The regular season is barely underway, but the Winnipeg Jets have been forced to hit the pause button as part of an early scheduling quirk that essentially gives them a second crack at training camp.
“It’s actually longer than training camp. You never get five days (between games),” coach Paul Maurice said on Saturday, following an up-tempo, hour-long practice at the Bell MTS Iceplex.
That’s the reality facing his team these days. After beating the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Friday night, the Jets won’t play again until Thursday in Pittsburgh, then the next night in Columbus.
It would likely be an unwelcome break if they were on an unstoppable roll, but the first seven games of the season have been a mixed bag, exposing several areas that still need work.