Trin’s Top Five: Best Personal Seasons In Jets History
By Trin Potratz
This is a weekly series where Trin Potratz (@PotratzHockey) produces a top five list of any subject relating to the Winnipeg Jets. Feel free to write a comment and suggest next week’s top five. This time, we’re selecting the Winnipeg Jets top five prospects.
GROUND RULES
This list is only looking at the best player seasons from the time of relocation from Atlanta. Seasons with the Thrashers will not count, as well as the previous installment of the Winnipeg Jets who moved to Arizona.
Goalies and all skaters were considered.
The rankings are based on personal success and not team success.
TOP FIVE BEST PERSONAL SEASONS
5. RW Blake Wheeler. 2014-15: 79GP 26-35-61, 73PIM, +26 rating
The last time the Jets made the playoffs was in 2014-15 and that was when we started to see the type of player that Blake Wheeler would become. Wheeler had seasons where he put up more points prior to this year, but the 14-15 season saw Wheeler’s game become more rounded. He was solid at both ends of the ice and for what it’s worth, had a +26 rating.
4. RW Patrik Laine. 2016-17: 73GP 36-28-64 26PIM, +7 rating
The lottery balls moved in the Jets favour before the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, and Patrik Laine became Jets property as the second overall pick. Laine exceeded expectations and put up a tremendous 36 goals, making him second to only Auston Matthews in rookie scoring. Had Laine stayed healthy, there’s a good chance he would have outscored Matthews’ 40 goals and 69 points and took home the Calder trophy.
3. LW Andrew Ladd. 2012-13: 48GP 18-28-46, 22PIM, +10 rating
The lockout season was only the second season in Winnipeg since relocating from Atlanta and captain Andrew Ladd had a career year. Ladd had been known as a solid complementary scorer, and never an offensive leader. That changed in the lockout year as Ladd almost scored at a point per game pace. Had he kept up that pace through an 82 games season, Ladd would have shattered his career highs and produced 79 points.
2. RW Blake Wheeler. 2015-16: 82GP 26-52-78, 49PIM, +8 rating
Really, this list could have featured every one of Wheeler’s past five seasons, but his best one came two seasons ago. Wheeler hit a career high in 2015-16 with 78 points. Those 78 points were good enough for 6th in league scoring. There’s a good chance that Wheeler’s performance this season will overtake this list, but his 78-point season set the realistic expectations for this tremendous player. Wheeler solidified himself as elite in 15-16, and that’s why he is here on the list.
C Mark Scheifele. 2016-17: 79GP 32-50-82, 36PIM, +18 rating
Mark Scheifele was the first ever draft pick in Winnipeg Jets (2011-present) history. I remember the day very well. The Jets didn’t even have their current jerseys ready and Scheifele was presented with a generic NHL jersey. He was projected to go in the 20’s late in the first round, but the Jets reached and grabbed him at number seven. Fast forward to present day and Scheifele is a bonafide elite centre in the NHL and the face of the Winnipeg Jets. Scheifele scored 82 points last season, which is the most points ever recorded since the relocation and first player in the franchise since Ilya Kovalchuk did it in 2008-09. The scary thing is that Scheifele is just 24 years old and entering the prime of his career. He may have a higher ceiling.
Do you agree with this list? Feel free to leave your comments below and recreate your own top five list on this subject.
Check out our past top five lists on the links.