12 Wishes for ’12

 

 

 

Hot on the heels of my 10 Things Jets Gave Us in 2011 article, I am compelled to follow up with 12 wishes for ’12 for the Jets, focused mostly on player issues but with a fan and media wish too.

Number 12: Continued fan and media support. I don’t see this as a big problem, hence it comes in here at #12, but it would be nice to have wider media coverage even as TSN dominates on radio, TV, and web….that is not a bad thing but blogs like this one (shameless plug) have their place for those not in the Peg who are not only interested in Canucks and Leafs.

Number 11: Wish for Andrew Ladd, Nik Antropov and Randy Jones – may the team’s leadership – both via play and words – be coming from a variety of players in 2011 so when you are focused on improving your game or getting healthy (Jones), you have help you need!

Number 10: Wish for Bryan Little, may your injuries heal and your play continue in 2012 on the upswing it had in December.

Number 9: Wish for Ondrej Pavelec and Chris Mason – may you have an upward trend in goaltending statistics because with improved save percentages, your Jets squeak in a few more close wins than in the first 3 dozen or so games. These ‘tenders do quite well but they do see too many shots…. so here’s hoping if that shot totals stay high, you can be better in 2012 regardless of what help you get or do not get….speaking of tha. –

Number 8: Wish for Dustin Byfuglien – may your spirits be well (and the liquid ones in check) while you begin to understand that – as a minus-8 rated player – some risk-taking is good on the ice, just not ALL the time! Number

Number 7: Wish for Kyle Wellwood – may your fitness stay strong – even after Christmas barrage of cookies, cake, and turkey – and may your stick come up big (in a purely hockey-related sense of course).

Number 6: Wish for Zach Bogosian – may your maturity increase quickly, as well as your unfortunately low shooting percentage. Puck luck has gotta turn around soon, right?

Number 5: Wish for Evander Kane – may you keep the great play going all season long, kudos my friend on 0.80 points per game with a plus-9 rating! Number

Number 4: Wish for Blake Wheeler – ditto the above Kane wish…strong and steady for 2012.

Number 3: Wish for Head Coach Claude Noel – may your honesty with the media also translate to honesty with players so they grasp the improvements they need to make for the Jets to contend in 2012.

Number 2: Wish for Tobias Enstrom – may your health improve and stay strong, and may your play be steady to make up for your big buddy listed in #8.

Number 1: Wish for Alexander Burmistrov – may you increasingly show the flashes of superstar that have been witnessed in Winnipeg and previously in Atlanta and may you be in the debate as to the top Russian players in the NHL by the end of 2012!