The Winnipeg Jets are at the halfway point of their seven game road trip, the longest for the entire inaugural season for version 2.0 of the team. Regardless of whether it is road weariness or early fatigue, the Jets are without some bodies now as injuries mount. The latest casualty is Tobias Enstrom who has returned to Winnipeg after taking a hard hit From Jack Skille of the Panthers. It is believed Enstrom is suffering from a shoulder injury and his status is unknown until doctors in Winnipeg assess him.
 
The loss of Enstrom, for however long, will be a problem for the Jets as they rely on the puck moving defenseman as key piece in the transition game. However, his injury compounds the problem from having a full infirmary with Hainsey, Fehr and Mason all out as well. There will be a call up and fortunately the Jets' farm team, the St. John's Ice Caps, is having a road trip through New England and is not too far from the big club.
 
The other prevailing story for the Jets aside from injuries, fatigue and travel schedule is the play of Dustin Byfuglien. More than a few casual observers are making some astute hockey observations about the play of big Buff, it's not that good. Fans, and most likely the coaches too, are waiting for the player who opened up the pre-season with a huge hit and fight to return to the line up. The biggest knock to Byfuglien is his play around his own net where he is often beat or caught out of position. Is the play a case of player indifference or is it something else? With a few people saying it might be time for a night in the press box for the over-sized defenseman will Claude Noel come to the same conclusion? It won't be soon though as injuries will necessitate the need for the blue-liner for the short term.
 
Noel provided a quote to the media and this is pulled from the Winnipeg Free Press via the Jets website.
 

"The part we'd like to change is that we can't seem to close out the games," coach Claude Noel told the Winnipeg Free Press. "We're up 2-1 and we need a penalty kill and we can't seem to close it up. We have the same concerns in that we gave them seven power plays. That's discipline. Until we change those things we're going to have trouble winning games."

This is the problem the team faces through and through thus far in the season. Noel refers to it as discipline but that is a mindset and focus is the first to go when a team is not fit. The Jets' players had the hardest summer of all NHL players as they were forced to pack up their lives and move from once city to another in a different country. Families, possessions and more were uprooted and had to be rebuilt in a new city. It's not an easy process and anyone who has had to do it will no the regular aspects of your life, the routine habits, are the first to be sacrificed. For the Jets it appears fitness is what they gave up through all the upheaval. Noel may preach focus but when a player in any sport is not fit the mental lapses are going to begin and continue until fitness improves.
 
Tonight marks the one week anniversary of the 'Mayhem on Broad Street'. While the Jets would like to score more goals they cannot give in to the mistakes which happened a week ago. It'ïs a game that should have been removed from everyone√ïs memory but for the Jets they would do well to always remember it so as never to repeat again.

Notes: Festerling and Flood called up. Stuart listed as day-to-day and is a game time decision by some accounts.

Game time is 6PM CST on TSN Jets.

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