When it comes to ranking the players on the Winnipeg Jets, it’s easy for some outlets to miss the mark. And it would even be forgivable. But this time, they got it just right.
The Winnipeg Jets are a tough team to rank. You want to have a tinge of popularity or fame in the rankings, and the team doesn’t work out quite that way.
This is a very good and very deep Winnipeg team, and teams like that are always going to have some players fly under the radar. Oddly enough for the Jets, these are the less-known players.
The best player on the team isn’t Patrik Laine or Connor Hellebuyck or even Dustin Byfuglien. It’s Mark Schiefele. Sportsnet’s list accurately presents him as the best Jet. Blake Wheeler fell in behind him. Those two were ranked 13th and 19th, respectively.
Team must be pretty good if they’re putting out two of the 20 best players in the NHL. The Lightning, Kings, Leafs and Penguins are some of the other teams to do it.
That being said, having two players in the top 20 on top of Dustin Byfuglien, Patrik Laine and a goalie who just set a record, you’re doing okay. Speaking of those three, they’re ranked 38th, 27th and 64th.
Nikolaj Ehlers also makes an appearance at 84th. Six players in the NHL’s top 100? I think that’s pretty good. Must be, considering this team made it to the WCF. Either way, I like the disparity between the rankings and the player popularity.
I know this isn’t the only way to rank player fame, but it’s a pretty good way to find out who’s really popular. This Google Trends search shows that, while he’s the Jets best player, he’s the team’s least searched for.
I guess we shouldn’t take this as scientific, considering some of the most popular searches from this trend are for “Justin Byfuglien” and “Patrik Laine Beard”. What can you do.
I guess I shouldn’t pitch too much of a fit about that last one, considering we talked about this just the other day.
Either way, SN’s list was really good. I didn’t think too much was off with it. I love Evgeni Malkin at 3 right behind Sidney Crosby. Connor McDavid, of course, comes away with the top spot.
Also, I’m sick of this Jonathan Toews garbage. Dude comes in 50th. No. I know he has the Cups and the “Championship Pedigree”, but no. He’s not very good anymore. And he’s heinously overpaid.
His inclusion on this list is borderline offensive and, coming in halfway through, just plain stupid. If you just look at what Toews has done the past few years, it’s nothing. He’s not a number one center. He maybe isn’t even a number two. Without name value, there’s, well, very little value.
It’s an affront to the game that they keep talking about Toews as a great player. Toews had his moment, but it’s all behind him now. This is a “what have you done for me lately” list, and Toews hasn’t done a damn thing lately but soak up payroll space.
Either way, the Winnipeg Jets list is quite good. Sorry for the rant. Maybe next year, guys like Kyle Connor can make the list? Sure hope so.