December fine, but it’s a whole new month now

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/01/2012 (5095 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A year ago at this time, the Winnipeg Jets — skating as the Atlanta Thrashers — started a descent in the Eastern Conference standings that ended with no playoff push and a disappointing 25th-overall finish.

The Thrashers led the Southeast division and held the third seed in the Eastern Conference in December but cratered come the new year, winning just four times in 11 tries in January, the start of a cooling-off period in which they won only six of 22 games.

A lot of the same pieces from that club are in Winnipeg this time around. Have the players learned anything from the mistakes — or shortcomings — of the past as they embark on a new calendar once again?

Captain Andrew Ladd believes they have.

“We can’t be satisfied where we’re at,” he said before leaving for Montreal, where the Jets will open a four-game road trip against the Canadiens tonight.

“I think that was the problem last year — we kind of took a breath. We were excited where we were at, but we didn’t push for more. That’s the difference this year: We want more this (time). We’re looking at the standings and we want to get higher up, as far as we can, and catch Florida.”

Winnipeg, eighth in the conference heading into Tuesday night, is currently second in the Southeast, four points behind the Panthers. The Jets have had a great December — a 10-3-1 record puts everyone on board with that statement — but with nine of their next 13 games on the road, 12 against conference opponents, the worry is this group might exhale again.

That’s a premise coach Claude Noel wanted no part of Tuesday.

“There’s only one pedal, and we’re pushing the pedal,” he said. “We’re not going to sit here separating our shoulders patting ourselves on the back because we’ve had a good month of December. Good month of December (plus a) bad month of January and you’ve got nothing.”

Noel said the next four weeks will show if the Jets are who they say they are.

— LITTLE CLOSE: Bryan Little (foot) skated again by himself Tuesday, meaning he’s doubtful to be in the lineup against the Habs tonight. The centre, who has 20 points in 32 games, did make the trip with the club to Montreal and could possibly suit up for the game against Toronto Thursday or the one in Buffalo Saturday night.

Dustin Byfuglien’s recovery is slightly behind Little’s, the team said. He’ll remain in Winnipeg to continue his rehab on a lower-body injury before the club considers flying him in for the back end of the trip.

— POWER SHOT: While the Jets’ power play went 2-for-6 the last time out (a 3-2 win over Toronto New Year’s Eve), there was a moment in the second period when the true impact of Byfuglien’s absence came to light.

During one power play, the Jets had defenceman Toby Enstrom and forward Tim Stapleton manning the points. Neither is known for his booming shot and the unit found themselves in a situation where they became too dependent on the down-low pressure. Eventually, Zach Bogosian and Ron Hainsey came out for the second group and the Jets scored, with Bogosian blasting away from the blue-line.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

The Warm-Up

Winnipeg Jets Game Days

On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.

Sign up for The Warm-Up

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Enstrom said he misses the room Byfuglien creates during the power play.

“I like to pass the puck, and that shot he has, it feels good to have him next to me,” he said. “But we have a good five guys out there and (we have to) figure out a way to get the puck to the net and try to score some easy goals.”

If the Jets are going to make some hay this month, they will have to get better with the man advantage. Coming into Tuesday night, Winnipeg’s power play on the road (7-of-50; 14 per cent) was ranked 24th in the NHL.

— Adam Wazny;