Fink: Why We Were Wrong About The Jets?

Many people picked the Winnipeg Jets to miss the playoffs and be one of the rebuilding teams. Some predicted them as a wild card team or a good but not great team in the Central Division that would make the playoffs but not much more than that.

Nobody predicted at the start that the Jets would be the best team in the NHL. At 15-1, that’s what they are. They have been dominant with a top-of-the-league offense and defense, making them far and beyond the best team early on. 

The question is why we were wrong about the Jets. What did we miss? There are three themes for how the Jets took over the league this season and explain why they are a remarkable team.

The Jets Depth is Unmatched

The Jets lack the star power that other great teams have. They don’t have Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon, or any of the top players in the NHL. To be fair, Kyle Connor and Connor Hellebuyck are stars but they aren’t superstars. 

This team is built on great depth. They have plenty of great scorers on their later lines, a credit to players like Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iaffalo, and Mason Appleton stepping up. Likewise, the defense is three strong pairings anchored by Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, and Dylan DeMelo. 

The Jets have enough depth to slowly overwhelm any team over the course of a game. They might not win the shift but they will win the period and ultimately, the game. They built this team with the idea that second and third-line players can and will take over games and they have this season.

They Are Built From The Net Out

The rest of the league is shifting towards skill and offense. It’s why most of the money is being invested in skilled players like McDavid and Matthews. Goaltending is being devalued. Not with the Jets.

The Jets have the best goaltender in the NHL with Hellebuyck winning the Vezina Trophy last season and looking like the frontrunner early on this season. He can singlehandedly lead the Jets to victories and he’s done so throughout the season. There are games where the Jets score two goals and the game already feels out of reach because they have Hellebuyck. 

Goaltending has stood out for the Jets but it’s not just the play in the net. They also have a great defense. They can win games by eliminating the opposing offense and then shifting the focus to the offensive end of the ice. They allow 2.13 goals per game and it’s why they are leaps and bounds better than the rest of the league.

The Bet From The Front Office

A theme this offseason has been signing players to extensions before they hit free agency. It’s a move that benefits the front office as they can maintain control of the players and avoid losing them in the offseason for nothing. 

Once in a while, a team will bet on players who head to free agency. They will hope that the player bets on themself and with a great season, they help the team while cashing out in the offseason. That’s what the Florida Panthers did last season and what the Jets are doing. 

Nikolaj Ehlers, one of their top scorers, is a free agent after this season. So is Iaffalo, Mason Appleton, and Neal Pionk. All four skaters are having remarkable seasons and it’s helped the Jets become a dominant team in the process.

The Jets' Path to the Cup

Barring a collapse, the Jets will end up with the best record in the NHL by the end of the season. They only have one loss so far, making it easy to think they will go 80-2 but a realistic finish for them is in the 60 or 65 range where they will still win the Presidents’ Trophy. 

The question is if they can make a Cup run. The Jets haven’t won a title in their franchise history and the road won’t be easy. The Central Division is loaded with star-studded teams, notably the resurgent Minnesota Wild and the Dallas Stars who have reached the Western Conference Final in each of the last two seasons. Likewise, the Western Conference will be tough.

That said, this Jets team is built for a playoff run. They can win with offense or defense and more importantly, they have a goaltender who can carry them. For a fanbases that is eager to see this team win the Stanley Cup, this season is already a blessing but will only get better with each series victory.