Welcome to Jets Weekly, where you can catch up on the past
week of Winnipeg Jets hockey. From hot topics to news and notes, this is where
you can find all things Jets related throughout the 2019-20 season.
It’s seven weeks in a row now that the Jets have gone 2-1 in their three games. They were able to split the home and home series against the Detroit Red Wings and they finished the week off with a bang by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 7-3 on Sunday afternoon.
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The Jets will go into next week with a 20-11-2 record – good for third place in the Central Division. They have won their last five home games dating back to Nov. 23 to improve their home record to 10-5-1. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and their goal differential has improved to plus-10 which is good for eighth overall in the NHL.
This past week had some interesting storylines and more potential bad news on the injury front. Let’s get started and cover it all with another edition of “Jets Weekly”.
Scheifele
Streaking
Forward Mark Scheifele has extended his point streak to six games after racking up one goal and two assists on Sunday against the Flyers. He has 11 points over those six games and now sits with 35 points on the season to lead the team.
Scheifele is plus-six over the last six games and his
defensive play –along with the entire first line – has been improving with time
and building chemistry.
The Jets need their best players to perform every night and they have been getting that as of late. Even captain Blake Wheeler – who was struggling not long ago – has eight points in his last six games and is a big reason the power play is clicking again.
Wheeler and Scheifele have been able to rekindle their chemistry from the wall and the slot on the man advantage and Wheeler is making the passes we have become so used to seeing.
Hellebuyck
Still Battling
Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck did not have the same staggering numbers this past week but he did enough to pull out a win on Sunday. He stopped 29 of 32 shots in the win and made some key saves early to keep the team from having to make another comeback attempt.
Over the last three games, including his brief appearance last Tuesday after subbing in for backup Laurent Brossoit due to an equipment issue, Hellebuyck has made 59 saves on 67 shots – good for a .880 save percentage (SV%).
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His current SV% on the season is an impressive .930 percent and I don’t think there is any reason for concern going into the new week.
Perreault
Injured
Forward Mathieu Perreault left Sunday’s game with an upper-body injury after taking a late hit from Flyers forward Joel Farabee.
The extent of Perreault’s injury is still unknown but he is expected to be re-evaluated at some point today – he has six goals and six assists in 33 games this season.
Farabee received a five minute major and a game misconduct for the hit and he is scheduled to have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety on Monday.
Gustafsson
Loaned to Sweden
Jets’ center David Gustafsson has officially been loaned to Team Sweden for the upcoming World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic.
Gustafsson has played 22 games with the Jets this season, registering one goal. He played for Sweden at last year’s World Juniors and finished the tournament with three assists in five games.
Nick Shore has taken over as fourth-line center in Gustafsson’s absence and the Jets also got winger Gabriel Borque back from injury. They made a surprising move, electing to send forward Mason Appleton – who also returned from injury – to the Manitoba Moose.
I expect it to be a conditioning stint and we could see Appleton back with the Jets at some point this month.
A Look at
the Week Ahead
The Jets have another three-game week coming up with the first two at Bell MTS Place. On Tuesday, they face the Carolina Hurricanes for the first time this season.
Thursday will see the Jets take on the Chicago Blackhawks for the second time this season with the Jets winning the first matchup back in early October, 3-2 in overtime.
The Jets close out the week on Saturday in Minnesota against the Wild. The two teams last met in the Jets’ home opener where the Jets put on a 5-2 thrashing of the Wild.
These Central Division games are where teams can make up ground in the standings. With the Blackhawks and Wild currently trailing the Jets in the standings, it will be key for the Jets to get clean regulation wins as we creep up to the halfway point of the 2019-20 season.
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Thank you for reading this week’s edition of ‘Jets Weekly’. Stayed tuned for next week’s edition and, as always, feel free to leave any feedback or questions you may have in the comment section below, or follow me on Twitter @Goet91.