Paul Maurice confident as Winnipeg Jets enter post-season
A few players will sit out to rest as the Jets take on the Calgary Flames in Winnipeg on Saturday
Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice is not considering the team's job done, despite making the playoffs on Thursday night.
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On Friday, Maurice spoke to media about the team's success, and says rather than feeling satisfied, the hockey club feels confident approaching the post-season, which begins next week.
Maurice said he appreciated the payoff that came with qualifying for the playoffs for players and long-term staff that helped build the Jets organization to the stage it is at now.
Not all players on the team will participate in Saturday's game against the Calgary Flames.
To prepare for the post-season, Maurice is leaving a number of players out, so they can rest and be in top form for their first game in the playoffs. The list includes Ondrej Pavelec, who Maurice says needs rest, and Mathieu Perreault, who will sit out while trying to recover from injuries that Maurice described as "not catastrophic at this point."
Toby Enstrom will be in the lineup after sitting out with injuries in the last few games, and rookie Connor Hellebuyck from St. John's in the American Hockey League will have have an opportunity to play as the Jets take on the Flames at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg at 3 p.m. on Saturday.