The full crew of Connor, Brian, & Elliott are back to discuss the fact that the Winnipeg Jets are an absolute Wagon. Simple as that. We do dive into some topics regarding the top line’s recent struggles, the power play, and Connor Hellebuyck’s Vezina Trophy Case. All that & more on Ep. 60 of the LFP!
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And welcome in episode 60 of the level flight podcast we’ve got a full crew back here today the Jets have been rolling as of late the guys we couldn’t miss it we took last week off you know a bit of a holiday break but we’re back
Episode 60 um just a quick word on you know 60 episodes I guess it’s another Milestone Brian it is and uh we’re happy you’re still listening to us yes exactly you know at this point like I feel like we’re in like this sort of long-term relationship now so if if you’ve stuck
With us this long welcome into the Long Haul uh as we approach a hundred uh get ready exactly if you thought we were comfortable now oh just wait is that that might be like a bit of a threat honestly yeah that sounds like no it’s a promise stay or or else but
It’s a promise yeah no we’re we’re doing good um yeah I I’m super excited I can’t believe every time we hit a milestone I just like it’s nuts to me every single time so thank you to everybody who keeps coming back all the new people and we’re just GNA
Keep chugging along here uh if we get if we get to 100 that’d be great hopefully we have something crazy uh planned for that but uh yeah no thank you to everybody it’s all I really have to say honestly yeah thanks to everyone who’s stuck around the Race to 100 is on um
And uh like you said we’re gonna keep chugging along just like the Winnipeg Jets who uh we’ll start with the the Minnesota home and home uh to close out a 101 and2 month of December for Winnipeg they’re like undoubtedly a top three team in the NHL right now with the
Way that they’re playing um especially the month of December and then we’ll get into the Tampa Bay game but first on that Minnesota home and home before we get into the Ryan Hartman stuff let’s focus on the on Ice stuff here um what were your guys’s thoughts I’ll start
With you Brian on the Jets kind of just like physically dominating Minnesota for um 120 Minutes just hard fought and it was also too and we’re seeing it now where um we’re going to talk about this more later but when you’re not getting the explosive offense from you know that
That top group there you’re going to need some guys to step up and over the last few games especially we’re seeing it in the uh in the bottom six and that fourth line now featuring dom dom tonado who is apparently he has revitalized himself into a player that I have never
Seen before four points in four games there’s only one of Don tomado we seen that play for what team we know which one but it’s but it’s that to me was such a huge part of these two games here where it was getting those guys to step
Up at the right time and get you know those gamewinners um you know you see these little they’re not all pretty either that’s the thing like the the goal that uh tonado scored um in in Minnesota to put them up uh after an absolute laser from Vlad neov who we will talk about
More I’m sure um that just one of those goals that on a delayed penalty you’re just whacking away in front of the net you put it past uh auguston and or I guess at that point it was flurry um but then you also have you know J fby and all them like
That group right now is playing like the by the group I mean the entire forward group is playing more you know complete hockey in terms of just fullon effort than I’ve seen them play in years like you just see like they step onto the ice and it’s just it’s all energy all the
Time and I I it’s it’s absolutely exhilarating to watch yeah and the the rest of the for cor is feeding off of that for sure Dom tonado gamewinner in his home state uh to give the Jets back-to-back wins and send them off in December that was what
A moment but yeah Elliot your thoughts on the the home in home I think I think this shows obviously I I love the team karari and I’m not I’m not even just talking the Hartman thing every time they score it seems to be that everybody’s excited for whoever you see
The videos in the locker room everyone’s got each other’s back everybody’s proud of each other and obviously we saw that last year and and that was one of the big things on why the Jets were one of the better teams last year even when they weren’t as sustainable um but I
Think the the biggest thing to me is just they are playing with confidence right now like this this team is obviously with effort like Brian said and they’re playing complete games but they are playing with confidence and we saw what happened last year they went a little losing skid they lost all their
Confidence and I know it’s essentially the same group of a couple different players they completely fell off the rails like this team is good obviously they’ve shown that they’re a good team but they’re also playing confident and as long as they’re confident this is just going to keep rolling they are just
Going to keep steamrolling teams and they are just going to go right through everybody because if you don’t break their confidence which I I has really anybody broken their confidence yet this year either like Montreal I I I guess but but didn’t they but they bounced
Right back for a win didn’t they I believe they won their next game right like like that’s the other thing they won their next four the next three yeah like it would be different if they lost to Montreal and they was like oh we’ve lost three of our last four or two of
Our last three and then you can kind of see the maybe waiver nope it was oh well we should have won that game oh well let’s just beat the next opponent like it’s they have been so good and it’s really and and it’s really there’s not
Much else to say like they are one of the best teams in the league and it’s half confidence based and it’s half they’re playing well under their head coach like I think this also has to be a system thing I think finally Rick bonus has a team with him that plays to his
System and as much as we may batter this stem every once in a while because there’s certain things we don’t like about it it’s working like I I want to sit here and complain about certain things that he’s doing and certain things he’s getting players to do we
Could here and talk about the power play which I know we will but we’re they’re still winning games and they’re still a top three team like I I don’t really know what else to say yeah I I agree and in terms of the on Ice five on five s
Systems I don’t think there can be an argument from anyone they’re the best defensive team in the NH L with the best goalie in the world like the best five on five goal differential by a lot in the league like it’s not even close like you you you there’s no argument against
The five on five systems yes the power play yes there’s some boneheaded decisions in overtime and down the stretch when it comes to lineup Personnel but in terms of just rolling your lines and how this team is playing you that’s they’re the best team in the
League at doing that and uh it’s been a joy to watch for sure now let’s talk about the Ryan Hartman thing so Cole Peretti gets high sticked off the face off and then on Tuesday Morning’s moring skate availability he said that um he was asked a question by Mike mctire of
The Winnipeg Free Press whether or not Hartman admitted the intent of that well High stick right off face off if you can search up the video on Twitter it’s all over the place um and Peretti basically was like yeah he basically admitted like hey it’s not your fault um but something
Had to happen because of capris off’s injury okay um and then a few questions later Mike goes well weren’t you miked up for that game and peret goes yeah so we we got it all on tape and uh the Jets actually tweeted that the next episode of Runway their documentary series is
Coming out January 16th so I feel like a lot of people will be tuning in to see uh to hear Ryan Hartman basically confessed to uh a blatant High stick right off the face off it was a dirty dirty play you got fined for it that was
The only discipline that came out of it um but that’s the the situation um if people missed it but what were your guys’s thoughts on you know just Ryan Hartman being Ryan Hartman I guess well my my biggest issue is the fact that like I’m sorry firstly the thing that
They’re responding to is the Brendan Dylan cross check which if you watch any hockey game in front of the net those like little cross checks that you know catch guys in the ribs happen every game and then he turns around and hits Dylan even harder than Dylan hit him yeah he
Got him the leg which I get but like Jesus like anyone calling bloody murder on that is just they’re they’re way off base but I’m sorry if you’re Ryan Hartman and your thought is uh oh they hurt our guy someone needs to pay for it
Uh you go find the smallest guy on the ice and do a cheap little exacted EAS to his mouth as he’s bent over that is I listen I got very close then to the very first uh bleep of something in the level flight podcast but like how cowardly are you that
That’s all you can do like I’m sorry like drop your gloves if you’re that pissed off about something like you’re that’s such a little chicken thing to do like like he’s such just never like he doesn’t learn that’s the thing like I think I saw like he’s been
Fined I think seven times supended three in his career it was like once every 53 and a half games he’s either fined or suspended like yeah I’m and like clear like the is such you know like they they think that whatever player safety is doing is helping uh
Clearly it isn’t because you see guys like Hartman who just keep running around and doing stuff or like Tom Wilson which it’s actually I think we’re due for a Tom Wilson stupid you know play or something because I think the the clock run runs due so uh yeah I
Think we’re running close to that one but like it when you don’t actually like suspend these guys for longer than a game or find them more than the allowable amount um there’s zero incentive for them to stop doing stupid stuff on the ice so when Hartman goes
Out there uh finds the smallest guy on the ice who had nothing to do with the other play high sticks him in the mouth uh and then gets fine for it I don’t know I think I think I actually saw a video of him doing some more uh ridiculous stuff against Calgary last
Night too um yeah I think Brady tweeted that video I think that was an old video um and it was an old slash but it was it was like last year like it wasn’t like the first he was a rookie like I think like a year
Ago or something um but yeah it was it was a it was a dumb play I mean everyone’s seen the replay if you’re a Jets fan or a wild fan and I’m just so so glad that these two teams don’t play till February because I can’t stand the
Discourse it’s just so exhausting oh just wait it’s wait I mean this is the thing though we we said or a lot of people were saying I was saying oh my goodness Capri off’s hurt Sunday’s going to be a blood bath it wasn’t there was one small cheap play that people are up
At Arms about so so what’s gonna happen in on February 20th Ryan Hartman’s gonna fight off the opening puck drop nothing’s gonna happen and there’s GNA be one little cheap play that everyone’s freaking out on o over Twitter one little cross check or one little high
Stick off a face up like it’s just so dumb it’s just so dumb it’s not even like a a a guy in the danger zone getting hit right in the numbers uh openet or like a blatant hit to the to the Head this is like a oh my God player
Safe like I don’t know man it’s just two little Che plays and it’s just so oh the Dylan cross chei yeah how how does that go unall how’s how’s player safety not in on this it’s like what if they they against the boards like what when you or
Find uh everyone who was crosschecking each other in either in front of the net or along the boards there would be no players left to play yeah that’s why you don’t see theing call get that’s not a penalty really anymore nobody I’ve not seen a ref called crosschecking in
Forever like it’s it’s been a while definitely no what I I I wanted to quickly just get in on this because here here’s my thing and this is not like fine you should find Ryan hertman because that is a cheap shot like there there should be some sort of disciplinary action because you
Shouldn’t have to do that why is Cole if you want to fight somebody go fight Brendan Dylan then like if you want to go well but you know what I’m saying if you wanna get back at whoever did it you go and fight the guy that did it you
Don’t go hit the skill guy who has nothing to do with the situation I’m not even sure if he was on the ice at the time like no why why does yeah why does it need to be a cheap shot my the my biggest issue with this whole situation
Is once again the NHL doesn’t know what rules are they don’t know how to follow them they don’t know how to like keep track of them so they released the Tweet about oh back in like here’s here’s the fine blah blah blah but then there was a
Tweet released that oh back in 2005 they signed a deal that if you’re miked up saying that you did something bad you can’t be fined or suspended or anything about it so then then why is there a suspension why is this one uh why why is
There any sort of I think he was fine regardless I think people were wondering that if he admitted guilt on Mike if that could actually turn it into a suspension um but I think he’s getting I’m sorry but like if you’re if you high stick two-and guy on the face off like
That you’re usually getting fine regardless yeah um but I think yeah a lot of people were wondering oh can you use the the the admission of guilt on an audio tape uh as uh something against him but no with the 2005 uh lock documents and everything that was signed
They said you couldn’t but but you’re also not even supposed to be able to get fined like that was the other thing you’re not he wasn’t fine though because he was admitting that was that was my impression though like that’s he hit cetti in the face as hard
As he could with a stick like that’s that’s why he was fine because the fine came down when the Jets were on the ice for morning skate so then the media members were like oh okay let’s talk to Cole Peretti because he was the guy that
Got in the face this guy just got fined and then he said yeah he was on mic but what the see that’s where the discourse is having an issue because that hasn’t been cleared up and that’s why I think Twitter is going nuts even about the fine because people think oh well then
Why aren’t you following the rules blah blah see and this is what happens when I’m someone who just f is following Along on Twitter that’s why it’s to have somebody who’s in the media room like Connor where you see the the fine and then Co Peretti and you kind of know the
Right order the events but right and I think a suspension for that would be a little much for Ryan Harman I mean it’s a dirty play but a fine is fine whatever um penalty a penalty on the play would have been the theoretical way to handle
It along with a fine um but like asking for a one game suspension is kind of crazy there especially since he got one game for the eers thing and if we’re we’re talking about consistency it’s not there with player safety but like if that’s the bar um whatever that’s a
Whole another conversation is player safety’s consistency which is not talk we could yeah we could talk about player safety in the NBA too only Draymond Green is now getting suspended from the league like he should have been suspended three kicks ago like maybe a few NH players that are on track to uh
To get that same treatment I don’t know but uh yeah let’s let’s talk about the Tampa Bay game move on from Minnesota and Ryan Hartman and they J swept them hey they they is an eight-point swing in the standing sorry in the standings and uh Minnesota’s still down there way
Outside of a wild card spot so Jets don’t have to worry about them for a while now Tampa Bay big 4-2 win um Conor hellu was fantastic um what were your guys’ thoughts on this one Brian I’ll start with you Tampa Bay obviously we know COV Point headman they only dressed five
Defenseman because they’re in salary cap hell um what were your thoughts on the Jets just kind of wearing them down and getting better as the game went on well I think too where and that that’s a great way to segue into it was early on
Like it was clear that Tampa was the the team that was you know clearly you know leading and Taking Chances and like like they’re they’re doing they were doing everything that they could to try and get up early I mean they did get up early me it was a situation
Where a penalty that shouldn’t have been a penalty um because it was it apparently was friendly fire uh was and a situation where Tampa’s power play has consistently been one of the best in the league for the last decade um so you you’d be best to avoid that so they go
Down early with the uh you know the power play goal against but from that point forward because I think at one point the shots were like 23 to 10 for Tampa um from that point though it was as if they flipped a switch which we’ve seen a lot this year where very
Rarely will you get a full 60-minute bad effort from the Jets which was we saw a lot of that in the last couple years where it was like that was just a bad game all around um you’re seeing them actually make the proper adjustments and you know come back at the teams and
Saying okay uh here’s our here here’s our counter punch um and they they had it and I mean too what’s important is well well is aside from the eers schal another non Topline effort for uh you know guys putting it in the net and like
The last few games you got you got three goals from ialo you’ve got uh a couple from uh you know naskov you got a couple from neita Ryder like you’re getting all these goals from guys who um are really just capitalizing on their chances and it’s pushing them to Victory yeah and
It’s it’s the depth right like domic tonado has four points in four games he wasn’t even supposed to be in the lineup for these four games because David Guston going into the holiday break was perfectly fine and now he’s injured and tonado has ran with it um it’s it’s been
Crazy that the fourth line is playing this effective uh but their time on ice is going up a little bit bonus has noticed it he playing him more they’re rewarding him they’re blocking a lot of shots um and you you can’t really blame bonus for for playing them more
Especially we’ll get into the the Top Line later in the episode and and kind of the top six in general but the bottom six has been carrying the offense um Elliot what were your thoughts on the the Tampa Bay game last night I just thought it was a good game like I I
Again they’re playing with 5D it it’s hard for a team with who rarely if they do have to play with 5D for them to like not get tired by the end of the game so the Jets really just waited them out I think they were just waiting for the
Like the lightning were really trying to go for it in the first period And I think that was because they knew they were going to be tired let’s put all of our energy out there and then just see if we can p pour in a couple if we get
Lucky and then try to ride it out from there and just kind of play defensive trap hockey but after that the Jets just took over and yeah you you get a goal you get a tip goal from Neil Pon um yeah which was hilarious comment about uh
Finally uh Dilly found D found him yeah which also Pon on the mic last night was terrific because his little comment too about the dad’s trip and having a bunch of his 30 different coaches yeah yeah yeah there’s a lot of post game I’ll let
The post game was yes like I’m sorry and listen we love we love our friend morat uh he got absolutely cooked by bonus last night with the the reference to the the barber episode in Seinfeld uh I it’s I’m sorry with bonus is usually for the
Most part fairly cut and dry kind of calls it like it is if things go well he talks about it but like cutting someone off in the middle of a question about the power play to say that he reminds him of an episode of Seinfeld that that
Is a very loose bunch of people right there yeah it was hilarious the entire media room was like crying laughing because yeah like you said marad is like so Rick you know like is the is the power play like any closer to where you want it to be he goes you never seen
That one episode of sign Feld where Jerry gets like a bad haircut and then starts seeing other Barbers and he was like maybe think of that and but like bonus has said to morat in the past that he like likes his haircut so I don’t I
Don’t know what well he got it cut recently the whole thing about that because he did it been a while so uh I guess uh Rick not a fan no he is a fan though I think I think his haircut and the way Marat Styles it just reminds him
Of the Seinfeld episode because Rick said like a week or two ago um when morat actually got the haircut and it was super short he was like what is with the hair and then he was like I really like it though like like so funny though
With he he just the fact that it’s like the opposite of uh torz where if if you got a haircut around torts he’d be like why you might as well just shave your head uh I I I hate you people I want to leave um that was the thing because he
Recently I think torch just recently hit a milestone and someone asked him about like his favorite parts of being being a coach he was like being in the room uh my least favorite part is being out here so can you guys leave me alone and then he walked
Away yeah that’s to no the Marat uh bonus hair Saga is is hilarious and and last night was prob funniest something to watch for for sure quality content updates yeah yes podcast show yeah featuring Marat anyway yeah I I my favorite part of that is he cut him off when he asked the
Question with the power play I think that’s why he brought it up because I think he was trying to avoid the power play question because he knew it was coming and he knew it was probably come from morat because morat just released an article about it I know that much on
The athletic so I’m I’m sure I’m sure bonus probably saw it and was like nope next question he gets I am interrupting him um but no other than that I thought the Jets played well down the stretch and uh it was a good win like I I hate
The CRA up score at the end of the game like hellu should a one save win but it is what it is you can’t really do anything about bounce like that I mean you also should take a penalty that late in the game but right hellu stats are
Also like through the roof so that that goal does hurt for sure but he’s uh he’s not the worst for wear in that category right now most impressive thing about the Tampa Bay game for me was that you know the first period they got dominated there’s no other really way to say it
But I was kind of expecting a slow start coming off of the backto back emotional wins against Minnesota but their ability to fight like this team does not give up unlike years past and uh yeah with 5D they’re GNA wear you down they wore down Minnesota who is playing a full lineup
Um over the span of two games never mind a team that’s playing 5D that third period you know they were getting pucks deep as uh as coaches love to say but they were getting they were for checking playing along the wall um and just dominating um them physically it showed
They won this is what the T this is what this team does and Tampa Bay in the back half of the game didn’t really generate much in this team’s defensive structure we talked about it off the top of the episode it’s it’s really tough to generate chances on this team right now
And then when you do Conor hellbugs there to make the save um and that’s that’s a winning formula uh 26 straight games without allowing three or more goals it’s it’s really ridiculous and I I tweeted out um the other day that they only allowed more than two goals uh once
In the month of December and that was an overtime game against Montreal so those those two goals um came in regulation like they lost in overtime if they had lost in shootout like there’s going to be a three for one team uh when you go to overtime in 22 but they didn’t give
Up more than two goals in regulation in December they they finish off December with the back-to-back against Minnesota where they shut them down and then Tampa Bay comes to town and they still well they give up one goal for the majority of the game and then COV scores with like under
A minute left but whatever um it’s it’s the defensive structure is unbelievable this team is playing really well at home uh and this game against Tampa just fully encapsulated like all of that into one win like they they don’t they don’t give up the defensive structure is there
They dominate at home part hell’s fantastic everything everything you could want in this one game uh so those are my thoughts on the win but let’s very long-winded thoughts but let’s get to a break from our ad uh our ad sponsor DraftKings and we will be right back
Episode 60 of the level five podcast stick around we got talk on the top line the defensive structure are going to get Brian and Elliott’s thoughts because I just rambled about it and then some other thoughts maybe the power play maybe the top six so stick around and we
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The National Hockey League copyright NHL 2023 All Rights Reserved and welcome back in episode 60 of the level flight podcast thank you once again to DraftKings for sponsoring this episode and as we said going into break we’ve got some bigger topics to cover let’s start with the Top Line the
Holiday break clearly was not kind to their hot streak Gabriel valard was like the hottest player in the NHL going into it um Mark shley Nikolai eers that Top Line was rolling now coming out of the holiday break they’ve now gone four straight games um without a or I guess
Eers scored last night but we’ll get into that line change a little bit but that that those lines changed when eers got that point um Chicago both Minnesota games and the first two periods of the Tampa Bay game that Top Line did not have any points um what do you guys
Think like is this is this line finally like lost their kind of lightning in a bottle kind of vibe to them um do you think they just kind of hit a rough patch uh and they should go right back to it um I will say the the line changes
They made were just naskov and shle switched so it’s now eers naskov vardi um aalo shle Peretti um so do you guys think they should stick with that going forward and go back to that Top Line see if there’s any more juice left with that combination Brian I’ll start with you
See what’s interesting because I am a I’m of the mindset that when you have a line that’s dominating as much as they were in that little stretch teams are going to start throwing everything they possibly can at you to try and slow you down and when
You have the holiday break and they come back one they may have lost a little bit of a step because it’s a slight H it’s just that little break it will just drop routines and combine that with teams taking notice of how good they’ve been you’re probably seeing that that’s what
The you know the reaction is and I don’t know if it’s something that should break them up permanently um I will say it did uh you know it it showed though that they can do a little lineup flip and not hurt too much because in the past it’s
Been very clear that if they do a lineup flip it’s usually it goes topheavy and then no one else can score um but I’ll be real I really liked what they looked like after they switched I don’t think it’s enough to say let’s abandon the uh existing lines but I I I personally
Thought and I I messaged you guys early because I wanted to talk about this Peretti playing uh on that line with shley I thought that he looked terrific and like there was late you saw him too like later there he was outworking Victor headman I’m like and I I honest I
Truly truly think that just because he’s small people don’t pay attention to his little physical plays but he’s not someone who shies away from a board battle he’s not someone who just kind of floats around because he’s and he he doesn’t want to get hit um he is someone
Who gives his all all the time and his height doesn’t really measure how much effort he’s putting in and I think that’s we saw that because Victor hen’s what 65 I think 65 66 is he six7 you know who else is six7 um he
Is I’m not saying his name um but uh you see him though he’s going he’s just he’s outworking guys that are so much bigger than him because that’s just who he is and I don’t want to hear anyone saying that uh he needs to get better and needs
To get bigger he’s done all that like I watched him in that Minnesota uh the second Minnesota game um where he actually sent himself into the boards won the puck battle and got it out for a good chance like I that’s just it’s a great way that he plays and I thought
That him playing with shley was also a little level of diversity to the lines in the sense that you move eers and valard and effect if you wanted to you could probably use that as a shutdown line with how strong defensively both fardi and naskov are
Yeah um but Peretti is one of the best uh Defenders up front as well and helps to cover some of the deficiencies that you find in Mark schley’s game and some of the deficiencies that you might find uh in an alexos game which their Styles
Just seem to work and I as I said I don’t know they stick with it um because you have a few games uh obviously where they’ve quieted down but you have to wonder if maybe uh they are looking at some other things too where one of these
Guys is going to act as a quote unquote placeholder for when they need to find out where to put Kyle Connor coming back uh who is appear it seems like he might be ahead of schedule he’s skating um like maybe um the the valard
Was six to or four to six weeks and he came back in like six and a half like he pushed it um I think the KY car thing he’s like six to eight weeks he might be closer to six than eight which is good that’s what I mean because we we had
That whole conversation where it’s like if it’s six to eight it’s gonna be eight um people assume eight so I I consider this ahead of schedule because of for the most part It’s usually the the top end of it um but seeing him out there skating regularly this week uh was
Something I was not anticipating I was thinking maybe on like a a separate sheet but he was with a few guys this morning just like who are actually you know in the lineup on a day-to-day basis so it’s it’s nice to see um but it’s I
Mean you got to think it’s in the back of the coaching staff’s Minds just wondering what happens when you get you know such an incredible goal scorer back but no I I liked I liked what I saw from them I still think that that line of you
Know eler shle valard has more to give uh and it’s just they just hit a rough patch but uh we’ll see what they do uh against the sharks who they have to beat please God beat them yes and just to quickly further your Peretti point there
Was a play I Remember in the first Minnesota game where him and a player were going to the puck along the wall at the same time and he like shoulders into him the guy High sticks him like you could see his helmet flyback um no call
He still wins the battle with his foot gets it downloaded to mikov and then drives the net for a give and go and uh like hits it on the back door and uh and flurry at the time made a really nice save but like Cole Peretti winning a
Board battle fighting through a high stick and then doing a give and go and driving the net hard like that’s that’s growth we we haven’t seen that from Peretti um when he was obviously younger which you don’t blame him when he’s what 510 and he’s 19 years old playing his
First couple NHL games you you’re not expecting that but that is that is growth I agree with what you’re saying there Elliot what are your thoughts on the the kind of preliminary line changes and do you think they should go back to the the trio that was lighting the
League on fire I’m going to keep it nice and short I think they go back to that line they’ve got to have some sort of usage left they can’t of just I mean if they’ve used it all in that stretch then you’ve used it all in that stretch right
But I think they have a little bit more we still we saw it like in the Lightning game last night like you see it little points like I I think that they’re just fine I think the mov on the first Line’s a little interesting but I mean he’s so
Flexible anywhere I think it’s more eers and valard are on the second line yeah I guess with the mes yeah but either way um and then just to further your uh Peretti Point like the only knock that we have on him is his skating really like he’s not the fastest guy other than
That I would not knock him on almost any other and maybe in and his shooting but like I will like I know that he can get in in battles deep he’s a bigger body his I will say his agility is better than I expected um but obviously we know
What his passing is he he is a very good player I think think he’s a very important part to this Jets team and when he was on in the lineup last year he was good and then we saw what the Jets missed having him just being able
To create Chances with his passing and trying to be able to move the puck either up ice or in the offensive zone yeah he’s he’s come really close to a lot of goals too over the last four games and he just hasn’t gotten B maybe
That would help but he did say on the on the radio in the post game that that puck flipped up on him in the Campa Bay game but man that was a wide open net fired it high high and wide but again Peretti is just he he’s getting the
Chances and and he’s a pass first player and he’s still getting the chances right um but the Top Line quickly my thoughts you’ve got a stretch coming up here you get San Jose Anaheim Arizona Columbus Chicago y I think you should leave that line together for like the next two
Three of those games because if they can’t dominate against a San Jose against against an Anaheim then maybe it’s time to switch away uh but I think you can use San Jose as kind of like a get back on track get that that heater going what if you go into San Jose and
Eers has a goal shley has a goal and valard has three assists and it’s like what well there we go now now we’re back uh the Good Feeling is back on that line they’re back on their heater a little bit and then you can carry that into maybe some tougher competition um but
You I I think you should use those those bad teams again the one loss in December came to San Jose um so they they got to beat them but I think you can use a San Jose or an Anaheim as a team that you can reestablish the chemistry that that
Line had um and you’re not playing against a Victor headman or a Anthony Celli you know like a A team’s top defensive players on both sides um that that’s my take I think they should leave them together at least for these next two games against San Jose and ede it’s
A great barometer as to figuring out how you know exhausted they are in terms of their production yes yes yes yes I agree um thank you wow we need more kindness in 2024 that’s what we need yes more kindness in this world thank you thank you appreciate
It all right um the power play I mean there’s a clear emphasis to just shoot the puck anytime it’s anyone’s stick I like that change yes I like that change I think things are happening I think I saw with my own two eyes that Gabriel
Valard missed a wide open tap in in the first Minnesota game just slid under his stick and if that line if that power play unit got that goal there maybe they get going uh vardi also just missed a backwards happen against Tampa Bay uh and I think they’re generating I think
They’re going to be fine um I really like the shot mentality just quickly thoughts your guys’ thoughts on the power play Brian well I just the thing that I really liked was that power play goal from naskov in the uh uh the second game against the wild where again just
Shoot it he just wheeled out around the circle there and just took a shot because at the very least one you’re getting uh either a faceof in the offensive zone you’re getting a rebound in which you have guys around the net or you’re scoring so he obviously checked
One of those boxes but like if you have a shot that close and we’ve SE seen it a lot where guys just defer the shot and they pass it off I’m like no take the shot when you have the shot don’t wait and make it perfect because if you try
To wait and make it perfect you’re gonna miss your opportunity because someone’s gonna get in front of it um but naskov just wiring one past um flurry firstly I don’t think anyone expected Vlad nikov to have a rocket like that just because he he’s not someone who you know as like
This incredible shooter and I’m like if everyone’s shooting now you don’t know what to expect something’s got to go in at some point like that that that’s that’s the shot mentality like Vlad is not I would say he’s a good skill player but he’s not like I didn’t think he had that game
Like like that’s the other thing I didn’t think he had that in his game like that’s a Kyle Conor Mark shley like Kyle Conor scores and you go okay yeah that makes sense Kyle Conor Kyle Conor hasn’t had that nice of a shot this year
No like not at all but I no I agree with both of you I think the shot mentality is a good good thing coming and yeah goals like that are going to happen where you go whoa that person can do that they’re professionals they just
Need time and space and some of them it takes more attempts than not um but yeah to beat flurry glove side like that that was that was nuts but they’re gonna generate some chances and at some point Something’s Gotta they’ll go on a little heater on the power play as we’ve seen
This year they’ve gone on heater long or short little heaters on for everything this year year so I’m sure at some point we’ll have a thing where oh the power play can’t be stopped they’ve scored on four of their last 10 and they’re 40% they’re great or whatever I’m the
Mindset that just like even like League average special teams play from the Jets has them as like 100% Stanley Cup Contender yeah probably because like that’s the thing obviously the power play is something we’ve been talking about a lot their penalty killing isn’t near where it was last year either yeah
Yes um so like if you just bring those even up to average because they they’re below average in both I believe right now um is coming up penley killer has been better I think last time I checked they were like 23rd on the PK 26th on the power play yeah like they’re below
15 in both for sure if you bring that closer to League average then suddenly it’s not just like because I I I always love the joke where it’s like can you decline the penalty um because I I feel as if that obviously they are a better
Five on five team um but if you actually add that threat of you you take advantage of the opportunity you’re given on the power play I I do not see and we’re going to talk about this next with a goenda heluk you’re looking at a team with very minimal
Weaknesses yes yes so yes and they they’re I mean maybe we can have this discussion next week I don’t know what’s really going to change when they play a San Jose Anaheim and Arizona um but the Jets as a Stanley Cup Contender like we’ve after the month they just had um
We’re kind of running out of airtime here but that maybe we’ll save that discussion that’ll be next week’s kind of large top yeah so maybe we’ll we’ll save that for episode 61 but yeah they’re they they’re a team with very little weaknesses like you said again on the
Power play though valard against Tampa Bay had a really nice like Drop stepler Like fake drop step that vasileski like pushed across and then pushed back and made an incredible save like valard scores that against the sharks or against the Blackhawks and he scores that every time against Tampa Bay
Against maybe a top three goalie in the world might not go in you might make an incredible play I’m just thinking too of like how many games have we talked about this year where they’re a power play goal away from winning the game essentially yes y um like they probably
Beat Montreal both times if they convert they probably beat San Jose in San Jose the first time they play yeah if they convert um like we’re we’re talking about a team that could probably only have like five losses total if they just convert on the power play a couple times
Is this what winning feels like and the games they know how feel yeah I don’t know how they feel yeah they’ll go 0 for four in their own power play the other team will go like two for three so it just completely kills you and and they’re still close like like they keep
It close because their five on five game so dominant maybe they outscore their opponent two nothing in the five on five game um or 2-1 and end up losing 3-2 it’s like that Chicago game where they dominate it five on five can’t score go 0 for two on the power play with against
Chicago who has a very bad penal Hill um and overtime because you couldn’t convert on a chance so it’s it’s just a matter of looking at that and realizing a even slightly impr power play and just like being opportunistic turns you into this Juggernaut that I don’t know if any team can properly
Match up against yeah I agree and uh there’s no better time than the present because like I’ve said many times got San Jose Anaheim Arizona Chicago Columbus coming up power play has got to get going that’s front of mind for me um you got to shut you got to be able to
Score goals against these teams with the man Advantage it’s just it’s hitting a point where it’s unacceptable if you can’t against these teams so uh we’ll see maybe they have some some tricks up their sleeve but like I said I like the shot mentality last topic we want to
Talk about we’ve talked about him many times um but we just want to kind of give him his flowers because he’s playing at the top of the league yet again Connor haluk um I think he’s tied now he’s an oddson favorite um and he’s tied with Thatcher Demco of the
Vancouver knucks um for the vzet trophy yeah and I mean his stats in December are astronomical his stats on the season now uh like who else remembers that slow start yeah neither do I like I I don’t care um he’s he’s by far the best goalie
In the league um I took a look at at money Puck uh before we hopped on today he’s got 15 point four goals saved above expected which is number one in the NHL the gap between him and number two two which is thater Demco is the same gap
Between Demco and number five on the list which is Charlie lingren um with goalies with at least 15 starts across the entire NHL he’s top four in goal saved above expected per 60 so it’s not like he’s just starting the most games in the NHL racking up goals saved above expected
Here and there and just fighting his way to number one no on a per rate basis he’s still a top five goalie in the league it’s not just a raw total stat he’s doing it on a on a per 60 basis he’s still number one in the league a
Save percentage is over 920 now it’s like since the start of December he has had a single start below 920 uh in a in a actual save percentage you know point of view from each game like it’s it’s unbelievable insane unbelievable and it’s it’s the best defensive structure he’s ever
Played in front of I think it’s better than the 20178 uh Team defensively at least uh the stats would like they’re they’re suppressing chances better than we’ve seen of a Winnipeg Jets team ever since they came back right um so I this 2017 18 team maybe doesn’t or the the the
Team now compared to the 2017 team maybe doesn’t have the Firepower up front you know um the the star power I mean they are missing Kyle Conor right now we we do have to take that into account all defensively yeah yeah but defensively holy moly this this team is shutting
Down chances at a level we’ve never seen they’re all bought in and then like I said earlier in the episode once you finally crack that defensive structure oh you get a chance to go toe-to-toe with Connor huk um and it for me before I get Elliott’s thoughts on this it all
Goes back to the Dual signings on on Thanksgiving Monday um right before I stepped on the ice of of a beer league game I’ll never forget because I was I felt trapped could could get my thoughts out there but man that like showed everyone in the room everyone in the
City this team was bought in Neo Neer Rider extended because of it he even said so in his presser he said when those guys signed it showed me that Chevy wants to win this team wants to win this city wants to win and I want to
Be here for it and Mar shle has been a topl line Center in every sense of the word Hook’s been the best goalie in the NHL um then you combine the the DUIs trade the neita Ryder trade the nessov trade like Kevin shovel de off had a
Hell of a 2023 and uh it’s it’s it it’s all come to this right this is his team he’s built it um and it’s been it’s been fun to watch but Connor huk yeah uh Elliot what can you say about his season so far and just how incredible he’s
Playing especially in the the month of December and January I think my biggest thing about this whole Resurgence is he’s not also having to like normal in previous years and you guys can attest to this probably normally a night when he’s having a good game he’s got
Two or three like wow oh my God how did he save that like he didn’t have that last night no like I he didn’t have that and heed too and I don’t even think I blame him for the second goal like the second goal shouldn’t have go ahead yeah
Funny enough to further your point the Jets posted on Instagram uh Conor hu’s the third star of the month in the NHL okay so it’s like the the Instagram thing that you swipe through there a bunch of highlights first highlight point shot save rebound pops out in the
Slot hits hellu in the chest all right that’s the Highlight okay next highlight uh Connor hellu facing his shot Square on kick pad save rebound goes way out that’s the Highlight okay next highlight Conor hellbugs hugging the post gets passed out on the slot again another pad
Save just because he’s in good position okay that’s the high it’s like this guy doesn’t make highlight real saves he doesn’t in the right spot yeah perfect position but also it’s a testament to the defensive structure yes they’re keeping it from being those cross ice passes like you don’t have to worry
About him sending himself across the net because you know someone blew coverage like it happens occasionally but you don’t see it like we have in past years where it’s it also seems like he’s ready for it like it’s like he sees it like in years past where there’d be a defensive
Breakdown or there’d be a break in coverage and he has to try to get across it seems like when this team breaks down huk is ready for it he’s wait it’s like he’s read oh he’s gonna get this coverage is going to get broken here so
I need to get from Post to post or I need to position a little bit more to the left so that I can square up this next shot yeah because there are passes where I go oh no that’s a break in coverage and it goes oh well hellu was
Already ready for it he’s standing right there like I I don’t I don’t feel worried like yeah it doesn’t really like yes the defensive structure is tearing breaking teams down and it’s not allowing tons of chances and when they are they’re not great but when they do
Get a great chance hu’s right there like as much as this is a singular huk effort it also was team effort and that’s I think that’s the biggest thing this this is a team thing and we talked about it when we I believe it was just me and was
That just me and you Conor that episode after the hellu signing um I think I I think it might have been yeah but either either or we both made the point that Conor heluk for him to to for the Jets to get the most out of this deal they
Need to make sure that he has a good defensive structure and team in front of him so that he can elongate his long longevity this is exactly how you do that and I’m not even talking about bruss having had a couple good games here and there and he’s now heated up
And he’s now taking some games as well this is literally hellu facing around 25 to 28 shots a night that’s a sustainable amount and he’s keeping the Jets in every single game yeah and his his it’s so funny he’s I I I’m like you Conor huk
When he has a good game doesn’t make the Highlight package like it just you look at the stat sheet look at the box score he made 27 of 28 saves and that’s just what he does and you didn’t you didn’t notice him there wasn’t one save that
Was like wow we Jets really needed that save they would have been screwed without it like no the guy just but he can do that though that’s can do that he can do that has had to yeah he just hasn’t had to which I think that’s the big when pumping when you’re pumping
Boston five nothing at home like you’re not thinking about the goalie right but but at the same time Boston has zero goals in the game like or they they ended up with one late because people started doing the wave come on um but but like the the Conor hu’s best games
It’s it’s crazy he hasn’t had to steal any of this year he hasn’t had any vintage oh my goodness look he made 48 saves and the Jets won one nothing uh he hasn’t had any games like that and he hasn’t had to and that’s that’s just a testament to how good this team’s
Playing um anything else that we want to talk about any bigger topic no that’s everything all right all right um episode 60 of the L podcast thank you to everyone for tuning in it was a blast we’ll be back next week episode 61 after eight oh yeah we’ll be back three game
Road trip and we will be back to cover the the first game yes late nights the first game of the home stand which is Columbus um it goes Columbus on the Tuesday then Conor Bard again and the Blackhawks on the Thursday and then on the Saturday and then the the Flyers who
Are playing good and that should be a really fun night inside uh CLC that Saturday night um so we’ll be back next week to cover the road trip the Columbus game come back next week should be fun maybe we’ll have a discussion on whether or not the Jets are Elite contenders but
When they go 0 and three against the Sharks Blue Jackets and Ducks we will be singing a different T optimistic like well spent like 20 minutes talking about how like literally a League average power play makes them the most Unstoppable team in the league they’re
Going to lose to the worst teams in the league and we’re going to regroup next week and punch ourselves in the face yes yes so tune in for that that should be fun um yeah but this was a blast it was fun to get back after after not
Recording next or last week so come back next week check out us on all of our socials at llight wpg and we will see you all next week have a great week everyone see you peace H
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Lets go Jets!!!