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Jets host an Avalanche in snowy Winnipeg

February 14, 2019, 3:55 PM ET [89 Comments]
Peter Tessier
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • RSSArchiveCONTACT
While people out east cry the pains of a winter storm, here is in Winnipeg it is seen as a dusting compared to the mountains of snow piled up around the city- now the Avalanche are here.

Okay, that's it for the weather puns.

The Jets are hosting a division rival once thought to be a dangerous nemesis but now one that has fallen in the standings outside the top 8 in the West. The Avalanche are 1-6-3 in their last 10 including a 5-2 pasting by the Leafs at home. Their goaltending is a mess and even the formidable top line cannot bail them out lately, so welcome to Winnipeg.

The pessimist says the Jets let the Avs stay around and eventually beat them much like the finally subdued the Rangers on Tuesday night. The Optimist feels the team is slowly turning a corner and becoming more like its 'old' self, a team that had no fear and considered deficits a challenge to be conquered.

Tonight we'll find out if progress is short-lived and a slight blip on the radar or if it a trend that is taking shape. Now one game will not be determining but another decent effort on the possession side is all that is needed to start building good habits and a trend to the right direction.

If you are not following around on Twitter then you might have missed the latest concerns around Patrik Laine and how he is being used. Your truly went so far as to put up a poll asking if the Jets were 'sandbagging' him as the noise around him and more importantly the situation he is in via coach is reacher a level of fervor reserved for only the most controversial topics.

It all started with this tweet:




Now I'm not sure what's right or wrong with Laine although I have theories but for basically all of us looking at the young Finn and the team we are looking at it through one lens or in our own bubble. Context is everything and we don't have the full context of why he's on the 2nd PP why he is not moved to a different line or why other players aren't moved to him.

It's hard to know what the entire story is as fans and media only see the end result of usage on the ice. Is Laine in agreement with how he is used? Does he have an understanding from the coaches on what he has to improve upon? Is the message sent down to all players about tactics and such and Laine is not adhering to it completely? There are other questions too that might apply to this situation yet we don't know them or even the answers.

On a granular level anyone can pick apart Laine's game, and most player's during a game, but because he's not doing what everyone has become accustomed to the spotlight shines brightest on him. Again, is he doing what the coach wants? If so then there's certainly an argument to be had about why the coach wants the things he does. Until then though, it's hard to be accurate we we are outside the bubble.

In other news Nik Ehlers has had a set back and is going to be out an extra 1-3 weeks. Does that change the trade deadline strategy? Probably not but perhaps puts a bit more pressure of getting the moves right than before but maybe not as much as people thing.

It seems all but certain the Jets will make a pitch to get Mark Stone now what should that pitch be? Let's here your trades for him and see what makes the most sense. Remember you're going to have to give to get...

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