Winnipeg Jets, a year in review

[yave1964]

I plan on doing a recap of all thirty teams seasons beginning with the 14 clubs that do not make the post season and going from there. Hopefully it is a good read. Today, I begin with the first team to complete its schedule, the Winnipeg jets. Enjoy. I hope. 

 

PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS

 The Jets traded places with the Jackets and Wings and moved West where they belong. Hopes hovered around lukewarm and hopes were that the club might challenge for a lower end seed.

 

FINAL RECORD 37-35-10 84 points, 11th in the West.

 

HIGH POINT/ LOW POINT OF SEASON

None. They were never more than 4 games over or under .500 all year. No real streak that pushed them into or out of contention. The very definition of mediocrity.

 

WHAT WENT RIGHT:

  Two important pieces were added, young Jacob Trouba (10-19-29 +4) came aboard on the blue line and added a spark. Mark Schieffele (13-21-34 +9) established himself at center. Veterans such as Andrew Ladd (23-31-54) Bryan Little (23-41-64 15 PPP) and especially Blake Wheeler (28-41-69 19 PPP) were everything that could be hoped for among the forwards Dustin Byfuglien (20-36-56 with 26 PPP) led the blue line.

 

 WHAT WENT WRONG

 

Goaltending, first and foremost. Ondrej Pavelec was wretched (22-26-7 3.01 GAA and .901 Sv. Pct) easily being outplayed by veteran AHL Journeyman Al Montoya (13-8-3 2.30 .920 Sv. Pct). I do not believe it is a stretch to say if the Jets had an AVERAGE netminder such as a Halak or a Lehtonen, nothing special just a goaltender who didn't drag the team down it is very possible if not probable that they would have made up the half a dozen point it took to make the postseason.

  Claude Noel was shown the door for not figuring out a way to get the team to live up to potential.

 Evander Kane was disappointing and booed heavily. Enstrom and Bogosian were plain and average, not taking the step forward anticipated.

 

  TEAM MVP

Blake Wheeler. A solid season, led the club in goals, assists, PPG, Game winners, and finished second in a bunch of other categories. Bryan Little is a very close second.

 

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

 

Olli Jokinen, Al Montoya, Devin Setoguchi, Mark Stuart, Chris Thorburn and Keaton Ellerby.

 

OFF SEASON QUESTION MARKS:

 

First and foremost what are they going to do with their goaltending situation? Will Big Buff or Enstrom be dealt for netminding help? If Buff is retained will he be used as a forward or a defenseman? Have they given up on Evander Kane and what is his trade value?

 

Thanks for reading. Like I said, I plan on doing one of these for each club, all comments and input are welcome.

Edited April 12, 2014 by yave1964

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Pretty good round up.....sounds about right for the most part.

 

A couple things I will add though:

The natives, I believe, are indeed getting restless in Winnipeg.

That 'honeymoon' phase with the team is clearly over...the fans want a winner now...it's not enough for the team to just "be back in Winnipeg".

 

Team is in a much tougher division than they were last year and they are still running around without a true team identity.

Are they a speed team, a checking team, defense first, all out offense? Something in between?

Do they look to stir the pot, are they disciplined?

 

See, those things are important, as what philosophy they choose to follow will dictate what types of players they keep on the team and how they develop new ones going forward.

Quite frankly, when I did watch some Jets games, they were kinda all over the map as far as how they approached games.

This wreaks havoc with the players, I believe, and it may also be telling on the coaching staff as far as what kind of directions the players are getting from the bench.

 

Perhaps if the Jets can figure out exactly who they are, or at least, who they want to be, then maybe the offense picks up, the defense picks up....you know, somethjng positive...because then at that point, players will know what roles are expected from them, and for those that don't fit, you show them the door, or trade them off for ones that will.

That team DOES have talent...but right now, it is being under utilized in a big way.

 

Pavelec wasn't outstanding by any stretch, but I also believe he isn't as bad as it appears. His defense leaves him out to dry more often than not, and just like the rest of the team, he may not be sure whom he can count on to do what defensively in front of him, and thus it may mess with his mindset in goal.

 

Not defending Pavelec as being a 'good goalie in a bad situation' mind you, but I think if the team figures out a philosophy, sticks with it, and molds players around it, I think one will see Pavelec do much better.

That said, I said it in another thread, but Al Montoya is very underrated, and the Jets may do well to keep him on and give him a legit shot at a starter's job next season.....this may push Pavelec to be better (if that is possible given the current conditions in Wpg), or push him completely out.

[yave1964]

@TropicalFruitGirl26

 

  I gotta disagree about Pavelec, his goals against was three quarters of a goal worse than Montoya, positively wretched. I see Pavelec out of a starting job within a year tops. He is IMHO maybe ten percent better than Devan Dubnyk. Maybe.

  This is a collection of talent but little if any cohesion. A lot of that has to do with Buff, who is either a wing or a d-man, Little who plays center but is mediocre on faceoffs and might be better with a switch to the wing, and a whole mess of players with little if any cohesion. That is what they are missing, a coach or a player or two to help mesh the pieces and make it work. I agree the natives are getting restless, as well they should be. This team is not that far away, they tanked after Scheiffele went down for the year which I am not sure what to say about that, if Jokinen moves on they will need a center or two, a goalie and they may be able to deal Kane now to fill one or both of the holes.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

@yave1964

 

Olli Jokinen is most certainly one of the few things that did go right offensively for this team, but he alone cannot change the course of the team's fortunes on the scoreboard.

 

I think Jokinen will be a pretty good add to any other team who has a solid core of forwards in place already, but unless Winnipeg magically transforms in the off season, I don't see how keeping the aging Jokinen helps matters in Winnipeg.

 

If I am the Jets FO, I will look past Jokinen at this point and look and see, as you mentioned, who needs to replace him at center...along with someone else as an addition also.

But again, unless the organization finally figures out how they want to go about their business on the ice, I think no matter who they put in there, the results may be the same.

 

As for Big Buff, the Jets need to make a decision on the guy already. Enough of this 'sometimes a D-man, sometimes a winger' stuff.

While rugged, he is a subpar defender and IMO, probably better suited to a third line winger role....maybe even 2nd line if he can be matched with two other guys who can make plays while he creates room with his body.

And of course, his large frame makes him the perfect guy to eclipse goalies in front of the net while daring defensemen to move him.

 

He has good enough straight line speed to keep up with just about any other forwards, save for a select few, but his overall dexterity can be questioned as I have seen speedy skaters treat him like a traffic cone at times.

 

If the Jets don't want to deal with having to fully 'convert' Big Buff, then they may want to look at trading him as his cap hit is relatively friendly, he still has a couple years on the contract, and I am sure there is a pretty good market for a guy like him....really, despite his flaws, who WOULDN'T want a large, aggressive, fast skating, power forward with an intimidating presence about him playing for them?