Winnipeg Jets 2022-2023 Expectations: Four Players to Watch
Here’s our look at the Winnipeg Jets’ expectations for a few players in this upcoming season who might move the needle in either direction.
As a new season approaches, the yearly set of questions placed on Winnipeg Jets players has begun to ramp up. With each passing year, each player has a certain number of questions that surround them, and this year is no different.
The Winnipeg Jets’ expectations are often a topic of discussion, as the offseasons tend to spawn many debates.
So, let’s look at the Winnipeg Jets’ expectations for a few players in this upcoming season who might move the needle in either direction.
EXPECT MORE FROM…
Cole Perfetti
2021-22 NHL Stats: 18 GP, 2 G, 5 A, 7 PTS
Cole Perfetti will likely get every chance to expand his role on the Winnipeg Jets for the 2022-23 season
Cole Perfetti, 20, gave Jets fans a glimpse of his sheer talent last year in limited action, and given the dealing of Andrew Copp at the deadline last year and the Free Agent departures of Paul Stastny and Zach Sanford, there are several spots available to solidify his spot as a full-time NHLer.
In his eighteen games last season, the 5’11 C/RW played the majority of his minutes on a line with Kyle Connor and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The line showcased the raw skill that Perfetti possesses, and clearly made it difficult for the coaching staff to make a decision regarding his contract status and whether he should remain on the NHL roster. The Connor-Dubois-Perfetti line was dominant at times, and that’s reflected in the stats.
In approximately 146 five-on-five minutes last year, the trio outshot their opponents 154-119 (Natural Stat Trick) and had a 54.2% expected goals percentage, (MoneyPuck) which was good enough for second best on the team and first among forwards. Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo, the Jets’ top defense pairing, led the team with 57%. Expected Goals percentage (xGoals%) is often indicative of how many dangerous chances a line may have, and the Perfetti line impressed.
All that said, the Perfetti experience was cut short, and he was returned to the Manitoba Moose (AHL) for the remainder of his season.
His NHL time, however, showed that placing him with skilled players such as Connor and Dubois only made him more dangerous. Perfetti’s season was cut short due to a lingering upper-body injury, so he’ll be looking to bounce back going into this season. Look for him to have a break-out campaign that should have him in Calder Trophy contention.
HOPEFULLY SEE MORE FROM…
Ville Heinola
2021-22 NHL Stats: 12 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 PTS
Ville Heinola is often a topic of conversation among Jets fans, and it seems safe to assume that he’ll be in the center of those conversations again going into the 2022 season.
Heinola, the Winnipeg Jets’ 20th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, has become a polarizing figure throughout the fanbase since his NHL debut in the fall of 2020. In some circles, he is seen as the Jets’ next best opportunity to ice an impact player on the back end. This is often backed up by his pedigree at other levels, including an impressive stint with the Manitoba Moose this season that had him finish with 26 points in 41 games.
On the other side of this, however, there is a large portion of the fanbase who finds this analysis over-embellished. Citing his size and inability to stick with the big club, there are a lot of people who question if Heinola really is the best option to fill out a questionable defensive group.
With a logjam on the back end, Heinola has his work cut out for him to squeeze his way in. It likely takes a combination of a phenomenal training camp and an injury or two, but there will always be an opening for impact players to push their way in.
With only twenty-five games played over his first three seasons in North America, there are legitimate questions as to his development. An easy answer to these questions, however, can be found by giving him consistent minutes in the NHL this season. Heinola looked comfortable and showed great promise when he was able to play in consecutive games, so the action seems necessary for him to take his next steps.
TEMPER YOUR EXPECTATIONS…
Obviously, there are players to hype up and hope to see more from, but there are also players that generate buzz who might not be ready to deliver at this time.
Logan Stanley
2021-22 NHL Stats: 58 GP, 1 G, 12 A, 13 PTS
Nicknamed “Big Stan,” the 6’7 defenceman now has two NHL seasons under his belt and is often one of the most talked about Jets among the fanbase. Stanley, the Jets’ 18th pick in 2016, is hailed for the stature and grit that he brings to the Jets.
With that said, Stanley struggles mightily with speed and transition. His game can be highly flawed and has hurt the Jets on many occasions, but the size and sandpaper in his game has seemingly insulated him from the same criticisms that are targeted at other players.
Stanley, at this moment, is likely best used in a sheltered third pairing role or as the seventh defenceman and should be viewed as such until he takes some steps.
Jansen Harkins
2021-22 NHL Stats: 77 GP, 7 G, 6 A, 13 PTS
Harkins has bounced around the lineup over the past few seasons, often filling in for players out with injury. There’s no doubt that Harkins is among the hardest working Winnipeg Jets, often sending himself into the offensive zone faster than most people drive, but there hasn’t been a lot else to see.
Some people within the organization and the fanbase seem to believe there’s more to his game than what he’s let on. So far, aside from keeping up, he is often the forgotten winger on his lines when it comes to scoring. Perhaps it’s a positioning or hockey IQ issue, but something just seems to be missing when it comes to moving the puck up ice.
He seems to be destined for a bottom-six role, which isn’t a bad thing to have on a team, but the expectation he takes a step into the top-six seems a bit exaggerated.
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All of these players have something to prove this year, as does the Jets organization. Opening the year with the “Run it Back” mentality and a new coach, the players seem like they have a chip on their shoulders to prove that last year’s season was an outlier, and the playoffs will be a regular occurrence in the Manitoba capital.
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