Warm up with the Winnipeg Jets soundtrack

When our first installment of Dump & Chase dropped last week, the Winnipeg Jets were getting poked and prodded by team doctors as part of the NHL team’s annual physicals.
It’s hard to believe a week of training camp is already in the books, yet the battles continue to rage on for a couple of jobs with the Jets.
Winnipeg opened the preseason with a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Monday, and modified versions of the club were to play the Oilers in Edmonton on Thursday and the visiting Calgary Flames on Friday.
We here at D & C are also still in pre-season form ourselves.
Mike (aka Dump) was down at the courthouse poring over dockets Tuesday when he was reminded, over text, that he no longer handles the justice beat. Meanwhile, Jay (aka Chase) pretty much forgot to manufacture any copy for this week’s entry until just before midnight Wednesday.
Suffice it to say, play is still a little scrambly here. We have yet to find chemistry. We’re old school. We did not arrive in shape. We use training camp to GET into shape.
So, bear with us as we find our legs. It’s a long season and we promise to deliver a solid, 200-foot game by the start of the NHL’s regular season.
PRE-GAME WARMUP
You can’t properly warm-up without some tunes, right?
A brand new hockey season means a brand new Jets pre-game playlist is ready to go.
Thanks to the always helpful Shazam app, here’s what the local squad got their blood flowing to at Bell MTS Place earlier this week as they hit the ice just before their first pre-season game against the Minnesota Wild.
1) LONELY BOY by The Black Keys
2) HYPNOTIZE by The Notorious B.I.G.
3) HIGH HOPES by Panic! At the Disco
4) WHEN THE CURTAIN FALLS by Greta Van Fleet
5) NICE FOR WHAT by Drake
6) WHEN LEGENDS RISE by Godsmack
7) PARTY ON FIFTH AVE. by Mac Miller
Don’t forget to stretch!
1ST PERIOD
Jets fans probably feel like Patrik Laine has the best shot in the NHL, and who can blame them given the 80 regular-season goals he’s fired in his first two seasons.
But turns out the league has a bit of a different idea as they announced this week that Jägermeister had been given the honours.
No, not Jaromir. The German liqueur.
Naturally, the comedy started flowing pretty quickly.
Jägermeister becoming the official shot of the NHL is another stunning setback for @68Jagr’s liquor. #JayAndDan pic.twitter.com/PxHKicgy3z
— #JayAndDan (@JayAndDan) September 19, 2018
“You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.” – Wayne Gretzky, in a pool of his own vomit after his 25th Jägermeister, The Official Shot Of The NHL
– MICHAEL SCOTT pic.twitter.com/vvEsOJzBK1
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) September 18, 2018
But the nerdy kid who can’t handle his liquor will insist that attempted shots are just as important. https://t.co/Jn3aakikTL
— Down Goes Brown (@DownGoesBrown) September 18, 2018
Not much lands in all-star Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck’s net. That is, unless the he’s out somewhere on Michigan’s waterways catching his limit of fish.
The guy considers himself quite the angler.
Well, it seems Hellebuyck’s also angling for a little love from the big man, Dustin Byfuglien, because he instructed an artist to include an image of his teammate on his mask for the coming NHL season
New season, new lid… who’s able to spot Big Buff with a fishing line in hand? �� ��
Check out Hellebuyck’s new helmet going into the 2018-19 season, painted by @Eyecandyair! pic.twitter.com/AxLOFI1OKl
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) September 14, 2018
“This summer I got a new boat — Buff’s old boat — so I did a lot more fishing than in past summers. Buff actually turned me onto ice fishing last year and I absolutely loved it,” the Vezina Trophy finalist told reporters recently.
“My (mask) theme was a lot more fish on this one… and instead of just having a guy ice fishing, let’s have Buff ice fishing on there. It turned out great!”A keeper, indeed, for the talented ‘keeper.
You know that feeling when someone puts you on the spot with a question, and the answer is on the tip of your tongue, but you just can’t spit it out?
Well, safe to say Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion experienced a bit of that Tuesday night during a nationally televised interview.
When asked to name one thing he was optimistic about with his beleaguered franchise that has become a bit of a laughing stock, Dorion didn’t exactly help the cause when he paused for several seconds before muttering ‘We’re a team.”
Of course, it took only a few minutes for this to become the subject of much mockery and ridicule on social media.
This one might just be our favourite.
I added some music to the Pierre Dorion video to help convey what he’s feeling: pic.twitter.com/Zc5KJkYYoJ
— Toronto Bag Head (@torontobaghead) September 19, 2018
2ND PERIOD
Congratulations to the Jets, who managed to temporarily overshadow the ongoing debate about Portage & Main this week by doing something that caused even more bitter division among the public.
Yes, they had the audacity to release a new third jersey without apparently consulting every single fashion critic in the city first.
Modern. Classic.
Introducing the #NHLJets AVIATOR jersey.
DISCOVER ➡ https://t.co/3hRcRatg3N pic.twitter.com/y4vZWZdlQB
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) September 15, 2018
Safe to say reaction was mixed, at best, to the new duds, which they’ll sport 14 times on home ice this coming season.
There was plenty of snark and sass to be found on social media, while sales were brisk at Bell MTS Iceplex only hours after the jersey was unveiled.
Regardless of where you stand on this all-important issue, we think you’ll agree that this particular take — using a popular online meme and then localizing it — was pretty damn funny.
— JetsCentre (@jets_centre) September 15, 2018
When it comes to Hollywood actors, Tom Hanks is in a league of his own.
The guy’s a big star. So, it’s easy to see why Hanks made a splash on social media in these parts with his latest hat of choice – a Jets ball cap
Tom Hanks serving TABS in his Jets cap. We stan! pic.twitter.com/KnKPoetd5N
— Getaway Car Driver (@GetawayCarRider) September 17, 2018
Did he pick it up at a local Lids shop in L.A.? Order it off nhlshop.ca after watching the Jets’ sensational playoff drive this spring? A better guess?
How about a gift from a friend – Winnipeg product Nia Vardalos, creator and star of the My Big Fat Greek Wedding movies, which were produced by Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson?
However he acquired it, one thing’s for sure. With a legitimate Stanley Cup shot for the Jets this season, that cap’s no cast-away.
3RD PERIOD
Mathieu Perreault has a lot on his plate these days, as the Jets forward works with a pair of young Jets prospects in Jack Roslovic and Kristian Vesalainen on an intriguing new line with plenty of potential.
He’s also busy on the homefront as a father of three, including twins celebrating their first birthdays next week. Perreault shared some of his insights this week with Jay, who wrote all about it in Wednesday’s paper.
�� Mathieu Perreault on playing alongside Kristian Vesalainen and Jack Roslovic in last night’s pre-season game, and more. pic.twitter.com/5hwmcKueS5
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) September 18, 2018
Mike spoke earlier this month with Perreault about another topic — golf. Word around the Jets locker room is that Perreault is a master on the course and actually fired a two-under 70 this summer at his home course in Quebec.
Perreault confirmed that, then didn’t hold back when Mike asked him to weigh in on teammate Mark Scheifele’s appearance last month in The Players Cup. Scheifele, you’ll recall, was given a sponsor’s exemption into the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada event and fired entirely respectable rounds of 87-86.
“Not very good,” he replied with a smirk. “That’s a tough course. Must have been fun for him.”
Captain Blake Wheeler was originally supposed to tee it up in the event but had to withdraw due to family commitments, which opened the door for Scheifele to take his spot.
Maybe that honour should have gone to Perreault?
“We’re pretty close. Every other day, probably one of us would beat each other,” Perreault said of him and Wheeler. “Tyler (Myers) is pretty good, too.”
Perhaps the Jets ought to set up their own qualifying event with the winner getting the pass into next year’s tournament at Southwood.
Mathieu Perreault’s game face is in mid-season form. #NHLJets #GoJetsGo pic.twitter.com/95ndf8bU3T
— Jeope! (@jeope) September 18, 2018
If you had taken a poll of who would be the first opponent to score a goal at Bell MTS Place this season, how many of you would have picked Matt Hendricks?
Well, that’s exactly what happened Monday night as the veteran centre scored on his former team, beating Jets goalie Laurent Brossoit on a rebound. The current Minnesota Wild skater was given a warm round of applause for his efforts.
Matt Hendricks scores in the house that Matt Hendricks built ��
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) September 18, 2018
Turns out Hendricks may have bet on himself if given the chance. Because in speaking with Brossoit after the game, he shared a funny story of an exchange they had before the goal.
Hendricks, while a member of the Jets last year, had rung one off the crossbar in an exhibition game against the Oilers, where Brossoit played last year.
And he was sure to remind Brossoit about it early in Monday’s game.
“He was giving me a little bit of shit about that and unfortunately he had to get one after he said that. It must have been in my head,” Brossoit said with a laugh.
Turns out there was plenty of other on-ice chirping happening as well.
With Matt Hendricks suiting up for the Minnesota Wild in last night’s preseason game, Paul Maurice gave some insight to some of the chirping that went on during the game between the #NHLJets and Hendricks. pic.twitter.com/kO8nnrtfZJ
— Mitchell Clinton (@MitchellClinton) September 18, 2018
OVERTIME
We’re barely a week into training camp and there are already a pair of early contenders for both goal and save of the year. And the fact they happened a few minutes apart — and in the same go no less — is pretty extraordinary.
First, the save. Or, as it may come to be known…THE save. Because good luck to all the masked men out there in topping the grand larceny Edmonton’s Cam Talbot pulled off Tuesday night in Vancouver.
… that’s just not fair, @ctalbot33. �� pic.twitter.com/OGy5wKhneh
— NHL (@NHL) September 19, 2018
As amazing as that stop was, Talbot had no answer for the absolute sorcery on display by Vancouver forward Sven Baertschi. We’re still not sure how he did this, but it was incredible to watch.
���� with the cheeky goal shooting it between his legs#Canucks pic.twitter.com/XQAhdjrMfw
— Ryan Biech (@ryanbiech) September 19, 2018
And here we thought there was nothing worth watching in pre-season games.
Quote of the week definitely goes to Brendan Lemieux, who can be forgiven for not heeding his own advice.
The feisty Jets hopeful got into a rather animated punch-up with Minnesota Wild defenceman Nick Seeler during Monday’s exhibition clash at Bell MTS Place.
Cameras actually caught the 22-year-old smiling broadly as his fists were flying.
Brendan Lemieux, seen here after pummeling a face on Monday in Winnipeg. #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/ZZtfGFVQKJ
— Scott Billeck (@ScottBilleck) September 19, 2018
I zoomed in on Brendan Lemieux during that fight: pic.twitter.com/hvuUnDs6Or
— Jeff Hamilton (@jeffkhamilton) September 18, 2018
Lemieux, the 22-year-old son of former NHLer Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion who registered 379 goals, 407 assists and 1,777 penalty minutes, had this memorable take with reporters after his terrific effort that included a bull-in-a-China-shop-type of assist on Marko Dano’s goal to go with the scrap with Seeler.
“I told myself I wouldn’t get into anything during the pre-season. And it took me two periods,” explained Lemieux.
Let’s just say Lemieux’s staying true to himself, trying to win a job with the Jets the best way he knows how – playing on the edge. The past two seasons, he led the Manitoba Moose in penalty minutes, with 170 minutes a year ago and 130 in 2016-17, his first pro campaign.
He also scored his first NHL goal during a nine-game stint with the Jets, while producing 19 goals and 43 points in 51 games with the Moose. Lemeiux’s a unique player within the organization and will get a serious look by Winnipeg’s decision-makers.
SHOOTOUT
The Dallas Stars have long had one of the most creative and innovative staffs when it comes to public relations game-day operations.
But they absolutely outdid themselves this past week in how they announced Tyler Seguin’s extension. There was plenty of angst among Stars fans this summer over what was taking so long to get their superstar signed on the dotted line.
Well, after watching this production it’s safe to say the hold-up was likely caused by the work that went into what may go down as the greatest contract announcement of all time.
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) September 13, 2018
When Jay was just 13, he and his kid brother took a bus down to the old barn on Maroons Road to take in a Jets 1.0 practice on a Saturday afternoon sometime in early 1980.
Head coach Tom McVie had just run the squad through its paces and players were starting to vacate the ice, so the boys raced down to the bench for a closer look.
As Scott Campbell glided to the gate, Jay and 10-year-old Justin asked the lanky defenceman if he’d surrender his stick.
Campbell shook his head, noting McVie absolutely forbid players from giving out their twigs, unless, of course, they’d been damaged in battle.
Then, after a nervous glance over his shoulder, Campbell raised his skate, jammed it down like a hammer on the blade of the old, wooden Canadien and handed it over.
Nearly 39 years later, the stick with the deep gash is going back to its rightful owner.
I’m getting my old #NHLJets stick back courtesy of the Freep’s @WFPJasonBell. As a young fella, he asked me for my stick but we weren’t allowed to give away good sticks so I stepped on the blade and broke it. Really nice of Jay to return it! Notice curves at both ends. #Salming pic.twitter.com/KkTmok0F4M
— Scott Campbell (@NHL_Campbell) September 16, 2018
P.S. – Justin left the rink that day with the goal stick of Pierre Hamel. Pierre, if you or someone you know is reading this, get a hold of me and you can have that big piece of lumber back, too.
***
Got a suggestion for a future edition of Dump & Chase? Let us know about it.
mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca and jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca.
And: follow “Dump” and “Chase” — a.k.a. Mike and Jason — on Twitter.
Mike is @mikemcintyrewpg, while Jason can be found @WFPJasonBell.
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