Winnipeg Jets defeat LA Kings 3-2 + Manitoba Moose Season Begins | WST Sunday Live
[Music] [Music] [Music] I alone. I alone. Good morning everyone and happy Thanksgiving weekend and welcome in to another edition of WST Sunday live. My name is Connor Rabchack. In a moment I’m going to be joined by Liz Hood and together we’ve got another jam-packed show. I said it last weekend, I’ll say it again this weekend. Uh we’re going to start with our thoughts on the Winnipeg Jets. They picked up a win yesterday against the LA Kings 3 to2 on a very early game at Canada Life Center. We’ll talk about the season opener as well as the Jets lost 5-4 to the Dallas Stars. And then a little bit later on, we’re going to talk about the Manitoba Moose a little bit more and we caught up with Jared Anderson Dolan, Isaac Phillips, Isaac Poulter earlier last week at Manitoba Moose production day. So we’ll have those interviews for you here on the channel uh right here on WSC Sunday live. And then coming out of those interviews, we’ll look ahead to tomorrow. The Jets have another early game. It’s at noon. It’s a Thanksgiving Monday game against the New York Islanders. Mike Bartner, content creator with Bleacher Report, is going to jump on and join us uh a little bit later on to discuss Jets Islanders and a little bit more of a leaguewide discussion as well. So, happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Thank you so much for joining us. 9:00 a.m. WSC Sunday live. We really appreciate it. Uh, and we also want to give a thanks to our friends at Chuds Powersports who are on with us here at Winnipeg Sports Talk. We’re going to have a Chud’s Powersports Power Poll a little bit later on and I think people are going to really enjoy this one because we ranked our top five goal songs. We did it last year, got to bring it back this year. So, listen, I each did our own top five Chuds Powersports uh goal songs. So, that’ll be uh really fun a little bit later on. But, thank you everyone for joining us. Let’s bring in my co-host on WS Sunday Live, Liz Hood. Liz, how are you doing this morning? I’m doing well. I think I’m probably going to say this every week until I actually make something happen here, but I need some intro music. I need some intro music. Like, what’s going on here? I feel like Tristan Rivers has like raised the bar so high in terms of Kenny’s entry. Oh my gosh. Okay, so but it’s good. You welcoming me to the show is just great enough for me. So, I’m doing so well. How are you? I’m doing well. Yeah, great weekend. It was a super sports Saturday yesterday, but we won’t talk about the second game. Uh the Bombers didn’t get it done. Maybe, you know, super sports weekend. We can look ahead to the Jays tonight or something and uh let’s just forget about last night. Um but yeah, it’s great to just be back with Winnipeg Jets hockey, watch an IC after the game, which you were on yesterday. Uh great work there. Kenny and Renie postgame. Um with Kenny’s intro music as always. Uh, and we have our own postgame content this year, except for Saturday games. So, I I mentioned that uh on the postgame, you and I did a reaction video from the Jets 5-4 loss to the Dallas Stars. But throughout the season, we’ll have postgame reactions except for Saturday game. So, yesterday’s game, they won against LA. No reaction video. We’re here 9:00 a.m. on Sundays. So, anytime there’s a Saturday game for the Jets, uh, we’ll just give our thoughts on Sundays at 9:00 a.m., but every other game throughout the season, you can expect a quick 20 to 30 minute kind of breakdown of the Winnipeg Jets game. So, we’re really looking forward to doing that this season. But, Liz, I know you were on IC postgame. What were your thoughts of the Jets 3-2 win yesterday? You and I were both there in the press box covering the game. The Jets get their first win of the season. Yeah, I mean, there are a couple things over the course of that game, right? I think uh Kenny made the joke on Kenny Renie yesterday that it was almost the tale of three games where there was a couple of different you know themes I feel like that sort of weaved their way through the game. First period looked a bit different than the second and then the third. I was joking on the IC postgame show yesterday that they were doing their best Manitoba Moose impression by kind of just falling asleep a little bit in the second period, not having the greatest second of all time, which is something that if you’re familiar with last year’s Manito Moose was kind of the rag for them. But um all in all, I thought that Winnipeg’s power play looked a little bit better. I think in the first game they had quite a few opportunities against Dallas and it looked fine, but obviously they don’t capitalize. They score a couple short-handed goals and it ends up being okay, but scoring up a couple power play goals in that game would have been massive. And yesterday I thought both units looked a little bit sharper, which was really encouraging to see. Thought the penalty kill looked really good as well. So, uh, a lot of that game was spent on special teams, but it’s one of those things that it’s like I understand that, you know, you want to say, okay, five on five this, whatever. At the end of the day, you kind of just deal with the cards that are dealt in terms of how much of the game is spent five on five and on special teams and their special teams look good. So, you know, I I was pleased with that and I thought kind of all in all, I don’t know deservedly if they they won that game or not. I think LA wasn’t horrible by any means. I think that LA had some really good looks kind of over the course of the game, but again, talent and and a nice Mark Shley Tippen ends up being the difference maker in this one and and that’s the way she goes. And it was a fun game to watch, even if it did start at such an ungodly time. Yeah. Yeah, that was a interesting start time. And the first period I noted on online, you know, the first period looked like one team was starting at what they’re used to as 10:30 in the morning. You know, LA playing a 12:30 central game was really interesting to me, especially coming on the road to do it. Um, again, if they were playing at home, that’s a 10:30 a.m. local start. So, it there was no shock to me that LA started slow. Good on the Jets as well for getting out ahead of it in the first period there. Uh, but here are some of the numbers from the game. The Jets win 3-2. Mark Shley with two goals. Alex A follow with the other one. Um, LA with two goals. Uh, and the Jets pick up the win. The shots were 32 to 27 for LA. The expected goals pretty even, 3.6 to 3.4, for, but the scoring chances 45 to 25 in favor of LA. So, a little bit of a discrepancy there in terms of the scoring chances and maybe the high danger chances or the expected goals. And then the power play uh one for three for the Jets. And that LA number is wrong. They the I I have that backwards. The uh the LA Let me just get that number correct because the Jets took I want to say four or five penalties and killed two feels wrong. Yeah, they were 0 for five. LA’s power play. Um, so that is that was a really strong game from the penalty kill. I thought I I as soon as I saw that number, I was like, that’s wrong because the penalty kill was fantastic. And especially that end of game sequence where the Jets take a penalty. It’s Neil Pianc kind of roughing a player in front of the net. And with three and a half minutes left, the Kings down a goal, have a chance to tie that game. And the Jets do a great job blocking shots, getting in stick lanes. Logan Stanley had a few blocks. Vladimov had a block. Dylan Dlo, Neil Pian came out of the penalty box in a six-on- five situation and blocked a few shots as well. It was all hands- on deck in that final two and a half minutes. Um, and and the Jets really grinded out a win and and I liked what Mark Shaley said after the game where, you know, it’s game two of the season. guys can kind of just roll over if they want, but that shows commitment to winning and it’s only game two and he’s and you see players blocking shots and you see that players care and Logan Stanley is taking a saucer pass off the head is what Mark the way Mark Shaley put it. Um, and again that’s that shows commitment to winning in game two which you don’t see out of a lot of teams across the league and I think that that’s that’s something noteworthy list uh from this game. Yeah, absolutely. I think that, you know, there was a lot to like about kind of the moments where the team chose to lock in and then the question is always what, you know, it’s always two-sided with everything in hockey, right? When you circle one thing that someone’s doing well, you’re like, okay, what was everyone else doing poorly and different things like that, right? But that’s exactly it where it’s the whole idea of like the particular moments where they where they chose to lock in. You know, we saw some crazy crazy dominant CSV shifts with Josh Morsy and Dylan Dlo and a couple things like that. I can’t remember who’s been posting about it on Twitter, but holy smokes, Josh Morrisy had a bit of a rockstar game yesterday. I can’t lie. In terms of Was it It was you. Are you sure? I think it was someone else, but I tweeted about his stats through the first couple of games here. I don’t know if that’s what you’re referring to, but I can get No, I saw a couple things about like it might have been Garrett Hull actually talking about how Mark Shiffley’s stats looked with and without Josh Morrisy yesterday and a couple things like that. Like Josh Moresy’s shot attempt differential was so high and stuff like that. It’s one of those things, especially in the first period. This is people like me love to kind of nerd out over these sorts of things where you look at those expected goals numbers. You look at all these different numbers and you’re like, “Okay, why is this the case? How is this happening?” And one thing I found really fascinating was that um this was a conversation point that happened early in Conor McDavid’s career. weird sidebar I’m going to go on here for a second where people were looking at his I believe it was his Cory metrics, his shot attempt metrics and also like his possession time metrics and they weren’t super high and everyone’s like what the heck is going on? but he was creating so much off of the rush that there ended up being a whistle very quickly after he would enter the zone every single time whether it was the goalie making a save or scoring a goal or what have you because he wasn’t like setting up because they were generating so much off the rush and I feel like yesterday you know Winnipeg spent more time in Los Angeles’s zone but LA was creating more off of the rush and whether it was Connor Hellbuk making a save or what have you it wasn’t the same type of offensive opportunities and so they were still generating really really good chances is because as we know rush chances are a lot more dangerous to save for a goalender than the average inzone shot that’s set up um unless it’s like a really crazy layered screen or a tip and so it was really interesting to see that that was the type of chance that was being given up frequently against the Winnipeg Jets yesterday. wasn’t what they were creating, which isn’t what they want to create, right? Like they like getting the deep puck in, setting up those, you know, that ozone pressure and they looked really good doing that yesterday, but they don’t want to give up rush chances. And I thought that after the first game when that was something that they were talking about not having loved how many of those they gave up, that they might try and tighten up a little bit. Didn’t really see that happening. And is it partially because Hayden Floriza, Logan Stanley had an elevated role, all these different things? I don’t know. But doesn’t matter. Still not ideal. You don’t want a team, especially like LA who has such dynamic guys like Adrien Kempe, you don’t want teams being able to create off the rush the way that LA was yesterday. 100%. And coming out of that first game, that was something that we noted, that was something that Scardal talked about after the game and and we talked about on our postgame reaction was the rush chances that didn’t look like Winnipeg Jets hockey when there’s three twos and guys are doing spinas in the slot with no consequences and firing wide open back door tapins. Like that’s just not Winnipeg Jets hockey. So, for that to happen in game one, I thought they were a little bit better in game two, but I agree with you. Nowhere near what we’ve seen over the past number of years for the Winnipeg Jets. I will say with their Can I say something weird though? I’m trying to remember. So, obviously we all remember the Winnipeg Jets went 15 and one to start the year last year. This is how they looked for games like one through like four of that. Like that four-game winning stre they went on. It was like an overtime win against Chicago where they scored to tie it up with like 3 minutes left when they were getting shelled by like the shell of a Chicago Blackhawk seat. Like I this is kind of giving similar vibes to the beginning of last year. Just saying. Okay. Okay. Yes. I will say with the the team you mentioned Josh Morsey there and with the way the Jets are currently constructed with all the injuries to Lowry Perfetti and Samberg they’re going to need Connor Schaefley Valardi Moresy and Hellabuk to be superstars you know if they want to start uh and be in a playoff spot and and be you know in contention for first in the central if they want to have that good of a record when all of those players come back those five players four players are going to have to be elite and Josh Morsy. Uh I noted yesterday on Twitter these numbers are from Natural Statrick. Um with Josh Morsy on the ice at five on five, the Jets are leading in goals four to one. Shot attempts percentage Corsy percentage that’s 61%. Expected goal share is 72%. The scoring chances are 20 to7 and the height injured chances are 8-2. All in favor of the Winnipeg Jets with Josh Morsy on the ice. So, um, there is a bit of a question mark about the rest of the defense core, but man, Josh Morrisy, they need him to be elite. He’s absolutely been elite to start this season. Uh, and I will mention the I I bring up this stat list to kind of ask about something else, but Connor Chef Valardi last night, they generated seven scoring chances. Um, Chiffley obviously had both of the goals and and one of the goals like was right after a PK, so that doesn’t even count towards their five on five stats, yada yada. Um, but they generated seven scoring chances. Guess how many the rest of the Jets forward core generated combined. Liz, I don’t know if you’ve seen this number. Well, I mean, but I haven’t seen it, but you you pulled up a scoring chance number. They had 25 scoring chances over the course of the game. Oh, that was including that was including power plays. So, this is five on five. Yes. God. Yeah. Okay. Bottom nine. Let’s go. Let’s go tit for tat. Seven. They generated uh two as combined. You’re lying. Yep. Two scoring chances combined the rest of the Winnipeg Jets forward core of five and five. Yep. So this is very much a oneline hockey team right now. And that’s okay. That’s okay. Like with well for now with Connor Halabuk I think it’s it’s okay. It’s not okay in the long term but they’re also missing their two highest impact middle six players in Perfetti and Lowry, right? like when those two guys come back on their second and third line, those are their two best middle six players. So yeah, I mean I just think that like it really shouldn’t be an encouraging sign for cuz injuries happen all these different thing like sure that’s not ideal knowing that even as a stop gap your bottom bottom nine guys can’t really do a whole ton. That’s fair. That’s fair. Yeah, I I I I know it’s it’s not great. Uh, and I say that to say I I liked how Jonathan Taves has looked through the first two games, but they just haven’t found that configuration yet on what works in the middle six. They started with Nyquist alongside Taves and Chikov in game one. That clearly wasn’t working. The Jets were down 5-1 and getting nothing from their middle six. So late in the third, they moved I have followup Nyquist down in the LA game. Again, I I I’m watching these games and it’s just kind of your burning time until the Connor line uh Connor Sheffy Valardi line comes back out and then you hope that they can they can generate some offense. Um so I I am with you. I mean like it’s it’s it’s not okay for now, but I I am willing to kind of let them kind of figure this out until those two players come back and then see what it’s like from there. But for this time when Perfetti and Larry are out, it’s absolutely a concern. Um and and we’ll see if it’s something that they could change as early as tomorrow, Monday afternoon against the New York Islanders. I just kind of gave my quick thoughts on Taves. I know it’s a it’s a lightning rod for discussion. It’s Jonathan Taves and Winnipeg Jets uniform list. I mean, what uh what have you thought of his first two games? Yeah. And I mean, I we keep saying this, right? First two games, first two games this. And I see some people in the chat being like, “Oh, it’s game two.” Whatever. It’s our job to come on here and talk about, you know, the games that we’ve watched lately. And I think everything that we say kind of comes with the asterisk of yes, it’s it’s two games, but through two games is what we’re seeing. And with, you know, Jonathan Daves, I’m seeing a guy who hasn’t played hockey in two years. Um, but you know, listen, like I I think that a lot of people are liking what they’re seeing enough. Uh, and I don’t think anyone is expecting him to come out the gate just 100% raring to go, totally up to game speed, whatever. And it’s not his reads that are wrong. It’s not his position that’s wrong, whatever. It’s the game speed and whatever and all these sorts of things that you can acclimatize to over time, which is why I’m encouraged and impressed and and everything’s going to be fine there. Um, I feel like I have less opinions on him that everybody else seems to. I don’t know. I’m kind of like keeping it temporary, keeping it lowkey, whatever. I’m like, all right. um you know like to see a little bit more but also I don’t know how much of his career he’s spent playing with linemates like 2025 Gustav Nyquist and Alex Aafalo and writer or Nikita or whoever you Yeah. So I don’t know we’ll um we’ll see how it goes. I think that um you know he’s going to get better before he gets worse. I I would say that with a decent amount of confidence but um it’s it was pretty cool to be kind of at the home opener and you know yesterday’s game. It’s really funny like the cheers he gets after like winning a face off or like shooting. It’s quite funny like they’re they’re Winnipeg hockey fans have always been pucknoers. We know this like they’re they’ll cheer for the funniest things and like you know yesterday they were booing the linesman because of the faceoffs and all this sort of stuff like the crowd was in on it. Like it’s always so funny but yeah no I think uh it’s really cool and there are some moments like he was in the starting lineup yesterday. he wasn’t in the starting lineup for game one and they’re showing him during the anthems and like look I’m not here to psycho analyze Jonathan Taves that’s not my job but I’m going to do it anyway like he looked like he was really soaking it in right like there there looked to be it looked like kind of a special moment that the on ice Ice camera was catching there of him just kind of looking around want to play Jets Arena knowing that there’s so many jerseys of his in that crowd even though he’s only played one game like I think it was pretty special for him. Yeah, absolutely. And he’s he’s yeah, I I agree with your assessment of his on ice play. I think there’s been moments I actually thought he was better in the Dallas game. I don’t know if that, you know, his excitement, nerves, him getting ready to go uh for that first game, his, you know, kind of return to the lineup there. I don’t know what that was, but I thought it’s been encouraging and more encouraging than I thought the first two games would be. I think there’s a a common understanding amongst Jets fans and among us on this show that Jonathan Taves from games 41 to 82 is going to be or you’re hoping that he can be better than Jonathan Taves from games 1 to 41. And I think if this is a a grind and a and a you know he’s going to have to go through this progression throughout the season, I think you should be encouraged by the first two games. That’s how I’m taking it. Um, if Jonathan Taves is still, you know, not really generating that much in the middle six when Cole Perfetti comes back and and late into the season, then it’ll become a bigger concern for sure. But I thought I’ve been encouraged by his first two games truly. And I think that he’s going to be a player that is going to be counted on in big moments for the Jets. So, he’s going to have to be um he’s going to have to be good because he’s playing, you know, 18 minutes a night, which is another thing that kind of shocked me. I wasn’t sure what his workload would be right off the bat. Opening night, I believe he played 18 minutes and 32 seconds. So he’s um they’re really not using that fourth line though, eh? Right. Yes. I mean, last night they used it or Okay. Yeah, last night. We’re referring to last yesterday’s game is last night. Um we know. Yeah. Uh they did use it a little bit more last night. Uh the bottom nine was a little bit more even in terms of time on ice uh distribution, but yeah, they they really haven’t used they had a lot of penalties to kill, too. And every single one of those guys got a little bit of a hand in that, but I feel like a five on five, they’re really not ripping those guys. Yeah. Yeah. So, Jonath’s opening night played 18 minutes and then uh yesterday played 15. So, 1504. Uh so, a little bit less. Again, lot of later units, special teams. Yeah. A lot of special teams. So, um yeah, the time on ice is also a storyline that we’ll be watching throughout the season as well uh with Jonathan Taves and how much he’s playing. I want to talk about Morgan Baron list because he’s a player that I think might get featured on our trending up down coming up a little bit later on. Um he had a an unbelievable goal on Thursday night against the Dallas Stars to make it 5-2 in what looked like a game that was completely out of reach, but obviously the Jets made it close at the end. And then yesterday made a really nice play on Mark Shiffley’s goal to tie it where he stole the puck from Quinton Biffield, kept possession of it with Biffield on his back, shoveled it over to Shaley, and Shley went all the way down and like basically passed the puck into the net. Like it wasn’t a nice goal for Shaley. Uh, good on him to drive the net, of course. But I I want to focus on Morgan Baron because a lot of people, at least my mentions are full of, well, if the middle six isn’t working, get Baron off that fourth line, get him up into the lineup. What do you think? Uh, what have you thought of Morgan Baron through two games? And do you think he’s a guy that might be deserving of some more ice time with the middle six struggling? Yeah, I I mean I think I like Morgan Barrett enough, but he’s the sort of guy that I really put into the same camp as someone like maybe a a Neil Pianc or a Hayden Flurry in the sense that sure, yeah, like we we like what we’ve seen in XY Z sort of situations, but I don’t know that this is a situation in which if you’re playing Mory Baron 11 minutes a night right now, if you play him 18 that he’s going to get significantly better. Like I I think sometimes a good thing is a good thing and I think Morgan Marin’s a good bottom six player for this team and I understand that with the injuries right now someone’s got to step up and and sure maybe it’s him. I don’t think he needs elevated usage. I think he needs to continue to manage his minutes down here. I think he needs to continue to have really successful Dzone draws all these different things that he’s been doing these first couple games. I think that if we saw more Morgan Baron I don’t know that it’s the solution for the Winnipeg Jets. I don’t know how much, you know, sustained ozone pressure and little things like that that is is kind of part of his game. He’s pretty fun in transition. I really like watching his little burst of speed here and there and everything like that, but I don’t know if he’s as complimentary of a player for the skill sets of, you know, some of those other guys in the middle six like like the Gustav Nyquist or whoever if you needed to give him a promotion. I think he’s the sort of guy that I want to leave as a good thing in kind of the bottom six and turn that depth into something qualitative and look to see if there are some guys with higher ceilings like a Brad Lambert or someone like that who can maybe come in and try and give some juice to that middle six. But maybe that’s me being too negative. Um I like his little details there uh you know on whether it’s his own goal in that first game or Mark Shaley’s goal there. Like those are really smart decisions that you need to make under pressure which he did. So, I I definitely give him some flowers and some love, but I don’t think that it now mean this isn’t to me the same thing as if Nikita Chipperov was starting on the fourth line and looked pretty good in the first couple games. It’s like, okay, like let’s kind of keep getting him higher and higher up in the lineup. I think he’s okay to to stay where he is. Okay. Okay. I’m kind of with you for now. The only thing that I’d I’d kind of push back on and I have the the luxury of having natural static already open and ready with all the numbers right in front of me list. But Vladimnikov threw 18 five on five minutes. I mean that’s the other that’s the other side of this, right? It’s like but who else is getting Yeah. Vladimnikov threw 18 five on five minutes the first two games of the season. Um the scoring chances with him on the ice are 8- nothing in favor of the opponents. Two nothing uh for height chances. The expected goal share with Vlad on the ice is 19% in favor of the Jets. The shot attempts are 22 to8 for the opposition. Like they’re getting shelled when Vladimov’s line is on the ice um so far this season. So we talked about the middle six. It’s probably the biggest concern along with the defense core with Dylan Samberg out uh early in the season here. And it’s why I said earlier, you know, you look at the top line, Josh Morrisy and Connor Hellbuck, those players are going to have to be fantastic for them to win hockey games here early in the season and they were in the game against LA or at least I thought the top line was, you know, really driving offense. Josh Morris, I brought up his stats earlier and of course Connor Halibuck, he uh he is always good. We don’t talk about him nearly enough, but reigning NHL MVP and he showed why in yesterday’s game. Um, Liss, is there anything else from the first two games? I I guess we should note as well, Hayden Flurry did leave yesterday’s game and the Jets finished the game with five defensemen. Scott Neil, after the game, we asked him about it. He said Flurry took a shot off the side of the kneecap and he’s pretty sore. So, they’re going to wake up today, this was yesterday, he’s talking about today, uh, and see how he feels. The Jets are skating in about 30 minutes at the Hockey Forall Center. So, we should still be live here on WC Sunday Live and we can talk about whether or not Hayden Flurry is skating with the Winnipeg Jets and we’ll bring you that news a little bit later on. But, is there anything else from the weekend list that you wanted to talk about before we move on? And maybe I’ll just kind of I don’t know if rest my case is the the right word or the wrong word, but actually fight my own case based on what you said about kind of Lesco’s numbers and how poor they’re looking. And I think the the situation that you put yourself in to ask the question is would Morgan Baron be worse? And I think the answer is probably no based on what those numbers are looking like right now. It’s a pretty small sample. It is what it is. But maybe maybe that is something that you move around or promote someone else because that’s um like a 20% expected goal share over the course of two games is not super ideal. You really don’t want especially for for someone who’s whose role is to maybe create a little bit of secondary offense, right? So, uh, I think it’ll be really interesting to see what the configuration of the bottom nine continues to look like. And we’ll maybe preview the game a little bit more when Mike joins us on the show in a little bit, but there are a couple of fun dynamic guys sitting in the press box eating some popcorn for these first two games that you could maybe throw into the lineup to see if you can create a little bit more offense. Um, and we’ll see kind of if anything changes in terms of the line rushes in about 30 minutes. Yeah, absolutely. Um, and we will we will have that live for you. will still be live as uh we have some pre-tapes coming up here from Manitoba Moves production day. We’ve got Mike Bartner uh coming on a little bit later on to preview Jets Islanders. So, we’ll absolutely still be live at 10ish when the Jets step on the ice at the Hockey Forall Center and we’ll see. I mean, if Hayden Flurry’s injured, you know, this could be a scenario where they have to call up a player list. Your favorite Billy Han could is a candidate. No chance. No chance. No chance. Come on. It would probably be Kle I think because when they sent down Villy, Arneal talked about him needing to play and I think this player coming up is just going to be a press box body. You know, Colin Miller will probably get in even on his off side. Like Miller will play on the left side, I think. But it would be objectively hilarious if Billy Hanel played two games in a moose jersey and then got put on waivers again and got claimed this time in like two weeks after he sits in the press box for two weeks. At least you get the 30-day uh buffer that if you clear waiverss and play a game, you can’t get claimed for another 30 days or you’re like waivers exempt for 30 days and then so if out a month though that’s that’s yeah totally. Yeah. Like if he’s out a month um and Billy comes up and then 30 days pass then yes he has to go back on waiverss. So um he won’t be out a month though. So you know we I don’t even need to worry about this. Yeah we’ll see. We’ll see. We will see. Um yeah 10 games are 30 days as Doug notes in the chat here. So, whatever comes first uh in in that kind of scenario with the cadence schedule, it’s probably I was going to say this year it’s probably going to be in 10 games. So, exactly. Uh Donnie Boy asked, “Did Connor pay up on the breakfast bet?” Not yet. Uh it’s coming, but I did this and yesterday would have been a perfect day for it, Connor. We had to get the ring so early. A morning game. H I got I got to get in city place. I used to just like steal Jacob’s breakfast money every single Sunday. It was so much fun. you’re a little bit tougher to to beat on that. But Jacob was just like throwing out breakfast bets that were terrible and I would just beat them every single time. It was so much fun. Now I need to actually like think about it and and put my takes in a good spot here to to get back on the board. But we will we will we’ll figure something out throughout the course of the season here. And you guys will be the first to know when he finally does the wallet. Don’t worry about it. Exactly. Exactly. We will be we’ll be posting that all over. Um all right, let’s get to this. I I was super excited when we heard about Chud’s Powersports and the Powerpole being on board with us because of this episode. So, we’re going to be ranking our top five Winnipeg Jets goal songs. We did that last year. It’s an absolute blast. The Jets do personalized goal songs. I think I think it’s amazing that they do that. Um and I hope that they never change that. And there were some questions, you know, we we had some training camp um you know, conversations about what would Jonathan Taves be. We’ll get into that a little bit later as well. Um, but let’s first tell you about Chud’s Powersports. So, WC Sunday Live and the Power Pulse are brought to you by Chud’s Powersports. They are Manitoba’s premier powers sports superstore. They feature the best in ATVs, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, RVs. Uh, they have everything. Argos, Sasquatches, golf carts, tractors, dirt bikes. They have so much on their website here. Um, in addition to a massive parts department for all of your needs, uh, you’re always welcome at Chud’s Powersports, now serving Manitobans for over 80 years, almost into their ninth decade. Uh, they’re out in Gimy. If you want to pop by and see them, they’re at the corner of Highway 8 and 231 in Gimy, but if not, you can check out this extensive website that I have on the screen here at chudpowersports.com. Um, thank you to Chuds again for sponsoring this episode and for sponsoring our Chuds power poll. So, Lis, I’ll let you go first on your goal uh goal picks. Let me just grab the graphic here because you you got to Yeah, as you pull it up, I’ll tell everyone. So, everyone’s goal songs this year. And basically what I did is mentally kind of rank them all based on how wonderful goal songs that they were. And then any guy who has the same goal song as last year got a bunch of negative points counting against him. just because I wanted to really promote some of the new ones and get the the novelty factor, kind of get in on those. So, this is all considering the fact that, you know, some of the existing ones are great. You know, shout out Mark Shley, shoot the thrill. We got a little bit of a hell yeah on Thursday and they were wonderful, but I wanted to give a little bit of spotlight to some of the newer ones. So, uh pull here’s top five Winnipeg Jets. So, stunning graphic. Explain your uh explain your choices. Macarena. I’m sure it was number one last year. I’m sure it was. And if it wasn’t, then I must have been kicked in the head or something like that. So, mine isn’t number one for me. Got a bunch of uh negative points counting against it, but it wasn’t enough to knock it out of the top spot there. Gabe Balardi Macarena stays at the top. And uh it will be that way for the foreseeable future. Should anyone else come up with a new goal song, hey, we’ll see. But I don’t anticipate that being dethroned anytime soon. Need to give a shout out to Vlad Messikov. New goal song this year. He was who let the dogs out last year which is a really fun one. Danza Kaduro is such a fun song and that I can only imagine cuz he’s the one who scored that not the tying goal obviously but the second to last school um last year right let the dogs out and all that good stuff. Can you like just dancing around? I I love Latin music. I love Spanish music. Whatever. I think it’s so fun. Makes me feel like I should be like three margaritas deep and all inclusive and like party which is how I want to feel after a bowl, right? So love that. Josh Morrisy bringing back Magic in the Air by Magic System, which I love. That was one of my favorite goal songs before and actually last year when I made like my vlog of making the last minute decision to go to game seven and obviously being there for the Mant Miracle and everything. That’s the song that I used cuz I just think it is such a fun feel-good song. It is one of my favorites and Josh I think is such a fun feelgood player for Jets fans as well. So I feel like it just matches so well and it’s such a fun song. So give him uh some love for bringing that one back. Waterlue by Ava is um that’s such a banger. I actually it’s so funny and maybe I’ll post some content about it later, but I asked Kobe Barlo what his goal song would be and um he wasn’t sure and so we kind of went back and forth. He’s like, “Well, what’s yours?” And I was like, “I feel like I’d pick an ABBA song.” And he’s like, “Yeah, I’ll do that, too.” And so Gustaf Nyquis also picked an ABA song. And Waterloo’s a banger. I don’t know if it would be the first ABA song I would choose if I was doing a goal song, but I think it’s like so fun and I love it. And then give some love to Parker Ford for Your Love by the Outfield. I think it’s such a random choice that I love. And and Connor, you made the joke about shout out Jim Montgomery. Everyone remembers that clip from last year, him singing along to that song kind of uh when the St. Louis Blues were down in an important game. Hilarious. But uh these are my top five. How do you feel about them, Connor? I feel great about it. It’s a it’s a great list. I’m wondering if Jim Montgomery would have sang along to your love by the outfield had Parker Ford scored the Manitoba miracle goal to end or to tie the game and then eventually end their season. So, who’s to say? Who knows? Yeah, it’s a great song and and clearly he uh he will sing along to it at any point. I think it was a timeout with like a minute left in that game five or seven. Oh, it’s ridiculous. Or maybe it was game it was early in the series, game one or two. Uh but still, uh hilarious clip there. But I like your list. There’s a lot of crossover. Um I see three there’s three songs on your list that are also on mine. Uh all in different order though. And I see a lot of people saying, you know, Macarin is easy number one. Easy number one. My thought process as well is also to dock points a little bit and I like I more I I give more weight to just the songs in general rather than you know the the goal song aspect of it. There’s a little bit of method to the madness here. But I’ll get to my list now. Um my number one song is Waterlue by ABBA. Fantastic song. Great vibe song. I thought yesterday on like a nice Saturday afternoon it would have been great. Well, I guess it ended up like raining here in the city, but would have been great for Gustav Nyquist to score. Just a good vibe song. Gets everyone on their feet. Everyone recognizing it recognizes it. And I like the classics. These guys are not, you know, last year we gave Espresso by or I did gave uh Adam L’s girl song Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter the number one spot because that was, you know, the number one song at the time and it’s it it was going viral and everything, but I I’m not quite there yet. So, Gustav Nyquist, uh, Waterlue, ABBA is my number one goal song this year. Number two, Cole Kepky, Everybody Backstreet Boys. I think like if Cole Kepsi scores a big goal in a big game like and everyone can sing along to this song, like it would be great. It would be so hype. So, I just the chorus of this song is so recognizable. It’s so easy to like sing along to as a fan. Uh, that I think that that has to be in the top five. So, that’s my number two for me. Uh, Macarena comes in at number three. It’s still on the list. It’s still on the list. It’s just not quite number one. Um, great choice. Your love by the outfield. I love that song just on its own. So, I had to get it in there somewhere for Parker Ford. Uh, great choice. And then number five, Money for Nothing. Jonathan Taves. I had to get Jonathan Taves in there. Money for Nothing. Dire Straits. Another great song. And when Morgan Baron had this as his goal song, I did actually have it on my list. I I think those were back in the days when I did the level there. Okay. Those were back in the days, preWST days when I was doing the Level Flight podcast. I had Morgan Baron’s Money for Nothing in on my top five. So, it’s not just a Jonathan Taves pick. It’s a Money for Nothing Dire Straits pick. So, those are our goal songs. Let us know what your number one goal song is in the comments down below. I see a lot of people, you know, talking about Shoot to Thrill, Mark Shley. You’re going to hear that one a lot. You’re going to hear Hell Yeah. a lot, which is Kyle Connor’s. Um there’s there’s some really good ones and and I hope the Winnipeg Jets, like I said, don’t go away from that because it adds to the personality. Um everyone can hear maybe a song that they really like. So, uh I love that they do that. But thank you to Chud’s Powersports for sponsoring the Chuds Powersports Power Poll as we ranked our top five Winnipeg Jets goal songs. Um Les, we’re now going to move on to a little bit of a Manitoba Moose discussion here. Uh, but first, I know you were at the game covering it Friday night. Let’s start there. The Moose start 1-0. They play again today at 2:00 p.m. Your thoughts on the Moose starting their season 1 and 0. How did they look? Yeah, it’s so funny. I feel like the Manitoba Moose, as we know, love those guys having fun with that. Um, but they I think are going to become very endearing to me. You should have seen those boys when Braden Jagger scored his first career pro goal two and a half minutes into the game on his first pro shift with a beautiful pass from another player in his first pro game being Kby Barlo. Oh my gosh, these guys were just so excited. And after the game, Dylan Anhorn who wasn’t even playing. Ty Bower who’s known as a character. All these guys were just so dialed and so excited. Braden could not stop smiling in his postgame media. Dom Ventus was just like so earnestly being like I was so thrilled. I was so excited. It was jumping up and down in my crease and it was so funny. These guys are kind of powered by uh by the power of friendship right now. It kind of seems and it’s so fun to see. Um that game was a blast. It was so fun because you got to see on full display exactly what we’ve been talking about for the potential of what could be fun about the Manitob Moose this year. Right. I want to give some love to Jared Anderson Dolan. I thought he was one of the best players in the ice. He his little details like whether it’s puck retrievalss or, you know, zone entries and and trying to manage the best possible outcome in those different situations, whatever. He was so crisp and he was so sharp. You know, Billy Hanelope was skating around like a chicken with his head cut off in a good way. Uh, you know, all these little things. We are so back. We are so back. The vets looked awesome. The rookies looked like they were having fun out there. Like it was a fun game. Wasn’t a perfect game, but that’s what we’re not expecting from this team, right? like they just have a lot of really really good pieces and it’ll be fun to see how they kind of come together and work together and it’ll be good. You know, some of the the guys who are on the team from last year who are lesserk known names in the community, guys like Kevin Connley, Tyson Empielin, who we know is going to be tasked with a little bit more of the defensive responsibility looked really good. He’s so fun and crisp to watch on the entry. Like he’s he’s a blast as well. So, I had a wonderful time at the Moose game on Friday. And hey, if you have no plans today, they play at two against the Laval Rocket as well, which I must give some love to as well. Laval was the best team in the entire American Hockey League last year. So, it wasn’t like they were playing against, you know, some it wasn’t like they were playing against the 2024 25 Madison Moose yesterday or on Friday. They were they were playing against a good hockey team. So, the Moose are so back. We’re so back. I’m dialed. Guys, it’s so affordable to go to Moose game. You can watch it on FL hockey. They’re going to be so much fun to watch this year and I can’t wait to talk about it with all of you every single Sunday even when we should be talking about the one jets. Exactly. We will be keeping tabs on the Manat moves. Especially so if they’re much better this year, you know, kill just got called up. Oh, there you go. I called it. And Brad Lambert got sent down. There we go. Oh, all right. Well, that uh that’s kind of in alignment with Well, we can talk about that after our pre-tapes here. Um yeah, good on it. You got some breaking news here on WST Sunday Live. We we uh thanks thanks to the Jets for doing that uh right before practice. Um I will just say quickly on Brain Joerger, we got to call this the Winnipeg Sports Talk bump because he was on with Hustler on the main show on Thursday and then scores on his first pro shift. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. Um yeah, shout out Brain Joerger. Uh I’ve had some conversations with him as well. Super nice guy and and came on the show as you see here. Uh and it was a great conversation. So happy for Brain Joerger. happy for Kobe Barlo who we who we heard from last weekend list on WFC Sunday Live. Um but on this edition of WC Sunday Live, we have more interviews from Manitoba Moose Production Day. You mentioned Jared Anderson Dolan and how good of a game he had. Um let’s get to his conversation now. I caught up with him at Manitoba Moose Production Day. Talked about playing in the playoffs last year this upcoming year for the Moose. Jared Anderson Dolan was also claimed off waiverss at one point in his career which I believe you know or I believe to be is a pretty unique experience for NHL players. I asked him about that. So it was a great conversation. Here it is now Jared Anderson Dolan from the Manitoba Moose on today’s program. Hello everyone. Welcome to Winnipeg Sports Talk. My name is Connor Rabchack and today we are joined by Jared Anderson Dolan from the Manitoba Moose. Jared, how you doing today? Doing good. How have you been enjoying camp so far? You got into some preseason games. Uh how’s it going for you so far? Uh it’s been good. It’s um you know it’s it’s a grind. It’s uh but that’s how it’s supposed to be. You’re supposed to you know get back into into shape and you know everybody comes into shape to begin with and if you’re not in shape you kind of get uh sorted out in a hurry but uh it’s been it’s been good. It’s just uh you know getting getting back in the swing of things and it’s always an exciting time of year. Hockeyy’s right around the corner. I think everybody feels that way. Yeah. This is your second camp with the team now. Is this year different at all than last year? Does it feel any different to you? Yeah it feels different. um the preparation’s the same. I just feel a lot more comfortable um around the guys and you know the trainers, coaches, just kind of once you have those relationships established a little bit, it’s it’s a lot easier. It’s um you know, last year you come into a dressing room for the first time and you’re you’re meeting so many new people and um creating so many new relationships. It’s uh you know, it’s it’s a lot of energy doing that. So this year just feel comfortable just coming in and know everybody and kind of know the routine uh with everything. and one of the new additions to the Winnipeg Jets this year obviously with Jonathan Taves, three time three-time Stanley Cup winner, future hockey hall of famer. Uh did you have any interactions with him in training camp? What is kind of his presence around the locker room like? What what did you learn about Jonathan Taves in the short time in training camp there? Yeah, you just, you know, he obviously has that that presence about him and um, you know, everything he’s done his in his career, he just, um, you know, he’s not the most most talkative guy, but, um, you know, comes up to you and makes the effort to, you know, make a relationship and give time to to everybody from what I saw. And, um, you just see how how hard he works. He’s, uh, you know, one of the first guys on the ice um, every day and stays out late with with guys and and works on things. And, you know, that’s what uh, makes him such a good leader. And obviously it’s um you know he kind of drags guys um into that into that uh you know culture of getting better and that’s obviously why he’s had such a great career. And we’re going to talk about this season in a little bit but I just want to quickly rewind to last playoffs because you played seven regular season games but played five playoff games and most notably the first couple you played in front of the white out. What was that experience like for you playing in front of 15,000 fans wearing white going crazy for the Jets? Uh it was amazing. It’s um you know probably the coolest hockey experience I’ve ever had just um you know the the energy in in that building you see it as if you’re watching um you know even on TV you see that energy and then if you’re in the building uh you feel it but um being a part of it um being in the games it’s something I’ll remember forever and you know tell tell my kids about one day and um something uh something I’ll never forget. It’s It’s hard to even put into words and I I say it every time. Every time I talk about it, I I get goosebumps. So, it’s uh definitely a cool memory. And you did score a goal. Uh it was the goal where you and Morgan Baron both celebrated at the same time cuz you both weren’t sure who scored. What was that experience like scoring a goal in front of the White Out? Well, it it’s it’s it was obviously great, but it um it was kind of weird because, you know, I it it happened so quick and you kind of you kind of black out and don’t really know what happened, but I I knew I got a touch on the puck at some point. I just didn’t didn’t know if it was before or after him. So, thoughts too. Yeah, exactly. So, I I was Yeah, I remember joking that he kind of got the two for one on the on the celebrations there. But, um, you know, when they reviewed it and saw one off me, it’s just at that point, you don’t really care who scores. You’re just, you know, trying to help the team. But, uh, definitely, you know, a memory to say you scored a goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs is, uh, something very cool. Definitely one of the better synchronized celebrations. The the video of both of you guys dropping down to one knee at the same time. Uh, the one thing that really stood out to everyone in that series was the physicality and you played in five games in that series. I mean, what can you say? Was that maybe the most physical, you know, series of hockey that you’ve ever played? It looked like it was just a blood bath from from our perspective. Yeah, for sure. It’s um I think it was one of the most physical series, you know, period and I don’t know if it’s just recent history or or whatever it is, but it’s um being a part of it, you just, you know, you don’t really you don’t really know where like where the hit totals are during during the game, but then you see after and you’re like, “Wow, it’s um something something crazy.” And uh you know, they you could tell they were that was part of their game plan was to be physical on our guys and you know, we ended up I think um you know, having more hits than them that series and I think that’s part of the reason we ended up beating them. Um, yeah, definitely the most physical series I’ve been a part of. Most intense, but that’s, you know, that’s Stanley Cup playoffs and that’s why you play. Yeah, I remember squad after game seven mentioning the hit totals. You guys did beat them not only on the scoreboard and in the series, but in hits as well. Uh, another thing I wanted to ask you about was you were drafted by LA, played with LA and the Ontario rain for a number of years. And then in March of 2024, you were actually claimed off of waiverss and I feel like that’s a unique experience for NHL players. I mean, what was it like to be placed on waivers? I mean, for 24 hours, you’re not sure if you’re going to be getting claimed or not, if you’re going to have to move your life from LA to Nashville. That’s across the country. Um, what was that experience like? And then you got claimed. I mean, did you pack everything? What was what was kind of that whirlwind like for you? Uh, it was a whirlwind is exactly the Yeah, like you said, exactly the way to put it that um it was kind of a, you know, a weird weird way it happened. It was um we had a game that night and um they had told me the day before I was going on waiverss, but they said if I cleared I was supposed to play in that game. So I um I was on the ice for morning skate and um figured I had cleared uh cuz I was skating and um got off the ice and uh I mean kind of a funny story to go with it, but Drew Dowy came up to me and was like, “Nashville, hey.” And I hadn’t heard anything and I was just I was like I was like what? And he’s like, “Oh, I’m sorry.” But and then someone told me to go talk to to the GM and that’s kind of how I found out. But yeah, it’s uh um you know, I talked to talked to Nashville and they wanted me on a flight. I think it was 6 hours from from that time. I I don’t forget what time it was. So yeah, definitely a a whirlwind and you just pack up what you can and then, you know, I was lucky that my my girlfriend was there to to help with things and um straighten things out, but it’s uh yeah, it’s anytime you’re on waiverss, it’s it’s nerve-wracking just the you never know what’s going to happen. And um you know as you’re sometimes you’re happy that you’re going to get an opportunity to to play and you know obviously the just the real life of it is that you got to like you said get up and move across the country. So it’s definitely a mixed emotions but uh crazy experience for sure and obviously as you alluded to there you don’t know beforehand whether or not you’re going to get claimed. It’s just kind of at 1:00 you find out and and the GM lets you know. That’s that’s as simple as the process is. You have no inkling anyway if you’re getting claimed or not. No. Well, I mean, sometimes you’ll, you know, you talk to your agent and sometimes he can get a a feel for things, but yeah, I I had no idea it was um Yeah, it was day before the trade deadline, so there was obviously other stuff going on, so I kind of figured I had cleared and then yeah, you just you just wait around and yeah, when it when it happened, it was definitely a shocker. Yeah, for sure. Uh moving on to this season with Manet Moose, it’s your second year with the team. Obviously a down year last year. What are you guys hoping to improve upon this year and and maybe getting off to a fast start? What are some of the keys for you guys to get off to a fast start and improve upon last year? Um, I think we just, yeah, obviously last year was, um, not the year we wanted, but I think, uh, you know, we we added some really good pieces, um, some some good veterans, and we have some guys that some young guys that are turning pro that are, you know, from watching them in camp, they’re going to make an impact right away. And that’s what they’re they’re expected to do. And, uh, I think we’re excited for those guys. And, um, I think everybody kind of has a chip on their shoulder from from last year that was here. And then yeah, like I said, adding vets like like uh DJ Steppy who’s obviously, you know, won a championship and uh knows what it takes and uh that sort of thing goes a long way in the dressing room to have those kind of guys around and um you definitely uh plan to have a lot bigger year than last year. You alluded to the younger players there. One of the ones I wanted to ask you about was Kobe Barlo. We caught up with him earlier today. Um what do you kind of expected from him? He’s making the pro leap from junior to the pros as he plays for the Manitoba Moose this year. Obviously, he’s got an incredible shot. I mean, are you excited to play with him? What kind of play style can he bring to the team this year? Yeah, obviously very excited to play with him. Um, I, you know, just have seen, you know, clips of him and, uh, seen him throughout training camp this year. That’s kind of the only time I’ve seen him, but um, obviously, you know, you see his his, uh, goal scoring ability from from junior is obviously the the shots there and the finishing ability. So, you know, it’s it’s hard to learn that in pro level, but um I think he’s uh you know, he seemed like in camp he came in really good shape. Um in the practice I was out with him, he uh he looked great, looks good with the puck and uh I think he can um you know, create a lot of offense for us and um definitely expecting that from him. And you also alluded to, you know, the veterans that you guys brought in. Do you think that you guys have a good balance of young upand cominging veterans making the pro leap can add a little bit of youth to the team but also veterans DJI you just want to call their cup that have been there before that can help the youth kind of come along as they make the pro jump? Yeah, for sure. We have a definitely a good mix and you you know you need that. You want those the young guys to develop and at the same time um you know the older guys are uh also you know everybody’s kind of competing against each other and that internal competition is a good thing. It brings brings everybody up to another level and uh that’s what we need to uh to have a better season than last year. But um having the the older guys kind of lead the charge and uh bring the young guys uh into the fight with you is is uh definitely definitely a part of um you know being a leader and I think we have a lot of good leaders on the team. Well Jared, thank thank you so much for taking the time. Uh good best of luck this season. We’ll be locked in opening weekend next weekend for the Manitoba Moose. Uh good luck this season. Perfect. Thank you. Thanks. So there it is. my conversation with Jared Anderson Dolan. Really appreciate him taking the time at Manitoba Moose production day. That was last week. That’s why I said Manitoba Moose opening weekend next weekend. It’s not. It’s this weekend. Uh it’s happening today at Canada Life Center. The Moose taking on the Laval Rocket in another game today. So, thank you so much to Jared Anderson Dolan, Daniel Frink, and the entire Manitoba Moose crew for setting up that interview. and Jared Anderson Dolan for providing some great insight on the upcoming season, what it’s like, you know, moving from LA to Nashville in a blink, uh, when getting claimed on waiverss, the playoffs last year. Great conversation there. We really appreciate it. Uh, coming up next, Liss at Manitoba Moose production day. Caught up with Isaac Phillips, uh, who was traded here last year, spent the remainder of the season with the Manitoba Moose, and is now back for his second season in the city with the team. Uh, list caught up with Isaac Phillips at Manitoba Moose production day. Here’s that conversation now. Welcome in to Winnipeg Sports Talk everyone. I’m Alyss Hood and I’m joined by Manitoba Moose defenseman Isaac Phills today. Isaac, welcome to the show. How you doing? Good. How are you? I am doing wonderful. I’m so glad that you’re here to chat with me today. Tell us a little bit about your first training camp here with the Winnipeg Jets Manitoba Moose. How it’s been kind of a little bit more of a chill path of getting in with the Manitoba Moose after getting traded in the middle last year. Full training camp. How’s it been? Yeah, uh training camp has been great so far. Uh really tough. That was kind of the message they gave us in the summer. you know, it’s a little bit more condensed schedule for uh you know, the NHL games with that Olympic break they have. So, they want everyone hitting the ground running. So, it was really tough the first week, but it was good for us. And now we’re feeling like 100% going into going into our first regular season game, which is great. Um, but yeah, as you mentioned, it was great coming in in uh end of January last season, so I could uh be familiar with everyone’s faces and stuff, but it was my first time getting traded. So just that first week uh how I felt there if I was feeling that way this training camp it would be a little bit different for sure. Yeah. Tell us about that January last year kind of get the phone call now you’re on a plane coming to Winnipeg. What was that experience like and how was it getting traded here to the Mediton Moose? Yeah it definitely wasn’t I wasn’t uh 100% expecting a trade. You know I was actually told I wasn’t getting traded and then 2 days later I was on a plane here. Um so but I was it was really great. Everyone was really welcoming. Obviously, our team wasn’t where we wanted to be with the Moose, but um it was great for me to come in and try to make a difference. And then looking forward to this season, we’re really optimistic of where we’re going to be. Yeah. So, it’s your first full training camp with the organization after getting traded from the Chicago Blackhawks, following a similar path, I guess, uh to former Chicago Blackhawk Jonathan Taves, who’s also here at his first camp with the Winnipeg Jets. Tell us a little bit about what it was like playing with Jonathan Taves kind of back in Chicago and now being reunited here in Winnipeg, what that’s been like and and about him. Yeah. Uh, I mean, nothing but great things to say about Taser. Um, especially playing some of my first, uh, NHL games with the Blackhawks. He was, you can tell why he’s been the captain for so long. Probably the nicest guy to me in the dressing room. Uh, make sure you’re not left out, like invites you to dinner. Um, just, you know, you can, you can tell he’s that leader for a reason. Um, but it was great to rekindle with him here. Uh, first date, comes up behind me and says, you know, what’s going on? How are you? Things like that. So, it was great to see him. No, I bet. and that you’re, you know, similar to me, 2000’s kids, so growing up in that Jonathan Taves, Sydney Crosby, Alex Vetkin era, probably pretty cool to to have a relationship with him. What do you think he’s going to bring to the Winnipeg Jets organization now that he’s kind of here in game action? Yeah, I mean, everyone’s kind of talked about it. It’s just, you know, that presence that he has. I mean, uh, he he makes you feel like like just another friend, like you don’t really notice that you’re talking to Jonathan Taves, you know, threetime Stanley Cup winner and all the awards he has. You just kind of feel like you’re talking to another buddy. uh which is a great great thing that he can do. Um but obviously he’s going to bring that leadership and also he can he can play like people are forgetting that uh how good he is. So it’s going to be good to see him see him play. Yeah, I think the Jets are real excited about that. But Manito Moose, there’s a lot going on, a lot to uh to do this year to bounce back from from last year. Tell us a little bit about what this group is going to be doing to prepare for a more positive season coming into this training camp. Yeah, obviously we’re really optimistic with the signings we’ve uh made in the offseason. Um, but yeah, we’re working really hard. Even the last last practice we had yesterday was really great. You can see that everyone the jump that everyone has. Um, but it’s just about those little details getting ironed out. Obviously, you’re not going to be a perfect team the first the first week of the season. So, just about staying the course and hopefully uh doing that over the course of the whole season. Yeah. And, you know, you mentioned some some new blood in the group, some new vets coming in, couple of new young rookies and Braden and Colby coming in as well as some new coaches, new defense coach in particular. So, what’s it going to be like kind of to see that success early on and make sure that you’re able to to hit the ground running and get everyone acclimatized and get off to a good start? Yeah, I think we have a really good mix of like older veteran guys, uh, skilled players and the young guys coming in that are highly toaded prospects. Um, I’m kind of right in the middle at 24. I’m like an older young guy, which is good. So, I can, you know, still still hang out with those young guys and still uh make my way with the older veterans as well and provide a bit of leadership. Um, but it’s just about, you know, everyone like bonding early, you know, like we’re talking about going to all thing and the first couple road trips getting together, doing team dinners and stuff before before you’re in February and everyone has their groups of four or five when you’re getting dinners with the same guys. Just about everyone getting familiar with each other. Yeah, it’s awesome. Well, good luck on the season. Thanks so much for joining us today. Thank you. So, there’s Isaac Phillips. Uh, big season ahead for the Manitoba Moose. he’s going to have to play a big role on that blue line that suddenly became a lot more stacked than we thought it would be. So, he’s one of those players uh big lanky shutdown defenseman that the Moose will be counting on for big minutes this season. We really appreciate him taking the time uh at Manitoba Moose production day. We have one final interview. Last, but certainly not least, Isaac Poulter, the goalender who’s from Winnipeg returning to his hometown to play for the Manitoba Moose. uh list caught up with him earlier at Manitoba Moves production day. Here’s the final of all of our kind of interview extravaganza here at WC Sunday Live, Isaac Poulter, the Winnipeger, the goalender live on WST Sunday Live. So, welcome back to Winnipeg Sports Talk everybody. I’m Liz Hood and I am joined by Isaac Poulter today, one of the new additions to the Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose organization. Isaac, how are you doing today? Welcome back to Winnipeg. Thank you very much. I’m doing really well, thanks. How are you? Good. I’m great. I am super excited to be joined by a fellow Manitoba product. We’re going to chat about some Manitoba Moose Winnipeg Jets stuff today. First though, walk us through a little bit about what it was like making the decision to come back here, why you decided it was going to be a good fit, and uh signing with the Jets this summer. I mean, things kind of changed my plans kind of going into into the summer and then obviously, you know, have the opportunity to come back home, go to Winnipeg. It was an easy decision really for me cuz, you know, my my girlfriend’s going back to school here, all my family and friends are here. So made it really easy just to to come back and want to be back home. Yeah. No, it makes a ton of sense. I’m very curious. You know, you grew up in Winnipeg and Manto area. I think I think we might be the same age. Are you 2001? Yeah. 2001. So you grew up in that era of like knowing the Manitoba Moose, Manto Moose being here and then the Winnipeg Jets coming back at a very like influential time in your life. What was it like kind of living through the experience of the Winnipeg Jets coming back to your hometown as a kid? I mean, it’s pretty crazy. obviously grew up watching the Jets, watching, you know, all these guys, NHL hockey, and then, you know, there used to be some preseason games here for like the NHL when we were younger and then, you know, finally like hearing that they might come back and then once they came back, it was like, wow, like got to get tickets right away. They sold out so fast. So, it was nice to have, you know, that back, especially like you said, an influential age, like being able to watch like a lot of NHL hockey growing up and kind of, you know, having those guys around town is is really cool. Did you have any favorite Winnipeg Jets growing up? Like, were you a Jets fan? Did you grow up like a Jets fan when you were like 10, 12? Yeah, I mean, obviously once they came back, I was a huge Jets fan. always just the goalies like who like all the guys we have Pavick like them but you know more so like the Moose were I was a huge fan of all their guys like Cory Schneider, Drew McIntyre like Mike Keen all those guys I was a huge fan for. So you know once the Jets game was like finding all these new guys and then obviously just watching all the other teams they played like the first game having Carrie Price it was like oh my gosh like this is so cool but no it was definitely huge fan of the Jets. So you mentioned Drew McIntyre, Mike Keane, a couple guys that are still with the Madison Moose organization. What’s it been like kind of coming back here and getting to know them at a very different lens than maybe when you were growing up in the stands watching them play with the Moose? I mean, yeah, it’s it’s very different. It’s, you know, they’re around every day. I work with Drew every single day. See Mike almost almost every day. So it’s like these are guys I used to watch, but now it’s like you just work with them. They’re they’re great people. So they make it easy to to hang out with like that. Yeah, for sure. So looking at this this manage moose group, you know, we talked about the coaches, got some new players coming in. As a new player, what’s it kind of like coming into this organization with some other guys? There’s a bunch of players who are new to the manage moose crop this year. What’s it been like kind of having this training camp experience together and kind of getting acclimatized to the Winnipeg Jets? I mean, everyone is so welcoming like the, you know, knowing a couple guys from, you know, guys I’ve played with or just the guys I’ve kind of known on the team. It’s everyone’s so welcoming. It’s been a really easy transition for me getting to know all the guys. I mean, they hang out all the all day here. So, there’s lots to talk about and lots of, you know, mutual friends and everything. So, I feel like it’s been a pretty good transition so far. Are there any guys that you’ve either when you come back here during the offseasons and do some training or anything like that? Are there some familiar faces that you’re going to be working with now that you’ve worked with professionally even before you played with the organization? I mean, uh, Reese Vatitali and I grew up playing against each other for a while. So, I mean, we had a lot of battles growing up and then now it’s like we’ve last couple summers been skating together and everything, but you know, he’s been a big part of it. He knows all the guys from being here last year. So, to have him kind of, you know, help introduce me to guys been really nice. Nice. Yeah. What about uh some of the the Winnipeg Jets players? Obviously, as as a goalender, getting to go to training camp with the one of the first goalies to win a heart in quite some time is probably a pretty special experience. and Connor Halbuck. What’s it been like getting to develop a little bit of a relationship with him and and guys like Eric Comry as well? I mean, they’re two great people as well as their their goalending abilities. So, you know, spent a little bit of time with Connor Halabuk, but mostly spent a lot of time with Eric Comry, been in the same group for a couple skates. So, you know, we got to chat a lot, work out together. So, just kind of like pick their brain on what they see in their game that they like. And, you know, obviously just being able to watch like Ellie for a little bit has been it’s been really nice. Yeah, I bet it’s uh probably a pretty cool feeling, especially uh considering how um like incredible he is leaguewide in terms of his recognition for for being an incredible goalender. Lots to learn from there. But there are also some really strong goalies in the Manto Moose organization in Thomas Village, Domentes. What do you foresee your relationship with those guys being like working together to kind of help the Manitoba Moose have a great season this year? I mean, they’re two two great people as well. I mean, I feel like all the goalies they have here are are great people as well as their on ice ability. So, you know, getting to know them every day, like skating together, doing that kind of, you know, just bouncing ideas off them. We’re all goalies. We’re all trying to stop as many pucks as possible, but, you know, trying to figure out just what kind of like their roles are, what like we want to do as like a group together and everything like that’s been great. That’s awesome. When being back in in Winnipeg, obviously, you’re no stranger to the city. Often times when people come to a new organization, they’re getting to know a new team as well as a new city, but you kind of have that uh that second part taken care of. Is there anything that you’re really looking forward to about being here? Whether it’s, you know, some of your favorite restaurants that you get to go to more often now and stuff or spending more time with friends and family. What are you looking forward to about getting to spend more time in your hometown again? I think it’s definitely like the friends and family. I’ve been I haven’t really been home since I was like 13 or 14 for a full year. So, you know, a little more time at Christmas and, you know, just kind of all the holidays, birthdays that that you miss along the way, just being able to probably hopefully spend some more time at at some family gatherings and some more time with my friends. Have people been uh asking you for tickets already or buying those season tickets to get to the moves now? Uh, some people have definitely asked me for for tickets, but also, you know, a lot of people are just getting season tickets ahead of time. So, that’s been that’s been good. But no, it’s been so different and nice to have everyone be able to come out and watch practices or games, whatever it is. Just have some more time time at home. Yeah. What are you What are you most looking forward to for this whole season? I mean, you know, just it’s always an opportunity to come somewhere and, you know, to play the game I love and, you know, be home and do that and not have to go anywhere else is pretty special for me. That’s awesome. Well, we wish you good luck on the season. Thanks so much for joining us today. Thank you. Thank you. So, there’s Isaac Palter from the Manitoba Moose. the Moose as as people are mentioning in chat carrying three goalies right now. So Dom Deanchentes, Thomas Militch, and Isaac Poulter all still on the roster. I’m not sure how long they’ll carry three goalenders, but Isaac Palter uh from Winnipeg. Great to catch up with him at Manitoba Moose production day unless we’ve got Mike Bartner in the green room. We’re ready to come in and preview Jets Islanders. But before we do that, just want to thank the Manitoba Moose once again for an incredible uh experience at Manitoba Moose Production Day setting up all those interviews and the players uh taking the time. We really appreciate that. Yeah, know they were great sports. We had a ton of fun kind of getting to know them a little bit on and off the camera. And I think uh you know, you mentioned we talked to two goalies in this particular situation. Isaac Phillips who said himself that he’s kind of that mixture of like rookie vet sort of situation. Jad who’s like the epitome of a vet this group. Colby who’s a little bit of well entirely in the rookie category, right? Like we gota got to know guys from all different parts of the lineup. So, it’s gonna be really interesting to see kind of how the next few months go for them. Yeah, absolutely. And thank you everyone in the chat. I see some very nice comments. Uh it’s your boy Bruce running man Stacy. Uh all complimenting our interviews. We really appreciate it. We are very much rookies when it comes to this stuff or at least I am with like one-on-one player interviews. So, we did our best and uh we we’re glu enjoyed them. So, thank you so much. But right now, the Winnipeg Jets play again uh another noon game, I should say. Very tomorrow, Canadian Thanksgiving, but they’re playing in the States. Very weird situation, but to preview Winnipeg Jets versus the New York Islanders, we are bringing in Mike Bartner to the program. Mike, welcome to WST Sunday Live. How are you doing this morning? I’m doing fantastic. excited to talk about some Islanders versus Jets. I got the great white out experience last spring, game five versus the Dallas Stars. Liz brought me with her. I’m I’m a Winnipeger for life. Winnipeg for life. Yeah. If you experience the white out, that just means you’re you’re a Winnipeger now. That’s that’s for sure. Um I do want to ask about the Islanders. I mean, coming into this season, the expectations, what were they? Because from an outsers perspective, they had the number one pick, won the draft lottery. Were, you know, playoffs ever a thought coming into the season or that still a thought? I know they started 0 and2. Is is is everyone getting fired? What’s going on in uh the preseason expectations and now the regular season expectations for the Islanders? Yeah, I I think the majority of expectations were maybe battling for a wild card spot, maybe playing like important games in late March, early uh April, but after you trade Noah Dobson, after you kind of get this youth movement going, I’m not sure that’s really the expectation. Like all that matters and thankfully through two games is that Matthew Schaefer is legit. That other guys like Simon Holmstrom, Max Shabinov that they brought over from the KHL, Emil Heinman, like it’s the youth movement right now. Like we probably care more about what our prospects are doing like whether it’s Cole Eiser, Cal Richie and Victor Ecklund over in their respective leagues and some of the guys on the actual roster. So yeah, it’s for the first time in a long time the Islanders actually have like a direction and a future. So right now team is going to struggle a decent amount. They still should be pretty solid. They have an okay forward course. Roken will win you games, but yeah, the expectations are not too high this year. List, do you want to ask about Matthew Schaefer? I see people uh see people in chat already like getting to it. Stacy saying, let me try and bring up this comment here. Uh Stacy saying Matthew Schaefer is the real deal. Signed an Otter fan. And I know Mike is pretty high on Matthew Schaefer. Yeah. I I’m curious to hear, Mike. Obviously, like it’s been two games now and 26 minutes of ice time yesterday. I was s I saw someone joking that he’s getting the Quinn Husification already and stuff like that with uh with where he’s at with already getting such an important role. But you’ve made a bet for what his point totals are going to be this year and it looks like you’re you’re going to smash the over on that. Tell us a little bit about the first couple games of Matthew Schaefer here. Yeah, Matthew Schaefer, we all we all knew that the skating was was the number one trait. It was one of the best skating prospects that we’ve seen of of recent memory. You can maybe argue like since Conor McDavid or Jack Hughes it and it’s already translated. He’s already one of the best skaters in the NHL. I felt that that’s an exaggeration to say that. And for a rookie defenseman where where he does make mistakes, he still has a long way to go defensively. Just having that skating in his arsenal allows him to take risks, especially offensively and kind of not have too much of costly mistakes. So yeah, the skating is there. still needs to work on his processing a little bit. I’ve been impressed with his passing. But yeah, the skating is already so good and as a result, he’s arguably probably the best defenseman already on this team that’s not really saying much. But yeah, it’s it’s been awesome. And I I I don’t want them to play him 26 minutes a night, but yeah, going forward, he’s probably going to be playing 22 to 23 minutes. And I saw he got his first NHL goal last night. It wasn’t the I mean, it was it was like a hell yeah kind of goal, you know? It wasn’t like a It wasn’t a nice snipe bar down, but he’s like, he got the like nice out of the way with his first career point though with the assist at least. But he’s like diving head first into the crease and jams a puck in. It’s a culture goal. That’s what I’ll say. In the past in the past, Adam Pel stays at the blue line or something and it doesn’t like we’re we’re an aggressive team. We might not be a good team, but we’re an aggressive fun team. And I think that that goal really embodied it. When you see like the angle overhead, him just darting in and sliding across, it was electric. But uh yeah, it was two points in two games playing 23 minutes a night on average. Like it has been awesome even though we’re 0 and2 in those games. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I think or list. Go ahead. Yeah. No, for uh we got two games, Matthew Schaefer now, and obviously that’s kind of the big name surrounding it. The same way that you know when Conor Bard made his pro start with the Blackhawks, it’s like there are other guys in the team, but like are there really? Let’s talk about that on paper. But, you know, we do have a Winnipeg Jets versus New York Islanders game in just about 24 hours. Now, give all the Jets fans here kind of a quick primer on maybe what to expect in terms of the the match up tomorrow and what to expect from the Islanders, who to watch for other than Matthew Schaefer maybe, or if there are maybe some weaknesses on the team that the Winnipeg Jets might be able to exploit. Give the primer for uh for the group for tomorrow. Yeah, the biggest weakness by far is the D’Angelo and Romanov pair. They’ve been pretty god awful to start this season. So, so that stuff definitely something they probably hopefully won’t be out there against the Winnipeg Jets top wide. But, uh, yeah, the defense core is a serious weakness heading into the season. You can make an argument that they don’t really have an NHL second caliber right-handed defenseman. The left side’s a little bit better with Schaefer, with Pel, with Romanov, but the defense is a clear weakness. Sroken is already having to make up for so many mistakes from the defense core. In terms of the forward core, it’s a fun group. It’s actually fast for the first time in years probably since Lumo Mel got there. Uh but uh yeah, it’s not a ton of high-end talent outside of Matt Barzell in terms of once you actually get into the offensive zone being able to create a ton. Max Shabanov’s a really fun player coming over from Russia. He was like point per game. He’s 24 years old. Uh he’s maybe one of their more higherend skill guys, but there’s not a lot of high-end skill guys still on this team. It’s still kind of slow, but we’re slowly getting faster. I I I have to laugh. I’m I have to cut you off. I have to laugh at the first thing being the D’Angelo Romano pairing because yesterday I was so excited to watch the Connor Shley Valy line against CC Dublin and it absolutely delivered. It was so watch. So uh Conor go ahead with the actual question. Delivered in a big moment too like the Shaley game winner was uh was on that pairing cutting right in front of Cody Cece. Cody Cece. Yeah, exactly. Um, I’m curious for your thoughts, kind of an outsers perspective because you are an Islanders fan, but as we know, your content covers the entire NHL. I’m curious on your thoughts going into this season and through the first two games on the Winnipeg Jets. I mean, they lose Nikolai Eelers, Jonathan Taves is making his return to the National Hockey League. Dylan Samberg, Cole Perfetti, Adam Lowry, all out until at least November, it’s looking like. Um, what’s your kind of outsiders perspective on the Winnipeg Jets this season, and what are your expectations for them? Yeah, I think that they’re most likely yet again going to be a playoff team. It’s really just going to come down to getting that depth scoring because it could potentially be there with guys like Nino Neita Ryder. Gustav Nyquist had what, like 75 points in 2024. We don’t need to talk about last year too much, but uh yes, like it’s a lot of question marks. Obviously, you have that great top line. Will one of their second line centers emerge? Whether it’s Adam Lowry, whether it’s Tae, whether it’s Domesticov, that’s still to be seen. I don’t really have that many question marks about the defense core. Samberg, get healthy and you’ll be fine there. In terms of their top four and Hella Buck, you just got to pray that he somehow flips the script come playoff dive. We’ve said that for the past two years. But yeah, it’s it’s really just the forward core where I have a big question mark in terms of them being a first round exit or being a potential serious threat come playoff time. Absolutely. Yeah. And and I think the the Connor Hellbuck playoff thing is is so funny because he’s MVP. He’s getting MVP chance last night. They definitely don’t win that game last night against LA without him. But there’s always that caveat of like last year’s first round was so like Steuart Skinneresque that it’s just second round was better. The second round was better. Second round was better. Maybe he he uh he found some some lightning in a bottle there. Um just going leaguewide for a second here. Uh and I’ll let Lis kind of take this next one. Um but just your thoughts on maybe a team that is really intriguing to you this season. Uh you can go anywhere with this. I know Liz and I are very intrigued by Utah and Dylan Gunther just that was your answer. Okay, I’ll stop talking. I’ll stop talking. What’s a team maybe a second one then or or both uh that intrigue you this season? Ah second team I’m trying to think. I I think the New York he was locked in on Utah. He’s like I got nothing. I think I I even though I’m an Islanders fan I think the Rangers and we’re seeing it with Shurken and Fox playing absolutely out out of their mind right now. If they can actually get some depth scoring from their bottom six check it on daily faceoff right now. It’s pretty abysmal. But if they could actually get depth scoring and he can get a half decent season from Carson Susi, from Will Borggan, I think that’s a team where like everything went wrong last season. Actually, the team that I probably should have picked was Boston Bruins, but now I’m going to look like I’m bandwagoning considering they’re three and0. But they were like one of the teams I was very high on. Similar thought process, went god awful last year. Jarvis Swayman’s playing good. So like Boston and New York in my opinion are just two teams where there was so much that went wrong last year. And I think it’s it can only go up from here and it only has gone up as one team’s three and 0, one team’s two and one. Let’s go a little bit more like micro level here. Are there any like particular players kind of across the league that are really intriguing you in terms of maybe question marks, guys who had crazy good or bad years last year that really need to kind of or might change the way that they’re playing or anything. Give us some players that you’re kind of like locked in on going into the season here. I think my my top breakout pick is Leo Carlson of Anaheim. scored the OT winner last year for the or last night versus the San Jose Sharks at a 7 to6 thriller. I think that last year he was just in a really unfortunate situation like in terms of the coach Greg Cronin was not really much of an offensive guy. You saw it happen with Trevor Zaggress basically get ran out of town. And yeah, I think that he still has just all the tools at 6’3. He’s so fluid in transition. And now that he actually had some solid goal scorers and guys like Chris Krider, like Muel Granland, I think he’s a guy that it would not shock me if he goes from only 45 points last year and he’s he was second overall. It’s not like I’m picking him from absolute obscurity, but uh I could see him finally break out in the way that kind of like an Adam Fanty same draft class broke out last year with 31 goals. Yeah, absolutely. Carlson is such a fun player and he kind of gets buried in that late West Coast slate. A lot of players, I think, are are a victim of that when their teams are playing at 9:00 p.m. uh every single night. Um I I do want to quickly ask you about uh the market because we just had a massive, you know, the the richest contract in Winnipeg Jets franchise history signed here this past week. Kyle Connor 8 by 12. Conor McDavid a few days before signs a 2 by 12 and a half. Carl Capri off gets 17. What have your thoughts been on sort of the Jack Eel, I forgot, gets 13 and a half by eight. What have your thoughts kind of been on all of these recent kind of mega extensions uh for for all of these superstars around the league? Yeah, the Capri one was like people are now saying that he’s like the most greedy player of all time. He he he yes, he did take a lot of money, but he is a heartle guy. It’s not the best value contract, but just when looking at him compared to the other players off Minnesota, he’s definitely worth it. Uh the Kyle Connor deal, I like it a lot. You get your top line 40 and 50 kind of guy locked up for basically the rest of his career. So solid value there. McDavid obviously threw a wrench in it and I feel bad for players that are going to want to get a lot of money because they’re going to get compared to McDavid’s 12.5. You can’t do that at all. Like that was just and if anything like McDavid might leave after a year or two because it’s a shorter term deal. But uh yeah, it’s it’s good to see these guys finally getting paid because I feel like whenever we see an NHL or side, you see that like some NBA player that’s like seventh or seventh man on the team makes like more than him. So I I’m always pro player getting paid. I don’t like when people start criticizing players saying that they’re greedy. No, we’ve been in a flat cap for like four years. Let the guys get paid. No, I like that take and I feel like I I always love to kind of pull out my HR cap a little bit where it’s like these are employees like they got to fight for their you know something like fight for it. Like let’s do it. You got it. But um let’s uh just to to wrap things. Let’s get into uh quick little prediction time. So maybe bigger picture. Central division one of the weirder divisions. Actually, you know what? I can’t even say that. Every division is going to be weird. The Atlantic, I don’t even know what’s going to be going on there. Like it’s just a fascinating time. give us a quick prediction on what you think the the central division might look like this year come spring when we get into the playoff picture or if you have any like hot takes storylines on you know national predators finishing in the wild card spot or something crazy like that. Uh where where are you at with the central division? Yeah, my preseason prediction was Stars first, Wild second, a Avalanche third, Mammoth fourth, Jets fifth in a playoff spot. And I had the Jets having way more points than the third Pacific team. Like and I think I had St. Lewis in in sixth, having more points than I had the Vancouver Conucks in third in the Pacific division. So yeah, like the Pacific one through six is just absolutely insane. And and even having the Jets fifth before the pitchfork come out. I think I had him probably like four points behind the Minnesota Wild who I had second. Like it’s just very you can probably assume that Dallas might might end up winning the division, but beyond that it’s anybody can win the division honestly like one through six wouldn’t shock me like the Central. I it it’s the most fascinating in my opinion probably the best division. Like I think Nashville through them in the Pacific are probably like an 85ish point team. Chicago, although they’ve lost both of their games, I think they’ve looked far more competitive and actually have like had some fight in them and some actual speed. Frank Nazar has been awesome. So yeah, I think in my opinion the Central division is pretty easily the best division in hockey unfortunately for the Winnipeg Jets. Yes, that is unfortunate for the Winnipeg Jets. And that that’s a continuation. You know, the past couple of years, the Jets have gone up against the ABS in the playoffs, then the Stars. Uh the Blues even took them to seven and 1.6 seconds away from winning that series. So, the Central Division always an absolute grind. Uh we’re talking here with Mike Bartner on WST Sunday live. Mike, before we let you go, uh final prediction for tomorrow is a Jets take on the Islanders. And I know like it’s Thanksgiving for us, but is this just like a normal Monday? Holiday. It’s Columbus Day/indigenous people’s. There you go. There you go. Okay. So, it is a holiday, so people have it off kind of thing. Um, some people I think it might be a federally recognized holiday. But final predictions for tomorrow’s game, I’m going to go four to two Winnipeg Jets. Matthew Schaefer gets an assist. Gets a goal. And Kyle Connor stays hot and gets a goal and an assist. Kyle Connor stays redot. Does Gabe Valardi get his first goal of the year tomorrow? Gabe Valardi. No. No, it doesn’t happen. Wow. contract and get him. We’ll clip that. Joking. I’m joking. No joking. I’m joking. Get him. Get him on the way out. No, I’m uh uh Well, thanks, Mike. We We really appreciate you taking the time this morning to preview this early game for us tomorrow on Canadian Thanksgiving. Uh I saw that you had a big announcement this week, a little bit of a a new gig going into the new season. Let people know where they can find your your content. Your YouTube stuff is fantastic on Leaguewide stuff as well. So, let people kind of pump your own tires here on the way out. There you go. a plug away on Tik Tok and Instagram and Beyond Hockey. Uh on YouTube, in Twitter, Mike Bartner, and I also recently started working at the company BR Open Ice, which has been really cool covering that coming covering the league league leaguewide with them. And yeah, it’s always great to hop on with you guys. We’ve done we’ve been doing this for what, two to three years at this point. I got to hop on to the uh the recap postgame show when the Islanders play the Winnipeg Jets again. And uh yeah, thanks for having me. Love the city of Winnipeg. Love the Winnipeg Jets. Let’s go. Let’s go. We’ll have to have you back for the white out again this year uh when the Jets sneak into the playoffs at fifth. No, I’m kidding. Uh thanks, Mike. Really appreciate you taking the time. Have a good one. Of course. Thanks. See you later. There’s Mike Bartner. Uh he plugged his content there. BR Open Ice YouTube. We really appreciate him taking the time with us this morning. Uh and and we’re excited for this game tomorrow. I mean, the Jets, we all have the day off. It’s Canadian Thanksgiving. They’ll be uh taking the ice at noon. Another noon start early game for the Winnipeg Jets. And uh a great preview there. I’m excited to watch Matthew Schaefer and the number one overall pick playing. I mean, he played 26 minutes last night. Excited to see him on the ice a lot for the New York Islanders tomorrow and how that game goes. Um Liz, we do have some segments to get to, but any anything you want to debrief from that conversation with Mike? Yeah. No, I think um it it’s interesting to hear that the New York Islanders decor is uh not necessarily anything to write home about because I think a lot of us could say something similar about the current configuration of the wood of Bjan’s decor. So, it’ll be very interesting to see if it’s a unstoppable force meets movable object tomorrow with a couple obviously again the the standard is different like the the floor of what the decors are capable of doing. Like the Winnipeg Jets decor is in a different category than the Isisles. Like, don’t get me wrong, I get that. But, uh, both teams have some fun offensive juice and and we’ll see if maybe this is an opportunity for for some of that depth scoring that Mike, you know, from an out of market perspective also brought up as a concern about the group like same way that we’ve been talking about it. See if maybe tomorrow is an opportunity where they can maybe feast on the the Romano D’Angelo pairing. Maybe maybe Vladimov goes a beast mode and uh have some fun there. We’ll see. Exactly. Exactly. Um, I see people asking in chat about a few other things. You know, Eers in Carolina. Um, the live update that we promised at 10:00 on the Jets Defense Corps. Uh, but let’s quickly get to our segment list and then we can quickly update people what’s happening at practice at Hockey Forall Center. Uh, this is trending up down. This is the segment where we choose one Winnipeg Jet who’s trended up or down over the past week of play. The Winnipeg Jets played two games this week. Dallas Stars 5-4 loss in their season opener and then beat the LA Kings 3-2 on an early start Saturday afternoon. So, we have some real regular season games to work with here. Uh, drop your picks in the comments down below for trending up down. Pick one jet for each. And while you’re down there, hit the like button. Let us know uh that you are or let YouTube know that you’re enjoying the stream. We would really appreciate it. Liz, who’s your pick for trending up? Yeah, I’m going to give a trending up pick to a guy that I don’t know if I gave it to a ton last year for I don’t know why, but Mark Shely. Mark Shley is my turning up pick for this week. I think uh he had a really solid two games. You know, he was good in the circle. He had couple of nice goal, all that sort of stuff. Like he is just such a fun hockey player to watch. I kind of joke pretty regularly that if you had to pick like my top five 10 players that I could talk about for hours and hours and hours on end, Mark Shiffley is easily up there. He’s just so fascinating to me and he’s a player that is just an absolute pleasure to watch when he decides to lock in, right? And that’s always the the caveat of having to add that second part because uh he can be frustrating to watch as well. We all know that. But uh he’s looked really good in these first two games. And you know, we talked about how dominant the CSV line has been. That doesn’t happen for any line without the center kind of carrying their weight, right? You can’t uh you know, just have the winner the wingers kind of crushing it on their own without their center being able to to keep up. So, I think that he’s a huge driver of that line and they’ve been really good the first two games. So, Mark Shley is my trending up pick for the week. Yeah, waiters 27 agrees with you in chat. He says, “Trenting up Mark Shiffley. I love him.” So, that that is his his take on Mark Shiffley for trending up. I’m going to take Morgan Baron who I leaned over to you at the game yesterday and said, “I think Morgan Baron’s going to be featured on our trending up down this week.” And I’m going to take him. Uh he’s shown great poise with the puck. We know he’s an incredible skater and he’s, you know, 6’4. you know, you can’t really you can’t teach size as people say and Morgan Baron has the has this I know like Liss loves that loves that saying. Um Morgan Baron has the speed to go with it and if he can add the poise with the puck as well. It’s it’s really really a player that is worthy of maybe a promotion in the lineup. So trending up Morgan Baron. I’m loving the way he’s playing right now. Uh big on the penalty kill as well has had some blocked shots. He’s counted on for key faceoffs in the PK. So, I think Morgan Baron is punching above his weight class, if you will, through the first two games here. And I think if the middle six continues to struggle, he’s a player that could see a promotion very, very soon and and one that would be deserved. Uh, I think he’s been really, really solid in these first two games. Liz, who do you got for trending down? Yeah, I’m going to take a pick that’s no surprise probably to anyone if you’ve been listening to the full show today, and if you have, thank you so much for being here. We always appreciate that. And uh if you’re enjoying ourselves as much as we are, make sure you hit that like button. But Vlad Messikov is going to get my trending down pick for the week. I think that he’s a guy who has to fight for a spot here and and not necessarily an actual roster spot, but he’s a guy who was the 2C last year and then upon bringing in Jonathan Taves is a guy who got a little bit of a demotion. And Adam Lowry being hurt means that there’s a role for him there. And he just hasn’t really been earning his keep in my opinion. and he’s a guy who’s going to be one of the first to get knocked down as guys get healthier. So, he’s really got to kind of step up here and give the Jets kind of a reason to keep him in a more high leverage role. And I haven’t seen it yet through two games. Again, just two games, but Vlades Mesco gets my trending down pick for the week. Haven’t been super super enthused by what I’ve seen from him early on here. Yeah. And and we’re saying only two games. We’re always working with a small sample size here on trending up down because the Jets are either playing two or three or four games in a week, right? So, um, yes, it’s a small sample size, but this is how it usually goes on trending up down. So, I I’m I’m with you on that. I brought up his stats earlier with, uh, the Jets with him on the ice. The Jets are getting heavily outchanced, heavily outshot, and he needs to be a lot better. I’m going to take Gustav Nyquist, who went from the second line to the third line, um, and got my number one pick for best goal song on the team with uh, Waterlue by ABBA. But I’m going to take Nyquist. I just haven’t it’s part of the middle six problems were you know obviously the loss of Nikolai’s Perfetti and Lowry not being there but Nyquis was coming into supposed to be kind of this offensive middle six punch and I just haven’t seen that yet yet they moved I follow up to the second line in Nyquis place and then Nyquis Nomesov and Nita Rider on the third line yesterday didn’t really move me as a line they didn’t generate much they were spending a lot of time in their own zone um Gustav Nyquis is going to get my early season trending down because I just haven’t seen that middle six offensive punch yet that the Winnipeg Jets are counting on. And I’m not saying scoring goals and and having a hat-tick. I’m saying generating offense, generating shot attempts, getting into the zone cleanly. You know, not I’m not asking for the moon here. I’m I’m looking for, you know, possession with the puck entering the zone. And I just haven’t seen that from from Nyquist or really the middle six consistently through the first two games. So, I’m going to take Gustav Nyquist as my trending down pick. I see a lot of great picks in chat. Thank you so much everyone for dropping your picks down below. Um and Liz, let’s get to before we get to burning questions and maybe people can throw their questions in the chat. Now um on Yeah, people start firing away your questions for our one burning question segment. Let’s get to the lines from today’s skate. Mitch Clinton, Winnipeg Jets reporter, uh color commentator on 680 CGO down there at hockey for all center. Got the top line Connor Shley Valardi unchanged. I follow Taves, Chipperov, Neidar, Nomesov, Nyquist, Kebky, Baron, Pearson. So, the forward core entirely unchanged from what it ended as uh on Saturday’s game against LA. But the defense core, Hayden Flurry’s not skating. We saw Kale Kle earlier this morning called up in place of Brad Lambert who was sent down to the Manitoba Moose. So, the Winnipeg Jets called up an extra defenseman. And it goes Morcy Dlo, Stanley Pian second pair, Miller Shen, third pair, and Kle as the extra defenseman. That is the lineup and uh list Hayden Flurry doesn’t look like he’s skating as he’s not in the line rushes. Um your thoughts on Miller Shen third pair, Stanley Pian second pair. Obviously not ideal with no Samberg. Yeah. No, I saw on um on Twitter that Mike McIntyre said Flurry is not out there. Neither is Connor Halbuk. So who’s to say uh what’s kind of going on there? But who cares? Who cares? Sorry. It it Yeah. Who cares? Yeah. The NHL MVP is not skating. But I will say I won’t freak out till there’s something to freak out about. Right. Playing at noon tomorrow. He might not want to skate. Yeah, whatever. Goalies, man, they’re weird. Every guy on, you know, it’s it’s not probably ideal to either of us that um both of our turning down picks are on that same line there. Um we’ll see kind of how they look tomorrow in New York. Um Miller Shen I don’t hate. I don’t hate that. Um just to see kind of how it looks. Opposing skill sets. Colin Miller is a guy who has a little bit more dynamism that I think he could kind of jump on on his off hand there and it would, you know, look okay. And the big thing to me is that when Dylan Samberg is healthy, what is the third pairing going to look like? And I would like to see this get some reps because if this pairing looks okay together, I would like for that to be the third pairing. We know that uh you know, you know, people have been talking a ton about Logan Stanley in the chat over the course of this episode. Also, the sky is blue and Connor Halabuk is a good goalie. Like we know that Logan Stanley generates a lot of conversation in this in this fan base, but um he’s a guy who I’m not married to being in the lineup in any capacity. So, if we get to see some Miller Shen repres, if we get to see some flurry shenan reps, if we get to see some flurry Miller reps, you know, I want to see more configurations of that bottom pairing just to see what the best most optimal situation is when Dylan Samberg comes back because we know that, you know, Morsy Dmell Samberg Pian is essentially a lock, right? So, um this this is entirely unsurprising. Kale Kle being called up just to sit in the press box is also entirely unsurprising. Scott Neiel said multiple times in media availabilities since civilian handle has been sent down that he just needs to play. He wasn’t going to get called up in this situation like we talked about and um yeah Parker for being the 13th man makes a ton of sense as well. So kind of those my brief thoughts on the lines from Mitch here. Yeah, I’d like Parker Ford to play at home because of his goal song and he was both on both of our top fives. So yeah, Parker Ford’s going to get in the lineup. Make sure it’s at home so we can hear your love by the outfield. Um, but I will say, uh, this is this is interesting to me. I I do think that Shen would work better with a puck mover like Colin Miller. Even though Miller’s on his off side, I think Miller, um, in a pinch can be a guy that can work on the left side and and he’s got that shot. Maybe you’re you’re firing away one-times from the point because you’re on your off wing. Um, he’s got an incredible slap shot. I’ve liked Colin Miller’s game every time he’s gotten in as a Jet. Um, and I and I was kind of puzzled as to why he wasn’t playing, especially with the Jets really bottom three defenseman and being Flurry, Stanley, and Shen all really struggling with exits in their own zone. Uh, I’d like to see Colin Miller in there. And if he sticks as a left side guy or at least looks serviceable as a left side guy in this game in New York, that’s a big development for the team because Hayden Flurry, as we know, isn’t skating today. We’ll see what the injury update is on him, but without Dylan Samberg, it’s kind of all hands on deck for the left side of that defense core. And Colin Miller can add to that even from his off wings. So, I like like Miller Shen, Stanley Pian will be under a microscope. Absolutely. And Mory Dlo, I brought up Morsy’s stats earlier in the program. He’s been elite. He’s been everything the Jets have wanted him to be and needed him to be so far this season. So, there’s your kind of practice update. Mitch Clinton, thank you for the lines from today’s Skate Hockey for All Center. Let’s get to the next part of the show and the final part of the show before we wrap. And that’s our one burning question segment. This is the segment where we throw it to you, the chat room, for your questions regarding the Winnipeg Jets. We’re going to try and rapid fire through these because we had a lot of interviews today. Uh we’re kind of getting through this. People have to get to Thanksgiving dinners. I have one today as uh myself. Um so we’ll rapid fire through these one burning questions. The one I want to start with here is Matt Heyman. When will Comry get his first start? Next week, he asks. Um, looking at the schedule list, the Jets play against the Islanders today. They play the Flyers on Thursday, then the PRs on Saturday. So, there’s a two-day break between tomorrow’s game and the Flyers game. When do you think Eric Comry gets his first start? Do you think it’s one of those two road games? Do you think it’s maybe the Saturday night home game against the Predes? if you had what’s your best guess for Eric Comry’s first start? Yeah, I mean game two of the season here where we’re at, this is the perfect time for bold predictions. So, I’m going to say that the way Eric Comry is used over the next three games will be indicative of the way he’s used over the course of the season. In my opinion, Eric Comry should play on Thursday. I think Connor Hellbuck should play tomorrow in New York. Eric Comry should play on th on Thursday in Philadelphia. And then Connor Hellbuck gets a start at home when they come back. I don’t know if that’s gonna happen. I I last year I don’t believe Eric Comry got he only played because obviously we remember that his record was abysmal uh early in the year with the Winnipeg Jets up until Christmas and the Jets barely lost any games in that stretch. So, you know, if two plus two equals four, he didn’t play a ton early in the season there, right? Um and so it’ll be really interesting to see how that works. I don’t actually have an answer to this question. I say Thursday. I think we’re gonna go with Thursday. Um but uh I don’t know. I’m gonna go with Thursday as well because if Connor Halle plays tomorrow against the New York Islanders, which I’m expecting, and then doesn’t play again till Saturday, that’s a good break for him uh early in the season, especially with how the schedule is working out here where they get two days off and are still on the road. So, I’m also going to go with Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers. I think that’s a good spot to get Comry’s first start and then have Hellabuk come back, play the Saturday night home game, play Monday night against the Flames, and then the Jets have another two-day break uh before returning home and playing the Kraken. And they have three games in four nights. So, Comry will definitely get in there. But I’m I’m with you. I think Thursday against the Flyers, we’ll see Eric Comry for the first time. Let me find another question here. Phil Smithson saying, “What did you think of Ontario Wilson’s touchdown catch last night?” We’ll have more on this on the WSD Bombers report coming out tomorrow morning. I thought it was good, but man, one like one of the greatest catches I’ve ever seen in my life. NFL, CFL, doesn’t matter. Football, one of the greatest catches I’ve ever seen. The concentration, I immediately thought it hit the ground because when he his hand kind of pops it up at the end, I was like, “Oh, well, that’s assisted by the ground, the ball popped up. Yeah, haha. This isn’t a real catch.” And then TSN showed the slow-mo and I was like, he caught that. That was one of the greatest, like genuinely one of the best catches I’ve ever seen. You know that um that video of a guy who’s like shoveling his driveway and he starts slipping on ice and you keep thinking he’s going to fall but then he keeps like catching and like that was how that felt when I watched it for the first time. The fuz cuz I the first I wasn’t watching the bomber game yesterday and so I first saw it on Twitter. Um yeah, MJHL boy, we got to lock in. Um but I I first saw it on Twitter. I think it was you who posted it actually and it was like the the caption like what a catch whatever. So I’m like, “Okay.” And you watch him come, he’s got double coverage. So you’re like, “Oh, he’s just going to catch it through double coverage.” And then there’s one pop up and you’re like, “Oh, now he’s going to catch it.” And there’s another pop, you’re like, “Oh, now he’s going to catch it.” And you’re like, “What the heck?” Like if I had seen that video just with no caption on my timeline, I’d be like, “That’s not a catch.” But obviously a spoiler alert because the the captions were talking about how insane of a catch it was. It was like each pop up. I was like, “Is he going to catch it this time? Is he going to catch it this time?” Unbelievable. Like truly truly unbelievable stuff. Uh I my caption for it was like, “I have no words. This is just insane.” Like I don’t even know that transcends like what a catch, you know? Like you what a catch. I know. Literally what a catch is like. What a catch is an insult to this. Yeah. Like Kenny Lawler goes up and and picks a ball off a guy’s head. That’s what a catch. That’s an incredible catch. This was just I I was speechless and I still am. Uh and and Schnitz and I I’ll try and find my words for the WST Bomber Report which we’re recording later today. Um but yeah, incredible stuff from Ontario Wilson. One of the wackiest Bomber games I’ve ever watched. I mean, they fumble. The Elks fumble and somehow score a touchdown on a punt return. It was just weird. Um, you’re very lucky that you missed it. Less. Um, waiters. Will the Blue Jays make the World Series? Yes, they will defeat Michael Remis’ favorite team, the Seattle Mariners, and make the World Series. Hot take. Hot take. Uh, let me find one more. Let me find one more Jets related question here. Um, Doug as my opinion on baseball. Doug asked, “How long did the Jets keep Taves at 2C if he doesn’t pick up the pace? Hockey smarts only get you so far when you can’t keep up with the play.” I haven’t personally thought that Taves has been behind the play. I also think Taves was never really Conor McDavid, even in his prime, even in 2010 when he won the Kon Smith and all those things. You know, he was never a burner. Um, but it’s it’s clear that there’s another level he can reach with the pace and and I think that’s why Doug’s question is valid. What do you think, Liz? And to to answer the question, I think we won’t get an answer until Coletti is healthy, right? Like everything right now is just giving kind of stop gap energy where they’re like trying out some different combinations, whatever. They’re not going to write him off as a second line center until we see a lot of reps of him with Coletti because that’s the pairing that they want. So, um I think over the next little bit, we could see him playing, you know, last game it was 15 minutes a night. If he’s playing slow and they’re not loving what they’re seeing, we could see consecutive games of 15 minutes a night, that sort of thing. But I think the actual like demotion of Jonathan Taves, if it happens, is not going to happen for probably a couple months. Okay. Yeah. I And when Adam Lowry comes back too, like I I I think so. And Kevin asked, “Do you think Taves looked decent for missing two years? Think yesterday was a better game for him?” I I tal we talked about this earlier. I do think when you take into account he missed two years, I thought he’s looked good through the first two games or or looked better than I anticipated. I I I caution against saying, you know, he’s looked great or anything like that because if Adam Lowry was playing at Second Line Center, I think the Jets would be a better hockey team starting tomorrow, you know, in place of Jonathan Taves. But when you take into account the two years off, uh I and I thought especially in the first game against Dallas, his hands, I thought he made some really nice passes. He had the wide open pass from Chibberov that he just missed. He said after the game the puck jumped on him when he was shooting on that. Um, so again, Taves will have to be better, but I’ve said this many, many times. I’m buying into Taves games 41 to 82 over Jonathan Taves games 1 to 41. That was one burning question. Thank you so much everyone for all of the great questions in chat. And uh, we’ve gone long today. I think we might have even gone longer than last week, which was which is impressive because last week was a very long episode as well. If you missed it, we had Colobby Barlo and Thomas Milis join us on last weekend’s program. Today we had Jared Anderson Dolan, Isaac Phillips, Isaac Palter, and Mike Bartner all join us, three Manitoba Moose players, and then Mike from BR Open Ice uh for his thoughts on the upcoming Jets Islanders game tomorrow. List, anything else that you want to say before we wrap today’s WSC Sunday live? Yeah, no, I moose game in third in three hours here. Um and so we might um I might have some thoughts on that depending on how much of that I get to watch. And then we have a game again tomorrow morning. These times are screwing me up. At least At least it’s not a home game this time. I feel like having to get my life together and go to the rink. Like I made a tweet joking yesterday that I was like in my pajamas doing laundry when they were like posting the arrival outfits and I was like, “Dude, I also have to be at this soccer hockey game.” Like, “Oh my god, I got to go.” But um so and then you and I will be having some postgame content to chat about tomorrow after the Matthew Schaefer one assist Winnipeg Jets 4-2 win or whatever it was. With no Gabriel Barter predicted with no Gabriel Valardi goal and two Connor points. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Um Yeah. Uh I I’m looking forward to doing the post games this year. That’s something that’s new to me. But we had a blast on Thursday night uh when the Jets lost 5-4 to the Stars. So, we’ll have that on Monday’s game, Thursday’s game, and then the Jets play Saturday. But just a reminder, no Saturday postgames this year. Listen and I will just go live the next morning right here on WST Sunday live. Um so don’t fret. the Winnipeg Jets postgame content will just kind of be the next morning when it comes to uh those Saturday games. This has been another very long, very fun edition of WST Sunday Live. Thank you so much everyone for joining us on today’s show and sticking it out to the end. If you enjoyed it, make sure you hit the like button down below. Everyone have a very happy Thanksgiving and let’s go Blue Jays. Game one tonight, 7:00 in Toronto against the Seattle Mariners. Super fired up. Enjoy the NFL today. Enjoy the Moose game at two. Enjoy the Blue Jays game. Uh and uh it’s a great sports weekend and it’s it’s honestly just getting started with this packed Sunday of games. So enjoy your Sunday everyone. We’ll be back Monday after the Winnipeg Jets New York Islanders game with our postgame thoughts. Have a great Sunday and we will see you all Monday after the game. See you everyone. [Music]
Connor Hrabchak and Lyss Houde host another edition of WST Sunday Live! They discuss the Winnipeg Jets’ 3-2 win over the LA Kings, the Moose beginning their season 1-0, and more.
Later in the program they are joined by Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Isaak Phillips, and Isaac Poulter.
Follow Connor Hrabchak on Twitter: https://x.com/ConnorHrabchak1
Follow Lyss Houde on Twitter: https://x.com/lysshoude
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3 comments
toews has to feel out his new line mates
Guss the bus
Great show guys!