Not a rant per say but reports are that Neal Pionk, Haydn Fleury, and Colin Miller are out Week-to-Week.
Is Chevy going to pull the plug on trying to get to the mushy middle soon?
1 Like
Most Bomber critics have given up trying to indict Chevy Chevyldayoff. Chevy hunkers down like no one else when things are in disarray. He’s managed to salvage his hi-paying job many times. This one’s no different.
Pionk is a good minute-muncher, fairly feisty for a sub 6 foot d-man. Miller has the big booming shot but a bit light in the loafers while Fleury has proven out to be damaged goods. Miller & Fleury were both scrap-heap acquisitions. Pionk was acquired from the Rangers when Jacob Trouba decided to pack his bags and abandon what he thought was a sinking ship in earlier Chevy days. For 2 or 3 years Trouba was a standout in New York - but started deteriorating in last few years and is now a journeyman defenseman in California.
None of these guys have any trade currency either so the Jets must wait for them to heal. They had a Finnish kid, Ville Heinola as their #1 development d-man but Heinola’s progress has not only halted - its regressed. Zero trade currency, zero use on current Jets roster.
Another classic Excuse-Fest in Winnipeg last nite. Jets couldn’t hold a 2 goal lead with under 14 minutes left in the affair; barfing up turnover after turnover - donating 2 points to a hungry-but under-staffed Leafs squad. Awful!
Jets are playing better but last nite’s game told the BIG STORY. Regardless of where they finish in the standings, Jets are NOT a playoff team. Just not built to win playoff series. Lots of flash ‘n dash from time to time, but a roster loaded with slow, turnover-prone, weak sticks and now average goaltending. When the best goalie in the world (self-described by Winnipeg media) gets vastly out-played by an AHL crossover guy named Dennis Wildebeast, you know something’s off. Hellebuyck is no longer Mr. Sensational. He’s morphed from Jacques Plante/Glenn Hall levels to Andre Racicot/Wayne Stephenson levels. Jets would be wise to trade this guy before his stock drops to worthless levels. But they won’t - cuz he’s the best goaler in the world, right?
Best excuse for last night’s collapse was by Jets coach Scott Arniel - “If we didn’t barf up the puck a couple times, we woulda won game!”
Brilliant Scott, just Brilliant!
Act 1, Scene IV
Jets in Chicago. Jets announcers (severe favorites for Foster Hewitt Homers of the Year award) were beside themselves thinking the long, standing overation for former Hawks star Jonathan Toews was as much for the Jets as for Toews. It wasn’t. But who am I to impede a delusion?
Jets have a few basic problems:
-
Too Soft
-
Too Passive
-
GNGE - Good but NOT GOOD ENOUGH
-
Too Slow
Playing a mirror of themselves (Blackhawks) last nite, Jets could barely muster a working effort. Looked awful on TV - especially 2nd period.
Jets media (also vying for the infamous Hewitt award) now working a hard game of Jets match. In order to get to 92 or 93 pts. (level lowest wildcard is awarded) Jets now must win 26 of their last 35 games. Virtually impossible - but that won’t stop the Jets media. Poor fellas - they’re just trying to sell papers and radio/TV airtime.
As for Chicago - just as soft as Jets, not quite as slow, have one legit superstar (Bedard) while Jets have zero superstars. Also, Hawks goaler Spencer Knight outplayed The Vezina King, Conner Helleybuyck, pitching a shutout, while Hellebuyck, making some really good saves but barfed up a stinky to Jason Dickinson (doesn’t he also play in a metal band?)
Don’t worry about Jets. They don’t want no stinkin’ #1 draft pick coming into their loosey-goosey clubhouse. They’ll rally to win at least 18 games down the stretch, putting themselves in the wonderful position to draft another 1st rounder in the 12 to 17 spot. Someone who can’t come onto the lineup asap (like Bedard, Celebrini, Makar, McDavid, Tavares, McKinnnon, etc.) but a 2 or 3 year developmental dud.
But thats the Jets way - and it seems to be drawing good houses (for a small city) of 13,700 to 14,300 nightly.
Jets done like dinner - as far as a playoff berth concerned.
Last nite in a word = EMBARRASSING
Before a rare sellout crowd of 15,300 on Saturday Nite Hockey in Canada.
Even the natives assigned to do the opening ceremonies were nearly as shaky as the Jets; the drum ‘n response duet weren’t even plugged in for the first 20 seconds of their performance. Same for the 5 piece choir charged with doing the Canadian anthem.
Jets stink is now on everyone - but mostly on GM Cheveldayoff and Jet’s inferior coaching staff. Obviously, GM Chevy has brought in too many slow, lightly skilled guys who lack will power and fire to compete on the biggest stages.
At this point the only way the Jets can embarrass themselves and their fans even more is winning enough games to cheat the team and its big fan base out of a Top 3 draft pick. The Jets new motto = “WE DON’T NEED NO STINKING DRAFT PICKS” - and that my friends is as embarrassing as the team itself, its management and its less than stellar group of players.
As Alice Cooper might opine:
“WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE!”
Some player and coaching grades from yours truly. No scientific principles were deployed in assigning these grades. Just observation and comparison to a certain hockey norm:
Connor Hellebuyck (G) - C . . . . big downgrade from his A to A+ performances of last 2/3 years but the guy looks like a drunken sailor out there. If Chevy doesn’t trade him soon, he’ll have no value - other than a former league MVP and 2 time Vezina puck-stopper. Jets won the President’s Choice trophy last year mainly because Bucky was a one-man vulcanized rubber stopping machine. Now, not so much.
Josh Morrissey - B+ . . . . . no question one of NHL’s elite d-men but surrounded by buffoons and slows prevents him from getting A grade.
Logan Stanley (D) - B. . . . not so gentle giant (6’7”, 265 lbs.) has 8 goals and 11 assists. Big shot from point, fairly responsible defensively but again, like Morrissey, he’s surrounded by midgets, jackasses and misfits. Has to defend sometimes solely against a pathetic Jets backcheck unit that leaves him high ‘n dry.
Dylan DeMelo (D) - C-, supposedly a defensive genius but now apparently reluctant to block shots due to fear of injury. That pretty much leaves him impotent. Not much offensive contribution either.
Dylan “Andy” Samberg (D) - C . .. . . . supposedly Jets shut-down D-man. However on this team, there’s no such thing. Samberg, still recovering from a horrid early season wrist injury is but a fraction of his former self.
Neil Pionk (D) - C-, might be the smartest guy on the Jets as he got himself tagged with an injury and doesn’t have to go out amidst the embarrassments.
Adam Lowry (C) - C-. . . . 3rd line centre with paltry offensive production, not even slightly above average in the face off circle. Takes responsibility for losses - as he should. Just not good enough.
Mark Schiefele (C) - B+, great scoring touch, has developed into an all round player. Just not very good at faceoffs, relatively weak on the boards and only average in one on one puck battles. Due to heavy workload, (ice-time) tends to weaken late in games and it shows in lack of forecheck or backcheck efforts.
Kyle Conners (F) - B, again not a legit NHL superstar but the next tier. He’ll end up with 30 to 36 goals but impotent against tough checking opponents.
Kyle Perfetti (F) - D-, a little man with little attitude. Perpetually angry at himself and his teammates, not the kind of guy you go to war with. Could easily be a 15 to 20 goal scorer on a bottom-feeder.
Nino Niederrieter (F) - F . . . the Swiss Superman has degenerated into a total mess. In a word, USELESS
Morley Barron (F) - C+. . . an honest and legit 3rd or 4th line forward, will end up with 10 to 12 goals and 20 to 25 pts. Pretty good considering the guys he’s been forced to suit up with.
Jonathan Toews (F/C) - C+ . . . up to 10 games ago he was in Neideretter territory, slated for a D- to F season. But the 38 yr old former superstar has picked things up and now merits and overall C+. Might be best traded to a contender for futures prior to deadline
Gustav Nyquist (F) - F . . . total bust. Another great scouting mishap by GM Chevy
Cole Koepke (F) - C . . . decent acquistion but lacks overall scoring touch, defense slightly above average but nothing to write home about
Alex Iafollo (F) - C . . . decent puck-hound but in over his head on a mediocre team
Gabriel Vilardi (F) - C+ . . . . great hands but overall lack of grit hurts his team at times.
Coach Scott Arniel (head coach) - D- . . . . from the penthouse to the outhouse. Prolly on the verge of being fired.
GM - Chevy Chevyldayoff - F to the power of 10. Won’t submit my original report as I don’t need another banning.
Another ho-hum loss for the SLOW-OLD Jets (aka SLOWD) last nite in Wpg before a SRO audience 15,000+. Prolly more Habs fans in attendance than actual Jets fans. Jet coach Scout Arniel was lamenting the fact that the Habs goals were met by amazing cheers. Maybe you should coach your team not to lose by 4 goals Scout???
Another disgusting piece of Arniel’s decision making was with under 3 minutes left and down 4-1, Arniel removed his average goaler Hellebucket and had his all his Olympians out there feigning full-throttle (ie. Morrissey, Conners, Nino Needy) risking injury. With the game so tilted and 99.9% in the hands of the Habs, why put these guys out. Thats not smart, Scout. Its pure dumb. With declining season ticket sales - I’d be stunned if the Billionaire Boys Club keeps Scout Arniel around past the end of the regular season.
I’m ok with the Jets not getting into the mushy middle this year. Its obviously not ideal, but a skill injection would be nice when its so hard to come by via trade. They’re right on the mushy muddle/terrible team cut line.
Putting the Olympians out there at the end of the game trailing by 3 seems really silly. At least reward the grunts with some more ice time.
As for the Habs fans, there are always a lot of Habs fans whenever they play in Winnipeg. Hear the same thing every year. Deal with it. At least its not a national team soccer match. You’d swear Canadian fans are outnumbered at every home game.
Have to believe Jet’s coach Scott Arniel signed his own death warrant when he got so hot ‘n bothered about a few thousand Habs fans infiltrating Winnipeg’s Arena. Didn’t say peepsquat about his team’s miserably putrid effort. Arniel’s been distracted to the task at hand.
Winnipeg usually discards their head coaches at season end to avoid media controversy. That will hold for Arniel. Players aren’t playing for him. OK, maybe a period or so. Or perhaps the old and slow guys Chevydayoff supplied are just too pooped to pop!