sign in sign up
<<
Home , Blake Wheeler, Hockey Central, Milan Hejduk, Paul Stastny, Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/jets-weather-day-off-476202413.html

Jets weather day off

By: Mike McIntyre

NEW YORK, N.Y. — As days off go, this one was a bit of a dud.

Members of the Jets hoping to take in the sights and sounds of the Big Apple and surrounding area Wednesday, were instead greeting by a major late-winter storm that included pouring rain, heavy snow, thunder, lightning and the inevitable traffic mayhem and gridlock that comes with it.

Perhaps that was for the best, as it allowed for some rest and recovery that will be crucial down the stretch. It will be back to business today as the Jets hit the midway of their longest road trip of the season by facing the red-hot and his . After that it’s on to Philadelphia, Washington and Nashville.

Winnipeg seems locked in these days, winners of three straight games including Tuesday night’s 3-0 triumph over the at Madison Square Garden. They are comfortably in second place in the Central Division, six points ahead of the Wild but six points behind the Predators, who have won nine straight. It’s looking increasingly likely the Jets won’t just make the for only the second time in seven seasons, but that they’ll open up the spring dance at Bell MTS Place with home-ice advantage.

Ask any player about the key to consistency and they’ll talk about the importance of preparation. It’s clear this particular group has been ready at puck drop more nights than not, judging by their strong overall play this season.

The Free Press spoke with several Jets players in New York earlier this week, looking to gain some insight into what a typical game day looks like for them. After all, it’s no secret many professional athletes are creatures of habit, following a dedicated training and dietary schedule that allows for peak performance.

So just how rigorous are these guys with their routine?

Veteran was quick to confess that he used to be THAT guy — the player who had so many quirks that he began to lose track. When something would go well at night, he’d often try to repeat what he’d done in the day leading up to it, believing it contributed to his on-ice success.

"And then as the season progressed, I just found that you’re doing so many things by the end of the year you’ve got 10, 15 things that you have to do every day. You start getting tired," he said. "Your going to a gas station to pick up a Gatorade and it’s gotta be yellow. Next thing you know you’ve got seven things to do like that on game day and it wears you out."

Hendricks said he’s deliberately toned that down as he’s gotten older.

"My only superstition is to not be superstitious. I just try to get into a routine, something that I’m comfortable with," he said.

Defenceman said he’s seen some strange things during his time in the NHL. But nothing compares to his experience playing midget hockey.

"I had a teammate who had to spit in a garbage can 50 times. Exactly 50 times before games. If he would miss a couple he would have to go back and start over. That’s the worst I’ve seen," said Myers.

No such traditions for Myers, although the big blue liner said he is a "big nap guy" who needs as much afternoon shut-eye as possible. That can be a bit more challenging on the road like this week, as the visiting team always has their pre-game skate at 11:30 local time for a 7 p.m. start. At home it’s a 10:30 a.m. skate.

"I’m a long napper. Probably two hours plus. I know some guys are just like half-hour to an hour, that’s probably the short end. But I’ll nap as long as I can," said Myers. "But whether I have a good sleep or not, it doesn’t really affect me."

Rookie is still getting used to the daily demands of the big leagues and is thankful the team helps keep everyone on track with a detailed schedule. It includes bus departure and return times to the hotel, the meals they’ll be served and more.

"I’m not a superstitious guy by any means. You can probably catch a lot of superstitious guys in this locker room," said Roslovic, without naming the culprits.

"I’ll sometimes keep things the same if things go well. But I’m not too strict. We get a schedule like every game day, so I just follow the schedule for the most part. Just get a skate in, the night before I like to go to bed a little later than usual so I can get a nap in. I’m not a big napper, so you’ve got to really force that on yourself before the game," he said. "And just before the game I come to the rink pretty early, kinda walk around, hang out with the guys, talk about the game, talk about what we’re doing to do, just get the mind right."

Hendricks said eating well is probably the biggest factor, and that’s an area the organization makes simple.

"You want to get on some food that sits well with me all day and don’t really have any problems with. The way it’s set up with our meals, usually it’s the same kind of thing. It’s pretty easy for me, chicken and pasta, salad," he said. "I do like to get my rest on game days. But I don’t need a whole lot, I try to get enough at night. Half an hour to an hour, 90 minutes if you really can."

Myers said he’s learned to go with the flow, which means you won’t catch him hovering over a garbage can any time soon.

"I have a routine. but if I miss something I don’t freak out. But I know there’s some guys who are pretty strict on what they do. If I veer off course and do something different, I don’t get too worried about it," he said.

Winnipeg Sun http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/no-news-is-just-that-scheifele-status- still-unknown

No news is just that: Scheifele status still unknown

By Ken Wiebe

NEW YORK – There was no update on the status of on Wednesday, but the smart money is that he will miss at least one game with an upper-body injury.

Scheifele left Tuesday’s game with the New York Rangers late in the second period with a suspected issue with his right collarbone.

During the first period, Scheifele collided with linemate in the neutral zone.

Immediately after returning to the bench, Scheifele spent some time stretching out the right shoulder area but he was able to stay in the game until taking his final shift with 3:58 left in the second period.

Scheifele was on the receiving end of a couple of hard bodychecks in the contest and before Scheifele made his way to the dressing room, cameras caught him mouthing the words “collarbone” and “hard to breathe” to a member of the Jets medical staff.

Following the 3-0 victory, Jets head coach said he was “hopeful” but that he would know more on Wednesday. Maurice also noted the injury was not related to the upper-body issue (and suspected shoulder injury) that kept Scheifele out for 16 games earlier this season.

Since the Jets used Wednesday as a mandatory day off under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Maurice won’t provide an update until after Thursday’s morning skate.

The Jets face the New Jersey Devils on Thursday as they hit the midway point of this six-game road trip.

If Scheifele is unable to play on Thursday, look for to return to the lineup after missing the past 12 games (10 with injury and two as a healthy scratch) and for Wheeler to move back in the middle.

By posting three consecutive wins, the Jets improved to 40-17-9 for the season and are up to 89 points, which leaves them six behind the in the chase for top spot in the Central Division and six up on the third-place . http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/laine-excited-for-trip-to-finland

Stastny shines: Veteran centre immediately made Jets better

By Ken Wiebe

NEW YORK — The Winnipeg Jets had a good idea what they were getting when veteran centre was picked up prior to the NHL trade deadline.

Most people figured the stealth addition would strengthen the Jets down the middle and give them a set of centres that rivalled the top groups in the NHL.

Given that the trade came suddenly, it would have surprised no one if Stastny had needed a bit of time to get used to his new surroundings and linemates.

So far, that hasn’t been the case.

Stastny has made a seamless transition to the Jets lineup.

Not only did he pick up a and an assist in his debut with the Jets, he’s been riding shotgun as sniper has gone on a ridiculous run — piling up 13 goals and 19 points during a nine-game point streak.

Of course, the Laine streak started five games before Stastny’s arrival — but in the four games they’ve played together (with rounding out the trio), Laine has seven goals and 10 points.

“I knew he’d be a great fit on that line, it was just a matter of how soon it would take and it happened right off the bat,” said Jets Blake Wheeler. “He’s a really, really smart player. His biggest attribute is that his hockey IQ is through the roof. The two guys he’s playing with are guys that don’t have a ton of experience but have a ton of talent and he can kind of settle things down for them. If there’s a mistake made, he’s there to help them out, clean up the mess a little bit.

“And he’s a really gifted offensive player, has been for his entire career. So, you put him with two gifted offensive players and you’re going to see scoring chances. (Statsny) grew up in a hockey family, knows the game really well and is an awesome guy in the room. There couldn’t have been a better addition. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Laine didn’t need any help with his or release, but Stastny’s smarts and vision have created some additional looks for him.

“(Stastny) is an unbelievable player and he brings so much to the table, so it’s easy for me and (Ehlers) to play with him,” said Laine, whose team continues a six-game road trip on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils.

Right now, the Stastny line is making things look easy.

The speed of Ehlers, the smarts of Stastny and the finishing ability of Laine is a lethal combination.

Stastny used those smarts to create a little seam for Laine on his first of three goals against the New York Rangers on Tuesday, setting a subtle pick on the defender.

“This guy’s a great veteran pro. In watching him play, he does so many of the things that Ronny Francis would do,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice, who saw Francis up close when he was the bench boss of the . “(Stastny) has such a great understanding of what’s going on (out) on the ice, the adjustments the other teams are making and what’s happening around him. So he knows where (Laine) is. He didn’t step into the guy to interfere with him, he just held his lane and doesn’t take a , it’s a clean play. A really headsy player.”

With two goals and five points in four games since joining the Jets, Stastny is up to 14 goals and 56 points in 67 games this season.

“I’m a big believer in chemistry,” said Stastny. “They’re extremely gifted players and I’ve played with players like that, so I know what I’m doing. Defensively, sometimes I’ve got to talk to them a little bit more, but (the plan) is to get the puck and get it into their hands as quickly as I can and play that transition game.”

While Stastny is enjoying the time on the road to get to know his new linemates, he’s not ready to enter the video game competition that has fuelled the friendship for Laine and Ehlers.

“No, I haven’t done those since nine years ago. I’m staying away from that,” said Stastny. “I’ll let those guys play games and I’ll stick to Face Time with my family and watching sports with some of the other guys.”

As long as Stastny keeps getting them the puck, it’s a good bet Laine and Ehlers won’t hold not playing video games against him. http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/five-keys-to-jets-versus-devils

Five keys to Jets versus Devils

By Ken Wiebe

Winnipeg Jets at New Jersey Devils

6 pm CT, Prudential Center. TV: TSN3. Radio: TSN 1290

THE BIG MATCHUP

Josh Morrissey and vs Taylor Hall The Winnipeg Jets shutdown pairing has been thriving of late and they’ll be tasked with trying to keep the Devils left- in check. The first overall pick of the 2010 NHL Draft has emerged as a Hart Trophy candidate and has collected at least a point in 26 consecutive games, so he’s tough to contain.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Laine keeps scoring Jets sniper Patrik Laine is riding a nine-game point streak and he’s produced 13 goals and 19 points during that stretch. With 38 goals, Laine has moved into second place in the chase for the Rocket Richard Trophy behind Alex Ovechkin (40). The other big development for Laine is that after producing a good chunk of his early goals on the power play, 10 of those 13 during the streak have come at even strength (with one empty netter).

Filling the void Although the Jets didn’t practice or hold a media availability on Wednesday as they took the day off, centre Mark Scheifele isn’t expected to be in the lineup against the Devils after suffering an upper-body injury in an awkward collision with linemate Blake Wheeler on Tuesday. The severity of the injury isn’t known, but the Jets found a way to go 11-2-3 the last time Scheifele was sidelined, so they’ll look to draw on that experience in the immediate future.

Fitting right in Jets centre Paul Stastny hasn’t needed much time to fit in since being acquired in a deadline- deal with the St. Louis Blues. Stastny had the game-winning goal in Sunday’s 3-2 win over the and added an assist on Tuesday to give him two goals and five points in four games.

Chiarot streaking Jets has been playing well in his own zone recently, providing a physical presence and he’s also chipping in offensively. With a goal and four points, Chiarot is riding a four-game point streak (the longest of his career) and is up to one goal and 10 points in 41 games this season.

Rookies rolling The Devils are receiving a solid contribution from a trio of rookies. , the first overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, has come as advertised and is second in team scoring behind Taylor Hall, fellow forward Jesper Bratt is third in points and tied for fourth in goals, while defenceman Will Butcher has provided some offensive punch, recording 32 points (including 16 on the power play).

Sportsnet.ca https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/jets-wheeler-talks-trade-deadline-scheifele-filling-centre/

Jets’ Wheeler talks trade deadline, Scheifele, filling in at centre

BY Rory Boylen

With a 40-17-9 record, 89 standings points and a plus-48 goal differential, the Winnipeg Jets are the best Canadian NHL team by any measure. But on Wednesday, they are waiting for an injury update on top-line centre Mark Scheifele, who left Tuesday’s game against the Rangers early after colliding with teammate Blake Wheeler.

“It was a brutal play,” Wheeler said on Hockey Central at Noon. “I got lucky that he hit me higher on my leg. Anything lower and it could have been ugly for both of us.”

Losing a point-a-game pivot like Scheifele for an extended period at this point in the season would be a crushing blow for many teams, but the Jets are better positioned to absorb any potential loss than most. While having to play without their top centre would undoubtedly present a challenge, Winnipeg has faced it once already this season and weren’t slowed.

Scheifele was out between Dec. 27 and Feb. 9 with a suspected shoulder injury and missed 17 games, during which time the Jets motored along with a 11-3-3 record. In Scheifele’s absence, Wheeler was moved to his centre spot and posted 17 points mostly with Patrik Laine and on his wings.

But Wheeler said he was never worried about the offence slowing down when he moved to centre, rather the impact it would have on the team defence as a whole.

“It was definitely a change of mindset,” Wheeler said. “I was still playing with really good players at the end of the day … the offence wasn’t what I was worried about. What gave me anxiety was being able to play in my end and being effective on faceoffs — all those little things you don’t have to do as a winger. I didn’t want to go out there and get the doors blown off; because I’m playing centre we can’t stop anyone anymore. That’s what made me nervous.”

If Wheeler has to move back to centre again, he should take solace in how effective he was at both ends of the ice the last time he was put there. Sitting eighth in league scoring with 75 points in 66 games, three shy of matching a career high, Wheeler now finds himself in the Hart Trophy conversation. And while most of his case is built around the season-long production he’s enjoyed, his value to the team in Scheifele’s absence has given his MVP candidacy even more pop.

You could easily argue, too, that the Jets are even more prepared to deal with any potential Scheifele absence now than the were two months ago. GM made a big splash at the NHL trade deadline in acquiring Paul Stastny to centre the team’s “third line” between Laine and Nik Ehlers, giving them depth down the middle most teams would be envious of. Stastny has five points in four games since joining the Jets and has brought out an even more lethal Laine, who has scored seven goals in his past three games.

“I knew when we got him he was going to be a great fit for Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers,” Wheeler said. “Those guys have so much talent and so much raw ability I think he’s just a stabilizing force for the two of them. What makes ‘Stas’ a great player is his hockey IQ, it’s so high. Anything he can bring to the table for those two guys. He creates a ton of space with Patty — you’ve seen the goals Patty’s been scoring he has so much time and space with the puck in the slot.”

Wheeler’s MVP buzz is one of the more unexpected in a crowded 2017-18 class. Drafted fifth overall by the Coyotes in 2004, Wheeler went the USHL-NCAA route and left the in 2008 as an unsigned college free agent. He signed with the and stepped right into the NHL.

Although his NHL career started well with a 45-point rookie season, his point-per-game rates dropped and mid-way through his third year with the Bruins, they traded him to the Thrashers in a deal that landed Boston and Boris Valabik. He played 23 games in Atlanta before the franchise up and left for Winnipeg that summer and Wheeler says the trade was a turning point in his career.

“It started when I got traded from Boston. That kind of sent shockwaves through the system a little bit,” he said. “Watching that team go to win the was eye-opening. You’re so close to it and now you’re so far away from it. It forces you to look in the mirror a little bit, try to decide what kind of player you want to be, what kind of impact you want to have. … When I was traded to Atlanta and on to Winnipeg I was given a great opportunity, playing a ton of minutes, playing with good players, so it was on me to try and take that next step.”

Wheeler has become a leader on the rising Jets and in 2016 was named team captain. Signed for one more season with a $5.6-million cap hit, he’s a central part of a team deep in talent from the top of the lineup to the bottom, and many fans recognize the Jets are Canada’s best hope of breaking the Cup curse in 2018.

But there’s still work to be done before the hit. The Jets have 16 games left on their schedule and trail the Nashville Predators by six points for the Central Division lead. It’s likely Winnipeg will have home-ice advantage in Round 1 for what would be their second post-season appearance since relocating.

And although their first-round opponent is yet to be set, this mature Jets team seems set to win the franchise’s first playoff game, even in the face of injury.

The Athletic https://theathletic.com/264579/2018/03/07/bourne-on-patrik-laines-shooting-technique-and-his- odds-of-passing-alex-ovechkin-for-the-rocket-richard/

Bourne: On Patrik Laine's shooting technique, and his odds of passing Alex Ovechkin for the Rocket Richard

By Justin Bourne

I’m a coward. I freely admit it, because there’s really no way to assess my decision other than “cowardly.” I'll explain.

In pre-season I got about three quarters of the way through a rough draft of an article on Winnipeg Jets sniper Patrik Laine with this confident headline:

Patrick Laine's dumb-good shot is going to win him the Rocket Richard Trophy

Didn't even leave myself wiggle room or an out. It was happening.

If you recall, in pre-season he scored five times in four games, with just a bevy of beauties. There was one goal in particular that I watched and was like “KAY, IT’S OVER, GIVE HIM THE TROPHY.” (I had wrongly assumed Alex Ovechkin — coming off a measly 33 goal year in 82 games, finishing behind 12 other skaters – was in decline and his years of Rocket dominance were over.)

Anyway, Laine was in the fabled Ovechkin spot on the power play, and a rebound kicked out in his direction. Everyone in the building knew he was going to be one-timing it, but on this particular attempt, there wasn't much hope. The rebound came out way too far for him to get to it quickly, so the goalie had ample time to get over. Plus Laine has quickly earned a reputation as a shooter from there, so there seemed no doubt the goalie would give an extra little push to make sure he got over in time. There wasn’t even a screen.

As I’m sure you assumed here, ping, Laine casually ripped it over the goalie's shoulder. Ninety- nine per cent of the league hits the goalie in the shoulder there, or the logo, or the ref in the corner.

It’s not the most thrilling looking goal, but it’s just the type that only special shooters score. They just put it in the right place as hard as they can and hope.

So that’s when I started writing about his inevitable march to victory.

But at that time, everyone was writing about him. He was playing too well not to. And while that doesn't preclude me from chiming in, it just felt like there was an ocean of Laine content, and mine would be another drop in the bucket. So, I held on to the piece – like a coward – and vowed to write something that made my strong claim that also broke down his shot more technically in a week or two.

But then the season started, and he stumbled out of the gates, at least by his standards. By the time November started, it seemed like he might be too far gone to even contend for the Rocket Richard, as 52 players had scored more than him, and his four goals in 11 games left him nine back of Nikita Kucherov’s 13. had 11, Ovechkin 10. So, I went full coward. I hedged. I was no longer rock solid confident. So, I squeezed in a couple paragraphs in a notebook-style post about how he’s going to be “just fine,” and used up the points I’d have laid out in a hypothetical post on his Rocket candidacy.

Naturally, he scored in each of the next five games, but … by then pre-season predictions were long a thing of the past. It's not real bold to make a “pre-season prediction a month into the season.”

So, here we are, after another nasty Laine hat trick, and here’s the NHL’s goal-scoring leaderboard:

And, here’s a look at goals per 60:

(Whoa, who invited William Karlsson to the party?) Anyway, now that I’ve entirely made this article about myself, you get the point: I chickened out, and it's made worse because I may yet be right.

So, with that in mind, I thought I’d finally get around to doing a breakdown of that fastball of his, and look at his odds of passing the Great Eight.

I get the impression from those who don’t watch the Jets too often that they think all he does is rip slapshots, and that’s what pundits are referring to when they talk about his “great shot.” But the NHL has only classified five of his 38 goals as slapshots this season. With two backhand goals, that leaves 31 divided up between the all-too-subjective “wrist” and “snap” shots. (Bit of an aside here: I would list anything as a wrist shot where it’s not a one-timer and the player has the puck nestled on their blade through the whole motion. Anything that involves more of a “smack” of the puck, where there was separation from the blade — but the player didn’t wind up too much — I’d call a snap shot. Now back to your regular programming.)

Tuesday night’s game against the Rangers offered two just brilliant demonstrations of his lethal wrister, which you can check out below. I added some of my own notes on the final replay:

As much as I'd love an angle from the 's view, sometimes they give us real insight into what they see in interviews. Listen to describe how he was fooled by Laine's delivery:

On top of that nearly imperceptible deception, Laine has a few physical things going for him that go into his great shot. One is a tool that comes from the Zdeno Chara school of hockey, which is “be huge, and use a huge hockey stick.”

Laine is a rangy 6-foot-5, and to my eye he uses a stick even longer than someone his size would need. That allows him even more leverage to create even more snap on release.

What’s really cool about that leverage and that whip he can create is that he doesn’t need much of a wind-up to put a surprising amount of heat on something few players employ: a wrist-shot one-timer. He actually uses the force of the pass to kind of load up force for these quick shots, and they often catch goalies off-guard. I mean, it is kind of an odd look, as you’ll see below.

On top of that, his biggest attribute is he just has a great goal scorer brain. He’s able to find little soft spots in tight areas to get that what-just-happened-quick shot off.

Now, when he does load up his deadly one-time slapshot, he uses a similar weight transfer to most players, but at his size, with that long stick, and the way he really lashes at it, you know there’s going to be some force behind it. I’ve always been really impressed with the timing that he and Ovechkin can have, while still going after the puck like John Daly used to go after the golf ball.

Part of the reason he rarely flubs one-timers is because if he wants to raise the puck, that comes from the flex of his long stick, which means he can kind of cup the puck with the blade and still get it up in the air. And, again like Mr. Ovechkin, he’s got a wheelhouse the size of an actual house. I will never understand how certain players can rip pucks off both their front and back feet, so I've got nothing technical for your there.

Laine scored on the shot he’s taking in the picture below – an absolute bomb against the Minnesota Wild, again in pre-season – and look how far off his back foot he took the pass. But as for the technique:

So the pass has arrived, and he’s got his solid base again. He leans into it:

One thing I see with his motion is that it’s almost like he pulls with his top hand as much as pushes with his bottom hand, as he rotates like a batter turning on an inside fastball. That's some crazy force he's putting into that thing, with his front leg starting to provide him with stability.

And just like that, it’s off his blade. His solid stance makes him like a fulcrum of sorts, that allows him to put everything into the swinging of the stick.

If you'd like to watch how that turned out, enjoy.

OK! So we get it, he has a special shot. But a lot of guys do. Can he win the dang trophy?

With each player in the hunt having roughly 15 games left in the season, and the scoring among the top 10 guys working out to something (very) roughly like a goal every two games, we’re looking at the average goals left out there for most of these guys being seven or eight. Granted, players can get terribly hot and others terribly cold, but if you’re more than five or six goals back at this point, the hourglass sand is looking pretty full on that bottom side.

I’m guessing that realistically these five guys have a chance to win the Richard Trophy: Ovechkin (40 goals), Laine (38), (37), Tyler Seguin (36) and Eric Staal (36). And I’m really only adding the last two names to avoid the ire of Stars and Wild fans. I think they’re fairly dark horses.

Earlier today, colleague Dom Luszczyszyn wrote a great article on how the remaining strength of schedule will affect the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, so I'm gonna outright steal one his charts (thanks, Dom), given all the guys I've mentioned above have their team included on it. If you’re looking for a few extra goals, you just need a few Arizonas and Buffalos down the stretch and BAM, it’s trophy time.

-.04 means a team Dom would project at .540 would look more like a .500 team thanks to schedule (opponent, home ice, rest).

So, as you can see, the strength of schedule factor isn't helping Seguin or Staal. It would take some doing to ascend to the top spot.

Even with the softest schedule of the other three, I have one major concern for Malkin’s chances: I strongly believe Ovi wants to win yet another one of these (I also strongly think Laine wants his first, but that strikes me as less of an issue). I understand that at this point for Ovechkin, the personal accolades are secondary to achieving real team success, but you don’t do what he’s done without the fire to be the best. You know he wants this, so I could see him firing a boatload of shots each night down the stretch, and Malkin is already spotting him three goals (you'll note Washington is also on the right side of the strength of schedule chart). Ovie is gonna be tough for anyone to catch.

As you can see, with so little time left, Mr. Luszczyszyn's model just doesn't forecast that there's enough games out there for anyone more than a couple goals out.

As for Laine, well hell, he’s obviously feeling pretty good about himself this morning, and sometimes that’s all you need to go on the type of tear he’d need. We've seen what we can do, and obviously, I've been confident about his chances for quite awhile. At this point, I’d probably give Ovechkin about a 60 per cent chance of winning, 35 per cent to Laine, and the rest can divvy up the scraps as they seem fit. (All stats courtesy completely ball-parking an opinion.)

It seems inevitable that someday, Laine is going to take over the mantle as the league’s best pure goal scorer. The only question is if the student surpasses the master now, or later. Stay tuned.

Sporting News http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/news/paul-stastny-winnipeg-jets-nhl-playoff-picture-stanley- cup-odds-patrik-laine-blake-wheeler/x31n04jebxc11r64xmz5it60z

Paul Stastny's smarts, skills receiving high marks from new Jets teammates

By Evan Sporer

NEW YORK — It was such a subtle play, it was easy for the naked eye to miss.

In the seconds after Paul Stastny dropped the puck to his new linemate Patrik Laine, Stastny cut toward the net. In doing so, he not only bumped into the man who had been shadowing him, but another who was trying to switch onto Laine, and into the path of a third who could have possibly applied defensive support.

"He’s a smart player" Laine said. "He knows how to play those situations and he’s done that thousands of times. He knows exactly what to do, and it’s an extra half a second that he gives us, and that’s enough on those plays."

It was more than enough time for Laine, who snapped home a wrist shot past Henrik Lundqvist to give the Jets a 1-0 lead.

When Winnipeg acquired Paul Stastny in a surprise move hours before the NHL trade deadline, this is the type of play they envisioned. The Jets and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff have long coveted Stastny. And since division realignment in 2013-14, Stastny is a player they have seen frequently in person. When the opportunity arose to add him to their roster, Winnipeg thought it could not only add a stellar two-way player, but one whom could flourish offensively in the Jets ecosystem.

"His role in St. Louis was a little bit more defense-oriented, but you put him with good players and, look at his numbers in the past," captain Blake Wheeler said. "He's been a point a game guy even when points were tougher to come by."

Since joining the Jets, Stastny has five points in four games, playing next to Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers. Not a bad start.

"I knew that line was going to take, it was just a matter of how soon it would take," Wheeler said. "It happened right off the bat."

The Jets were already a well-rounded, offensively talented team before making the move to get Stastny. By adding him, they have put themselves firmly in the conversation among Stanley Cup contenders, with the center depth coveted by every club in the league and consistent with those who have recently been among hockey's best.

"We're trying not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but just how the teams that have won recently are structured, it kind of lets our group take that similar shape," Wheeler said. "Having that center depth is obviously really important."

The Jets are trying to keep expectations grounded on the tarmac, but it's moments like that assist Tuesday night that make it hard to hide their excitement.

"We're still trying to find our game, and having him, if that allows us to play our best hockey at the right time of the year, who knows what could happen?" Wheeler said.

While his production dipped this year in St. Louis, on pace to finish below 60 points for the fourth time in as many seasons since leaving Colorado, there was a quiet confidence in Winnipeg that Stastny would excel in his new role.

Playing between players the caliber of Laine and Ehlers, Stastny himself wasn't too concerned about his role, either.

"I'm playing with two extremely gifted players," he said." I've played with players like that, so I know what I'm doing. I know defensively sometimes I have to just talk to them a little bit more and be aware of it. Sometimes my job is to just get that puck and get it in their hands as quick as you can, and kind of play that transition game."

That's what Stastny did Tuesday, leaving the puck for Laine before playing the role of lead blocker, a little Red Wings-style pick play in which he creates legal interference.

"This guy is a great, veteran pro," head coach Paul Maurice said. "Watching him play, he does so many of the things Ron Francis would do. He has such a great understanding of what’s going on on the ice, the adjustments the other team are making, and what’s happening around him.

"He knows where [Laine] is. He didn’t step into the guy to interfere with him. He just held his lane so he doesn’t take a penalty. It’s a clean play by a really headsy player."

Stastny is a hockey lifer. His dad, Peter, spent 15 years in the NHL. When the Jets acquired Stastny two weeks ago, they played two games at home. Tuesday marked the second of a six- game road trip, one that Stastny said is allowing him to bond more with his teammates, and become acquainted with the players he's hoping he can make a deep playoff run with.

"I'm a big believer in chemistry," Stastny said. "The guys you play with on the ice you kind of get along with off the ice because you think the game the same way.

"The more you spend with someone, I mean, you don't always want to talk about hockey because you're on it all the time but it seems like hockey is always talked about."

In new teammate Mark Scheifele, Stastny has found a kindred spirit. Scheifele is another hockey-obsessed brain, like Stastny, studying the game and its intricacies as much to hone their craft as to appease their appetite.

"I've always been a student of the game like he has, I'm just a little bit older," Stastny said. "Playing against him and watching him play, he's an elite player. He's another guy who thinks the game the same way. You start talking to those guys, and different players with special teams, and you realize all of a sudden guys see the game the way you do."

What the Jets are beginning to see is they were correct in their assessment and expectation of the 32-year-old, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. For a team that won't openly talk about its Stanley Cup aspirations but isn't naive to the concept, this is great news.

"We know we have a good team in here, we know he brings a lot of experience and a wealth of knowledge, and he's been a big pick-up for us," Scheifele said.

The Jets could face the Wild in the first round of the playoffs, which would mean matching up against centers Eric Staal and Mikko Koivu. If they advance to the second round, the Predators and Ryan Johansen, Kyle Turris and Nick Bonino could be waiting. If the Penguins again figure out how to conquer the East, they'll bring with them , Evgeni Malkin and Derick Brassard to the Cup Final.

MORE: Ovechkin making it easy to take brilliant season for granted

The importance of center depth is no secret in the NHL. Now with Scheifele, , Stastny and , the Jets have their four musketeers who give Maurice flexibility and the tools to make life very difficult for opposing coaching staffs.

"What we're looking for a lot of nights is, 'Can we find an advantage?'" Maurice said. "If one of those three offensive lines is going can we move them around and get them away from the other team's checking line, but be comfortable."

In his past nine games, Laine has 13 goals. That type of production draws top checking lines and defensive pairings in matchups. But that also means the line of Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor getting the B-group.

"When you look at a team with a lot of depth -- that's what attracted me to these guys," said Stastny, who had to waive his no-trade clause to approve a move to Winnipeg. "They have a lot of depth, a lot of good players top-to-bottom. So all of a sudden if one line is hot, they get a tougher matchup, but then all of a sudden it frees up whether it's [Little's] line, or our line, so all of a sudden if we're getting a tough matchup, then it frees up [Wheeler and Scheifele's] line."

It perhaps makes Maurice's job more involved, more pieces in the chess match that can break out between coaches during games. But whereas most are mostly dealing in pawns, the wealth of royalty at Maurice's disposal gives Winnipeg the tyoe of looking board equipped to play hockey into June.

"All of these matchup concepts are based on performance though, and we like that," Maurice said.

Stastny raves about new lineman Laine The primary assist Stastny recorded on Laine's first goal was an example of something he alluded to prior to the game, " ... to just get that puck and get it in their hands."

It's not exactly an unfamiliar role for Stastny, which he acknowledged. As a member of the Blues this season, he spent over 70 percent of his 5-on-5 minutes with . Dating back to his Colorado days, he played with talents like Nathan MacKinnon and .

"When you play with those guys, when you get half a second, it makes a big difference," Stastny said. "Whether I go at him or take his stick away, it freezes him up, and then all of a sudden [Laine] as someone who can shoot quick has that extra second. I've always done that, and I've always liked when guys have done that to me, too. It's kind of like that two-on-one hockey, pick- and-roll hockey."

Stastny is quickly learning how to play off of Laine, what works and what doesn't, and how he can create shooting opportunities for his lethal winger in any situation.

Kind of like what his job was in St. Louis playing with Tarasenko?

"It's different," Stastny said. "Someone asked me earlier who [Laine] shoots like, and he actually shoots like Hejduk in a sense where his hands are very soft and it's very effortless, and it seems like he doesn't really lean into it.

"It's hard to read off [Laine]. But he's four inches taller than Hejduk, and his shot probably has 15 miles per-hour on him. But Hejduk was one of those guys who would shoot while he was stick-handling, he'd pick his spots all the time, and he didn't need a lot of time.

"So to me, his hands are more like that, where [Tarasenko] is more of a guy who, same thing, he doesn't really pull the puck back. It's almost in front of him; he almost needs six inches just to push the puck the way he releases it. Two different guys, and one is a righty, one is a lefty, but the things is when you play with guys like that, they know how to get open."

TSN.ca https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/will-laine-join-ovechkin-as-a-perennial-40-50-goal-scorer~1341523 (VIDEO LINK)

Will Laine join Ovechkin as a perennial 40-50 goal scorer?

Does Patrik Laine project as a perennial 30-40 goal scorer? Or could we see him challenge in the 40-50 goals per season range? Tim Hortons That’s Hockey debates. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/button-discusses-laine-s-pure-scoring-ability-scheifele-s-latest- injury~1341144 (VIDEO LINK)

Button discusses Laine's pure scoring ability, Scheifele's latest injury

Is Patrik Laine the best shooter in the NHL right now? Craig Button shares his thoughts on Laine's pure scoring ability and discusses Mark Scheifele's latest injury and how Winnipeg is built to weather the injury.

TSN 1290 (AUDIO LINKS) https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/dreger-jets-are-tough-to-match-up-against-1.1020720

Dreger: Jets are tough to match up against

TSN Hockey Insider discusses Patrik Laine’s hat trick vs. the New York Rangers, how the Jets depth are providing difficult match ups for their opponents, the race for the Rocket Richard trophy, what Patrik Laine’s next contract might look like, Mark Scheifele’s injury status and what Paul Stastny has brought to the Jets lineup. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/wyshynski-laine-drawing-comparisons-to-ovechkin- 1.1020626

Wyshynski: Laine drawing comparisons to Ovechkin

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski joined Andrew Paterson and Rick Ralph on the Afternoon Ride. They discussed the comparisons between Laine and Ovechkin, the race for the Rocket Richard trophy, the results of the NHLPA player poll, his impressions of the Winnipeg Jets this year, ’s status as the next great American goaltender and the Western Conference playoff picture. www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/exclusive--neil-hobson/t-277437442/c-58515803 (VIDEO LINK)

EXCLUSIVE | Neil Hobson

The Winnipeg Jets welcomed a special guest to Bell MTS Place on Feb. 27 for an unforgettable game day experience