Winnipeg Jets

[plrh]

I frequently take transit to Jets games, but I live right off of Corydon so the 18 takes me door to door. It's very nearly as convenient as driving. I also get a free parking spot by Broadway and Smith, but I only use that if I'm going to a game with work people (ie not drinking). Most often I take the bus to the game and a cab home, because it's only $10 more than transit. The worst part of the bus is waiting after the game for your bus because the wait is usually a few minutes.

The bus to the game is usually less than half Jets game people and rarely full. I would not take the bus to the Downs unless there was some sort of park and ride within walking distance for me. Thinking about it, I have never carpooled to a Jets game; I have only ever traveled alone.

[bomberjet]

I know we're all goin pie in the sky re: Shaw Park. But I love the current location. Seems perfect to me.

If you're going to drive to a large event, you should expect to be stuck in traffic. I just don't understand how someone can complain about that. IGF did rather well getting people out. But costs a lot of money for the traffic police and chartered buses. The IGF location has really made me think about going to games or not. It kind of sucks coming out from a great game and piling into a school bus for a 30-45 min drive.

[buzzg]

I would definitely say downtown around the arena is a hive of activity on event nights. There's people walking around everywhere, patios busy, lines to get in places – there's definitely a vibe. I just wish TNSE would add some better lighting or something on the outside of the building so it looks a big more active on event nights.

And yeah, IGF's location kind of killed the "night out" vibe Bomber games used to have when there were so many places around Polo you could walk to before or after a game. West Portage would be awful.

One thing I do think the city needs to do is create a designated drop off zone somewhere close to but not beside the arena. Say no parking on the 2 blocks of St. Mary flanking Donald, and the Donald block along the library. Maybe the parking lanes on Portage on either side of the arena. Because there's no nearby drop-off areas (and street parking is allowed everywhere) you get way too many people trying to get close to the arena which makes traffic (and transit) worse. There's aaallllwaaayyys people stopping at the bus stop on Portage for loading and it's brutal. As someone who's gone to 10 games+ a year since the return, I've seen a transit or police officer there at most 5 times waving people off. Most big city arenas have loading areas blocks away from the venue.

[blueandgoldguy]

Since it's almost a certainty a hypothetical new arena will be mostly subsidized by the public ie. Edmonton's model, a deal will only be consummated under a left of centre government as history suggests.

Winnipeg Arena and Winnipeg Stadium were constructed while the province was under a majority liberal government. BellMTS Centre and IGF Field were constructed under a majority NDP government...with ongoing improvements to BellMTS financed by gambling revenues through a negotiation with the previous NDP government.

Meanwhile...

When the Jets made the jump to the NHL, instead of building a new arena, Winnipeg went the budget route expanding Winnipeg Arena with some ill-conceived upper deck seats and the infamous ski-slope seats at one end of the building and shoe-horning in 10 horribly inadequate suites for good measure...under a conservative government.

The Pan Am games would have been a perfect opportunity to build a new $100 - $125 million stadium for the Bombers. Sadly CANAD INNs stadium was refurbished for $10 - $20 million....under a conservative government.

It's funny when I read comments from posters on other forums complaining about "damn socialist governments" getting in the way of their beloved pro team obtaining a heavily subsidized pro sports facility that makes complete business sense according to them. That's certainly not our experience in Manitoba. Quite the opposite actually.

[pspeid]

Back to hockey for a moment...Jets got their first win last night against the Flames. From CBC website:

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl...ecap-1.5874132

I didn't see the entire game, so I was wondering what people thought of this first effort, especially from the defense? Is the shortened season going to help a team like the Jets? Should we start to plan the victory parade yet? (sorry, must have been channeling for a Leafs fan, there...)

[Jammon]

Originally Posted by pspeid

Back to hockey for a moment...Jets got their first win last night against the Flames. From CBC website:

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl...ecap-1.5874132

I didn't see the entire game, so I was wondering what people thought of this first effort, especially from the defense? Is the shortened season going to help a team like the Jets? Should we start to plan the victory parade yet? (sorry, must have been channeling for a Leafs fan, there...)

First period was a disaster for the Jets. They were getting burned up the middle the entire period. And Helle looked really rusty. It was an awful period. Second period, it was a complete 180. The defense were solid and the forwards spent large amounts of time in the Flames zone. The Jets showed that they are a force to be reckoned with when they have time in the offensive zone. They had Calgary on the back heel the entire period. 3rd period was definitely more balanced, though the Jets had better scoring opportunities mostly because of Markstrom blundering when he came out of the net to play the puck. With that being said, he stoned Scheifele big time with an amazing glove save for a puck that was destined to go in.

Laine was the best player in that game, bar none. Scheifele played well, as did Ehlers. Already stated to see Stastny's influence on the second line. Pionk started off horribly but seemed to get better throughout the game. As far as defense goes, the only guy that was completely out of his element was Niku. He was good when they were on the offense, but I was watching him and thinking "wtf is he doing out there?" He looked completely lost at times.

Looking forward to this all-Canadian division. if the Jets play the way they did in the second period, they can beat any team in this division. If they play the way they did in the first, they will lose to every team in this division. Haha.

What did everyone else think?

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by Jammon

First period was a disaster for the Jets. They were getting burned up the middle the entire period. And Helle looked really rusty. It was an awful period. Second period, it was a complete 180. The defense were solid and the forwards spent large amounts of time in the Flames zone. The Jets showed that they are a force to be reckoned with when they have time in the offensive zone. They had Calgary on the back heel the entire period. 3rd period was definitely more balanced, though the Jets had better scoring opportunities mostly because of Markstrom blundering when he came out of the net to play the puck. With that being said, he stoned Scheifele big time with an amazing glove save for a puck that was destined to go in.

Laine was the best player in that game, bar none. Scheifele played well, as did Ehlers. Already stated to see Stastny's influence on the second line. Pionk started off horribly but seemed to get better throughout the game. As far as defense goes, the only guy that was completely out of his element was Niku. He was good when they were on the offense, but I was watching him and thinking "wtf is he doing out there?" He looked completely lost at times.

Looking forward to this all-Canadian division. if the Jets play the way they did in the second period, they can beat any team in this division. If they play the way they did in the first, they will lose to every team in this division. Haha.

What did everyone else think?

Agreed

[bomberjet]

Poolman looks horrendous.

Laine looked into it!

That was my take away from casually watching the game.

[esquire]

I was fearing the worst after that first period but the team really pulled it together. It was a complete 180 from the first to the second.

Defense was weak at the start but they stood their ground. It still kind of feels like the D is held together with bailing wire and bubble gum, though... one of the youngsters really needs to step up big this season. Otherwise it could get ugly once injuries hit. I wouldn't be too hard on Niku, I think he'll step up. You take away a couple of his turnovers and suddenly his game wasn't that bad... although obviously if he's still doing that a few weeks from now there could be a problem.

[dmacc]

Jets are on pace for 112 points this year! What should the parade route look like?

[CoryB]

I feel the Jets got lucky. They were owned by the Flames in the first and seemed to suck wind for the rest of the game trying to even the game up.

Laine finally was an asset on the ice instead of the "skate to the offensive faceoff circle and wait for a pass" liability of past seasons.

Also Markstrom was definitely the better of the two goalies on the ice last night. With Hellebuyck being a Veznia winner it looks like Markstrom could be a true contender there and a future thorn in the Jets side this season.

The other take away is the on ice hate between the teams seemed really strong for the first game of the season. With the teams playing each other 8 more times and some back to back to back series it could get really physical and ugly in the future. Without the bulk of Buff to help carry the weight of a physical game it will be interesting to see who steps into that role.

The addition of Forsberg is also a bit of a head scratcher right now.

[buzzg]

My takeaways:

Pay Laine whatever the hell he wants.

Forbort is the new Thorburn (in a good way). Think we're gonna love him.

We need DeMelo back (it's just a baby!!!)

As with last year, the hole Tanev left on the third line is still massive. Copp/Lowry haven't been the same since, and there isn't a single player on the Jets that brings the energy and spark that Tanev did – Appleton ain't it. We need to get a bottom six energy guy to bring some "heart" to the team. We used to have the best 3rd line in the NHL, now I'd say it's middling.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by CoryB

The addition of Forsberg is also a bit of a head scratcher right now.

I think they just needed a warm body on the taxi squad after Comrie got picked up on waivers by the Devils.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by esquire

I think they just needed a warm body on the taxi squad after Comrie got picked up on waivers by the Devils.

Technically Forsberg can't go to the taxi squad. To get sent there the Jets would have to waive him and at that point the Oilers would be able to re-claim him for their taxi squad, since he started the season with them. They're going to have to stick with 3 goalies on the roster, but I mean with a taxi squad it's easy enough to do.

[esquire]

^ Interesting, thanks for clarifying. So who gets bumped off the roster to make way for Forsberg?

[bomberjet]

This is like my hockey pools.

Plan the parade!!

Trade him!

It's been 1 game.

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by cheswick

Technically Forsberg can't go to the taxi squad. To get sent there the Jets would have to waive him and at that point the Oilers would be able to re-claim him for their taxi squad, since he started the season with them. They're going to have to stick with 3 goalies on the roster, but I mean with a taxi squad it's easy enough to do.

Wouldnt Edmonton have to put him through waivers again to get to the taxi squad?

Each team needs to carry 3 goalies on the NHL/taxi squad roasters. Losing Comrie leaves them short a goalie. Seems like teams are playing musical goalies right now.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Interesting, thanks for clarifying. So who gets bumped off the roster to make way for Forsberg?

Vesalainen and Stanley have both been sent to the taxi squad (both are waiver exempt). With a taxi squad its just a paper transaction so it doesn't make much of a difference. Well except for those player who make their AHL salary of $70k on the taxi squad vs ~$900k on the actual roster lol.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Wouldnt Edmonton have to put him through waivers again to get to the taxi squad?

Each team needs to carry 3 goalies on the NHL/taxi squad roasters. Losing Comrie leaves them short a goalie. Seems like teams are playing musical goalies right now.

Edmonton originally waived him, so if they successfully claim him from waivers they can immediately send him to the minors (taxi squad this season). Would work the same way for Comrie, if he's waived the Jets can claim him and send him directly to the taxi squad (actually happened last season where he was claimed off waivers by Arizona before being traded to Detroit, who eventually waived him and then the Jets reclaimed him for the AHL).

Jets currently have Berdin on their taxi squad but likely want him to get playing time in the AHL when it starts so need a different third.

[rrskylar]

How does Maurice still have a job?