Jets chants fizzling out?

Photo from thestar.com

GO JETS GO, GO JETS GO.

Winnipeg is still hearing this chant…daily. However, when you look at the Winnipeg Jets’ record, it doesn’t seem like Winnipeggers have much to cheer about. The Jets have started out the 2011/2012 season 0-3. Unfortunately, that’s not the only gloomy foreshadowing for the Jets. When D-man Ron Hainsey and 4^th line Centre Jim Slater are your leading scorers, something is terribly wrong. Yes, it’s only three games into the season for the jets, but those three games haven’t given Winnipeg fans anything extra to cheer about, and now we are the only NHL without a point.

Regardless, Winnipeg fans are still chanting “Go Jets Go,” and still have lots of support for their home team. My question is: How long will it last?

My prediction is that it will last all year, at least for some fans. For me, it’s hard because I’ve always been an avid Leafs fan, and they’ve opened the season with a 3-0 record – completely opposite to the lackluster Jets’ record. But, if the Jets’ keep up the sloppy play and can’t grasp hold of team chemistry they might lose some fan support.

I’ve already predicted that the Jets won’t make the playoffs this year, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not behind them, I am. I’m just a tad bit of a realist, and from what I’ve seen the Jets have a long way to go. They are a young team, with loads of potential, but currently they’re lacking firepower. As mentioned before, Jim Slater and Ron Hainsey are sharing the lead in the points column, something no one could’ve predicted. It’s early, but someone needs to step up soon. 

Players like Burmistrov, Wheeler, Kane, and Scheifele are who coach Claude Noel will look to in order to ignite the scoring spark. Thus far, none of them have scored.

So, tonight the Jets are at home facing off against Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens have already played six games this season, compared to the Jets’ three. The Pens are also a solid team, but they are without Sid the Kid and have a banged up Evgeni Malkin. The Jets will need to play a solid defensive game in order to keep the Pens at bay. Hopefully the Jets can pull off their first win of the season tonight at the MTS Centre, but it won’t be an easy task.

Tune in to TSN-Jets tonight at 7:30 CST, and be the judge of the Jets. You decide if they make it through The Outhouse.

Bring back Domi!

Don. Oh Don.

Intense.

Donnnnn Cherrrryyy.

What a man - A man of booming volume, flamboyant suits, and intensely voiced opinions.

I’ve grown up watching Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) which also means I’ve grown up watching dandy Don Cherry on Coach’s Corner. Every Saturday night I would sit down to watch my favorite NHL team play (the Toronto Maple Leafs), and during the 1^st intermission I would catch Don Cherry with co-host Ron MacLean.

During all of those years watching HNIC I was exposed to several of Don’s rants and opinions - all live-to-air. Some of these rants and opinions have been heated, hate filled, and outright stupid. However, the way Don voices his opinion is “Don’s way.” He has patented his arrogant and in your face style of shooting down sloppy or dirty players, teams, or countries for that matter.

Don’t get me wrong; Don has had some awesome and valuable hockey advice for Canada. He’s been an interesting character to watch, he’s very patriotic, and most of the time he sends out good messages. But still, every year Don manages to wind up in the middle of a media super-storm.

One example of him being outright stupid is the time that he called out French and European players over their “toughness” and how they all wore visors. Even if there were more European players wearing visors, Don had no right to make those comments over the air.  His comments are either loved or hated by fans, which is why the media soaks up all of his jargon, somebody always has an opinion on it.

Now, Cherry has found himself in the hot seat again. This time for calling out three former NHL enforcers that took a stance on fighting in the game. Don referred to Chris Nilan, Stu Grimson, and Jim Thomson as “pukes” and criticized them for being hypocrites. 

The fact that Don went on air, called out these three, and actually used their names disappoints me. He could’ve made his point without the name calling, but instead he stirred up a national debate. Now, Don has the fear of a lawsuit in the back of his mind, but I can’t see Don losing if it does come to that.

Overall, I think Don is on his way to being senile. He is already an old man, so he’s half way to being a senile old man. He’s always played a great role of the “angry hockey dad,” but past episodes have made him seen more like the “dumbass hockey dad.” Still, I’ll keep watching Coach’s Corner. None of this has turned me away. Why? Because I love controversy, and I like it when people actually speak their minds. That being said, Don could’ve avoided all this drama by re-phrasing what he said. No name-calling and no country bashing. He could’ve made his points, just in a less direct way.

So for all of those reasons, Don Cherry took a headshot, got his teeth knocked out, and got tipped over in The Outhouse. 

Scheifele is Staying. For now.

Winnipeg has already been hearing it, but get ready to hear it even more.

Scheifele! Scheifele! Scheifele!

Winnipeg Jets 18-year-old forward, Mark Scheifele, signed his first NHL contract today – an entry level, three year deal that will have Scheifele making around $925,000 along with annual bonuses.

Before the Jets’ pre-season kicked off the general consensus was that Mark Scheifele was going to play in the juniors (OHL – Barrie Colts) or AHL. Barely anyone predicted that he’d start out in the big leagues.

Coaches, fans, and teammates have been exposed to Scheifele on ice magic, watching him boast very impressive stats in his first NHL pre-season. Scheifele put up 8 points throughout 5 games, netting 4 goals – leaving him tied for 1st in the NHL preseason for goals and 2nd for points.

Winnipeg Jets GM, Kevin Cheveldayoff had this to say, "He's showing great potential. Certainly we're very excited about his training camp and very happy to have him signed to a contract.”

I had the chance to see Scheifele play live at the MTS Centre as well as catch him on TSN. Scheifele is the type of player who can burn you with his speed and finish goalies off with his hands. He really stands out among the rest.

On draft day, most of Winnipeg and the NHL were saying: Scheifele who? Now, Scheifele is a Winnipeg superstar and is being looked at as the future face of the Winnipeg Jets. Some are already putting the weight of the Stanley Cup on his shoulders. But if he remains in the NHL for the full season and continues to stay on the scoreboard he’ll be good in my books.

Only time will tell how he will fair playing against the toughest and most skilled players on the planet. One thing is for sure, Scheifele will get his shot in Winnipeg and Winnipeg will be backing him the whole way. 

So Scheifele made it through The Outhouse with finesse and speed. I also predict that he'll make it through/into the NHL with no problems either.

Jets vs. Hurricanes

On Wednesday night, I had the luxury of attending the preseason match-up of the Winnipeg Jets against the Carolina Hurricanes. Right here in Winnipeg. It was probably the worst possibly timing for me to sneak away to catch a game, but it was impossible for me to turn away the opportunity.

So after rushing through helping my neighbor load a tanning bed into his garage, I darted into my truck and sped off to the game.

Due to the last-minute nature of the game I ended up having to park quite a distance away, over at the Winnipeg Convention Centre. I ran full tilt the entire way, and once I entered The MTS Centre I was struck by the intense hockey atmosphere.

When I compared the atmosphere in the building to several of the regular season and playoff games I saw the Moose play, it didn’t compare. The atmosphere here was amped up. Jets jerseys everywhere. Smiles on everyone’s faces. It was hockey time. And the kicker was that it was only a pre-season game.

Near the end of the national anthem the cheering and noise was so loud you couldn’t even hear the words.

The Jets may be lacking so called “superstars”, but they aren’t lacking any heart, grit, or skill.

The Jets bombarded Hurricanes goalie, Brian Boucher early on. After several solid rushes in the first, it appeared as though the Jets had the game wrapped up early.

However, Boucher’s goaltending was superb throughout the first two periods, keeping the Jets off the scoreboard and the Hurricanes up by one. The Jets had already thrown 25 shots towards Boucher by the end of the second and still hadn’t solved him. The Hurricanes had only mustered up 13 shots on Mason by the end of the second.

Even though the Jets hadn’t hit the scoreboard yet; the massive crowd at the MTS Centre roared with excitement.

The Jets continued their attack in the third and eventually it paid off when Evander Kane scored on a rush towards the net. Shortly after that, Blake Wheeler added another tally to the scoreboard, pushing the Jets into the lead. Kane added another goal into the empty net to put the icing on the cake.

One word to describe the level of noise in the third period is: Intense.

“Go Jets Go” echoed throughout the building. Fans were high-fiving and cheering, it was clear that the return of the Winnipeg Jets really impacted Winnipeg in a good way.

The experience at the game was great and it’s exciting to think that it was only a preseason game. The only downfall of the whole experience was the guy who drove into my truck after the game.

But anyways, the Winnipeg Jets checked their way through The Outhouse this week and have left me eager for the next game.