Winnipeg Jets Cup Quest: Move It Cheveldayoff, I Got This.
By Adam Helsel
If you’re anything like me, the novelty of Ovie (and the rest of the Caps) winning the cup has gone from endearing to irksome real quick. Especially after watching the Winnipeg Jets get so close.
It was truly a Ray Bourque moment when Ovie first clutched the cup and we will be seeing it in bumpers for broadcasts until the end of time. The Winnipeg Jets have their chance to do it all over again, though.
But after the luster has figuratively and literally worn off we’re left with a franchise winning it’s first cup that isn’t the Jets. In the spirit of Father’s Day let’s throw away the directions and fix this thing with our own bare hands. I present to you the 2017-2018 Winnipeg Jets season redux via an afternoon in EA Sports’ NHL 18.
PRESEASON:
First thing’s first: Josh Morrissey is the captain now. Sorry Blake Wheeler smell ya later. Serviceable and consistent player but this is my world and last time I checked Wheeler didn’t write write “Reel Around the Fountain”. Also as a matter of fact I’m trading you, Paul Stastny too because he’s always been a boring player to me (how many highlight reels do you see for how players “see the game”?).
Trade #1:
9/12/17
To NSH: RW Wheeler, C Stastny
To WPG: C Nick Bonino, D P.K. Subban
Nice, I like Bonino’s versatility, and who doesn’t want Subban patrolling their blue line? I’m on a roll here, cup in no time. Next I decided to spice up our RW position and dump some cap.
Trade #2:
9/18/17
To CAR: D Tyler Myers, 2019 2nd Round Pick
To WPG: RW Elias Lindstrom
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Regular Season:
The tandem of Dustin Byfuglien and Subban are crushing the opposition as you’d expect. The Jets start the season very strong and don’t lose in regulation until the 9th game of the season. They regularly light the lamp upwards of 5x a game.
It’s always corny to nitpick the netminder but Connor Hellebuyck is kind of stinking it up. With me at the helm, the Jets can put up 8 goals with consistency but also let in 7. Lots of one goal games with 15 goals in them, this may come back later.
Winnipeg stays winning until around February. What better excuse to go nuts on the trade deadline? Before I even proposed a trade the following were sent my way and I accepted.
Trade #3:
To VGK: 2018 5th Rounder
To WPG: 2018 5th Rounder, D Deryk Engelland
Trade #4:
To PHI: LW Brendan Lemeiux, 2019 5th Rounder
To WPG: RW Matt Read
Trade #5:
To PHI: C Jack Roslovic, 2019 1st Rounder, 2019 2nd Rounder
To WPG: RW Wayne Simmonds, D Brandon Manning
Seems like I’ve added some grit. I know this team can score but they need to be able to deal out punishment come playoff time.
The Jets continue their winning ways and miss a Central Division title by a point with a record of 52-22-8 with 112 points. Mark Scheifele lead the team in points with 80 (27 G, 53 A), Patrik Laine lead in goals with 28. Hellebuyck finished 46-19-8 with .914 SV% and a 2.53 GAA.
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Playoffs:
Lines:
Ehlers – Scheifele – Laine
Lindholm – Little – Simmonds
Perrault – Lowry – Connor
Matthais – Bonino – Armia
Byfuglien – Subban
Morrissey – Trouba
Enstrom – Engelland
Hellebyuck
Mason
Round 1: Avs
G1: 7-6 OTW, G2: 6-3W, G3: 6-5 OTL, G4: 7-4 W, G5: 5-1 W
Too many high scoring affairs for my comfort but luckily the Jets were on the right side of them. The main gut check was game 3. Going into the last minute of the 3rd at 4-4 when Winnipeg took the late lead only to give one up and get ousted in the first minute of OT after a bad delay of game penalty.
Round 2: Hawks
G1: 11-4 W, G2: 1-0 OTW, G3: 2-0 W, G4: 4-3 W
This one was stressful for a sweep. Close games outside of the wacky first game.
Round 3: Ducks
G1: 2-1 OTL, G2: 4-2 W, G3: 4-2 L, G4: 5-0 L, G5: 6-4 L
Relatively close series but game 4 was the back breaker and game 5 was gravy for the Ducks. You can’t allow 11 goals in two games and win.
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Conclusion:
I couldn’t get the Jets past the 3rd round either but I felt felt like a real mover and shaker for getting Subban from Nashville. In this fake universe the Pens went on for a threepeat. Which may have been the only thing more annoying than seeing Ovie sing “We Are The Champions” a 5th time out of the cup that now smells worse than Post Malone and can legally be used in a compost.