The Check In - 03.15.26 - Blues at Jets

The Jets welcome the red hot St. Louis Blues to town in another Central Division clash at Canada Life Centre. Sara and Jamie will look back at an impressive defensive effort from Winnipeg in a 3-1 win over the Avalanche on Saturday.

Transcript

SPEAKER_06 2:07

Great news guys, lovely great job. Why do you want to know that you're on real name?

SPEAKER_08 2:12

But that's a new friend that might be.

SPEAKER_03 2:48

Yeah, right back at it. Actually, Isak Rosane giving the jacket to Mark Shifley, both of them celebrating birthdays today. Did you know that? No, I did not know that. There you go.

SPEAKER_07 2:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:57

They are right back at it. We are right back at it as well. I'm Sarileski. He's Jamie Thomas. You, of course, are watching Check In as we get you set for today's game against the St. Louis Blues. And we're going to have Sean Reynolds join us in about 20 minutes or so and help set up. We'll talk a little bit about yesterday.

SPEAKER_08 3:12

There's a lot to talk about from yesterday.

SPEAKER_03 3:14

There absolutely is. But we want to get right to the game uh here today. We're going to take a quick look at what the standings are as the St. Louis Blues come into town. And when the Jets finished their game yesterday, they were five points back at that second wild card spot. When you look at the standings now, they are six with the point last night.

SPEAKER_08 3:35

So six back of the San Jose Sharks. Seattle and San Jose and Los Angeles have been flipping back and forth here for the last little bit.

SPEAKER_03 3:42

Then you look also at 64 points, the St. Louis Blues, something that we wouldn't have guessed.

SPEAKER_08 3:46

But this is the whole thing with St. Louis. Every time they're selling off, we've seen this so many times. Okay, the Blues are selling off, looking to next year, and then no. No.

SPEAKER_03 3:56

Well, and the person, perfect person to find out what is going on with the St. Louis Blues team that had been written off a while ago is the one and only Jeremy Rutherford from The Athletic, who is so kindly popping in to join us. When you think of the St. Louis Blues, I always think of Jeremy, to be honest. Players come and go, but Jeremy's always there giving us the inside scoop on them. How are you doing this morning, Jeremy?

SPEAKER_05 4:18

Well, you guys are bringing the energy this morning.

SPEAKER_03 4:19

This is you're not feeling the same amount of energy. Make it till you make it, Jeremy.

SPEAKER_05 4:25

You guys gave me two things. First, the energy. I needed the little boost this morning. And then secondly, I needed the standings. I was like, man, if I could just take the standings and then bam, there they are right up.

SPEAKER_08 4:35

We provide everything in the show, Jeremy. That's what we do.

SPEAKER_03 4:38

Yes. So, Jeremy, give us uh give us the quick rundown. I mean, how is St. Louis doing this? Because when this month started, I mean, they were they were well back, and now here they are tied with the Jets at 64 points.

SPEAKER_05 4:51

Yeah, they were uh they were trailing uh a couple nights ago by two goals with uh eight minutes to go on regulation. They come back and tie it and they win the game. And I wrote my story, and the reason I'm telling you this story is because uh sometimes we write the headlines, sometimes we don't, sometimes we suggest headlines and they get changed by the editors. But I was trying to think of a headline for the blue story, and all I could come up with was are the blues really doing this to us again?

SPEAKER_08 5:19

Exactly.

SPEAKER_05 5:20

Yeah, two years in a row. So uh yeah, you look at the standings as we just did, and they're six points back, it seems manageable. But did you see that goal differential? What is it, minus 46 or so? Yeah, yeah, that's tough. And so, you know, I guess give them credit, they're playing well. It's March, I think they're 18-2-2 uh in the month of March, the last two years. The blues and the blues and jets wouldn't have played last year if the blues didn't rattle off that March run that they had last year uh to get into the playoffs and play the Jets. So I don't know, like you said, Jamie, you sell off, and some guys are playing for jobs and and uh you play better hockey.

SPEAKER_08 5:59

Okay, so something I'm trying to make sense of is the haul that Doug Armstrong got at the deadline. You trade your captain Braden Shen, you trade Justin Falk, you get two first round picks back and other picks on top of that. Like, how does how does Armstrong keep doing this year over year? And I'm not taking away the value of Shen and Falk whatsoever, but it seems like the Blues just got better in some ways.

SPEAKER_05 6:22

Yeah, I I think so. And especially what they're trying to do. Like, we did a uh interview with the owner a couple days ago, the chairman, I should say, uh Tom Stillman. And uh he said, Hey, look, we're on two tracks. We're trying to be competitive and we're trying to retool. Obviously, the competitive track, they fell off that track. Uh, but meanwhile, the young players that they're bringing along, uh, they really feel like are you know one day gonna get there. In the meantime, when you have a Shen and you have a Falk, you just hope that they have some value because here in St. Louis, you're moving on from them.

SPEAKER_07 6:52

Right.

SPEAKER_05 6:53

With the with a Shen, you know, his offensive numbers have gone down. But I believe, like New Jersey, new uh the New York Islanders believe, he can come in and fit as a leader, as a guy who's got playoff experience, as a guy who can come in and play wing center, third line, second line, whatever. Justin Falk, nobody would have ever guessed a year or two ago that he'd fetch a first round pick heading into the deadline. That's how his numbers just fell off. But he's had a great year this year. And like you just said, uh Shannon Falk go get the first and third round picks, and it just continues to help that second track that the blues are on, that retool.

SPEAKER_03 7:29

What is it that you attribute this success to in in March with it? Is there is there a player, a line? I mean, I guess we could also look at goaltending coming out at the Olympic break, which certainly has been on fire.

SPEAKER_05 7:41

Yeah. I think it's two things. I think it's uh backs against the wall, uh, and not only that, but when you combine it with your backs are against the wall and you just had a two or three week break. So you had the uh the four nations, and then this year you had the Olympics. Uh so guys got healthy, and uh guys came back and said, Hey, we don't know what our situation is until we see the team after the trade deadline. Now we know what it is. Now you know that you're six points back. You know, people keep telling us we can't make the playoffs, let's go show them like we did last year. I think that's what it is.

SPEAKER_08 8:15

Okay, so another one, the line that you talked about in your article recently was the Holloway Thomas Snuggeroo line. 33 combined points since the Olympic break. What is what has got them rolling so well right now?

SPEAKER_05 8:25

Yeah, uh first of all, they're healthy. Uh, you know, kind of like I was touching on there. Uh Holloway's been out. Uh the Jets didn't see him in the playoffs last year because he had that oblique tear. Um, this year he uh he had an injury in practice, a high ankle sprain, and uh missed a lot of time. He came back and uh also Robert Thomas is healthy. He had a procedure uh done on his leg. Uh so he comes back healthy. He's dishing the puck, and Snugrood's the player to watch. Like when you guys watch the game today, I know Jets fans saw him in the playoffs last year and you know, probably didn't think too much about it. He was a guy who played what the last seven games of the regular season after he came from the University of Minnesota, and then he played that first-round playoff series against the Jets. He's in his first full season, and he's just fun to watch. He's got a great shot. Now, listen, I don't want to fall off the deep end here, but uh, you know, some people say maybe the blues' best shot since Brett Hall. Um, so a lot of pressure on him there. But uh but the blues haven't had a one-timer like this in a in a long time. So watch out for that uh one timer from number 21, Jimmy Snugger, today.

SPEAKER_03 9:31

All right. Well, Jeremy, we appreciate you so much making some time for us uh on a Sunday. I know that weekends are never uh an easy time for anyone, especially when they have a family. So we appreciate it. And Jets fans, if you're looking to keep an eye out, you definitely don't want to miss Jeremy's work in the athletic. And you can follow him on X as well. He's always great with your St. Louis Blues updates. Thank you so much, Jeremy. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_05 9:54

No, thanks for having me on and and thanks for getting my energy going. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_03 9:58

Hey, that's what we're here for.

SPEAKER_05 9:59

That's what we do, that's what we do every Sunday morning.

SPEAKER_08 10:01

All right, see you guys. See you by now.

SPEAKER_03 10:03

Hi, Jeremy.

SPEAKER_08 10:04

Jeremy Reynolds for joining us. Um, Sean Reynolds will be joining us here at 1120 as we move on here. So we just took a pick peek at what's gonna happen today, but we have to look back what happened yesterday. Yes, because not every day the best team in the National Hockey League rolls into town and you come within a minute and a bit of shouting them out. Yeah, it was everybody 24 block shots. It was insane, all the stuff. And they I think of Dylan DeMello saving a goal on the near on the on the on the near post, helping his goaltender out. There's a so many examples of that yesterday.

SPEAKER_03 10:37

Yeah, for those of you that are in the chat right now, I would love to hear what stood out to you most about yesterday's win against Colorado, and as they have this quick turnaround situate. And playing off of what Jeremy had said with the blues, you know, you come out of the Olympic break, backs against the wall, everything. It's the same thing for the Jets. And it's something where it has to be frustrating as a coach to see the way that they play against the ball.

SPEAKER_08 11:02

Why are you waiting till March?

SPEAKER_03 11:04

Well, yeah, and how they've played against how they played against Colorado. And then you think about some of the other games that they have played recently, and you go, how come if you could just channel that regularly? That's the type of game that we were so used to seeing the last couple of years from the Jets. We just we haven't obviously seen it with the same sort of frequency this year. Uh, but what a job they did yesterday rising to the level of their opponents, certainly, and and containing them.

SPEAKER_08 11:30

Yeah, it's it's crazy to think of because you just think of all the names. Like they just had a Nasm Cadry, Nasm Cadry's playing uh with uh Nate McKinnon in the top line. So you're like, holy god, like what else can this team possibly add to get even better? They were the best defensive team in the NHL, the best offensive team. They had all these things going for them, and Winnipeg shut them down, gave them nothing. There, I think, I mean, obviously, Winnipeg didn't generate a whole lot in the first period, but it was a game that needed everybody. So, here are some of the thoughts from the game last night on that regard.

SPEAKER_01 11:56

Yeah, it was great. Uh, you know, the details were there. We had a lot of jump, we played together, um, very little mistakes, and uh, you know, some help from De Mello blocking some uh goal line starts. So, yeah, we had it all.

SPEAKER_08 12:10

What about the conversation with DeMelo after that block shot?

SPEAKER_01 12:12

Yeah, he wants to come into our uh goalie video tomorrow so he can he can work on his craft a little more, his goaltending craft. It's great. It's uh it shows how much ministicks he's been playing lately.

SPEAKER_02 12:21

You know what? I thought we were real competitive on pucks. Um, you know, we knew that obviously with their talent and skill, they're coming with speed, that we did a really good job protecting the guts of the ice. There was a couple breakdowns, and Heli was there for those. But at the end of the day, I thought we did a really good job of uh managing them, managing the game and you know, doing a good job of getting our five, like I had mentioned this morning or yesterday whenever it was about getting our five above their five, and thought the most part we did a strong job at that. They did.

SPEAKER_03 12:53

Yeah, I liked uh Connor's comment about how DeMello had maybe been playing a lot of mini sticks recently. I remember back from a couple of years ago with Home Ice, he said that Dylan had said that his son wants to be, always loves playing goal. Yeah, loves to be a halibug. So maybe maybe the Caleb's been giving uh Dylan some tips. Oh, I think giving dad some tips out there. Um, great to be able to see though the way that everybody contributed across there. But on the score sheet, uh Cole Perfetti getting that third goal, but it was the top line that cut the way.

SPEAKER_08 13:25

Yeah, always just day after day. And I remember Kevin Sawyer saying yesterday, during this homestand, you can never knock what the top line has been doing. Uh, they have carried out a lot of the load. I know they got shut out in one game and didn't get any shots on goal against the Rangers, but that quickly rectified over the last couple days. So um, you know, Kyle Connor, 30 goals again, again, eighth time in his career. Franchise record, uh, past Ilya Kobolchuk in that department. And I know it's the same amount of 30 goal game or 30 goal season that Dale Howerchuk had here as well.

SPEAKER_03 13:53

The only, yeah, so the only two to ever wear a Jets jersey that got eight um 30 goal seasons.

SPEAKER_08 13:59

And it's crazy to think of the only time he didn't get 30 goals was the um COVID shortened season. So we would be talking about Underachieving, but whatever.

SPEAKER_07 14:06

Yeah, whatever.

SPEAKER_08 14:07

We'll bring it up every once in a while. That's right. Well, Kyle, do you remember when you failed during the COVID shortened season of not getting 30 goals? Um we're gonna hold back some of your pay on that one. So the the whole what we've noticed, you know, Josh Morris, he became the franchise all-time leading scorer amongst the fensemen. Mark Scheife became the all-time leading scorer in in terms of points in the franchise history, but it's all about all they keep saying, all the guys I've played with over the years. But here's Kyle Connor on what has made him so successful and so consistent over the years.

SPEAKER_02 14:34

He's one of those guys that, you know, I think players recognize how dangerous he is. I don't know if everybody around the around North America recognizes what a good goal score, what a great goal score he is. He's got an unbelievable release, and he has a knack for finding that open ice, and you know, him and Scheif with their chemistry, but that that puck comes off his stick in a hurry, and you saw it tonight there just coming down there. It doesn't take much. Um, he just needs a little bit of a lane to get that shot off.

SPEAKER_00 15:00

Mark Scheife said on the broadcast today that the assists when he's setting you up specifically make him the happiest. Where are you guys at now in terms of the feel of your game and reading off each other out there?

SPEAKER_04 15:12

Um Yeah. Um, you know, it's it's a constant work in progress, and um it's something that um you know we both take a lot of pride in and um you know pushing each other and um you know working at just tons of different uh areas where we can get better um and uh you know constantly talk to each other what we're seeing. And um, you know, obviously we've been able to play together and um kind of build that chemistry and and work with each other. And um, you know, he's he's such a heads-up player and um you know everything matches the speed, the hands, um, you know, can shoot the puck as well.

SPEAKER_08 15:54

It it's it's incredible that Kyle does not get the same respect when it comes to playing for his country at the United with the United States when you have to be. Right?

SPEAKER_03 16:10

Yeah. But what would they say? That it was also people had certain roles, everything like that. You're not putting out necessarily the 12 goals score. Right players you are putting together the 12 players that you feel Sharon Jamie deserve an Oscar.

SPEAKER_08 16:28

Is this because we act like we like each other?

SPEAKER_03 16:32

Because you can't tell because of our fake enthusiasm on this Sunday morning.

SPEAKER_08 16:37

We woke everybody up this morning provide people with standings.

SPEAKER_03 16:41

But what a job those two continuously do. And you just you try to find new ways to ask that same question about the chemistry or try to explain it, but they are one of the most dynamic duos in this league. They're certainly um right up there as one of if not the most productive duos as well. It just seems year after year. If it's that ability to that chemistry and having played together with for well with each other for so many years, certainly has paid off.

SPEAKER_08 17:08

Yeah, and I think there was a when things were going bad, there was a discussion about breaking them up. It was never occurring within the dressing room, obviously. And you can you can see why. Rihanna, I see the question about why Morgan Barron was with a top line. That was uh Arnie said last night that was due to a face-off situation.

SPEAKER_03 17:21

Yep.

SPEAKER_08 17:22

Uh yes, I could see why you were excited, but that was all due to uh defensive side of the game because uh it was Morgan Barron's strong side. So maybe we see a little bit more of Morgan Barron a little bit later on in the top six later. Who knows?

SPEAKER_03 17:34

Yeah, you never know. I I mean matchups play such a and last game. I mean, matchups were such a significant factor going into it and trying to figure out and um how you're gonna try to contain that McKinnon line, which they obviously did. The McKinnon Taves, I mean, they all have to mcarbe. Yeah, they must I mean going up against Halibuck.

SPEAKER_08 17:57

Well, Helly got Helly got Devontae's again.

SPEAKER_03 17:59

Again.

SPEAKER_08 18:00

And Sean Rowans asked him about that, and Helly had a big smile on his face because you know he has the ultimate save and ultimate photo from the Olympics this year. Um, but you know, a lot of uh what we consistently see from everybody in the chat is just how well the team played yesterday. And it it is a little bit frustrating because when you see that and you see how they and Ernie had said they have to play the way they did against Tampa, where all guys, everybody came on top of the boards, they needed them. They got that yesterday. Uh, that was not a season high in terms of block shots, but 24 is pretty good amount. 28 was the previous high, or is the high so far this year against the Los Angeles Kings early in the year?

SPEAKER_03 18:36

Well, I think it also leaves you with that feeling then that many have had that this isn't yes, this is an off-year, but it's an anomaly. This isn't one, this isn't a group where you look some of the teams that have struggled this season, surprisingly, look and go, okay, are they doing a rebuild, a retool?

SPEAKER_07 18:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:53

And do you attribute it to something wrong with the structure, with the with the mixture of of players? Or do you look at it in the case of the Jets and say, okay, there were a lot of factors that went into this, but uh in general, the majority of the pieces are there that next year, maybe not a president's trophy, but will certainly be in contention for there be top three in in the central or in the wildcard mix.

SPEAKER_08 19:20

Well, I just think the I remember Jeff um it'll come to me anyways. Uh, one of our guests came on. Jeff Merritt came on and said that the Jets are in a good place because of their core group. Period. Like you just lots of teams are rebuilding, but they don't have that's why I don't think the Jets could ever entertain that idea because their core group is so good.

SPEAKER_03 19:38

Right.

SPEAKER_08 19:38

You can reload, yeah, and add in younger players like they had at the trade deadline, but you're not going to rebuild because of what your core group can do when they play as well as they did, like they did last yesterday afternoon.

SPEAKER_03 19:49

Yeah, absolutely. The uh the talent is there for it for sure. Uh let's see, keys to the game, play like yesterday, start on time, play 60 minutes, lots more pucks on that, lots of rebounds, pucks in deep.

SPEAKER_08 20:02

They didn't like the opportunities, like the fact they go walk out of the first period with just three shots on goal. Like they'll but they're not giving up a lot in the first period either. So it's almost like this feel out process is going consistently whatever whatever opponent it is. Yeah, so while they're not generating a whole lot, they're not giving up a whole lot. So the defensive side of their game has been solid for the most part. They were absolutely atrocious at their own end against the Rangers, though, and they quickly fix that because I don't care what anybody says, the Avalanche are probably 10 times a better team than the Rangers are. The Rangers have a lot of talent, but they do not have elite players like McKinnon and Makar. And the Jets contained that. There wasn't there weren't many sustained periods where Colorado had to pock in the Jets end for a long period of time, which is where they kill you. The Jets didn't feed into their transition game, they shut down their power play as Connor McGeehee pointed out yesterday. It's been 30% over the last little bit here. And when Winnipeg took penalties, Colorado didn't didn't do much.

SPEAKER_03 20:54

Didn't do anything really.

SPEAKER_08 20:56

I mean, everything that we've come to know of this team over the last four years was on display yesterday afternoon against the Colorado Avalanche. The question is, can they do it again? And uh, what does this look like? Is because you got Nashville here on Tuesday, another team you're chasing in the standings for a playoff spot. You have a tough road trip coming up uh out east. So it's about the Jets now have four wins against teams that are currently in a playoff spot in 2026. And two of them can come in this homestand against Tampa Bay and clearly the Colorado Avalanche, and that's when they've been at their best.

SPEAKER_03 21:30

Yeah, the Jets four and two now on this homest. They are six, one and one in afternoon starts so far this year, and they have uh this season they have played much better in the second half of back to backs, right? Or at least they've had the success. So we'll see whether or not they can keep that going this afternoon.

SPEAKER_08 21:48

Sean Reynolds will be joining us here momentarily. Uh let's take a look at the projected lines. Now, this is like this is the definition of projected. Because you're about to meet with Arnie at eleven thirty.

SPEAKER_03 21:59

Yep.

SPEAKER_08 22:00

Whether or not he divulges something.

SPEAKER_03 22:01

I there's short of an injury, there's no way that you changed the lineup for yesterday, except for a net.

SPEAKER_08 22:07

Okay. I think we have the I saved this.

SPEAKER_03 22:09

Did you? Okay.

SPEAKER_08 22:10

I didn't get the video advent. I should have. But Connor Hellebuck was asked if if he was tapped on the shoulder, would he play again? Which today would be his ninth consecutive start. He started eight in a row. He said, and I quote, I hope not. One night off, give comms one. He's been working so hard, he earned it. Which is literally, and I'm not exaggerating this. I've never heard of a goaltender say, no, let the other guy do it.

SPEAKER_03 22:32

But he's played a lot. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 22:34

And I'm not saying he wouldn't. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 22:36

And he's, and you look at the job that Eric Comery's done, four straight wins in his starts, uh, five goals allowed over that stretch, 949 save percentage. So when you think of the way that Eric's been playing, it's you certainly um have all the confidence in him going in. I did see someone uh Peace Level and hockey. I heard Colorado had to sit on the tarmac for a long time before coming to Winnipeg, arrived late.

SPEAKER_08 23:01

Hashtag confirmed.

SPEAKER_03 23:02

They yeah, they did. So there was a lot of issues in Seattle, freezing rain, I believe they couldn't fly out. So they were stuck on the tarmac.

SPEAKER_08 23:08

I think that they did not have six or seven the ice or six or seven hours for it.

SPEAKER_03 23:13

So they got in maybe around, I want to say it was around 11 p.m.

SPEAKER_08 23:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:17

Um, on what it would have been Friday night.

SPEAKER_08 23:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:21

For it, the Seattle Kraken actually were playing in Vancouver the next day, and Seattle elected to go home, yeah, stay the night, and then try to come up the day of the game. So they were also impacted by it. Um, when I love this, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 23:35

See, people love Sean Reynolds so much they tell us it's Sean Reynolds time. Look at that. They just know or Sean's typing that in himself under the uh name of Jefferson Peters 4556. Uh, here is Jefferson Peters 4556 joining us now, otherwise known as Sean Reynolds.

SPEAKER_06 23:52

Everyone needs a good alias.

SPEAKER_08 23:57

It's like you're telling us uh running time. I'm here, guys.

SPEAKER_06 24:02

It's rainy time. That's what I say to my kids. I get up in the morning and I walk out into the kitchen. It's rainy time.

SPEAKER_08 24:09

That's what you tell your wife, it's ready time. Hey, buddy. Um, hi we had a great discussion walking down from the press box yesterday about the effort that we saw yesterday.

SPEAKER_06 24:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 24:21

And um, while not exactly entirely entertaining, it you know, it's great beating the Colorado Avalanche. It's not pretty, but this is what the Jets are gonna have to do to keep putting two points up at the board, no?

SPEAKER_06 24:34

Yeah, yeah. And it's it's it's working, right? Like you can say whatever you want about like the brand of hockey that it is, but the Jets have found a way to kind of create the great equalizer. And what I see is it creates similar styles of game, no matter who is coming into town, right? So they have that game against the New York Rangers the other day, and you can tell the Jets are on the kind of game they want to play because you'll exit the first period and one team will have five shots and the other team will have three shots, right? And if you go back and you look since we came out of the break, that's what it's looked like. That's what the Jets have have been trying to do and been successfully doing. They've been grinding games kind of down to nothing. And what that does is now you don't have to go toe-to-toe with an offensive juggernaut like you see in the Colorado Avalanche. And then if you're the Jets and if you can get out and score first, and that's why it's been so important for so many of the games that we've seen out of the gate where where they get that first goal, early goals in a lot of cases. That wasn't the case last night, but in some of the games. And then what it does is it allows the Jets to say, we're just gonna sit back, we're gonna build a wall, and that's it. We're gonna defend and defend and defend. And if you decide to, you know, get a little loose and make a mistake, we can capitalize on a Mark Schefley, Kyle Connor, that line. They are some of the best in the league, in my opinion. At if you make a mistake, if you get careless, if you leave the door open a crack, they'll kick the door in and they'll head down the other way and score on you. So it's a little bit of a tricky one because I think it puts the Jets into a bit of a bad spot if they get scored on first, because now they need to open up. And that to me is the difference. I know a lot of people like to prescribe their losses to poor effort for the Jets. I personally don't see it that way. I see it as in that Rangers game, the Rangers didn't go away, right? And when they scored, now the Jets have to open up and they have to score their way back into the game. They can do that, but it also leaves them susceptible to being scored on. Uh, whereas last night they didn't look susceptible to being scored on. That last night when it was all said and done, high danger chances for were 11 for Colorado to two for Winnipeg. And that's all it took because the Winnipeg Jets just built a wall. They weren't going to get shots through. They were going to let Halibuck see that. You can't play like that if you're down two and trying to score your way back into a game. So it's the great equalizer. You can take really, really great offenses and you can bring them down to your level, but it is very important that you score first because once you have to open up, that leaves you exposed defensively. And that's what we saw against the New York Rangers, where all those goals go in the back of the net. And again, I don't agree with the assessment that the Jets just didn't have it that night or they didn't have a high effort. It's the same game over and over and over again. Starts with six shots for one and three for the other in the first period, but it devolves into something else based on who scores first.

SPEAKER_03 27:28

Who stood out for you since coming out of this Olympic break on this team, Sean?

SPEAKER_06 27:33

Well, Mark Scheifley over and over and over again, you just you're you're waiting to see. A lot of people were waiting to see, okay, he didn't make the Olympics, now his heart's broken, and now his game, you know, it dips because he's been playing to make the Olympics for so long. All these things we assign, you know, certain values to the player and and what he values and what he's chasing. Mark Schefley is just a guy who's consistently gone out and got it done time and time again. So I mean, that that top line has stood out all year. Ken and I were talking about it on the podcast last year. If you think about the games the Jets have won this year, how often has that line been the deciding factor, right? So when they've had success, that line's been the deciding factor. But there's been a whole bunch of games where they haven't won, where that that that line has put them so close to to being the deciding factor. If the Winnipeg Jets had a little bit more depth and a little bit more impact down their lineup, this would have been a ridiculous year for that top line where around the league, we would have talked about them as being this line that is driving a team to where they go. Yes, you're getting contributions here and there, but that line over and over and over again is making a difference. That's been the case. They just haven't had that little bit of extra scoring to put them over the line in the games where that team just didn't go out and say, we're gonna do it all by ourselves.

SPEAKER_08 28:58

What about the play that Cole Profetti made on the uh the dancing that goal? It was like the guy that you took the puck away from is pretty good player. So uh it was it was a great move. Great play.

SPEAKER_06 29:09

Uh I was thinking with Scott R. Neal, it's like help yourself when you're asked why did you decide to put him out there? That's when you say, Well, I had a hunch or I had practice or whatever, right? He's just like yeah, it kind of lined up in a face-off, and we just needed to do that. It's like, well, the question that comes out of that play is why has Cole Perfetti not been on the ice defending a lead more often? Now, the answer to that would be Mark Scheifley and Kyle Connor are pretty darn good when they get out on the ice at you know, stealing the puck, finishing games off themselves. But boy, oh boy, if Cole Perfetti didn't earn himself another look with that gorgeous play. So what I loved about it, Jamie, is the confidence of it is if he doesn't strip the puck off Nathan McKinnon's stick, he's in a bad spot. But he's so confident he knows he's got a line on the puck, and in doing so makes a move. You can see McKinnon is quick to stop, turn, and try and defend Cole Perfetti, but Cole Perfetti's just so far ahead of him on the play. And then the way that he just you've got those certain players that if they've got an empty net shot and they get the shot away, you think it's going in nine out of ten times. He looks to me to be one of those players, the way that the confidence that he had in putting that in the empty net.

SPEAKER_03 30:22

So look, it's a long shot for the Jets to be able to make the postseason. I think that it's six percent, is what a lot of the playoff odds have them at right now. But Sean, you're typically one, regardless of how Winnipeg does, that stays busy during the playoffs and um are covering different series. When you look across the league and you look at the 16 teams that currently would be in a playoff spot, which team would you like to cover in the postseason?

SPEAKER_06 30:46

It's a good one. Ooh, that's a great question.

SPEAKER_03 30:50

Um I said earlier to Jamie that with the energy that's in Buffalo right now and in that building and that fan base, that I think that playoffs there would be outstanding. Um, but yeah, wondering from your perspective.

SPEAKER_06 31:06

It's it's a great question, and it's a great question too, because both you two would have pondered this in your times. Like we're all in that situation where we've been, okay. Well, the team that we cover is out, who would we kind of okay? So Buffalo's a great one, just the way that they've been rolling, not just just beyond that, but that's a long-suffering fan base. That's a great fan base that finally has been given something to cheer for. And I like cheering for fan bases. I don't cheer teams, but good fan bases. I'm all about that and and want to see them do well. Um, if Pittsburgh ended up playing uh the Islanders, I think that would be a lot of fun just because it's about time Sidney Crosby got back to the playoffs and Matthew Schaefer. Some of the stories, I don't know if you two have talked to some players, but the way players talk about Matthew Schaefer fascinates me. They are blown away by an 18-year-old doing what he's doing. And that would be a case in my mind of the New York Islanders being a non-playoff team that got dragged in by an 18-year-old defenseman. What? That doesn't happen. That's not supposed to happen. So that's a fascinating story. Anything to do with Macklin Celebrini, I just would think would be interesting to. I mean, there, if they get in, they're going to be in the eighth spot, they're going to be a sacrificial lamb to the Colorado Avalanche. But it would just be interesting to say, hey, I was there when he was 19 years old, and yeah, they lost, but man oh man, did he show out well? And when he's doing the things we expect him to do at 23, 24, 26, it'll be you could already see it was happening at 19. So uh those three right there would be interesting for me. I I I'm a Canadian guy, so I I I'm one of these guys who wouldn't mind seeing a cup come back to Canada, regardless of who brings it back. So covering anything, Montreal Canadians with that fan base is fun. The Edmonton Oilers, I've covered them quite extensively the last couple of years. Uh, I would take them all, but um, those are the ones that stand out.

SPEAKER_08 32:59

Fair enough. Man, appreciate your time. Uh, somebody else, a few people have uh said that uh Columbus with Bones would be a ton of fun. That would be an interesting face.

SPEAKER_03 33:09

Yeah, uh there's also a number of people in there that say that they are looking forward to the latest edition of Kenny and Rennie coming out after the game today, and they hope that the headband will make an appearance.

SPEAKER_06 33:20

Oh man, it came on for the first time in a while last night. It comes out when it's national.

SPEAKER_03 33:24

I haven't listened yet.

SPEAKER_08 33:25

It's been a while, it was in the wash, man. That's why.

SPEAKER_06 33:28

Yes, yes. I've got like seven of them jading, one for every day. I've been sadly putting the Monday headband away in the drawer and waiting for Tuesday. Is today the day?

SPEAKER_08 33:39

So yeah, it was happened last. Good question. Hold on before we let you go. Uh, run the soup uh thing right now, Zach. We almost forgot. Uh, thank you for for our viewers. Uh so this has been a long-running thing on the show, Sean. Uh, what's your go-to soup, my friend?

SPEAKER_06 34:01

Didn't we have this conversation on this show before? It was this beef, beef and barley soup that I got at this restaurant in Brandon. Yeah, we talked about this. I mean, that was the that was the penultimate soup. Yeah, the the the the standby for me is like cream and mushroom. I like that, but that beef and barley soup at the beef and barrel in Brandon. For all the people listening from Brandon, they'll remember that place. Like that was otherworldly. Like, what boy, oh boy, that that was worth the trip to Brandon right there.

SPEAKER_08 34:29

We we gotta start like writing down who we've asked about soup, too. That's the one thing we have to make.

SPEAKER_06 34:34

Okay, since this is did you two ever have the the David Bowie conversation on air?

SPEAKER_03 34:41

No, no, that's okay.

SPEAKER_06 34:42

That's that'll wait for another time.

SPEAKER_03 34:44

Okay, but you know what? That's next time. This is guarantees that you'll come back on because I know that there's nothing that you would love more than to make fun of me in front of everyone.

SPEAKER_08 34:53

Humiliate you in broadbooks. Don't say it's because we need to save it when Sarah's feeling really good about herself.

SPEAKER_03 35:00

When you come back next time and you can mock me.

SPEAKER_06 35:02

Yes, take the air out of that balloon. There we go. Sean Reynolds, everybody.

SPEAKER_03 35:09

Thanks so much, Sean. As always, after the game uh this afternoon, you will be able to listen to Kenny and Rennie, always a great listen to, either live on YouTube, or you can catch them in the podcast form afterwards.

SPEAKER_08 35:21

Game's coming up at two o'clock, 1:30. We'll have the uh pre-game skate information with you. You got to get out of here. Uh quick shout out to Sarah because she felt she didn't want to emasculate me today. So she had high heels on. She was taller than I was, like she is right now. She took them off just to make me feel better. That's the type of person she is.

SPEAKER_03 35:38

Um, it's great to have so many of you in the chat. A big thanks to Jeremy Rutherford from The Athletic. Uh, make sure to check out his work. He's always one of my favorite beat writers for years. He's always got the scoop on that. The St. Louis Blues have been a juggernaut this month. They're honor roll, the best team in the league other than Dallas. They've got the best 10-game stretch going right now for the future this game. So another tough test for the Jets, but uh they look to be up to the challenge based on what we saw yesterday. And we'll see whether or not they can continue it today. But regardless, you and I are gonna be back on Tuesday when this homestand wraps.

SPEAKER_08 36:14

Yeah. Thanks so much for watching, everybody. Enjoy the game. It should be fun. It's always fun when St. Louis is in town.

SPEAKER_03 36:19

Have a great day.