NHL division previews: 2017-18 Central Division

6th in 2017-18 Central Division – Winnipeg Jets

The Winnipeg Jets are the textbook definition of a bubble team. They have some seriously good offensive talent, a decent defensive corps and improved goaltending from last season with the acquisition of Steve Mason. The question here though is, will Mason be enough for them to challenge for a wild card spot?

The one thing that the Jets don’t have to worry about is scoring goals. Patrik Laine, Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Bryan Little and Nikolaj Ehlers make up a core of forwards that can put the biscuit in the basket with ease. It’s safe to say that Laine could experience some regression, but he looks to be a consistent 30-plus goal scorer.

The defense is where the question mark pops up. Jacob Trouba plays his role well, Dustin Byfuglien will continue to lay crushing hits and let off shots faster than the average car, but what will players like Josh Morrissey, Toby Enstrom, Tyler Myers and Dmitry Kulikov bring to the table? If they can at least not be possession anchors, the Jets could find themselves pushing for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference late into the season.

In what was previously a rather precarious goaltending situation in Winnipeg now looks rather sound. If Mason can perform with a sense of consistency and finally prove he’s a true full-time starter, this may be enough for a playoff appearance. But hoping he plays consistently and the depth defenseman aren’t possession anchors might be asking a bit too much from this team.

Player to watch in 2017-18: Steve Mason. There has been the question throughout his career on just how good Steve Mason really is. Being sheltered, for the most part, by some rather good teams in Philadelphia, this is his chance to prove he can win games for an organization. His Manpower-Adjusted Save Percentage (MASP%) of .9162 from 2014-15 to 2016-17 (via Hockey Abstrat 2017) points to Mason being a solid choice for Winnipeg moving forward.