2015-2016 training camp

[Ducky]

Ladd siad that he thinks both sides would have liked to have it done by now but sometimes it doesn't work out that way and there has been good dialogue since the beginning. Said it is easy to put it on the backburner now that he can concentrate on hockey.

 

Buff said he would like to remain a Jet for the rest of his career but that it is a business. He said the area has a lot of nice lakes and everything is great. Also, said it is in his favor not to be signed because he can look better with a good start.

 

Lowry will stay between Ladd and Little only if he can keep up offense wise. Maurice is happy with his D game and said he is the guy to be facing the other team's top lines. Whether it is this year or in the future is up to Lowry. Maurice considers Lowry a key cog in this team.

[The Unknown Poster]

That's what I worry about with Lowry. Can he be offensive enough for Ladd and little.

[Goalie]

He also said it's just day 1 and things can and will change

[Ducky]

Maurice said it wll change back around day 7 or so.

[Ducky]

http://livestream.com/accounts/11149670/events/4357593

[The Unknown Poster]

Winnipeg Sun

Scheif bulks up

Remember that scrawny kid who showed up at training camp four years ago after becoming the first player drafted by the Jets 2.0?

It was hard to recall yesterday, looking at Mark Scheifele.

When he first came to a Jets training camp in 2011, Scheifele weighed in at about 175 pounds and his slight frame seemed to be the biggest roadblock to him becoming a full-time NHLer.

On Thursday when the Jets had their physicals and medicals, Scheifele weighed in at 207 pounds, the result of yet another successful off-season training program with fitness guru Gary Roberts. “It’s a pretty big jump, so hopefully I’m turning into a man sooner than later,” said Scheifele, who is entering his third season in the NHL after putting up a career-high 15 goals and 49 points last year.

“The way Gary approaches it is unbelievable. We had DNA testing this year to see what foods digest well in our system. I learned a lot of things about my body and the kind of athlete I am. Hopefully I can carry that knowledge into the season.”

The added muscle should make Scheifele more of a force in the middle and will allow him to fight through more checks, stay on pucks a stride longer. He hopes to be in the 60 to 65-point range come the end of the season.

He’s not afraid at all that the added weight will affect his speed.

“Lose speed?” Scheifele said. “Not if you do it the right way. It’s not like I was just hammering McDonalds all summer.”

Jets coach Paul Maurice said Scheifele looks faster this year, if anything.

LEARNING THE SYSTEM

The Jets split into two groups for Saturday’s sessions, held in conjunction with the well-attended Fan Fest at the IcePlex, with one group featuring mostly locks to make the team and another featuring bubble players, prospects and AHLers.

It was interesting to note that top prospect Nikolaj Ehlers skated with the veterans, but Maurice said not to read too much into it.

“He doesn’t have the job yet,” Maurice said. “There are a few players who are going to audition for that job. There are a few young guys who will get a chance to practice with a veteran only group.”

Maurice explained that Ehlers, who played in the Quebec junior league last year, is a player who is not familiar with the Jets systems and needs to work with the veterans to pick it up quickly.

“The systems that we run are quite a bit different from what he is used to,” Maurice said. “There’s a couple of guys that haven’t had a lot of exposure to it – him and Alex Burmistrov – so they were out there today with the veterans getting as much exposure to this style of hockey as we can.”

WELCOME BACK

Speaking of Alex Burmistrov, who returned to the Jets after two years in the KHL, it sounds like he’s fitting back in with this tight-knit group without any problems.

How did they welcome him back into the fold?

“With open arms,” said Jets forward Blake Wheeler. “He’s got a Jets jersey on so he’s part of our family. It was tough to see him go. You can see the level of skill he possesses so it’s going to be good to have him back.”

“There are things that he needs to adapt to in terms of our game and the NHL game but he seems to be real smart and he’s picking things up real fast,” added Maurice. “I have a real high expectation of him.”

Burmistrov has been skating at centre for the first couple of days on a line with Mathieu Perreault and Ehlers.

KLADNO DISCONNECTION

Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec had his best season last year and figures to be a big part of the team’s success going forward.

But he won’t have his best friends around anymore to keep him company.

Pavelec’s childhood buddies from the Czech Republic, Michael Frolik and Jiri Tlusty, were both unrestricted free agents after last season and signed with Calgary and New Jersey respectively.

“I made the playoffs for the first time with my two best friends,” Pavelec said. “It was really cool. Only once in your life you can have that.

“But it’s a business and it wasn’t in my hands at all. It was a great two years to play with one of my best friends (Frolik). He was a great player for us, a really important player who did a great job here the last two years.”

Pavelec said he’ll especially miss having people who speak his own language to hang out with off the ice.

He has made up for it so far by going out for dinners with Jets prospects Jan Kostalek and Michael Spacek, both from his home country.

AROUND THE HORN: Defenceman Andrew MacWilliam left Saturday’s scrimmage after suffering a laceration on his foot when a skate blade came down on his boot. Maurice said doctors were still determining whether it was “More than just a cut,” but said he expected MacWilliam to be day-to-day … Jets RW Blake Wheeler on whether his team can take the next step after making the playoff for the first time last year: “I think we were just scratching the surface.” … Wheeler on whether Scheifele might be a breakout NHL player this year: “I certainly hope so. I’m stuck with him.”

[The Unknown Poster]

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Peter-Tessier/Jets-Trying-Lowry-as-1-Centre/161/71091

 

Some fancy stats to explain the experiment with Lowry at 1C and how it actually might be very beneficial.

 

I like it to a degree.  It raises the bar for Lowry, gives us a bigger, stronger 1C and might elevate Ladd's grit game even more.  My only concern is Lowry not being able to hold is own offensively and bringing down Little & Ladd's offensive numbers.  But the way Lowry plays, that line might score more points, albeit less pretty ones and more hard working ones.

[Rich]

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Peter-Tessier/Jets-Trying-Lowry-as-1-Centre/161/71091

 

Some fancy stats to explain the experiment with Lowry at 1C and how it actually might be very beneficial.

 

I like it to a degree.  It raises the bar for Lowry, gives us a bigger, stronger 1C and might elevate Ladd's grit game even more.  My only concern is Lowry not being able to hold is own offensively and bringing down Little & Ladd's offensive numbers.  But the way Lowry plays, that line might score more points, albeit less pretty ones and more hard working ones.

 

 

It is for sure an interesting theory.  Not that this should play too much into Maurice's decision on this, but Lowry is an RFA next year.  If he does start logging 1st line minutes and put up decent points playing beside Little and Ladd, wonder what that does for his next contract.

[The Unknown Poster]

 

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Peter-Tessier/Jets-Trying-Lowry-as-1-Centre/161/71091

 

Some fancy stats to explain the experiment with Lowry at 1C and how it actually might be very beneficial.

 

I like it to a degree.  It raises the bar for Lowry, gives us a bigger, stronger 1C and might elevate Ladd's grit game even more.  My only concern is Lowry not being able to hold is own offensively and bringing down Little & Ladd's offensive numbers.  But the way Lowry plays, that line might score more points, albeit less pretty ones and more hard working ones.

 

 

It is for sure an interesting theory.  Not that this should play too much into Maurice's decision on this, but Lowry is an RFA next year.  If he does start logging 1st line minutes and put up decent points playing beside Little and Ladd, wonder what that does for his next contract.

 

Think Chevy is saying to PoMo "uhhh hey, lets not get too ahead of ourselves here.  Third line sounds right until we have a six year deal in our pockets"

[Ducky]

If Maurice thinks Lowry can play with Ladd and Little, that is where he will play. I don't see it happening yet. If Scheifele is playingon a 70 point pace, you moght see it.

Little is the 1C, you don't move him to wing without a replacement and neither Scheifele nor Lowry can replace Little in my opinion. Maybe later this year or next year though.

[Ducky]

Maurice said Lemieux has some hands and is almost at a "pro work level". He likes him as a player and he "has a lot of time for him".

 

Maurice said Chiarot hit the wights over the summer and is in great shape and looks strong on the ice. Strong on the walls and reads are good. Maurice spoke highly of Chiarot.

Buff-Chiarot could be a punishing pair.

 

Said he would be okay with a smaller line coming off the bench if they played the game the right way.

[The Unknown Poster]

Yeah I think he's hoping Perreault-Burmi-Ehlers can be something.

 

Speaking of hitting the gym, Scheif has gone from 170lbs his first year to 207lbs this year.

[sweep the leg]

Think Chevy is saying to PoMo "uhhh hey, lets not get too ahead of ourselves here.  Third line sounds right until we have a six year deal in our pockets"

 

PoMo?

[Mike]

Pole Morris.

[Atomic]

Tonight's Roster:

 

[Atomic]

Likely line combos to start tonight:

 

Stafford - Scheifele - Wheeler

Perreault - Burmi - Ehlers

Raffl - Petan - Thorburn

Lemieux - Copp - Armia

 

Chiarot - Byfuglien

Enstrom - Kichton

Stuart - Trouba

 

Hellebuyck starts in goal.

[The Unknown Poster]

Are any of the Jets' pre-season games televised?

[Atomic]

Are any of the Jets' pre-season games televised?

 

I think they all are, tonight's is on TSN3 for sure.

[FrostyWinnipeg]

 

Are any of the Jets' pre-season games televised?

 

I think they all are, tonight's is on TSN3 for sure.

 

I knew Wednesdays was on but tonights game seems like a last day decision. Freep has it off and on.

[The Unknown Poster]

 

Think Chevy is saying to PoMo "uhhh hey, lets not get too ahead of ourselves here.  Third line sounds right until we have a six year deal in our pockets"

 

PoMo?

 

PaMa?  friggen iphone.  Whats the acceptable short form version of Paul Maurice?  I need to type it about 50 times so my iphone doesnt auto correct it lol

[Goalie]

It's PoMo for sure. Not sure why but that's what i've seen on hockey boards all the time. 

[The Unknown Poster]

It's PoMo for sure. Not sure why but that's what i've seen on hockey boards all the time. 

Okay, whew thought so...thats what came up when I started typing so I;ve used it before.  But then it sounded weird when spoken out loud.  PoMo it is.

[The Unknown Poster]

Peter Tessier:

 

The Jets face the Wild tonight for their first pre-season game of the training camp season. The part of tonight’s game that is of interest is the line combinations and as of now we will finally see what Paul Maurice wants to look at.

At least we can begin to speculate on what he is looking at.

Stafford Scheifele Wheeler
Perreault Burmistrov Ehlers
Lemieux Copp Armia
Thorburn Petan Raffl

Enstrom Byfuglien
Stuart Trouba
Morrissey Kitchton

Pavelec


The quick takeaway from this line up is Maurice wants so see his younger, less-known players in a line up that resembles what might be seen in the regular season. While it seems odd to put Petan, a skilled playmaking centre on a line with Thorburn, he is playing with Raffl who is a big, skilled winger that has come over from the Swiss league and is the brother of Michael Raffl from the Flyers.

Ehlers, Lemieux, Copp, Armia Morrissey, Kichton, Petan and Raffl are all getting the first pro look tonight, and to a lesser extent Burmistrov too as he makes his return to the NHL.

It’s a balanced roster of verteran presence with a youthful injection of prospects which according to all indication and analysis this past summer is what Jets fans can expect to see but not quite to this degree. The above-mentioned players are fighting for spots, with established vets and among themselves.

As it’s been said in this space before it will be hard for Morrissey to crack the roster and probably less likely for Kichton but viewing their games is important. Maurice and Chevy need to know who is ready to be called up when injuries inevitably hit the team and it always seems to start with defence.

The line that is the most intriguing among the forwards is the Perreault Burmistrov Ehlers line as it represents what could be a very realistic line come the regular season, but that mostly depends on the play of Ehlers. Perreault and Burmistrov are ‘possession darlings’ and drive the play through their puck control and handling. Perreault is a tenacious fore-checker and Burmistrov, if Jets fans recall, was the same on the PK when he was paired with Kane. Both of these players have more than a north-south game could be the magic elixr to feed the future ‘scoring-winger’ Ehlers.

As with former Jet, Evander Kane, Burmistrov could play a pivotal role with setting up and doing the so-called ‘spade work’ before Ehlers gets the reward. That reward is scoring opportunities and shots and Ehlers has to match the tenacity of his line mates if he expects opportunities to appear.

The other line that should be of interest is Lemieux-Copp-Armia. Brendan Lemieux has come to camp and raised some eye-brows from fans who have seen him thus far. He comes with a reputation of hard play and having former NHLer Claude Lemieux as a father probably only exaggerates what people see and expect. But what about Armia?

He played a bit with the IceCaps last season but had little impact with 2 goals and 8 assists in 21 games. In fairness to the player, no one had much impact on the Ice Caps last year aside from Conner Hellebyuck. Andrew Copp is another player to watch and seemingly the heir apparent to the 4th line centre position held by former Jet stalwart Jim Slater. Is it likely that this trio stays as a line? Probably not this season but it’s not too far-fetched to think that Maurice sees something that would make him think about the future. As mentioned above this is about seeing players in the bigger setting and how they play and knowing where these three sit is going to be important.

There is less intrigue in the defence pairings as it’s a pretty much WSYWYG situation, what you see is what you get. Icing two veteran pairs and letting Morrissey and Kichton go together gives Maurice the comparison view of who is a better call-up if necessary, but that is assuming neither starts in Winnipeg which I think is a safe assumption.

While Stafford Scheifele and Wheeler take top line duties tonight it will be the lines below who are the ones to watch as the Jets host the Wild to open their NHL pre-season schedule.

 

****Whats the thought on Raffl??  Intriguing guy.  Big body, experienced...

[Goalie]

Probably will get an AHL contract....

 

I'm interested in 2 lines tonight...

 

Perreault Burmi Ehlers 

 

Lemieux Copp Armia

 

That  could very well be our bottom 6 this year. 

 

Oh and just confirming this but... TSN 3 has the game tonight. 

[sweep the leg]

How much faster is it to type PoMo than Maurice? Seems kind of stupid (not directed at you guys).

 

As for tv, it's on TSN3 tonight according to my MTS guide.