Difference between Ducks and Jets was huge

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/04/2015 (3795 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Five morning takes after the Winnipeg Jets were swept out of the playoffs Wednesday night…

1. Well, that was quick, wasn’t it? A heckuva party, but one that ended before midnight and with the kegs drained dry.

It’s funny, I was talking with a colleague of mine yesterday – well before puck was dropped in Anaheim’s Game 4 win – when he summed up the thoughts of every media type who covered this series:

“I just wish this could keep going,” he said. “The hockey has been great, the stories have been better.”

All of that is true. But for yours truly the most-indelible impression of the last few days was the environment at MTS Centre. Sports fans in this town will be talking about the atmosphere in the barn for years to come. It wasn’t just the 15K in the building, though. The vibe around the city was incredible. Just imagine what it would have been like if the Jets had actually won a game to amp up the series.

Two final images that represent just how wrapped up this town and province was with Jets fever, courtesy the folks at Douglas Mennonite Church.

 

On the ice, what the four-game series taught me was simple: the difference between the Ducks and Jets prior to the series might have seemed marginal, but it was mammoth by the final horn in Game 4. Yes, with a break or two the Jets might have won one or two of the first three games. But the Ducks were the better team in the regular season and in the playoffs. They finished the year 7-0 against the Jets because they have two game-changing stars in Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, added a playoff-savvy agitator/scorer in Ryan Kesler and are just deeper in talent.

It wasn’t just Perry, Getzlaf and Kesler that grabbed the headlines over the last week. A lot of people had their eyes opened as to the skill of Jakob Silfverberg, Andrew Cogliano and Richard Rakell, the dominant defensive duo of Francois Beauchemin and Hampus Lindholm and Frederik Andersen’s ability to make the timely save. Whoever they face in the next round – whether it’s Calgary or Vancouver – the Ducks will be favoured. Again.

For a view from the Ducks perspective, here is Orange County Register columnist Jeff Miller’s take.

 

3. This was a very cool feature done by the Jets themselves. I was even able to find the top of my sparking dome in the press box:

Check out the 360 degree #WPGWhiteout Gigapixel from Monday’s historic game and tag yourself > http://t.co/uNHpedb9Mv pic.twitter.com/UsOkrgrYOk

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) April 22, 2015

 

4. All kinds of autopsies will be conducted on the Jets in the next few days and we’ll get to them in detail in the Free Press as well. What keeps hitting me is this: the Jets roster could, probably will, look a lot difference when the season starts next October. The Jets have a number of pending unrestricted free agents, some established stars that are due for raises and a handful of youngsters ready to push for work. And so as much as Kevin Cheveldayoff drew praise for his work this winter, his spring and summer will be just as busy.

For a handy-dandy guide on the Jets and their salary structure, the guys at rosterresource.com have done a spiffy job of compiling everything here.

5. Finally, we trotted out this Five Takes as a mini-experiment in the last week the playoffs began and the response from fans and readers, frankly, has been overwhelming. Thanks so much for everyone who took the time to read and interact.

 

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait