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Jets Blast Blues, Stars next & life after Brassard |
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If you want a game recap it goes something like this- Jets survive initial flurry by Blues to beat them down 4-0 basically because Connor Hellebuyck was brick wall. The game looked like this:
And this:
The fact is this was not the Jets best game although the outcome was very pleasing for the team and its fans. Tonight will be a different battle with a rested Dallas team who are playing their best hockey of the season. The Stars are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games having come off a 2-0 blanking of LA on Thursday night.
It's not so much that this game has anymore meaning than other games, the points earned are worth the same now as they are in October but it's the timing that speaks volumes. This is the stretch now and the Jets have a very difficult schedule to finish out the season. Understanding how they match up to a potential first round playoff opponent is critical. The Blues, while a possible option, are in a major tailspin right now and know it, as do their fans. Jake Allen and his team were given the Bronx cheer last night as booed off the ice at times. They aren't scoring and one would think that GM Doug Armstrong will have to do something about it. That doesn't matter now though.
The Stars could be sneaky buyers at the trade deadline and seeing how they fare against the Jets is just as important to Jim Nill as it is the Kevin Cheveldayoff. Now with Brassard gone, who are the Jets targeting?
If you didn't see the tweet from John Shannon last night he suggested that the reason Vegas got involved in the deal between Ottawa and St. Louis is to keep Brassard from going to a 'competitor' and that competitor was Winnipeg. Smooth move g by GM George McPhee and while it seems devious is deliciously devious.
The Jets have to set their sights elsewhere now and one name that came up was Tomas Plekanec. If you follow me on Twitter you would have seen my back and forth with @Tony_MBhockey about Plekanec. While I have said that Plekanec fits the Jets bill based his expiring contract and experience Tony suggested that Plekanec has been better than the 'awful' I described him as. I'm not convinced he drives play anymore and that he still has skill and value but he's not the same player from 3 years ago. Tony presented some statistical data that supports that Plekanec might be doing a better job than his production suggests.
What's interesting is he's a lot like Brassard and he plays mainly at even strength. Checking with a well-informed source in the east who covers the Canadiens and the suggested that indeed the Jets have been in on him but the asking price is high but that is also part of the game. As for the term 'awful' I'm prepared to be corrected and am. What has been said about Pleks is he's adjusted his game to be more of shutdown C but given the Jets depth of scoring compared to Canadiens acquiring him could garner some increased production and defensive awareness.
Ehlers Plekanec Laine anyone?
So yes, my tweet was wrong, I'll own it. Don't tell my wife okay?
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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