Winnipeg Jets: Three Takeaways from Opening Night Roster

The Winnipeg Jets have just released their 2021 opening night roster. Here are three takeaways from the Jets roster to start their new campaign.

Just a few short hours ago, the Winnipeg Jets announced their opening game roster that will be called into action tomorrow night when the Jets begin their 2021 season against the Calgary Flames on home ice.

The Jets roster features 12 forwards, seven defensemen, two goalies, and two injured players. The full official roster can be found here.  Below are three takeaways from the roster the Jets named today:

3. Room for Two More

When the Jets roster was first announced many people noticed that there were only 21 active players on a 23-man roster, with two players on the long-term injured reserve (LITR). But Why did the Jets do this?

There could be many reasons why the Jets only named 21 players to their first roster, but one logical reason is the Jets may be adding two more players between now and their first game.

One player that the Jets may be adding is Trevor Lewis. Lewis was invited to Jets training camp on a PTO and his performances throughout camp impressed Paul Maurice and the Jets coaching staff. Jets general manager, Kevin Cheveldayoff even said that the Jets will soon be announcing that they have signed Lewis.

Also, Ville Heinola and Cole Perfetti have returned from the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship and were both reassigned to the Manitoba Moose. We may see one or both of these players make the jump to the Jets’ main roster in the very near future.

2. Vesalainen Makes the Squad

There are 23 names on the Jets’ new roster, yet there is only one rookie. Kristian Vesalainen bears the title of being the lone rookie at the start of the season for the 2021 Winnipeg Jets.

Vesalainen was somewhat of a dark horse candidate to make the Jets out of camp. The six-foot-four-inch forward was originally selected in the first round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Jets with their twenty-fourth overall selection.

Vesalainen, who is only twenty-one-years-old, made his NHL debut for the Jets at the start of the 2018-2019 season and appeared in a total of five games before being sent down to the Manitoba Moose. Later in the season, he was loaned to Jokerit who compete in the KHL (Russia).

Last season, Vesalainen played 60 games in the AHL with the Moose. In 60 contests he had 12 goals, 18 assists, 10 penalty minutes, and finished with a -16 plus/minus.

This season could be Vasalainen’s best chance to make an impact with the Jets. He has benefited from Jack Roslovic not reporting to camp and will have a golden opportunity to solidify his spot in the lineup when the season begins.

1. Four Lines of Forwards and No More

As we mentioned above, with the Jets having two players on the LTIR there is still room for more players on the roster. The Jets named12 forwards to their roster, which is the equivalent of four lines. This may scare some fans in case injuries happen or COVID protocols force players to miss games.

This worry should go away for Jets supporters. The Jets taxi squad is filled with great depth that will be a major asset to the Jets. Winnipeg has veteran forward, Mathieu Perreault, and top prospect, David Gustafsson, on their taxi roster.

Both of these players along with Trevor Lewis will give the Jets the much-needed depth they need upfront. This forward group will be a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming campaign.

Winnipeg Jets Fans: What do you think is the biggest takeaway from Winnipeg’s roster? Leave your comments below!

*All Stats Provided by Elite Prospects*