Time: 6:00 PM CDT
Channel: Sportsnet1
Radio: TSN1290
The Winnipeg Jets are playing another division rival and this time it is the winless in two games Chicago Blackhawks. These are not the Hawks of yesteryear who were an unstoppable force. Instead, they are a team who has little cap space, relies on young players and overpaid veterans who fired Joel Quenneville for the second European head coach last season.
The Hawks still boast forwards like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, but both players are past their primes and not Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin. The also have an aging Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook who again are not who they used to be. Put it all together and the Hawks have fallen a fair way for these reasons.
As for the Jets: they would like to keep doing what they have been doing. Hopefully Ville Heinola bounces back from a tough outing last game and David Gustafsson plays tonight. If he does not, the Jets should be sending him back to Sweden to get playing time as the AHL is off limits for him.
The Jets have found great success with Patrik Laine on a line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Kyle Connor is looking good alongside Andrew Copp and Nikolaj Ehlers and the defence is doing about as well as we can expect.
Prediction: No helmets will be stolen tonight.
