Winnipeg Jets : 2013-14 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Central Division

The Eastern Conferences got eight teams in each of their (Atlantic & Metropolitan) divisions, while the Western Conference got seven teams each for their (Pacific & Central) divisions. In the Central Division, along with the Winnipeg Jets, were placed Chicago, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Nashville, and St. Louis.

Another major difference that came with realignment was the qualification for the playoffs. Before, it was the top team from each of the three (conference) divisions that qualified, followed by the next best five teams, regardless of division. With realignment, the top three teams in each of the two (conference) divisions qualify for the playoffs, with two wild card positions for the next best team records, regardless of division.

Answer: Josh Morrissey

As a developing player, Josh Morrissey continued to play in the Western Hockey League for the 2013-14 season. With the Prince Albert Raiders, he accrued a record of 28 goals and 45 assists for 73 points over 59 games. He also played for Canada in the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship in Malmö, Sweden, although the team did not win a medal, finishing in fourth place.

A big highlight of Morrissey's year was being called up to join the St. John's IceCaps (the AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets) for eight games during the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs, including the five games of the Final against the Texas Stars.

Answer: Al Montoya (G)

Centre Bryan Little signed a five-year, $23.5 million contract on July 22nd. Right Winger Blake Wheeler followed that up on July 26th with a six-year, $33.6 million contract. Three days later on July 29th, Zach Bogosian signed a seven-year contract worth $36 million.

Backup goalie Al Montoya signed a one-year contract on July 4th for $601,000, and played out the 2013-14 season with the Jets, appearing in 28 games, and earning a record of 13 wins, 8 losses and 3 overtime losses. Following the season, he became an unrestricted free agent (UFA), and signed with the Florida Panthers.

Answer: Paul Maurice

Paul Maurice began his coaching career as an assistant coach in 1987 with the OHL Windsor Spitfires, a team he had been playing with for more than three years. Maurice continued in various coaching roles in the OHL until making the move to the NHL and the Hartford Whalers, as the assistant coach to Paul Holmgren. He was promoted to head coach after just 12 games into the season, becoming the youngest NHL head coach at the age of 28. Maurice stayed with the Whalers / Hurricanes franchise until December of 2003, when he was let go.

Maurice spent a year (2005-06) coaching the AHL Toronto Marlies, then took over from Pat Quinn as the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, a position he held for two years. The Carolina Hurricanes took Maurice back in 2008, and he stayed with the team until November of 2011, when he was let go once again. Maurice took a position in 2012 as the head coach of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk in Russia's KHL, but he decided to return to the USA and his family after just the one season. Soon after, he was hired by the Jets in January of 2014.

Answer: 11 wins, 3 losses, 1 OT loss

The Jets seemed like a new team the moment Paul Maurice took over. They followed up their five-game losing streak under Claude Noel with four straight wins, a close-fought 1-0 loss to San Jose, then two more wins followed by another close loss (4-3) to Nashville, and then another three wins in a row.

At this point the Jets lost two, the first by a 4-2 margin to Washington, and a 4-3 shootout loss to St. Louis, but two more wins followed to cap off an incredible month-and-a-half of hockey. Under Paul Maurice, the Jets went 18-12-5 to finish off the season.

Answer: Ottawa Senators

The Jets managed to win their season series against Calgary (2-0-0), Edmonton (2-1-0), and Toronto (2-0-0), split their season series with Montréal (1-1-0), and were just overshadowed by Vancouver (1-1-1), giving them the shootout win. The Ottawa Senators, however, took both of their games against Winnipeg, the first a 4-3 win in Ottawa on January 2nd, and then 5-3 in Winnipeg on March 8th.

Answer: Al Montoya

Al Montoya played shutout hockey against two teams in the 2013-14 season: a 3-0 win against the visiting New Jersey Devils on October 13th; and another 3-0 win at home against the Buffalo Sabres on New Year's Eve.

Ondrej Pavelec secured one 5-0 shutout at home against the Nashville Predators on November 8th. Michael Hutchinson only played in the last three games of the season, and none of those games was a shutout; although he did backstop the Jets to win two of them, and only lost the other by a margin of 1-0.

Answer: Mark Stuart

Mark Stuart came to the Atlanta Thrashers in a trade with Boston in 2011, and moved with the team (of course) to Winnipeg that same year. His highest point total since beginning his NHL career was 17 points in 2008-09 with the Bruins. In three seasons with the Jets, Stuart has managed a total of 31 points in 191 games. Stuart's 2013-14 penalty minutes total of 101 was good for a tie for 30th in the league.

Answer: Blake Wheeler (RW)

Blake Wheeler was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, 5th overall. He played a season in the USHL (for the Green Bay Gamblers) and three seasons for the University of Minnesota (WCHA) before finally signing an entry-level contract with the Boston Bruins. During his third season with the Bruins (2010-11) he was traded (along with Mark Stuart) to the Atlanta Thrashers for Boris Valábik and Rich Peverley.

At the end of that season, after only 23 games with his new team, the Thrashers became the Winnipeg Jets. Blake Wheeler was a terrific player for the Jets in their first three seasons, finishing first in scoring in 2011-12 and 2013-14, and second to captain Andrew Ladd in the shortened 2012-13 season.

Answer: 7th

The Central Division was very strong in the Western Conference, with five of the seven teams making the playoffs. The standings were:

112 points - Colorado Avalanche (2nd in conference, 3rd in league)
111 points - St. Louis Blues (3rd in conference, 4th in league)
107 points - Chicago Blackhawks (5th in conference, 7th in league)
98 points - Minnesota Wild (7th in conference, 11th in league)
91 points - Dallas Stars (8th in conference, 16th in league)
88 points - Nashville Predators (10th in conference, 19th in league)
84 points - Winnipeg Jets (11th in conference, 22nd in league)

As a small consolation, the Jets were still better than three teams in the Pacific Division. Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton all finished with fewer points than the Jets.