The Check In - 04.09.26 - Jets at Blues

The Jets move on to St. Louis for a Central Division showdown with the Blues. Sara and Jamie get you set for another huge game for the Jets. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 2:05

What's going on?

SPEAKER_08 2:07

Good afternoon, everyone.

SPEAKER_05 2:08

Welcome back.

SPEAKER_08 2:09

Well, thank you. It was so weird.

SPEAKER_05 2:11

It was so weird to have the show with us. And Kevin kept wandering. I had to like grab him by the shoulder and bring him in because he kept leaving the shot because it's new for him.

SPEAKER_08 2:19

Right.

SPEAKER_05 2:20

He's used to being trapped between the benches.

SPEAKER_08 2:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 2:22

In a controlled area. Yes. Not much room to move, but he is like all over there and had half his face in the shot, but he did a good job filling in for you. It was weird. I'm not gonna go into the thing where I think, no, don't look at me like that. Don't, don't.

SPEAKER_08 2:37

It was one game.

SPEAKER_05 2:38

It was one game.

SPEAKER_08 2:39

It was one game, but what a it didn't go off the rails at all either. Yeah, that's I expect to see in the chat. Let's be honest, people. Let me know. How did he do?

SPEAKER_05 2:49

Um Leanne is already like Sarah's back excited. She's like, didn't know what to do with you not here. People are so used to you being around.

SPEAKER_08 2:56

All right. Did you hear the tone in that? So used to you always being here, Sarah. Um, what we are also used to is doing check-in on every Winnipeg Jets game day. And it is hard to believe when you include tonight five games left for the Jets in the regular season schedule. In some ways, this season has gone on and on because of the compressed schedule. I feel as though that's why it's so weird.

SPEAKER_05 3:21

There were two days between games. I don't even remember, I don't even remember the Seattle game because I'm just so used to every other day, something going on.

SPEAKER_08 3:27

Yeah, but then you uh you look at it and go, wow, we only have five games left to the regular season schedule. A quick trip to St. Louis to close out the season series with the Blues. The Jets have led this season series two to one. Uh the home team has won each of the three games so far in this series.

SPEAKER_05 3:42

So I think Kelly said, sorry, cut for cutting you off. I think Kelly Moore said yesterday when asking Kyle Connor, I think it's 11 straight games, including playoffs last year, where the home team has won.

SPEAKER_08 3:54

So Jets looking to buck that trend tonight and switch things around in Winnipeg with a four-and-one record in their last five games. So we have seen that they continue to be in the playoff push, which is uh which is great. And we'll get to the standings in a moment. We are very lucky for the guests. Looking forward to having the one, the only, the iconic broadcaster, Scott Oak, join us in just a little bit. Scott, of course, announcing that this was going to be his last season with hockey night.

SPEAKER_06 4:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 4:22

Uh a very well-deserved, well-earned retirement in the future for him. So we're looking forward to having him join us. And then Mike Kelly, man of a million different hats and jobs, is going to be joining us as well.

SPEAKER_05 4:34

That's the thing, you just can never put where Mike Kelly is from.

SPEAKER_08 4:37

Yeah, we should ask him what his it maybe it depends on the day of the week, what his preferred and how does he know where he's going?

SPEAKER_05 4:44

Who's working for? How does he know who he's working for that day?

SPEAKER_08 4:47

Also, a great question. I hope he I wonder if he keeps it all in his phone on the calendar or if I think he told us last time, didn't he? Did he have did he say old school book? I hope so. That's what I like.

SPEAKER_05 4:57

He seems like an old school book guy.

SPEAKER_08 4:59

Uh yeah, we might need to revisit that with him. Um, but before we do all of that, we are gonna make you might know throughout this month that we have been taking part in the Tim Hortons Challenge.

SPEAKER_05 5:10

Yeah, the Tim Tim's hockey challenge. Yep. Go to the app, your Tim Hortons app, which you should have, because of course you're accumulating points. You can get free food and coffee down the road. But what you do, well, of course you're gonna brag with everybody. You go grab your phone, open up the app, you have three selections, three players you pick from the action. There's a lot of games going on today. Sarah and I will tell you who we're picking a little bit later, but if you get a streak of seven consecutive days, you get free coffee for a week, which is what we all love to do. We love to drink coffee for free. Yes, especially when somebody else should be paying for it. Um, so many thanks to Tim Hortons for that, but we will have our three picks a little bit later. You actually got one right the other day. I'm thinking I'm over 100 already. So do not listen to what I'm gonna pick a little bit later today. That would be my advice. Okay.

SPEAKER_08 5:54

Uh let's take a look. The Jets come in, I mentioned, uh, continuing to gather points. Let's take a look at where the standings are because this time of year everybody is always intrigued by it. When I used to work at TSN and we did the playoff funds, you always wanted to keep an eye on it.

SPEAKER_06 6:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 6:09

And it was rarely one specific team because you wanted to you tried to guess which playoff series you would have. Um, and even when covering the Jets later, you looked and went, which one has the best travel? Which is the best option? Because it's about your needs. That's right.

SPEAKER_05 6:23

If you're gonna be there, get home in time from here.

SPEAKER_08 6:26

We can't control it, but it's always fun uh to do. So take a look at where the standings are right now. If you'll notice that Nashville has jumped back in front into that second wild card spot, the Jets currently four points back. So games of interest today. Nashville is in Utah, a dangerous three-point game.

SPEAKER_05 6:42

Can pull within two points. Yeah, that's yeah, go Utah.

SPEAKER_08 6:45

Sharks and Ducks. Um, and then you've got the Canucks and the LA Kings. So LA Kings, one of the teams, obviously, that keeping an eye on with it. And you look at the remaining games for the Jets, including tonight, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Vegas, Utah, San Jose. You look at the remaining games for a team like LA.

SPEAKER_05 7:04

Okay.

SPEAKER_08 7:05

Vancouver.

SPEAKER_05 7:06

Twice, isn't it?

SPEAKER_08 7:06

Yeah. Edmonton, Seattle, Vancouver again, and Calgary. So only one out of their remaining five games is a team that is currently in a playoff position.

SPEAKER_05 7:16

Like that's yes. That's a lot of pillow fight for the Pacific, right there. That's a lot, that's a pretty easy thanks a lot. So Vancouver's gonna have to the Jets a favorite tonight. This is what we said. They have to pretty much win out, yeah, and then get a lot of help. But winning is the most important thing, and they're taking on St. Louis. Last time they were in St. Louis was it one? It was one-nothing. That's another thing that has been very low scoring. So low event hockey is on the plate tonight, which means it'll be 6'5.

SPEAKER_08 7:43

But in general, I feel like we've seen low event hockey lately from the Jets, anyways. Yeah. Um, if you were to summarize a lot of their games.

SPEAKER_05 7:50

Well, the Seattle game, there wasn't much going on. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 7:53

What'd you think about when?

SPEAKER_05 7:54

Well I just you took care of somebody, you took care of business, and of course it's the Shifley Connor show again. Like there's just so there's you run out of ways to you know describe how great they've been this year. And now Mark Shifley's only three points away from a hundred points. And Kyle Connor is unreal. Like he's he's been on fire since his commercial, so that obviously plays a large role in it. I would love to know what he got paid. Like, do you get free KFC for for your thing? Are you just getting paid? Like, how does that work?

SPEAKER_08 8:27

Can you walk in and say, I'm Kyle Bleeping Connor? I would like a break, a big crunch sandwich.

SPEAKER_05 8:34

Did they approach him and say, We want you to say this? And he said, No, I'd rather not talk.

SPEAKER_08 8:37

I thought he did a great job.

SPEAKER_05 8:39

There's some great acting in there, especially the bow tie tightening or whatever that is. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_08 8:44

But Mark Shafley, Kyle Connor leading the way again.

SPEAKER_05 8:46

There and Connor Hellbug was good as usual. But I mean, and then the whole thing that they're doing right now, and Scott Arneal's a genius for this as well, is making sure, because making sure Josh Morrissey's on the ice more times than not with Kyle Connor and Mark Shifley, and it's working. So it's there's a lot of little things here that they're doing that we don't usually pay attention to, but Josh Morrissey has been, you know, paired up or thrown on the ice the same time as Connor and and Shifley, and it's working. Um, obviously the Jets getting a lot of uh secondary scoring, which is which is helpful. And I guess we could talk about someone could shape me a kyle. You know what? I haven't had uh Kotec for a chicken in quite some time. For it.

SPEAKER_08 9:27

So do Did anyone grow up in the 80s and 90s when the bucket of KFC was I don't know, really it was well, but it was just such it was huge, it was huge.

SPEAKER_05 9:39

I mean it was a big day of the Thomas household when that buck was too. It was very exciting, got delivered to the table. I miss those days. Yes because you can burn that stuff off, no problem. Maybe not so much now.

SPEAKER_08 9:52

Oh um, let's take a look at projected lines. The Winnipeg Jets have finished their morning skate in St. Louis, and it looks very familiar. The lines that we have seen, uh great to be able to see Nino Nita Ryder and Vladimir Mesnikov back in the lineup as well. Uh, but you look, no changes from what we saw, and Connor Hellebuck expected to get yet again another start. And as Scott O'Neill has uh believe either said or insinuated that this is gonna be Connor's Connor's net for the foreseeable while the playoffs are still an opportunity.

SPEAKER_05 10:29

Right. And that's the way it should be. And I know a lot of people would love. I mean, the best chance is Utah next week. Because of course they play in Vegas the night before, so that would probably be the uh the opening for Air Carmer to get a game, but we'll have to see it. Yeah, Reed, I do remember the rotating KFC bucket signs. It was a great time. It's a great time. So Scott Oak will be joining us here momentarily, of course, uh announcing his retirement after this playoff run on Hockey Night Canada. So um you know what? So how about our good friend Jonathan Tays?

SPEAKER_06 10:59

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 11:00

Bill Masterson trophy nominee, Perseverance. I think is I don't know of many better cases than his to win the award this year, but there's some pretty good ones out there as well.

SPEAKER_08 11:10

Yeah, Bill Landiscog. Every well, last year he won the Bill Masterton uh Landiscog did. And so one of the things that for the perseverance, the dedication to hockey, and and I fully admit, I have not seen what the list of all 32 um every every chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association um nominate somebody.

SPEAKER_06 11:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 11:34

And so it was a unanimous decision that it would be Jonathan Taves, which is no surprise because who else could it be? And I was trying to just quickly think while going through um the teams in my head of trying to think of who would be a more deserving one. And I don't know if there is if there is somebody that will trump what he has been able to do in coming back.

SPEAKER_05 11:56

Yeah, like if I had to guess.

SPEAKER_08 11:57

But uh that would be his what and you know, I saw some people on X talk about how you know this season has he contributed the same way. That's not what this award is about. And the fact that he dedicated himself and overcame what he did in order to be able to get back. Think of the challenges of surviving and making it into the league period, but taking a couple of years off in your and then playing every game so far, yeah, is is tremendous. So congratulations to him. Uh, very deserving nominee.

SPEAKER_05 12:27

Should we hear from him?

SPEAKER_08 12:28

What do you think? Let's do it.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

Let's do it. Well, I think uh one of the major lessons for me is you know, and uh uh ease easy uh for some to say, I guess. Maybe it's something that comes naturally to others, but uh I think a big part of the success I had early in my career was was uh um you know I pushed myself to the limits and and definitely went uh rode the highs and lows of that you know emotional roller coaster. And you still tell yourself uh at this point in your career that that you're not gonna ride the highs and lows, that you're just gonna stay even keeled and not worry too much about the losses and and not let you get yourself get carried away too much when things are going your way. But uh it's it's obviously easier said than done, I think, when things aren't going your way. It's it's you don't want to let go of the rope too much and and obviously you don't want to be too hard on yourself, but you you can't uh just accept at the same time. Uh it comes down to results and the winning in this game, and and uh it's a lot more fun when you're winning.

SPEAKER_03 13:32

It just goes the you know to the all the work that he's put in the last couple years to try to get back and play. And um, you know, he's a pretty dedicated guy away from the rank and you know really looks at a lot of things when it comes to his body and you know everything that's happened since COVID. And so uh to come back and be able to, you know, to participate in the NHL, it's a hard thing to do. But on this season with the craziness of the schedule, um, you know, just uh he's he's found a way to you know get himself ready for every game, and you know that's a it's a good honor for him to be recognized for that.

SPEAKER_05 14:08

So you I mean I've been impressed through the whole time and and the the how quickly time has gone by here and he has seven or seven games and he hasn't missed anything, and he's repeatedly said how much of a challenge it has been because of the compressed schedule, but he keeps finding a way to do it and be a factor. And the fact that he's one of the best of face-off guys still in the national hockey is crazy. That like all the you're going up against, and Arneal talked about this yesterday. He's going up against bigger guys, he's going up against quicker guys, yeah, and still finds a way to have that average of 60 or more in the face-off dot more times than not. He's been very reliable in that aspect, and that's to me is the most impressive part outside of all playing all 77 games. But the fact that he's still a wizard in the face-off circle is just incredible.

SPEAKER_08 14:54

Yeah, absolutely. I think that there were some questions going in whether or not we would see him maybe on a more limited game count. Could it be that he'd play a couple, sit out one, play if play three games, sit out one? Uh, but especially when you look at the job that he has done um in this compressed schedule. But I think the Olympic break also helped out a lot with it. But kudos to him for what he's been able to do.

SPEAKER_05 15:22

Another thing, too, is just there's that adjustment of like how you fit in. He was two C there for a bit. Now he's like on the on the you know, third line with Rosane and Kepke, and there's a ton of speed on that. Don't touch my third line, of course. Um, and we were trying to figure that out because we were looking at the three the four lines today, and you will hear coaches say all the time, you may see it this way, but it's not how it gets deployed. We don't necessarily say what the first line is in this room, stuff like that.

SPEAKER_08 15:48

Well, and I find that it's especially farther down the lineup that you'll hear coaches that will sometimes do the oh, what sorry, which is my third line? Yeah, what you can never live.

SPEAKER_05 15:58

Yeah, you can't tell the coach what their lines are. Because sometimes you'll go, hey, we try sometimes. The third line looked great last night. Oh, is oh, is that my third line? And they get on the defensive or just like to play games with us in some aspects. That being said, they find a nice um trio with uh Rose and Kepke uh right now for that third line for the Winnipeg Jets, which has obviously been very successful the short time they've been together.

SPEAKER_06 16:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 16:20

Uh we're waiting we're waiting for our good friend Scott Oak here momentarily. Um I mean, it's speaking of incredible, what he what he's done over his career too. And I remember having him on when I first got here when the Jets were in the playoffs in 2018 and ask him about his favorite moment, and there's a time he's like when he was remembering he's on his back.

SPEAKER_08 16:39

Yes, the mayor of Winnipeg, unofficial mayor of Winnipeg, absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 16:43

This lane that was incredible uh outside the season.

SPEAKER_08 16:46

Let's be honest, the Snoop Dogg interview from a million years ago. Do you remember that one?

SPEAKER_05 16:50

I do. That was when the Anaheim won the cup in 07, wasn't it? Yeah, that was that was incredible. And obviously, uh Snoop Dogg has been an incredible part of the National Hockey League for the four uh since then, probably because Scott Oak got him in there. He has some polled as Scott Oak in that aspect. Um, so you know that that's been the great part, and then just so many great interviews. And some someone said to me, Kev Kevin Sorcer said this the other day, just how good he is at asking questions, especially after hours.

SPEAKER_08 17:18

There is a very much there is such an art to it, yeah. Uh, and the his ability, especially when you look at I think after hours, but also there's a real appreciation for what he's been able to do there, the comfort, uh, the ease that he puts his guests at, but also the humor that he interjects throughout it as well and adds to it. So it's uh it's a balance that not everybody can do. And I also always find that one of the areas that I appreciate most from great broadcasters is at the end of a championship game, which for or at the end of a series or something, yeah, something like that. And you'd look at the way that you don't necessarily know how things are going to end, and you look at the questions that Scott would ask in those moments, and they were never, they were never as simple as just the right, how do you feel with this? And he was always able to elicit such great uh responses from people and really um capture the moment of it.

SPEAKER_05 18:15

And you know, it was him that was talking to Paul Maurice after the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup, and of course he got that out of him, right? So um just so good. And like you said, there's there's the art to it, but it's there's art to asking the same question in a different way, yes, and Scott has been very good at that. So uh it looks like Scott has ironed out his things because he is the wizard of wizards, especially when it comes to technology. So we we are about to welcome the great Scott Oak to the show. Um he's getting a little bit of help too, as well. So it's uh so let's let's bring Scott in just for fun. Oh hold on that, hold that thought, Zach. Um we'll we'll get to that in a second.

SPEAKER_08 18:55

Scott, uh Scott might love technology as much as I think.

SPEAKER_05 18:57

Well, he told me the other day, he's like, I'm not downloading another program. I'm fine on Zoom. And I'm like, no, StreamYard's no problem, Scott. It's the easiest app on the on the planet.

SPEAKER_08 19:06

So now it's a good thing Scott's retiring because he's never gonna talk to Jamie again after this.

SPEAKER_05 19:10

No, no, he he likely will not. And uh keep in mind, uh Mike Kelly will be joining us here momentarily as well uh on the show. So yeah, you're right. Scott probably will not. I promised him. I promised him that StreamYard is so seamless and so easy. Yeah, we'll see if this all works out here. You know what?

SPEAKER_08 19:27

While we're waiting for him very quickly, I see a lot of people in the chat as well talking about the Manitoba Moose. Um, you know, the Moose did weren't able to get the win last night, but the Moose are going into the postseason. We know that. Yeah. Um, so exciting times, and as much as we're watching this push for the Winnipeg Jets to, you know, hopefully be able to get into that final wild card spot, that the Moose, the job that they have done um this season, it's exciting to know that there is going to be playoff hockey in Winnipeg.

SPEAKER_05 19:56

Yeah, and that's the thing. They've had such a great year, and you you kind of figured because there was a lot of graduation from prospects for the for the Moose this year, they had brought in a lot of uh guys with a lot of professional hockey experience. So the way the roster was constructed this year, it looked like a team that was going to be able to uh at least clinch a playoff spot and obviously make some do some damage in the American Hockey League, too, right? So um, you know, Colby Barlow's making his professional hockey debut, Jacob Julian. But on top of that, the two goaltenders that you just recently had home ice on home ice is Thomas Millish and Dominic Di Vincentis, they're they're set between the pipes for the significant amount of time here. And Thomas Millish has won at every level. He's been at Dominic Di Vincentis, keeps getting better. So I think that's been a key part because they solidified with those two draft picks the a very important position because they've had a lot of influx. Guys coming, yeah, you know, guys with a lot of uh pro hockey experience over the year between the pipes. And now they have these two young goaltenders that will one day, of course, one of them or go back and forth uh being Connor Hellebuck's backup.

SPEAKER_08 20:57

Yeah, I think that it's exciting too to be able to. We always talk about the opportunity to be able to see what the future is, people that you anticipate being able to, some of them being able to um eventually make their way up to the Winnipeg Jets. But I I like the balance that they have so that you have experience, but then uh you also have the young up-and-comers for everyone to be able to get a look at.

SPEAKER_05 21:20

Scott Oak looks it looks like he's uh ready to go and he's excited about it. Uh so pleased to welcome to the stage and to the show uh Scott Oak of Hockey.

SPEAKER_08 21:29

Scott, are you ever gonna talk to Jamie again? Because he promised you that this was not going to be a difficult thing to join us.

SPEAKER_04 21:36

Well, sadly, I don't think it's his fault. Uh I'm at the recovery center and they're our just had our executive director who's worried about Oh no.

SPEAKER_05 21:47

We had him.

SPEAKER_08 21:48

Oh, we had him.

SPEAKER_05 21:49

I know. I know. Um, tell you what, let's bring Scott back in after they get this ironed out. Let's uh let's bring in Mike Kelly as well. And we can uh Good friend Mike Kelly. You never know where this guy is. And Mike, we're gonna ask you this. I think I did we did talk to you about this. How do you organize yourself and how do you know who you're working for every day when you make up?

SPEAKER_07 22:13

Honestly, uh, this year has been a busy one, and and some days it's uh the I'm in a hotel right now, but usually I'm at my house and I've got a TV screen background, and I've got different images that I can go like, okay, I'm doing a hit for these people, and then I gotta change it to this because I'm live here and there. Um, there's some times where like mid-sentence, I'm like, oh, where am I going? And uh you get it done.

SPEAKER_06 22:36

So you know what?

SPEAKER_07 22:39

Honestly, like I love the game as you two do, and um I I do prep for it every day. And I feel like just from and you'll you you both know this. You do your jobs well. When you're prepared, you kind of can't go wrong, right? You don't often get thrown a curveball that you can't at least uh foul tip somewhere and stay in, stay in at that.

SPEAKER_05 23:01

Okay, so I know it's not your platform, money puck. And they come up with these percentages of how they're gonna make the who's you know who's gonna make the playoffs. Jets are like just over eight percent, I believe, today. How do they come up with these numbers and decide or and and display them to to uh all of us at home about how how how who's gonna make the playoffs, what chances they have, they're gonna win a regulation. How does that how does that work?

SPEAKER_07 23:24

Yeah, I I don't know how they do it. Um we we have models that we use. Uh we've got Winnipeg right now at just over 4%, so a little bit different. Yeah, I can tell you what we do. We we run uh simulation 2,500 times based on obviously where you are in the standings, how many games remaining you have, what your strength of schedule is, what your underlying numbers have been to this point, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. And also factoring in, you know, who's playing who, right? Yeah. Um, one example, like Buffalo wins last night, so now they're first in the Atlantic. Well, Montreal and Toronto are playing tonight, or Montreal and Tampa, sorry. So somebody's getting two points. So all these things get factored in. Um, I think for for Winnipeg, like I love the run that they've been on for quite a while, and they've they were an afterthought to me a little while back, but they played really well and they've they've gotten kind of back in the race to a degree. The hard thing, even though you can look at it and be like, well, they're they're four points out with a game in hand on Nashville, who occupies that last spot. They have the tiebreaker Winnipeg over San Jose and and LA, and they may over Nashville, they're tied with that right now, 27 regulation wins, but 88 points is what the projected cut line is going to be. So Winnipeg is going to need, if they have the tiebreaker, um, eight points in their last five games. Could they do it? I mean, they just did it, they just won four out of five games. So of course they could do it. The the tough part is they got three teams ahead of them. If one of those teams just kind of does as well as them, then you then you don't get in, right?

SPEAKER_08 24:53

So when you said the, you know, you try to overprepare so that when curved balls come your way, uh, you know what to deal with. A curveball was the Winnipeg Jets coming out of the Olympic break and having the success that they've had and the run that they've had. Did you see anything going into the break that made you think, oh, this could be the team to watch coming out of?

SPEAKER_07 25:18

Not specifically. And I I do remember kind of going through that exercise and looking at what I thought St. Louis, I thought they could be one, and they kind of did a little bit, but but they're out of it now. Um, Ottawa's the one that I've been kind of harping on all year as a team that it man, if they could just get average goaltending, maybe if they'd be uh forced to be reckoned with another in the mix. Um, but you know, to Winnipeg's credit, like we know we know what Connor Halibuck's capable of, and you know, this year hasn't been as good as last year, but the team hasn't been as good in front of him as last year, and those two always somewhat go hand in hand. Um, I think you know it's been positive for the Jets that they've found we know what what Scheifley and Um Connor can do, and Kyle Connor's been fantastic. Uh Perfetti and Lowry and Villardi is that second line, um, especially out of the deadline. I know they're kind of even in terms of goals, but they've they've tilted the ice, they they've won the chance generation battle and shot battle, and um, that's been a kind of talking point all year of what can the second line be? Can they find a good fit? And they they've been they've been good together. So positive.

SPEAKER_05 26:24

Mike, I can imagine when the season started, the last thing you ever thought of is that Adam Lowry be involved with the Jets second line, considering how much the third line has driven the Jets play and their success over the years. Do you feel like that lack of a third line the Jets have had for a long large chunk of the year has put them in this position that they're in right now?

SPEAKER_07 26:42

Yeah, to a degree. Um, like Adam Lowry to me is a perfect third line center on a good team, and we've seen him be that for Winnipeg, right? Yeah, can he play on the second line? Absolutely, and he's proving it right now. Like they're not a liability out there at all. But I think if there was somebody there with a little more offensive punch, and then you've got Lowry in that third line spot, your whole team is just more balanced. It's not even so much about him, yeah. Um, it balances the whole team, right? So um, you know, Brendan Yeager is a guy that it might not be next year, but down the road, maybe he's that second line center for Winnipeg going forward with a little offensive punch. And so there's there's things in the pipeline. Um, but obviously scoring's been uh a concern this year. The Jets are 25th in goals per game, they're 24th in expected goals per game. So they are kind of reaping what they sow, which which has been below average.

SPEAKER_08 27:34

Would you have anticipated that this wild card race would turn out the way that it has been so far in terms of teams struggling? You look at the you look at the West, and I mean, in particular, we'll hold the Pacific division accountable for it. Um just it's unbelievable to me because we thought that the as great as the Jets run has been, thought coming out going, well, you can't make up 11 points coming out of the break. And but then what the expected playoff line is in terms of points just keeps falling. Um, does it surprise you what we've seen in the West so far?

SPEAKER_07 28:10

Yeah, well, for sure. I think the Pacific being not nearly what it's been in years past is the driver of it, right? But the the amount of games that have gone past regulation this year, like it's it's hit historical levels, it's top five, I think, kind of since uh they put this this system in place. So it's so much harder to catch teams because there's so many three-point games. Nashville really since the end of November, Yossi kind of came back in the lineup, Stam Coast got hot, the team started playing well. They've been a pretty good team since then. They had a terrible start. LA has been up and down. Um, you know, Seattle's fallen out of it. St. Louis started so poorly, and then they've been good, but they're too far back. It's been yeah, it's been uh not like anyone's grabbing the bull by the horns here or anything. So there's still kind of three, maybe four teams in it. But my goodness, you look at what that team's gonna face in the first round, whoever does get in, Colorado. I don't know how any team who could finish in that last spot is is really got a fighting chance against that team. Can I ask you?

SPEAKER_08 29:13

Sorry, just quick when you look to the east, there's some teams that there haven't been in in almost 15 seasons, being Buffalo or ones on the customer, Columbus, which people have a soft spot for, and especially I think in this market with Rick Bonus and everything. Is there a team out of the east in particular that stands out to you as one to watch when the playoffs get going?

SPEAKER_07 29:36

Yeah, I I mean a number like Ottawa, I've I've talked about quite a bit. Um just a team you don't want to play. Like if Ottawa gets in in the eighth spot and they face right now, it would be Carolina. I'm gonna dig a little deeper before that series starts. But I may I might be inclined to lean Ottawa's way. Um and Montreal has been like the fun team all year, they're fast, they're skilled, they don't really defend that well. Goaltending's been up and down, but like they've started to actually play good hockey for a while. Montreal could be a threat. They're playing Tampa tonight. That could be a first-round matchup. Tampa's been in a bit of a slide, but they're still to me the best team in the conference, the lightning. And uh Buffalo, I mean, on the one hand, I can't deny what they've done for 50 games. On the other hand, I'm still not fully like this is a great team. So, yeah, we'll kind of see where where that goes. But it's cool to have such great races, like up and down, uh in both conferences.

SPEAKER_05 30:33

Yeah, buddy, uh appreciate the time. Uh, thanks for making some time for us because I realize how busy you are at this time of year or actually all year long. So uh uh appreciate the insight on everything that's going on and continued success of in your career. And of course, we'll talk to you uh down the road.

SPEAKER_07 30:47

Thank you, Jamie and Sarah. And I feel bad already because I feel like I've got a Hall of Famer just in the waiting room where I'm taking up time from the great Scott Oak. So yeah, please tell him someone else was on and not me.

SPEAKER_06 31:01

Thanks so much, Mike.

SPEAKER_05 31:02

All right, see you. Unfortunately for Mike, uh you don't have to worry because Scott uh we'll have Scott on another time because we're gonna we're gonna iron this out.

SPEAKER_08 31:10

You know, we should just bring him here. The next time that he's on, it might just be me hosting the show because he might refuse to come on when Jamie's.

SPEAKER_05 31:17

Especially when I guaranteed.

SPEAKER_08 31:19

Guaranteed, no issues.

SPEAKER_05 31:20

And obviously, anybody who watches anybody who watched the show, you do not go off what I say. So uh listen, the uh Jetson uh have had their morning skates. Let's just go inside the room and hit with some quick thoughts on facing the blues tonight.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

We we know this team. Um, you know, they're fast, uh a lot of skill. Um you know, they always play us hard. Obviously, we look back at the playoffs, and I know there's some different guys, but it's still the you know, a lot of guys that were in that tough uh playoff uh round that we had with them. So um, you know, a team that wants to play uh play with their speed, play uh play fast, have a good rush game. Um, you know, they're they're scoring goals right now, too. So um we're gonna have to be good tonight. Uh it's a tough challenge coming in here and playing in this building.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

It's always a battle against uh the blues, I think. Obviously, you know, the four playoffs. Um, you know, coming in here, we gotta have a big good start. Um it's gonna be a battle for sure. Uh I gotta have a good fore check and good back check. So um just gotta play hard from the start.

SPEAKER_03 32:14

Pretty interesting how they they play a pretty fast game and just watch them against Colorado, they were real quick and saw that in our building. We got off to a really good start. In our building, we need to do the same thing in here.

SPEAKER_05 32:23

All right, so you may or may not have noticed there's a lot of not not a lot of mic flashes because it's just us down in St. Louis today.

SPEAKER_08 32:31

Yeah, with it being a one-off game, uh that one-off road trip and kind of the challenges that go along sometimes with being there. Um, it is just the Winnipeg Jets crew that is down there. Um, yeah, but CJOB will obviously have your pregame and your post-game interviews.

SPEAKER_05 32:49

Absolutely. Make sure you're tune to that. So you've seen the lines uh one more time. Let's take a look at our projected lineup tonight.

SPEAKER_08 32:54

And we have to do our Tim Morton's challenge too. Okay, while you're looking at that, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 32:58

We're opening up the app. There's the lines. Uh no surprise, no changes.

SPEAKER_08 33:03

Make sure that you all go on to the app because then on Saturday, yeah, when the Philadelphia Flyers are here in town, you can put into the chat, let us know who it was, whether or not one of your three. Do you remember who you picked? Uh do I? Yes.

SPEAKER_05 33:16

I went Sebastian Aho.

SPEAKER_08 33:18

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 33:18

Neil Pionk. And just because Jonathan Tay's master nominee, this is and he scored in the power play of the last game. Okay. That's another thing we didn't go into. They won three, they scored three power play goals. Three first time since December of 2024. They scored three power play goals in a game. So Jonathan Tay is my third pick. And you.

SPEAKER_08 33:34

Okay, I went, so it's perfect actually when I was looking at the Alex Ayafalo clip from the dressing room right there.

SPEAKER_06 33:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 33:42

Um, because I did select Alex Ayafalo, who was in the background of that scrum, won Cole Perfetti. Okay. I also selected number 91.

SPEAKER_05 33:50

Holy cow.

SPEAKER_08 33:51

And then um, I took Nick Cousins with the Ottawa Senators, and I was saying, you know what? He's gonna hit double digits tonight. He's sitting at um nine goals. Okay, and we'll we'll see whether or not he's able to get done tonight.

SPEAKER_05 34:05

Okay, well, the Philadelphia Flyers are here on Saturday. They are not the usual pushover that they've been in years past, they are in the playoff picture in the situation in the Eastern Conference. Yep. We'll be back on. Well, you guys can tell us if you're right about your Tim Horton, Tim's hockey challenge, and then I'll tell you how right I was as well. I apologize for the issues with Scott Oak. Uh, we love the Hall of Famer. Gonna have him on the show somehow, someway. Even if to pre-record the interview.

SPEAKER_08 34:32

We will do it. Uh, just a reminder, though, that after tonight there are only two Winnipeg Jets home games left in the regular season. That would be Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers. And then their final game of the regular season, game number 82, they are hosting the San Jose Sharks. That is next Thursday. So if you don't have your tickets, uh a reminder that you want to make sure to get on, to get on it and get in here and be able to see them.

SPEAKER_05 34:56

Thanks so much for watching. Uh it'll be a fun game tonight in St. Louis. Lots on the line. Obviously, it has to it's like we've been saying this forever. Thank you for watching.

SPEAKER_08 35:06

Take care.