After seeing the ten time vote winner @Ville Heinola go down in defeat to @Bryan Little, it was decided that we needed a weekend off from the Fan Favorite Gauntlet Series, but now we’re back at it and we’re really getting into the heart of the @Winnipeg Jets roster which could make for some shorter runs.

For a while there it seemed like nothing was going to stop the reign of Ville, not even a well established player like Bryan Little, but in the end – at least in my opinion – the correct player won out.

Maybe years from now Ville will end up one of the all-time Jets fan favorites, but it wouldn’t have seemed right for Little to lose out in the here and now. Little’s 13 year NHL career has been spent with one franchise, with nine of those years spent as a Winnipeg Jet. He was an Atlanta Thrashers first round pick, 12th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft. Often overlooked by his own fan base for players who are perhaps flashier or louder, Little’s game could be described as blue-collar and dependable with his place in franchise history well established.

1st in games played: 843

2nd in goals: 217

2nd in assists: 304

3rd in points: 521

He is also currently 2nd in franchise history for game winning goals (32) and was the first player to record a hat trick when the Thrashers moved north to Winnipeg, pulling off the feat on December 5, 2014 against the Colorado Avalanche.

 

Can you believe there was a time most fans were ready to let Adam Lowry be claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft? Thankfully the Jets knew what they had in the third round pick, drafted 67th overall in the 2011 NHL Draft. Even if Lowry hasn’t produced offensively as some had hoped he would, he’s turned into a very solid depth player for the Jets in their bottom six forward group with the ability to help shut down an opposing team’s top line, be very effective on the penalty kill, while still being able to contribute on the offensive end of the ice.

Lowry isn’t the most impactful player on the ice most nights, but when he’s not in the lineup it tends to be noticeable.

He’s also been known for some enjoyable moments away from the game as well…

 

 

 

May 7 – Four way ‘play-in’ vote between @Joona Luoto / @Mark Letestu / @Nick Shore / @Andrei Chibisov >>> Won by Chibisov (37%)

May 8 – Four way ‘play-in’ vote between @CJ Suess / @Cody Eakin / @Logan Shaw / @Carl Dahlstrom >>> Won by Eakin (58%)

May 9 – @Andrei Chibisov vs @Cody Eakin >>> Won by Eakin (71%)

May 10 – @Cody Eakin vs @Dylan DeMelo >>> Won by DeMelo (84%)

May 11 – @Dylan DeMelo vs @David Gustafsson >>> Won by DeMelo (84%)

May 12 – @Dylan DeMelo vs @Ville Heinola >>> Won by Heinola (57%)

May 13 – @Ville Heinola vs @Jansen Harkins >>> Won by Heinola (55%)

May 14 – @Ville Heinola vs @Laurent Brossoit >>> Won by Heinola (72%)

May 15 – @Ville Heinola vs @Gabriel Bourque >>> Won by Heinola (94%)

May 16 – @Ville Heinola vs @Sami Niku >>> Won by Heinola (61%)

May 17 – @Ville Heinola vs @Anthony Bitetto >>> Won by Heinola (82%)

May 18 – @Ville Heinola vs @Nathan Beaulieu >>> Won by Heinola (76%)

May 19 – @Ville Heinola vs @Mason Appleton >>> Won by Heinola (82%)

May 20 – @Ville Heinola vs @Luca Sbisa >>> Won by Heinola (87%)

May 21 – @Ville Heinola vs @Dmitry Kulikov >>> Won by Heinola (91%)

May 22 – @Ville Heinola vs @Bryan Little >>> Won by Little (58%)

May 25 – @Bryan Little vs @Adam Lowry