Winnipeg Jets: Three Players Who Will Have a Bounce Back Season
The Winnipeg Jets had some players last year who struggled for various reasons. Here are three players who are primed to have a bounce back season.
At some point in every player’s career they are likely to have a down year. This can be the result of injuries, overall team struggles, or the unavoidable decline that comes with advancing age. Some of these players were on the Winnipeg Jets roster last season, while others were brought to Winnipeg in free agency.
Signing a player who struggled in the year prior does have its advantages. Teams are able to sign the struggling player for a smaller average annual value and if the player performs well it is considered a great signing.
Also, in every season players rebound from a sub par year. You can call it a comeback, bounce back, or even getting back to normal.
Here are three Winnipeg Jets that I predict are primed to be much better this season, and the reasons why they will bounce back in 2021.
Derek Forbort
Injuries limited Derek Forbort to 20 regular games last season split between the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames, to whom he was traded in February 2020. Jets fans had the opportunity to see Forbort first hand as a member of the Flames during the play-in series last August.
In that series against the Jets Forbort made the lives of several Jets forwards difficult with the type of physical play he demonstrated when he was with the LA Kings paired with Drew Doughty.
By all accounts Forbort has completely healed from his injuries last season. He is also on a one year “prove it” type contract, and is the favorite to slot into the Jets second defense pairing with fellow Duluth, Minnesota native Neal Pionk.
I think Pionk will be the perfect partner for the physical, stay-at-home style that Forbort plays. I predict Forbort will be better than many fans expect and a bargain at a salary of $1 million for one season.
Mathieu Perreault
Mathieu Perreault is entering the final year of his contract with the Jets. For the past two seasons he has not lived up to his $4.1 million annual salary in terms of production, partly due to injuries, partly due to an overall decline in his play.
It’s unlikely that Perreault will re-sign with the Jets as UFA, and almost guaranteed that he will not receive any contract offers near what he currently earns. Perreault will have tough competition to even earn a spot in the bottom six forwards for the Jets this season.
I predict that the combination of his Jets career coming to an end, and the competition for a spot on the roster will motivate Perreault to produce at a rate closer to his 2018-19 season where he scored 30 points.
Josh Morrissey
Josh Morrissey signed a seven year contract extension last season at an average salary of $6.25 million, which makes him the highest paid Jets defenseman. He earned that contract with his exceptional play beside former Jet Jacob Trouba. Together they were one of the best young top defense pairs in the NHL.
Unfortunately for Morrissey his play regressed last season mostly due to the Jets overall defense regression, as they lost four of their top defensemen from the previous season due to free agency, trades and mystery absences (hello Dustin Byfuglien).
Morrissey’s play improved immensely when paired with Dylan DeMelo who the Jets acquired from the Ottawa Senators. The Jets wisely signed DeMelo to a three year contract cementing a true top pairing on defense for the Jets.
I predict that with a full season paired with DeMelo, we will see Morrissey play closer to the level he was at in 2018-19 – a borderline all star with improved offense and with a bit of an edge.
Winnipeg Jets Fans: Which players do you think will have the biggest comeback season? Leave your comments below!
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