Well it's official Winnipeg is in full playoff mode. From ticket give aways, to people wearing white, to dressed up cars, to writing articles on opposition players' 6 year old tweets, to turning pessimism into optimism. The city is ready.
Now are the the players ready?
There is the this belief that somehow the grind of the regular season was not what the Jets wanted to play for anymore after January. In fact some players have even hinted at it and even the coach suggested there is a different gear that the team will use come the puck drop tonight.
It's the second season and anything that happened before means nothing now, at least that's how some would have you believe. That all the bad things are in the past and only good habits go forward right? They never get left behind.
The forward lines have been projected to look like this:
Connor Scheifele Wheeler
Perreault Hayes Ehlers
Copp Little Laine
Lindholm Lowry Roslovic
You know the defence.
Line one is a known entity but needs to get charged up a bit and Scheifele and Wheeler have been in a bit of a funk in terms of playing a 200 foot game. Will the original trio find some much-needed chemistry again, maybe more important than chemistry is finding some common sense and drive.
Line two is a creation just for this series apparently with Perreault moving up to provide support for Hayes and Ehlers. Assume Perreault is there for the puck retrieval and the others to support and find the net or at least some position.
The third line is the curious one as with the injury to Tanev there has to be some balance and that comes with Andrew Copp sliding up and Laine sliding down. The chemistry, or lack thereof between Laine and Little is near legendary but does Copp and his first on the puck attitude change that? We're about to find out.
The fourth line with Lindholm, who has played well in his few games since becoming a Jet, with Lowry and Roslovic is intriguing if managed well and given the right starts and opposition. In some ways it could have the potential to be quite pleasing.
So how do the Jets beat the Blues in this series?
Quite simply they have to do something they have not been able to do with frequency in the second half of the season- take away the space and time for the Blues to execute. This has to start with the first line and be seen right through and this also includes the defence. The gaps have to close and for that to happen a team has to back check much better.
The forwards can't keep hoping the high point D gets position and shoots the puck back in deep for recovery with them hanging way down low only to have the longest skate back. They have to be more proactive in the puck possession game.
Most importantly though as a team each player has to move their individual game above average effort and output. The Jets have that much talent to achieve more than most teams because of their talent level but the players have to believe in how they exhibit it- that requires effort and output.
This is not energy-level or giving 100% it's about details, reading plays, knowing position and tactics, communication and getting past whatever BS has maligned the team for the past three months. That's the change that has to happen, any adjustment in tactics or strategy are secondary to changing the 'other stuff' or at least moving away from it.
Now what does that mean in terms of what happens on the ice?
We'll find out as Jets take this in six games.
Other series picks
Tampa in 5
Bruins in 7
Islanders in 6
Hurricanes 7
Jets in 6
Flames in 6
Sharks in 7
Preds in 6
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