TrueBlue4ever

I would guess that this is based on what the NFL discovered about CTE and how reckless the hitting is on special teams. It isn’t about obvious injuries but the long term effects of brain damage. Remember that the wedge busting play and having more than two blockers together is a new rule to prevent the kicking team have that suicide player blast into 4 blockers to “bust the wedge”. All a result of the CTE lawsuit and NFL settlement and reducing the risk of brain damage long term. Following the huge downturn in scoring in 2021, the league stated out loud that they wanted more scoring and less punts, so they moved kickoffs back 5 yards and changed the starting point post-FG to the 40 to facilitate more field goal chances with shorter drives.

Shoutout for Bucky deserves a song. Any suggestions? Here’s one: Two things that make this team different. Perfetti blocking a shot up 5-0 with 3 seconds left to lock down the shutout, and Scheifele comes back after his injury simply to celebrate with the team when he could have just stayed in the locker room. These tiny things just scream “team”. Must be the most fun a lot of these players have had in a long time, they are making it look simple (won’t say “easy” because they are definitely working hard). And Vancouver had taken over top spot in the NHL for about an hour with their win earlier, but we have it back now. Canadian teams 1-2 in the league as we near the midway point.

And if I have calculated correctly, the All-Star Game coaches are selected based on top points percentages in each division at the season’s halfway point (which happens this coming Saturday). Any Jets win or Stars loss, and any combo of Jets wins and Avs losses totalling 2 and Bowness will coach the Central.

Men against boys tonight. Score flattered the Yotes.

That kind of counts as a power play goal.

Agreed. He could make really quick reads and zip it in with velocity. And his pairing with Flutie was the catalyst for his best years. I lamented his loss from the club, just not sure the team would have hung on for another 5 years until he was ready, especially since they went all in on Dunigan. Very happy to have him back now, though. And fully appreciated his time in Blue and Gold, as you said.

I won’t deny that he had potential, but he was hardly the sure thing with Winnipeg that people seem to remember with 20/20 hindsight. His 1990 Grey Cup performance was one TD pass in garbage time with the team up 43-11 and the defender fell down in pass coverage. He had a 45% completion rate in his time in Winnipeg, and did not even become a full time starter until 1995 in BC, when he threw for 19 TDs and 26 INTs that year, then was let go to Edmonton. He became a back-up specialist in 1994, known for coming off the bench to pull out games, like the Grey Cup that year. But his passer rating was middling at best. Even in his MVP season in 1999 in Hamilton his rating was a career best 92.4, and he was only over 80.0 four times in 17 years, while being worse than 73.0 eleven times. He only hit 60% in completion percentage once. He threw more INTs than TDs in 11 of his 17 seasons, and only once was his TD:INT ratio better than 2:1. Now, he was good at piling up passing yards, going over 4,000 nine times. And he was brilliant at avoiding sacks in Hamilton, where 4 times in 7 seasons the team gave up less than one sack a game, including a ridiculous 7 in 18 games in 1999 (credit the o-line and his quick release for that). And he was a winner, having a funny streak of getting to every other Grey Cup (and winning every second time he got there) for his first few years (1990 win, 92 loss, 94 win, 96 loss, 98 broke the streak as he got to the Cup but lost, and then winning in 99 in his last appearance - his only win as a starter). Bottom line, he was very good but it took more than a few years (and three more teams) after he left Winnipeg to hit his elite level. So it wasn’t an obvious gaffe when we let him go (although I personally was a bit disappointed). If I remember correctly, it was a contract dispute with Cal Murphy that led to his departure. He wanted starter type money and a starting role which we were not going to give him (and neither did BC for 3 seasons after he signed there) and it got a bit personal, with Cal quoted as referring to him as “that little red-headed piss ant”. One last story about him I remember. One of the Bombers star defensive linemen or linebackers of the late 90’s and 2000’s (I cannot remember who) mentioned when he was with Hamilton, that McManus would telegraph if it was going to be a running play or a passing play every single time based on his foot position pre-snap under centre, and he was unaware he was tipping off teams to it. Despite this, his sack totals against were astronomically low, in large part due to a standard three step drop and release. And now you know……the rest of the story.

Just leaving this here for everyone to enjoy. Beyond the 28 consecutive games with 3 goals against or less (2nd longest streak ever in the expansion era) they have given up 2 or less in regulation in 16 straight.

Ladies and gentlemen, the #1 team in the NHL, your Winnipeg Jets. So many little things that impress me about this team. The work on the boards, the cycle, the rolling of 4 lines, the simple breakouts and smart passes that relieve pressure on their zone. And Broissoit seems to have learned from Hellebuyck with his economical style, minimal movement and flopping, just solid positioning and letting the puck hit him. And different heroes every night. This is a team just feeling it right now.

What exactly was that penalty for? Genuinely perplexed.

Perfetti with the power play dagger

Sweet snipe by Schmidt on a great feed. This team just keeps finding ways.

Anaheim playing a heavier game than the Jets have seen in a while. Curious to see how they handle it.

Ehlers gets the Jets back on even terms after some nice cycling. The Scheifele-Ehlers-Vilardi line starting to pick it up again. Their return to form would be huge.

Oh relax, Speed You know Booch isn’t leaving. He likes the trolling, telling people how much he more he knows, and the ass-kissing from certain posters too much to walk away. He’ll be back.

Love the job title for Louis Farrakhan on the list. Those wry Brits!

And the Jets have not lost (in regulation) since that Dec. 12 game.

Jets with a club record 9 game point streak, Hellebuyck has gone 10 straight without a regulation loss (personal best) and has given up 2 or less in 9 of those 10 games. Was 3rd star for the NHL in December at 7-0-2, 1.88 GAA, and .934 save %. Life is good as a Jets fan right now.

I know refs are human and will miss the odd thing, but they have not covered themselves in glory in the high stick department tonight.

Jets are the #3 team in the NHL in winning percentage right now. Only behind the Rangers and Bruins, tied with the Stars, better than the Avs, Knights, Canucks, Kings, Leafs, Lightning, Panthers, Oilers, Canes, Devils et al. Hands up all who saw that coming. (Hey, you with your hand up…..quit lying!)

For any car racing fans, Cale Yarborough (NASCAR in the 70’s) and Gil de Ferran (Indy car in the 90’s) both died today.

We still have yet to beat Dallas.

Trying not to get too high, remembering a post Xmas slump or two in the past few years, but boy is this team looking strong right now.

If we get our special teams sorted out, we could be an elite contender. 5 on 5 we are incredibly strong.