Winnipeg Jets: Quick Read Preview for the 2021 Season
The Winnipeg Jets start their 2021 season tonight on home ice against the Calgary Flames. Here’s a quick preview of 2021 for the Jets.
The day is here! Finally, the Winnipeg Jets are back in action this evening to begin their upcoming season. On paper, the Jets are definitely set up to challenge for the Stanley Cup this year. As of right now, the Jets have the talent and depth to be successful in a much different look 2021 season.
This upcoming season will be a season like no other. There is a shortened schedule, new divisions, and free agency and trades have drastically changed the rosters of some teams.
With all that being said, below is a quick Jets preview for their 2021 campaign that kicks off tonight:
The Schedule
This season, each NHL team will play a 56-game schedule against divisional opponents only. That means the Jets will play each Canadian franchise nine or ten times each throughout the campaign.
The season will conclude on May 8, when the Jets take on the Ottawa Senators at home. Throughout the grueling schedule, the Jets will play back-to-back games eight times.
The Division
The Jets will be in the Scotia NHL North Division. This new division is comprised of all the seven Canadian NHL Franchises. Each North team will face every other team in the division nine or ten times throughout the season.
At the end of the season, the top-four teams in the standings from the North will make the playoffs. Here, the number one seed will face off against the number four seed, and the number two seed will take on the number three seed in a best-of-seven series.
The winners of each series will match up against each other in another best-of-seven series to find a winner of the division. The North division champion will be in the Stanley Cup Semifinals with the champions of all of the other three NHL divisions.
The Jets Roster
The Jets made some key acquisitions this offseason including reacquiring Paul Stastny from the Vegas Golden Knights and also signing Derek Forbort and Nate Thompson.
Restricted free agent, Jack Roslovic has yet to report to Winnipeg and may be traded in the very near future, while Anthony Bitetto, Cody Eakin, Seth Griffith, Dmitry Kulikov, Cameron Schilling, and Logan Shaw all have left the Jets as free agents and signed with different franchises.
Each team will have a regular 23-player roster and teams will have a taxi squad containing four to six players throughout the season.
The Jets announced their 23-play opening night roster and taxi squad yesterday afternoon and you can read all about their roster here.
After that announcement, the Jets subsequently signed Trevor Lewis to a one-year contract. Lewis is on Winnipeg’s roster and will be available for selection moving forward.
As of now, the Jets taxi roster will carry two forwards, two defensemen, and one goaltender.
Winnipeg Jets Fans: Which opponent are you most excited to watch the Jets face off against this season? Leave your comments below!