Winnipeg Jets: Kyle Connor is Angry With Us For Ignoring Him

The Winnipeg Jets are known for their youth and ability to develop high draft picks. That’s the biggest reason for their current success.  But I think we underestimated one.

The Winnipeg Jets put Kyle Connor on the top line last year, and he had good chemistry with Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele.

The kid was money from start to finish, piling up 31 goals and 26 assists in his first full year.  Most of his scoring came with even strength, too, which is impressive.

And yet he only finished fourth in the Calder voting, which nobody batted an eye at.  And I don’t think they should’ve. But nobody batted an eye at a rookie scoring 31 goals on the top line of a team that would ultimately find themselves in the Western Conference Finals.

And while he scored ten points in those 17 playoff games, he didn’t garner the national attention. That went to Mark Scheifele, who lit up the world. That’s okay.

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Kyle Connor is probably fine to go under the radar. But my job is not to let players skate by. Kyle Connor was mad at me for not speaking more highly of him. I underestimated him.

I only realized this once we did our fantasy draft. I got him in the 19th round. That should not have happened. Why did I get him that late?

I noticed that nobody noticed him. He just kind of slipped through the cracks. He’s not Patrik Laine, or Blake Wheeler, or even Mark Scheifele.

But he was a rookie. And now he’s not. I guess that means he should still be developing? Most 22 year olds are still developing. Yes, I know it’s only been two games into the new NHL season. But Connor already has two goals and an assist.

He scored the only one against the Stars in that pathetic showing the other night. And he added one in the first game, and an assist on the powerplay.

Look, a hot start is usually just that: A hot start. Kyle Connor isn’t going to score 82 goals and have 41 assists. That would be awesome, don’t get me wrong. And oddly enough, it’s not impossible.

It’s obscenely improbable. For Kyle Connor. But hey, he’s just 22. He’s coming off of a solid rookie season. Why shouldn’t he get better? He could aim for 70 points and 35+ goals.

If Scheifele and Wheeler are both distributing the way they can, and Connor keeps scoring, why not 40 goals? Connor could have almost the Michael Grabner statline, ~40 goals, but only a handful of assists. Not as extreme, but hey, it’s the top line of one of the best five offenses in the game.

And if Connor keeps scoring, who knows where his ceiling is. Certainly doesn’t look like it’s 31 goals and 57 points, does it? He just kinda flies under the radar up here.