Remember October? Why, it feels like years ago. Despite concerns over Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien and a general lack of depth, it seems like we had such hope, such promise back then. There were days such as October 13th, when the Winnipeg Jets defeated the New York Rangers 4-1 in Madison Square Garden. Nikolaj Ehlers scored his first NHL goal that game. If only we might return to those blissful beginnings.
Now it's nearly 2016, the Winnipeg Jets are last in the Central Division, and I'm sad and disgruntled. At least those same conversation topics of Ladd, Byfuglien and the team's lack of depth are still around to keep us company.
Catch the game tonight at 7:00 PM Central Time on MSG+, TSN3 and TSN 1290.
Winnipeg Jets, as per the peerless Ken Wiebe:
Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Blake Wheeler
Mathieu Perreault - Mark Scheifele - Drew Stafford
Chris Thorburn - Alexander Burmistrov - Nikolaj Ehlers
Matt Halischuk - Andrew Copp - Joel Armia
Jacob Trouba - Dustin Byfuglien
Tobias Enstrom - Tyler Myers
Mark Stuart - Ben Chiarot
Connor Hellebuyck
Michael Hutchinson
New York Rangers, as per Daily Faceoff:
Rick Nash - Derick Brassard - Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider - Derek Stepan - J.T. Miller
Oscar Lindberg - Kevin Hayes - Jesper Fast
Tanner Glass - Dominic Moore - Emerson Etem
Marc Staal - Ryan McDonagh
Keith Yandle - Dylan McIlrath
Chris Summers - Dan Boyle
Henrik Lundqvist
Magnus Hellberg
Players to Watch
Joel Armia will be making his debut for the Winnipeg Jets, though expectations should be tempered given how it comes alongside Copp and Halischuk on the 4th line. The Mark Stuart – Ben Chiarot 3rd pairing might be fun to watch as well.
Meanwhile, the pride of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Dylan McIlrath, is going to have quite the contingent cheering for him tonight:
Winnipegger and #NYR D Dylan McIlrath is expecting roughly 35 friends and family members at the game tonight vs #NHLJets
— Ken Wiebe (@WiebeSunSports) December 18, 2015
Among those family members supporting Winnipegger Dylan McIlrath tonight at MTS Centre will be his 92-year-old grandmother #NYR #NHLJets
— Ken Wiebe (@WiebeSunSports) December 19, 2015
