Winnipeg Jets: Three Bold Predictions This Season
The Winnipeg Jets return to regular season action on January 14, 2020! Here are three bold predictions for the upcoming season.
The Winnipeg Jets open their season at home against the team that eliminated them last August in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers, the Calgary Flames. At the end of every season we always look back and are surprised by some of the outcomes.
Given all of the unique and challenging factors to the upcoming season such as a shorter schedule, the impact of COVID-19, and the upcoming Seattle Kraken expansion draft, 2021 is shaping up to be unprecedented in terms of surprises.
When the regular season ends in May 2021, here are three bold predictions I have for the Jets:
3. Cole Perfetti will be the Jets most impactful rookie
Thanks to NHL teams being allowed to have four to six player taxi squads this season to minimize the impact of players missing games due to COVID-19, Cole Perfetti, and other rookies have a higher chance of sticking with the Jets.
Defensemen Dylan Samberg and Ville Heinola are front runners to step into Jets the lineup on defense and both may end up playing more games than Perfetti. However, in the games that Perfetti plays, I predict that he has a greater impact than any other Jets rookies.
Perfetti could see some playing time in the bottom six forwards slotting in for the often injured Mathieu Perreault, for the possibly traded Jack Roslovic, or to add some offensive punch when needed in place of journeyman Nate Thompson.
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Perfetti may even see some time in the top six forwards this season depending on injuries or if players are missing games due to medical protocols or diagnosis.
I predict that while Perfetti will need time to develop into a top six NHL player, the assets that he already possesses such as hockey IQ, vision, speed will immediately pay dividends at the NHL level.
2. The Jets Will Trade Andrew Copp This Season
Andrew Copp is in a mix of players that could be left unprotected by the Jets in the expansion draft and would likely be of interest to the Kraken as a second or third line center. As we learned from the Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft, NHL teams will try to make deals before the draft to get a return on players likely to lose.
Copp went to salary arbitration with the Jets in 2019 and will be due for another raise in salary when his contract expires at the end of this season. According to The Athletic, History does not favor players who have gone to salary arbitration staying with their teams long term (Subscription required).
General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff may be wise to consider protecting younger, cheaper players like Jansen Harkins or Mason Appleton rather than overpay Copp who is valuable and versatile but is a bottom six forward on the Jets.
I also think that the Jets will re-sign Adam Lowry over Andrew Copp as he brings a level of physical play that no other forward presently on the Jets does.
1. Winnipeg Jets will finish third in the North Division
The North Division will be very close in terms of standings. Most experts are predicting the Toronto Maple Leafs as the favorite to win the division and the Ottawa Senators as likely the last place team.
In between the Leafs and Senators, the teams are very evenly matched, and there is a very small margin for error considering the shorter regular season. Most experts have the Jets finishing fifth or sixth in the division for pointing to their defense as a major concern.
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While the Jets defense is not the best in the division, it will be much improved this season with Dylan DeMelo for a full season, as well as the addition of veteran Derek Forbort, and one or both of Ville Heinola or Dylan Samberg contributing.
The Jets also have possibly the best overall top six forwards in the division other than Maple Leafs. Add to that Vezina trophy winning goalie Connor Hellebuyck who is entering his prime, a much improved second and third line, better overall depth, and it leads to the Jets surprising some of the experts this season.
I predict that Toronto will finish first, Edmonton Oilers second, and the Jets a solid third place in the North.
Winnipeg Jets Fans: Which bold predictions do you agree or disagree with? Leave your comments below!
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