off the end glass and Talbot no idea where it was, giving Lipon a free shot at the open cage as he raced in after the rebound.

"My first game was in Minnesota and after the summer your timing is off," Lipon said. "I definitely felt more comfortable tonight and I just tried to do something every night to get another game.

"To stick with them, that's pretty big motivation. It shows you can play with those guys and play at that level." https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/postgame--paul-maurice/t-277437442/c-52907503

POSTGAME | Paul Maurice

Winnipeg Jets Head Coach Paul Maurice on tonight's game in Edmonton https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/postgame--nic-petan/t-277437442/c-52907403

POSTGAME | Nic Petan

Nic Petan on tonight's game in Edmonton https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/postgame--brendan-lemieux/t-277437442/c-52906803

POSTGAME | Brendan Lemieux

Brendan Lemieux offers his comments following tonight's game. https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/postgame--jc-lipon/t-277437442/c-52906903

POSTGAME | JC Lipon

JC Lipon speaks to the media following tonight's loss