1-4 in January could spell huge trouble in Jet land
Posted 6:12 AM ET | Comments 1
OK so after dropping a 2-0 decision to the Sharks the Jets have dropped to 1-4 in January and find themselves on the outside looking in at a playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
At the beginning of the roadtrip that saw them visit Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo and Boston, I really thought it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that this team could go 3-1 on the trip. 2-2 at the worst.
Boy was I wrong.
In hindsight there are a few factors that I failed to think about before making my predictions.
After having a wealth of home games in December and posting a pretty good record I should really have seen a lull in the Jets' games away from home. Especially at the Bell Centre. Still, I think this team should have beaten a Habs squad that was truly reeling, and they looked completely disinterested in their game in Toronto. THAT is inexcuseable.
After 2 quality periods in Boston, the team was horrible defensively for 7 minutes. You can't afford to do that against the B's and they made them pay dearly for their ineptitude.
Then they come home to face the Sharks, who lets be honest are a far better team than the Jets. I was not expecting a win in this game and with the depleted line up I was actually expecting it to be somewhat of a rout. 2-0 is pretty respectable.
The rest of the games in January are where this team needs to make some hay. They will face New Jersey twice, the Sens, Sabres, Panthers, Canes, Rangers and Flyers. Every one of them an Eastern-Conference opponent. Three home games and five on the road. The Jets truly have to sweep the home games to be able to come away with any hope of a staying near a playoff spot. In addition to sweeping the home games, they will have to post at the very least a 3-2 record in their road games.
Can they do that ? Who knows.
This much is for certain. They simply have got to win against the teams they are supposed to beat. There is no juggernaut in the upcoming 8 games. No Boston. No Vancouver. No Detroit. Just a bunch of teams who are either currently overacheiving (ie. the Sens and Rangers) or are in the same catagory as the Jets.....borderline playoff team.
By the end of this month we will see what this team is made of. They will either nut up and play a consistent brand of hockey, or fold like a road map.
Lets hope its not the latter.
At the beginning of the roadtrip that saw them visit Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo and Boston, I really thought it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that this team could go 3-1 on the trip. 2-2 at the worst.
Boy was I wrong.
In hindsight there are a few factors that I failed to think about before making my predictions.
After having a wealth of home games in December and posting a pretty good record I should really have seen a lull in the Jets' games away from home. Especially at the Bell Centre. Still, I think this team should have beaten a Habs squad that was truly reeling, and they looked completely disinterested in their game in Toronto. THAT is inexcuseable.
After 2 quality periods in Boston, the team was horrible defensively for 7 minutes. You can't afford to do that against the B's and they made them pay dearly for their ineptitude.
Then they come home to face the Sharks, who lets be honest are a far better team than the Jets. I was not expecting a win in this game and with the depleted line up I was actually expecting it to be somewhat of a rout. 2-0 is pretty respectable.
The rest of the games in January are where this team needs to make some hay. They will face New Jersey twice, the Sens, Sabres, Panthers, Canes, Rangers and Flyers. Every one of them an Eastern-Conference opponent. Three home games and five on the road. The Jets truly have to sweep the home games to be able to come away with any hope of a staying near a playoff spot. In addition to sweeping the home games, they will have to post at the very least a 3-2 record in their road games.
Can they do that ? Who knows.
This much is for certain. They simply have got to win against the teams they are supposed to beat. There is no juggernaut in the upcoming 8 games. No Boston. No Vancouver. No Detroit. Just a bunch of teams who are either currently overacheiving (ie. the Sens and Rangers) or are in the same catagory as the Jets.....borderline playoff team.
By the end of this month we will see what this team is made of. They will either nut up and play a consistent brand of hockey, or fold like a road map.
Lets hope its not the latter.
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09 Time to awe the hockey world
10 Jets lose 5-1 to Habs..........and nobody cares
11 Just what the doctor ordered
13 Jets/Blackhawks Gameday
14 Blackhawks down Jets 4-3
15 Brooks Laich
15 Jets/Coyotes pregame thoughts
15 Jets drop to 0-3.......soon to be 0-4
16 Upon further review..........they were still really bad
17 Malkin/Crosby not playing.....why would they ?
17 Jets lead Pens 2-0 after 1st
17 Pens are coming back
17 Jets get first win of year
18 Letang.......toughest call yet for Sheriff Shanahan
18 Letang suspended 2 games.....whats your opinion ?
19 Jets gameday vs Leafs and the newly named G.S.T. line
20 Scheifele's 1st NHL goal not quite enough....4-3 Leafs
21 Its going to be a very long year. 4-1 loss to Sens.
10 Jets lose 5-1 to Habs..........and nobody cares
11 Just what the doctor ordered
13 Jets/Blackhawks Gameday
14 Blackhawks down Jets 4-3
15 Brooks Laich
15 Jets/Coyotes pregame thoughts
15 Jets drop to 0-3.......soon to be 0-4
16 Upon further review..........they were still really bad
17 Malkin/Crosby not playing.....why would they ?
17 Jets lead Pens 2-0 after 1st
17 Pens are coming back
17 Jets get first win of year
18 Letang.......toughest call yet for Sheriff Shanahan
18 Letang suspended 2 games.....whats your opinion ?
19 Jets gameday vs Leafs and the newly named G.S.T. line
20 Scheifele's 1st NHL goal not quite enough....4-3 Leafs
21 Its going to be a very long year. 4-1 loss to Sens.
02 What to expect from the Jets for the rest of the season
03 Claude Noel calls out Eric Fehr
03 Wishing Ilya Bryzgalov did come to Winnipeg
13 1-4 in January could spell huge trouble in Jet land
13 Blame Cammalleri all you want......but he was right
14 A look at the Jets. Can Chevy pull the trigger?
14 Its official......the Jets are in trouble
16 The Jets are like my wife's new curio cabinet....I'm serious
17 Strong effort earns shutout in 2-0 Jets win Over Sens
18 Jets talk...............let the trade discussion begin !!
20 What a difference a Wheeler makes
24 The bitter truth for Jets fans
30 Jets to go 21-8-3 and make playoffs......NOT!!
03 Claude Noel calls out Eric Fehr
03 Wishing Ilya Bryzgalov did come to Winnipeg
13 1-4 in January could spell huge trouble in Jet land
13 Blame Cammalleri all you want......but he was right
14 A look at the Jets. Can Chevy pull the trigger?
14 Its official......the Jets are in trouble
16 The Jets are like my wife's new curio cabinet....I'm serious
17 Strong effort earns shutout in 2-0 Jets win Over Sens
18 Jets talk...............let the trade discussion begin !!
20 What a difference a Wheeler makes
24 The bitter truth for Jets fans
30 Jets to go 21-8-3 and make playoffs......NOT!!
It's January and it's the same team just different name.Why is January the trouble month,who knows.Thrashers-Jets will fold like a road map.Maybe a few trades and maybe it will be different next season.Good luck.