It’s hard to imagine the Winnipeg Jets used to be a team that was feared. Likely that is because their current incarnation has never been.
The St. Louis Blues used to have some real battles with the Winnipeg Jets. I remember watching the games and hating Keith Tkachuk and thinking how dark and dingy their arena seemed.
The Blues had a losing record to the team then known as the Jets in the 1980’s and then turned it around a bit more in the 90’s. However, that was not this Jets franchise.
That team left and became what is now the Arizona Coyotes. This incarnation of the Jets has been just north of a pushover for most of their existence.
Once the Atlanta Thrashers, this current Jets team has only made the playoffs twice in its entire existence. Once came in Atlanta and once in Winnipeg in 2014-15.
Outside of that, you can almost always count on the team to finish south of the dividing line. Not even half the years the team has been around have fans seen a .500-plus season.
It’s a shame that passionate hockey fans in Winnipeg have not been rewarded with more. However, they could be on the uptick if they keep making progress off the ice.
Coach Paul Maurice and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff have them appearing to go in the right direction. Last season’s setback aside, the current Jets have a decent amount of talent.
Like the Blues of the early-mid 2000’s, their core group is getting to the age where they must make a move or move out. There are young players ready to take that next step. The question is whether the Jets, as a whole, are ready.
Key Additions
The Jets were not overly busy in the summer. They made their biggest move at the NHL Draft.
That move was doing the smart thing, not tinkering and over-examining things and drafting the right player. They picked Patrik Laine from Finland, who could be poised to make noise this season.
Sep 30, 2016; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets forward Patrik Laine (29) takes a onetime slapshot during the second period during a preseason hockey game against the Edmonton Oilers at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
Laine has an NHL-type game even though he’s never played in North America. He let his team to the Finnish League Championship and had 33 points in 46 regular season games. On top of that, he added ten goals in the playoffs.
He’s not going to be easy to get off the puck at 6’4 and he still has room to fill out, but is not thin at 205 lbs.
EliteProspects.com says “His elite wrist shot is notable for its quick release and his powerful one-timer from the top of the circle is a constant threat on the man-advantage.” He should have plenty of opportunity to use that with Winnipeg.
His drawbacks are going to be his lack of experience. Not in the hockey sense, but in a conditioning aspect.
The most regular season games he has ever played is 46. You can bump that up to 64 if you include playoff games.
The NHL can be a grind and it has been known to eat up young players. It’s up to him and the team to learn how to handle that.
The Jets also added Shawn Matthias. Matthias is an interesting signing and is a decent mid-six forward.
He won’t wow anyone with his offense, but he will chip in. He has averaged about 13 goals per season over the last five years.
The interesting thing about Laine and Matthias is their size. The Jets seem to be countering the Blues, Blackhawks and Stars’ speed with size.
Whether it works or not remains to be seen. Most people thought the Sharks’ size would eat up the Penguins and that did not happen.
Key Losses
Technically, the Jets did not lose anyone significant to their roster. Yet.
Jacob Trouba has apparently been requesting a trade since the NHL season ended, or soon thereafter. Clearly the Jets are in no hurry to deal away one of the better, young defensemen in the league.
Sep 19, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Team North America defenceman Jacob Trouba (8) takes a shot against Team Russia during preliminary round play in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
They are caught between a rock and a hard place. They are under no obligation to trade.
Trouba is a restricted free agent with no arbitration rights, so they could simply let things take its course. However, he does not have to sign and then it works out for nobody.
Why does any of this matter to Blues fans? Mainly because the teams interested in Kevin Shattenkirk are also likely interested in Trouba.
If the Jets come to a deal with him, more teams are interested in the Blues current player come the deadline.
Jets Outlook
The Jets are hard to read right now. They are only a season removed from a playoff berth, but took a rather large step back in 2015-16.
Laine is going to help. He’s ready for the NHL, but how much is reasonable to ask of him when he’s barely played half of a full NHL season anywhere else?
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The Jets have good, young talent on their team and more ready to join. They still seem a season or two and a goaltender away from being playoff good.
Nothing against Ondrej Pavelec, but he is not the answer right now. The team does not seem poised to hand things over to Connor Hellebuyck yet either.
Winnipeg’s biggest problem may be their division. It’s hard to imagine they’ve passed anyone (maybe Colorado?) and teams like Calgary and Arizona are going to be breathing on their neck from out west too.
The Jets seem destined to miss the postseason again. However, their inclusion in 2014-15 was a bit of a surprise, so perhaps they get off to a hot start and shock a few more.
Blues Games
Though the Blues have the better record against this current incarnation of the Jets, the games are still a fight. It seems there are very few times when the Blues get the upper hand by more than a goal or two.
St. Louis is 19-9-1 against this franchise and 11-4 against them since they moved to Winnipeg. The margin of victory has come down to the decimal point though.
Despite the rough time scoring, the Blues had a good season against Winnipeg last year. They went 3-1, with a 101 record at home and taking both games in Winnipeg.
The Blues won their games by scores of 4-2, 3-2, 4-3 and lost 2-1 in a shootout. Not domination, but good for a divisional foe.
St. Louis will try to replicate that this season. Interestingly, the teams don’t meet until December.
The Blues open the series at home on December 3. They then trade games with one on the road on Saturday, January 21 and at home on Tuesday, January 31.
Another game north of the border happens on Friday, March 3. The two teams play five this year, with the season series ending on Blues’ ice on Tuesday, April 4.
Hopefully, we will see some Ryan Reaves goals. He always tends to play well against his hometown team.
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