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The Jets face the Wild tonight at the MTS Centre for their first meeting of the season in what many thinks will be a future rivalry between the two clubs. Even before the NHL realignment proposal became official it was obvious to many that the Wild were natural rival simply due to geography. Tonight is the first chance for the two teams to show the fans if they are going to ‘embrace the hate’.
At this point in the season no one had predicted the Wild would stand atop the NHL as the league leader. Calling the Wild a surprise team is not so much an understatement as it is wrong, they are a way off the charts long shot, dark horse wild-ass guess of a pick to lead the league.
Two key trades with the San Jose Sharks where Brent Burns was shipped out and Devon Setoguchi and Dany Heatley were brought in have changed the make up of the Wild and the record speaks for itself. The Wild are on a 10-3-2 road record run and currently have a seven game road win streak.
Earlier in the season there were a few writers and observers who took a statistical look at the Wild and felt hey could not sustain there pace- one reason was the amount of points earned through overtime and the shootout. The Wild have earned a total of 13 points via extended time or the shootout. The team also has a league high winning percentage in one-goal games .688 and a record of 11-2-3. Some would make the argument that this success in close games is not sustainable and the current record flatters the team, however I’m sure the Wild could care less.
For the Jets there is an obvious change which has to happen after the last game, and Claude Noel started it by only reviewing the first period from Saturday’s debacle. Perhaps it was a simple case of trying to reinforce positive actions rather than exorcise the negatives ones but this shows an evolution in the coach. He has a young team and he knows the collective psyche is not that of a steel girder thus he must be careful in how he affects it.
"At the end of the day it's about people and how you get them to play. All I know is you get more from sugar than you do from... blank. I'll leave that to you guys.” This was what Noel said in reference to his tactics with the team to the media yesterday. Taking it a but further Noel is simple having mercy and not kicking a horse when it’s already down and out as eventually you are going to need to ride again.
This may be a wise move as while the Jets are not struggling, treading water at .500, they are not soaring either but is any significant change coming? Probably not as there is no reason to think Noel’s job is on jeopardy despite it being the year of firing the coach. It would be equally foolish to think some sort of significant trade is on the horizon either, as Chevaldayoff has hinted at no need for change nor would recent play on the ice dictate change is necessary.
Yesterday more Jets players from the infirmary were skating with progress-status coloured jerseys, Hainsey and Enstrom to bre precise. Today the Jets claim Antti Miettinen off re-entry waivers after he signed a 2 year 3 million dollar deal with Tampa Bay. Last year when this very same event happened to Kyle Wellwood the claiming team, the San Jose Sharks, seemed pretty happy will the Jets have good fortune with Miettinen? The move also means that Kulda has been waived and will more than likely be reporting to St. John’s.
The early thinking on Miettinen is he is primarily a playmaker/passer and not some one who will add toughness to the bottom two lines. He will add some diversity, as the Jets do not play a true checking/grinding line combination in the bottom six should that be where Miettinen ends up. Tonight though it’s 11 forwards and 7 defense as there is no time to recall a forward.
Perhaps the old cliché that the only change coming needs to come from within is most accurate, but that was until Miettinen was claimed on waivers today. Miettinen had only played 20 games in the KHL with 2 goals and 6 assists. Last year Miettinen was riding with Koivu in Minnesota and had 16 goals and 19 assists.
With this recent news here are 5 thoughts for today’s game and beyond for the Winnipeg Jets.
Knowing the Wild will be a conference rival next season did the Jets get Miettinen as a strategic move in preparation of facing former club?
What role dies Antti Miettinen play on the team when he finally arrives?
Does the acquisition of Miettinen mean a trade of another player could be on the horizon?
Does Miettinen bring the right skills as to what the Jets need?
With the next games being Minnesota, Capitals, Anaheim, Islanders, Canadiens, and Penguins- what will be the Jets record in these 6 home games?
Enjoy the day.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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