FROM THE PRESS BOX
MIKE SAYS: I was thinking of just leaving this space blank today, owing to the old adage that “If you don’t have anything nice to say, it’s better to say nothing at all.”
After laying an egg against the Ducks on Tuesday night, the Jets weren’t much against the Rangers. Just like that, any thoughts that this team could continue an unlikely, late-season playoff push went up in a puff of smoke.
However, in the sake of trying to be positive, here are a few things I’ve liked lately:
• The play of newcomer Isak Rosen, who was rewarded with his first goal in a Jets uniform against the Rangers. There’s actually a lot to like about this kid’s game, and I remain stunned that he (along with UFA defenceman Jacob Bryson AND two draft picks) were the return for Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn, who are already driving Buffalo fans wild (not in a good way) after one game of being paired together.
• The continued emergence of Elias Salomonsson. I know he’s just subbing in Winnipeg’s top four due to the Neal Pionk injury, but I’m not sure how you take him out even when the veteran blue-liner returns (which, quite frankly, might not be until next season at this point). Salomonsson has the chance to be something special, and I’d love to see him paired with Morrissey for at least a few games down the stretch, just to get a sneak peek at how that duo would look together.
• The hustle of Morgan Barron and Cole Koepke, who never take a shift off and deserve more opportunity and ice time, especially on nights like Tuesday and Thursday when the majority of their teammates simply don’t have it. I’d love to see Koepke signed to a contract extension, as he’s exactly the type of fourth-line forward that can help you win important hockey games.
• The high-end talent available early in the first round of the upcoming NHL draft. Given Winnipeg’s situation, I’ve been spending a lot more time reading up on the projected top picks and watching video clips and highlights of them. There are only three teams in the NHL right now with fewer points than the Jets, and it would certainly benefit this organization in the long run to get as high a pick as possible in June.
That’s all I got, folks. Other than to say enjoy watching the likes of MacKinnon and Cale Makar, who are truly special players. It was a treat to see them do their thing during the Winter Olympics in Milan.
KEN SAYS: It’s virtually impossible to look at the Avalanche roster and not wonder about what might have been.
How might history be different if the Jets had been able to close the deal for Brock Nelson at the NHL trade deadline last March before the Avalanche swooped in late.
Nelson has proven to be an excellent fit for the Avalanche and currently sits fourth in team scoring with 30 goals and 55 points in 64 games.
Although the Avalanche were bounced in seven games in a hotly contested first round battle with the Dallas Stars last spring, Nelson chose to sign a three-year extension at US $7.5 million in June before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
The 34-year-old remains at the top of his game and recently helped the United States capture a gold medal in Milan, playing sound two-way hockey.
For the sake of context, Nelson’s 30 goals would leave him tied for the Jets team lead with Mark Scheifele and his 55 points would have him third on the Jets, just ahead of Gabe Vilardi.
This isn’t about revisionist history, but if Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff had been able to acquire Nelson, there are signs it would have been similar to when he brought in Paul Stastny for the playoff run in 2018.
Had the Jets been able to keep Nelson around, there’s a good chance we would be talking about jockeying for position in the Central instead of the need to make a miracle run for the eighth seed in the West. The other what-might-have-been player is right-winger Martin Necas, who is flourishing with the Avalanche after being acquired in the blockbuster deal for Mikko Rantanen.
Necas just recorded the first 30-goal campaign of his career and is up to 79 points (also a career-high) in 61 games.
The reason that’s relevant for the Jets is that he was a target in a potential package deal for Nikolaj Ehlers in the summer of 2024, but the buzz was that Necas wasn’t willing to sign an extension in Winnipeg.
Acquiring Necas without the possibility of an extension didn’t make sense for the Jets, but Necas did ink a four-year pact with the Avalanche with an AAV of US $11.5 million and now might be tormenting the Jets for a few more years to come on a line with MacKinnon.
PROJECTED LINES
WINNIPEG JETS
FORWARDS:
- Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo
- Perfetti-Lowry-Vilardi
- Nyquist-Toews-Rosen
- Koepke-Barron-Lambert
DEFENCE:
- Morrissey-DeMelo
- Samberg-Salomonsson
- Fleury-Bryson
GOAL:
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: D Heinola
INJURED: D Pionk (lower body), D Miller (lower-body), LW Niederreiter (lower body), F Namestnikov (lower body)
COLORADO AVALANCHE
FORWARDS:
- Kadri-MacKinnon-Necas
- Kiviranta-Nelson-Nichushkin
- Kelly-Drury-Roy
- Grindley-Bardakov
DEFENCE:
- Toews-Makar
- Manson-Burns
- Kulak-Malinski
- Blankenburg
GOAL:
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: None
INJURED: LW Landeskog (lower body), LW Lehkonen (upper body), F Colton (upper body), RW O’Connor (hip).
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
Jets head coach Scott Arniel on seeing a number of Hart Trophy candidates as opponents of late, including Avalanche C Nathan MacKinnon:
“I hate when they are in our division. I wish they were all in the East. Especially being in the Central Division, we have seen him an awful lot. He has won it before and he has been one of those top guys. You saw him at the Olympics. He is a special player and you have to know where he is at all times. You have to know how to line up against him.
“There is a defenceman there (Cale Makar) that is extremely top end, probably right in that voting as well. It is a deep, talented group but MacKinnon drives that team with his skill set.”
WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON
Ken and Mike are on the scene and will provide double coverage, with Mike handling the game analysis, which can be found online at winnipegfreepress.com.
|
