Series Discussion: First Round matchup Jets vs Wild

[bumblebeeman]

I'm really thinking the Jets are going to take it to another level this playoffs. They are hungry, the old guys are hungry, the young guys are hungry, Buff has been stepping up his game, they have more good players then they have room in the lineup for, and they are getting healthy just in time.

 

[Nharris31]

Have any of you guys read that article? The writer suggests that it might be better for them if they faced the Preds.

I went and checked their boards (which are a total ghost town after reading the article, and the pessismism levels are off the charts. The fee that actually post there seem very concerned about facing the Jets, and at least one about making the playoffs at all.

The most notable quotable that I came across was one fan first saying that we'd swallow them whole (I'm 99% sure they meant it in a non-sexual way-at least, I hope) without bothering to chew. The soundbite. as I recall, was "you can never get unpooped."

The 4 of them who post probably know their team, and if they're characterizing it as an exercise in futility, then maybe we're overestimating our opponent.

I'm much less worried about the Wild now that I've seen how worried they are about us.

Minnesota sports fans worry about everything when it comes to sports.

 

[Ducky10]

Minnesota sports fans worry about everything when it comes to sports.

Very true, the history of failure with all of their major sports teams is almost exactly as long as Winnipeg's.

The Twins WS win in '91 was their last championship (outside of the Lynx ).

Minnesota sports fans have definitely learned not to feel.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

Minnesota sports fans worry about everything when it comes to sports.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Minnesota has depth& talent, even with Suters injury.

The reason they haven't been able to gone far in the playoffs has been not having a game changer F, well they've had that this season and they are a well coached team.
When it comes to 1st round mathes this is a really tough one. That's why the #1 spot would have been so nice.

I agree this will be a tough first round match-up but it is probably about as easy as any one could be.

 

[Maukkis]

As long as goalies are involved in hockey matches, there is no such thing as an easy playoff series.

Regardless of whether Suter, Spurgeon or anyone else from their blue line is in or not, all it takes to shut us down is Dubnyk to enter his god mode - which he has done in the past - and their offense, which is quite potent, to take care of the rest.

Talk about easy series should be saved for after our fourth win against any given team.

 

[BB88]

I agree this will be a tough first round match-up but it is probably about as easy as any one could be.

It's a completely different thing trying to match up against 3 lines than 1. Minnesota is not Colorado type team.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

It's a completely different thing trying to match up against 3 lines than 1. Minnesota is not Colorado type team.

True. But Avs aren't currently in a PO spot, though it is very close.

 

[BB88]

True. But Avs aren't currently in a PO spot, though it is very close.

Seems like you missed the point.

Colorado is a 1 line team, Minnesota is not.

It's easier to try to shutdown just 1 line than multiple, so Avs in theory would be a nicer 1st round opponent than Minnesota.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

f*** being worried about the Wild. Bring 'em on: the Jets will eat them alive, or beat the crap out of them in the process before going down. I'm looking forward to this matchup, both because I think we matchup well, and the cross-border mid-west rivalry that could grow out of this.

 

[jokesondee]

Its official

Ryan Suter injury update: Wild lose All-Star D indefinitely with fractured fibula

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Seems like you missed the point.

Colorado is a 1 line team, Minnesota is not.

It's easier to try to shutdown just 1 line than multiple, so Avs in theory would be a nicer 1st round opponent than Minnesota.

No, I agreed that was true. But irrelevant if they don't make it in.

With MacK in the lineup Avs 1 line might be harder to stop than all 3 of Minny's combined - but that is arguable. They have scored more goals than Minny. With Jets depth we should be able to win the match-up battle against a 1 (or even 2) line team.

Actually, after their first 2 lines, I'm not that impressed with Minny's F's. They get a lot of scoring from their D, with 3 in their top 7 pt leaders. But Suter is the leader there and he is out.

Whoever we have to play, PO hockey is not going to be easy. I think it is hard to pick one opponent over the others outside of Nashville.

 

[10Ducky10]

I don't think the roster will be the same from game to game due to injuries and having so many tools in the toolbox to use.

 

[White Out 902]

We only lose to Minnesota if Devan dubnyk goes beast mode. Bring on the wild as far as I can care. Round 2 is where it gets hard. Well I'm getting pretty cocky

 

[Guffman]

This match is close to being set. A more interesting speculation is who you hope Nashville plays in Round 1. I am thinking the Ducks would rough the up. Alternate teams would be the Blues, Kings and Avs.

Who has the best shot of taking down the Preds of that group?

 

[PerryPooley]

We only lose to Minnesota if Devan dubnyk goes beast mode. Bring on the wild as far as I can care. Round 2 is where it gets hard. Well I'm getting pretty cocky

If the Jets are playing their game at that elite level they often display at home, I don’t think any team can beat them over seven games.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

This match is close to being set. A more interesting speculation is who you hope Nashville plays in Round 1. I am thinking the Ducks would rough the up. Alternate teams would be the Blues, Kings and Avs.

Who has the best shot of taking down the Preds of that group?

Nashville vs. Ducks
Nashville vs. Kings
Nashville vs. St Louis

...would be my preference. I don't even care if they knock out Nashville - I just want to see Nashville have to go to war to get out of the 1st round.

 

[BigZ65]

It's a completely different thing trying to match up against 3 lines than 1. Minnesota is not Colorado type team.

Is there a line matchup that scares you? There isn't one that really scares me, even when Minny has last change. Even Staal's line vs Little's line. I think all of our forward lines can at least match if not win, and on home ice we can totally exploit Minnesota's 3rd and 4th lines, which aren't that great unless they start splitting up their big guns, but then they weaken their top 2 lines.

To me they have 7 solid forwards and the rest are young guys or filler.

Colorado has one very scary line. MacKinnon might be the best player in the world right now and Rantanen is always good against the Jets. That's a line that could beat any team on a given night.

 

[untouchable21]

We only lose to Minnesota if Devan dubnyk goes beast mode. Bring on the wild as far as I can care. Round 2 is where it gets hard. Well I'm getting pretty cocky

Can’t discount Staal after the season he’s had and I don’t know why, but Zucker always seems to kill it when playing the Jets.

 

[Georgetown Al]

Its official

Ryan Suter injury update: Wild lose All-Star D indefinitely with fractured fibula

Dam...

He's going to hate missing the playoffs...

Hockey isn't fair, no matter if you cross every T and dot every i as a team one bad play and you have lost one of your best players...

Luck plays a significant part in winning The Stanley Cup...

I hope our Jets stay lucky...

Crossed finger and toes...

Knock on wood as well...

Go Jets Go

 

[Board Bard]

This match is close to being set. A more interesting speculation is who you hope Nashville plays in Round 1. I am thinking the Ducks would rough the up. Alternate teams would be the Blues, Kings and Avs.

Who has the best shot of taking down the Preds of that group?

I think the Blues might give them the hardest time. They're hot right now and know them well from being in the same division. But that can only happen if they get good goaltending.

 

[lanky]

Minne without Spurgeon and Suter is a gift. Preds will have a tougher matchup with the wild card.

 

[winnipegger]

I have been a hockey fan longer than I've been a Jets fan. So I like to think I have a good objective sense of how good/bad a hockey team is. This Jets team is one of the deepest groups I have seen in the modern era. Whenever former #1 C Brian Little hops over the boards in a 3rd line role I feel a little giddy inside. Who can match that? The only potential weakness I see with this Jets group is the bottom pairing D but with the strides that Chiarot has made the last couple of years I don't even see that as a huge weakness. I'm expecting great things out of this team. I just put $$ down on them to win the cup so when my $$ is involved in the predictions I am fully on board with them

Go Jets. No injuries.

 

[Guffman]

Nashville vs. Ducks
Nashville vs. Kings
Nashville vs. St Louis

...would be my preference. I don't even care if they knock out Nashville - I just want to see Nashville have to go to war to get out of the 1st round.

Right, I think I would rank them the same way and agree with the intent...I’d like the opposition to soften them up with a hard hitting series that the Jets can follow up on.

 

[HPsauce]

I have a feeling Minnesota is going to push this series. They have a lot of skilled, yet smart players.

They have speed, they have grit, and they have scoring.

If Dubnyk plays great then they can win the series.

The Jets have to skate hard take away space.

Copp, Wheeler, Lowry, Trouba Morrissey and Tanev will come to play we all know that, it's how the rest show that'll set the score. There won't be any gifts of free space.