The Winnipeg Jets have already lost one bottom-six forward from their 2021 roster to free agency (Nate Thompson) and two others (Trevor Lewis and Mathieu Perreault) are currently unrestricted free agents.
Then you add the fact that the Jets front office is in a cap crunch of their own considering they lost a substantial amount of cap room when they acquired Nate Schmidt and Brenden Dillon in trades. There is only $7,715,355 of cap space for the Jets to make signings.
Winnipeg’s defense depth chart looks set for the upcoming 2021-2022 season, but they look thin on forward. If you add Luke Johnson to the Jets’ current depth chart, the Jets only have nine forwards on their current roster with the only returning player from their bottom-two lines is Adam Lowry.
With the limited cap space, it looks like the Jets will have to fill most of their bottom-six roles with players already in their organization and there is one player that looks like a great fit on either the Jets’ third or fourth line next season.
Jansen Harkins looks set for a full-time role with the Winnipeg Jets this upcoming season
The twenty-four-year-old Harkins was on the taxi squad for most of the 2021 season and appeared in just less than half of the Jets games. During those 26 games, Harkins played primarily on the fourth line and scored one goal, had one assist, and finished with a minus-two plus/minus.
Harkins impressed many during his rookie season in 2019-2020. He started the year with the Manitoba Moose and after an outstanding run of performances, he earned a call-up to the Jets and ultimately was named to their postseason roster.
The centerman can be the perfect depth player for the Jets. He will provide Winnipeg’s bottom-six with much-needed size and he is a smart player with a good “hockey IQ.”
Harkin’s situation can be similar to what happened to Mason Appleton last season. Appleton went from playing half of Winnipeg’s games in his first two seasons to featuring in all of the Jets games in 2021 and had an absolutely outstanding campaign. This led him to be picked by the Seattle Kraken in their expansion draft.
Expect Harkins to make the jump to be a mainstay in the Jets’ lineup and to be a crucial figure on the Jets’ bottom two lines when the season begins in October.
Winnipeg Jets Fans: What line do you think Jansen Harkins will be on during the upcoming season for the Winnipeg Jets? Leave your comments below!
*All Stats Provided by the NHL*