Jets hit the ice in preparation for series opener against Wild

WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Jets skated for the first time following the end of the regular season Monday at Bell MTS Iceplex. Nine of the players on the ice were part of the 2015 team that went out in four games at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks.
Safe to say, there is a much different feeling amongst this group heading into this postseason than three years ago, when the Jets needed 81 games to clinch a playoff spot.
"I think before we were scratching and crawling just to get in (the playoffs)," said Bryan Little who along with Adam Lowry led the Jets in playoff scoring with 3 points in 2015. "That can be physically and mentally draining. This year we were able to rest some guys near the end (of the regular season) and that was a bonus."

Finishing second in the Central Division means the Jets will have home ice advantage against the Minnesota Wild, who ended up 13 points back of Winnipeg in the division.
The Jets are one of seven NHL teams that didn't make the postseason last year competing for the Stanley Cup in 2018. Winnipeg finished second overall, jumping 18 spots from the 2016-17 campaign. One reason for that is goaltender Connor Hellebuyck who is in the conversation for the Vezina trophy after finishing with 44 wins - an NHL record for an American born netminder.
"I do have to enjoy myself a bit. This is my first time (in the NHL playoffs)," said Hellebuyck. "I'm going to have to soak it all in so I can learn from it. It should be easy to get pumped up and I'm really looking forward to it."

"He's been a big part of our success this year," said Little. "He was someone we could rely on to keep us in games when we probably shouldn't have been. He made those timely saves for us and won a lot of games for us. He's been kind of the anchor for this team."
For the most part, the Jets will start the playoffs Wednesday as healthy as they have been for the majority of the season. Defenceman Jacob Trouba was at practice after missing Winnipeg's final game of the year against Chicago and was back beside Josh Morrissey.
Toby Enstrom was shut down for the final eight games of the regular season, and did not take part in practice Monday. The 33-year-old won't be available for game one on Wednesday.

"I want to give him as much time as we can to get right," explained Maurice. "He's not far off, but he won't go."
With Enstrom out and Trouba back in, these were the line rushes and defence pairings from practice on Monday.
Connor - Scheifele - Wheeler
Ehlers - Stastny- Laine
Perreault - Little - Armia
Copp - Lowry - Tanev
Morrissey - Trouba
Morrow - Byfuglien
Chairot - Myers
Hellebuyck
Mason
Another difference this time around for the Jets is they will have home ice advantage in the opening round and with that will start the series in front of the much anticipated white out at Bell MTS Place.

"We're excited for all of it," explained Blake Wheeler. "We're excited for a full building in warm-ups and the white out and all that. That's what you play for. Our fans have been great to us and now we get to pay them back a little bit with some fun games."