NHL Season Preview 2016-17: Winnipeg Jets

Could the Winnipeg Jets be a sleeper pick to make the playoffs in 2016-17?

The Winnipeg Jets had a rough season in 2015-16. After making the playoffs in 2014-15, the Jets finished with an unimpressive 35-39-8 record, good for 78 points. They finished in last place in the Central Division and owned the seventh-worst record in the league. Winnipeg finished 21st in goals scored and 22nd in goals allowed. Not only that, they committed a lot of penalties and only killed 78.37 percent of those penalties.

That said, the Jets are going to improve in 2016-17. They have far too much talent to not improve. While they still have questionable goaltending, their offense could be among the league’s best in 2016-17. How much better will they be this season?

Offseason Review

Here’s a quick review of what the Winnipeg Jets have done this offseason.

Additions: F Patrik Laine (2016 NHL Draft), C Shawn Matthias (Avalanche), F Quinton Howden (Panthers), D Brian Strait (Islanders)

Losses: None

Retained: C Mark Scheifele, F Adam Lowry, F Joel Armia, C Mathieu Perreault, G Michael Hutchinson

The Jets got mighty lucky, getting the second overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. With that pick, they drafted Patrik Laine from Finland. Laine is a very impressive player who has been dominant during international tournaments. He has been especially impressive during the World Cup of Hockey, giving the United States fits in their exhibition game. Be realistic in your expectations of him, but he’s a very special player.

Shawn Matthias should provide center depth for a team that is already very deep down the middle. Expect him to deployed in the defensive zone, allowing talented centers Bryan Little and Mark Scheifele to play more in the offensive zone. Quinton Howden had 11 points in 58 games last season for the Florida Panthers. He could fit in well on their fourth line, which needs to improve. Brian Strait is a decent depth defenseman.

Extending Scheifele and Perreault ensures that the Jets will be very strong down the middle for the foreseeable future. In a small sample size, Joel Armia and Adam Lowry have both been impressive defensively and could emerge as candidates for their third forward line.

One thing to keep an eye on for the Jets – their goaltending. They currently have three NHL caliber goaltenders on their roster. Ondrej Pavelec is the incumbent starter. Michael Hutchinson and Connor Hellebuyck will each try to prove that they are a part of the Jets’ future.

Player Spotlight: Blake Wheeler

After losing Andrew Ladd, the Winnipeg Jets’ next captain is Blake Wheeler. Wheeler has been with the Jets since they were the Atlanta Thrashers. Since joining the Jets, Wheeler leads all Jets players in points with 329. The Jets have a young core who will be leaning on Wheeler. There is perhaps no better Jets player for their young players to learn from.

Wheeler might be one of the most underrated players in the NHL. He is 16th among forwards in points over the past five years. Wheeler also has a significant impact on possession while playing significant minutes in all situations for the Jets. He already ranks fourth on the franchise scoring list.

While Wheeler isn’t known for his scoring, he has quietly put up three consecutive seasons with at least 20 goals. Had it not been for the lockout shortened 2012-13 season, he’d have four straight seasons with at least 20 goals (19 goals in 48 games in 2012-13).

The best thing about Wheeler is that he leads by example. He has been clutch for the Jets and their best player for quite some time. With him at the helm, the Jets are heading towards brighter days.

2016-17 Outlook

The Jets should be a better team in 2016-17 despite the improvements made across the Central Division. While they might not make the playoffs this season, they likely won’t finish in last place again. Winnipeg will trot out an impressive offense that could be finish around the top 10 in 2016-17, especially with Laine in the mix.

That said, in order to truly contend, the Jets must continue to rebuild their blue line. Keeping Dustin Byfuglien around long-term is just the start. They have to keep Jacob Trouba around long-term as well. Tyler Myers is a solid defenseman, but probably shouldn’t be getting over 22 minutes of ice time a night.

A wise man once said, “if you have three starting goaltenders, you have zero”. The Jets can relate to that. They have to solve their goaltending logjam. Is Hellebuyck ready to handle a starter’s role in the NHL? Where does Michael Hutchinson fit in? That’s an important question that the Jets must answer in order to contend. Their goaltending remains their biggest question mark. If they can solve it, the Jets have a chance to sneak into the playoffs.