With Offense Chugging, Surging Winnipeg Jets Should Re-Think Kristian Vesalainen

The Winnipeg Jets were counting on a couple youngsters to seize a spot or two on the roster this season. None of them have really impressed, but with the team getting going, it might be a time to revisit.

The Winnipeg Jets opened the season with their top unproven youngster, Jack Roslovic, and their top prospect, Kristian Vesalainen, in the lineup.

They both recorded an assist, on the same Brandon Tanev goal in the opener. Things haven’t gone ideally since then, for the team or the young guns.

Jack Roslovic is still in the lineup, and has played in fifteen of sixteen team games. And he’s been INVISIBLE. I forgot he was in the lineup until he scored a goal against NJ.

In stretch of thirteen games in between the opener and that goal, Roslovic had zero goals and one assist. Not great! The game against the AHL NJ Devils was great for Maurice and Roslovic.

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He got his highest number of shifts and most ice time of the season, because the Jets had the game in hand and they were able to let him loose without worrying about letting the game slip away.

Roslovic’s goal was a really great shot, too. It was good to see. He played on a line with Nic Petan, who I’m excited to see playing, and Andrew Copp.

In the opener, he played with Vesalainen and Tanev. But now that Petan is up, and I don’t expect Brendan Lemieux back, and the Jets are scoring again….They should bring Vesalainen back.

Look, he’s their best prospect. And I want to see Sami Niku play, but I don’t have the same level of faith in Niku that I do in Vesalainen.

I do not expect Veslainen to come in now, at 19, to be an immediate impact player. But Winnipeg could find some time to give him some NHL experience. I think he can come in and hack it with some talent on his line. The kid has a great shot.

Give him someone that can set him up, and there’s no reason to believe Roslovic can’t, and let him get a few minutes a game.

Even if you don’t give him Roslovic, maybe put him on a line with Adam Lowry and Patrik Laine, if you want to leave Mathieu Perreault on the second line at times.

Paul Maurice did not like what he saw from Vesalainen early on. About eight minutes a game in his first two contests dropped to less than five minutes in the third game, and then just under six minutes in the fourth. In his fifth game, he played seven minutes (in seven shifts!) and was sent to the AHL.

So, past failure in your only NHL shot in one season could be bad for the confidence. Why not call him up and get him his first NHL goal?

But that first five game sample was on the uneven, battling version of the  Winnipeg Jets. A 19 year old who is an offense-first player does not belong on that version of the Winnipeg  Jets.

But on the kind that has Blake Wheeler carrying an offense, and four other guys doing their part during, yeah, I think you can find a place for him, and see what you like this time around.

He’s not going to carry a team, but he can do really impressive things given the chance. Now he can be afforded that chance, more so than they could  offer in the  beginning of the  season.

I want to see his shot in action. I want to see chemistry from him and Roslovic, or anyone else on the team, for that matter. There might be no better time to break him out than now.

I know they’re still clawing back in the standings, but I don’t expect the Jets to get any sort of sizable lead on the Nashville Predators this season. This division race is going down to the wire if the Jets are going to win. They ain’t running away with this one.

Regardless, your offense is hot. Heck, call him up and put him on the PP with Laine and Blake Wheeler, if you want to see what he can do. Not every time, of course, but give him a chance with two of the hottest scorers in hockey right now.

Do I expect this to happen? Nah, but it would be cool. I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t see Veslainen get out of the AHL this season. And that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world!

I’m impatient. I’m told I get it from my father. I want to see him now. But this is his first season in North America, and he played in the NHL before the AHL. It’s okay if he spends the rest of the season there, and even if he spent parts of future seasons there, too. He’s 19! That’s crazy young.

I know Laine came up and dominated then, but he’s a special player. It’s unfair to compare the two. Either way, I’ve got a prospect crush on Veslainen. I love his shot and I love his confidence, and I think both would play on the Winnipeg Jets right now.