Winnipeg Jets 2022-23 Central Division Opponent Preview

Let’s take a look at the opponents the Winnipeg Jets will match up with most often

As we enter the 2022-23 season, we can now look at the upcoming season and what it may bring. So, let’s take a look at the opponents the Winnipeg Jets will match up with most often, as many of these teams have transformed their rosters in the offseason. Some teams have improved while others have made significant downgrades.

As we ramp up towards the season, rosters begin to take shape and we can start to figure out what sort of team each Winnipeg Jets’ opponent will ice.

Arizona Coyotes

Last Season Head to Head: Winnipeg Jets win season series 3-1

2021-22 Season

Without sugar-coating it too much, the Coyotes’ 2021-22 season was a nightmare. Not only did they struggle on the ice, but they were also battling off-ice issues regarding their arena situation. There wasn’t a lot of good to pull out of the year, but there are a couple of things to note. Their young core, led by Clayton Keller, produced quite well. It wasn’t nearly enough, but Keller’s team-leading 63 points were one of the few high notes in a terrible year.

The ‘Yotes finished last in the Central Division with a record of 25-50-7.

Offseason

Considering how rough the regular season was, you wouldn’t expect too much of an offseason either. The Coyotes added some additional depth in Zach Kassian and Patrik Nemeth, while also signing Lawson Crouse to a five-year extension. In terms of losses, the biggest loss is most certainly Phil Kessel. The soon-to-be NHL Iron Man tallied 52 points for the Coyotes in 2021-22. Kessel signed with the Golden Knights on a one-year deal.

Oh, and they’re playing in a 5,000-seat arena. That happened during this past offseason too and has become quite the talking point around the league. For the Arizona Coyotes, things somehow look even more grim going into this season.

Projected Lines

Forwards

Nick Schmaltz – Barrett Hayton – Clayton Keller

Lawson Crouse – Travis Boyd – Jack McBain

Nick Ritchie – Nick Bjugstad – Zack Kassian

Andrew Ladd – Nathan Smith – Christian Fischer

Defense

Shayne Gostisbehere – Dysin Mayo

Jakob Chychrun – Troy Stecher

Patrik Nemeth – Josh Brown

Goalies

Karel Vejmelka

Ivan Prosvetov

Strengths and Weaknesses

In terms of strengths, there isn’t much to be confident about when talking about the Coyotes. You can point to the youth as a strength, as they’re starting to make a noticeable impact

There are several things that can be pointed to as weaknesses on this team. Depth, lack of scoring, or shaky defense can all be seen as notable weaknesses. That said, the goaltending just doesn’t seem like it could hold up over an 82-game season.

Chicago Blackhawks

Last Season Head to Head: Winnipeg Jets win season series 2-1

2021-22 Season

The Blackhawks had a tumultuous 2021-22. The team stumbled to start the year, leading to the firing of head coach Jeremy Colliton only 12-games into the season. The team was never able to string together enough games to be competitive and finished second last in the Central Division with a 28-42-12 record.

The season results were somewhat overshadowed, however, as the team front office underwent several changes following the sexual assault investigation of the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks. Many senior officials, including GM Stan Bowman, were removed from their roles as a result. This investigation and ongoing consequences will likely follow the organization for many years.

Offseason

New GM Kyle Davidson went entirely scorched-earth on the roster in the offseason, trading multiple fan favorites. In moves that appear to signal that the team is destined for a high draft pick the Hawks moved on from both Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach via trade. DeBrincat was traded to Ottawa in exchange for a 1st-round pick (#7) and 2nd-round pick (#39) in the 2022 draft, and a 2024 3rd-round pick. Dach was also dealt for two draft picks in the 2022 draft, with Chicago sending Dach to Montreal in exchange for picks 13 and 66.

In terms of additions, they did bring in a few players with a history of impact play. Chicago signed forwards Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou, while also adding goaltender Peter Mrazek in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Projected Lines

Forwards

Philipp Kurashev – Max Domi – Patrick Kane

Andreas Athanasiou – Jonathan Toews – Taylor Raddysh

Tyler Johnson – Lukas Reichel- Colin Blackwell

Boris Katchouk – Sam Lafferty – Mackenzie Entwistle

Defense

Alex Vlasic – Seth Jones

Jack Johnson – Connor Murphy

Riley Stillman – Caleb Jones

Goalies

Petr Mrazek

Alex Stalock

Strengths and Weaknesses

Chicago still carries some great talent on their roster. Patrick Kane is still Patrick Kane, and the younger players are getting their chance to show what they can provide. That in itself can provide a level of entertainment, although the overall product will likely suffer.

Trading arguably your best player and a young, developing talent removes a lot of organizational depth offensively, which could have been the only thing keeping Chicago afloat. Their defense is highly questionable, and the goaltending is likely among the shakiest in the league in terms of track record. They’ll likely be in play for the Connor Bedard sweepstakes, but that looks like it will be the extent of their competitiveness in 2022-23.

Colorado Avalanche

Last Season Head to Head: Colorado Avalanche win season series 3-1

2021-22 Season

Some would say that the Colorado Avalanche had a successful 2021-22. Which they did, of course. The Avs captured the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2001, having one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory. It’s hard to talk about Colorado without mentioning the success of Cale Makar. Makar has become arguably the most electric player in the league, and the hardware he took home confirms this. After winning the Norris Trophy for the league’s top defenseman, Makar went on to win the Conn Smythe trophy, recording 29 points in 20 playoff games. The vote was unanimous. Their team was filled with success stories, and their cup win was a testament to that.

The Avalanche finished 2021-22 with a record of 56-19-7.

Offseason

Despite losing some key players, the Avalanche looked primed for another cup run. They did lose some important pieces in Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky, and Darcy Kuemper, but attempted to fill the holes created by their departures. In goal, the Avalanche acquired Alexander Georgiev from the New York Rangers. Georgiev, the Rangers’ backup for the past couple of seasons, looks to fill a full-time starter’s role for the first time in his career. With the team in front of him, the Avalanche provides him with a great chance to succeed. The Avs also signed Evan Rodrigues, who should fill the hole, in part, that was left by Nazem Kadri in their middle-six.

They also re-signed a few of their own. Nichushkin, Lehkonen, Cogliano, Manson, and Helm all re-upped with the Avs. The most notable, however, is the extension of Nathan McKinnon. McKinnon signed an eight-year extension with Colorado, with an AAV of $12.6 million

Projected Lines

Forwards

Valeri Nichushkin – Nathan McKinnon – Mikko Rantanen

Gabriel Landeskog – Alex Newhook – Artturi Lehkonen

Evan Rodrigues – JT Compher – Logan O’Connor

Andrew Cogliano – Ben Meyers – Darren Helm

Defense

Devon Toews – Cale Makar

Sam Girard – Josh Manson

Bowen Byram – Erik Johnson

Goalies

Alexander Georgiev

Pavel Francouz

Strengths and Weaknesses

The Avalanche are one of those teams where it’s harder to list all the strengths because they have so many of them. Their forward core, even when losing Nazem Kadri and Andre Burakovsky, is among the best in the league. That defensive core is the best in the league, and it isn’t particularly close.

Goaltending is the only thing that could be questionable, as there isn’t a large sample size that supports Georgiev being a consistent starting goalie. That being said, the job becomes slightly easier when you have the best puck-moving defensemen in the entire league.

Dallas Stars

Last Season Head to Head: Dallas Stars win season series 3-1

2021-22 Season

The Dallas Stars went into 2021-22 after a disappointing season the year before. After making the cup final in 2019-20, the Stars missed the playoffs in the following season. In a way, the 2021-22 season was a way of proving that they could still compete. They finished in the first wild-card position, posting a record of 46-30-6. Throughout the regular season, the Stars were led by 37-year-old, Joe Pavelski. Pavelski registered 81 points in 82 games, with 27 goals on the year. Another storyline that emerged was the stunning play of rookie, Jason Robertson. The 22-year-old Robertson tallied 41 goals and 79 points in 74 games as he helped the Stars push for the postseason.

The postseason, however, was short-lived, as they lost in the first round to the Calgary Flames. Goaltender Jake Oettinger was spectacular in the seven-game series, effectively dragging the Stars to a seventh and final game. Despite Oettinger making 64 saves in game seven, they would go on to lose 3-2 in overtime.

Offseason

The Stars made several moves in the offseason that saw well-known players both arrive and depart. Notably, John Klingberg moved on from Dallas, deciding to sign with the Anaheim Ducks. His absence will make a massive impact on the offensive production of the defense, while also opening up spots for new faces to make a good impression. Dallas also moved on from forwards Alexander Radulov and Michael Raffl, both of which shipped off overseas to continue their careers.

Dallas did their fair share of adding as well. When NHL Free Agency opened, they signed forward Mason Marchment. Marchment is coming off a career-best 47 points for Florida last season, and Dallas hopes to capture that production again. They also added defensemen Will Butcher and Colin Miller, looking to shore up their right side. Just before training camp, they also traded for disgruntled Rangers defenseman, Nils Lundkvist. While it’s not known if he’ll be able to find his way into the lineup, he’ll most certainly challenge for a spot going into camp.

Projected Lines

Forwards

Jason Robertson* – Roope Hintz – Joe Pavelski

Jamie Benn – Tyler Seguin – Denis Gurianov

Mason Marchment – Radek Faksa – Luke Glendening

Joel Kiviranta – Jacob Peterson – Marian Studenic

*unsigned

Defense

Ryan Suter – Miro Heiskanen

Esa Lindell – Colin Miller

Thomas Harley – Jani Hakanpaa

Nils Lundkvist

Goalies

Jake Oettinger

Scott Wedgewood

Strengths and Weaknesses

The Stars moved on from Rick Bowness in the offseason, hiring Peter DeBoer as his replacement. With a solid track record, DeBoer looks to get the most out of this roster. Their strength remains on the back end, led by Miro Heiskanen. While questions remain about the hole that Klingberg leaves, they attempted to fill out the right side with free agent pick-ups.

The offensive side of things, however, leaves a lot to be desired. The top-six, and specifically the top line carries the team offensively. With limited options outside the top two lines, the Stars could struggle to put the puck in the net. With Jason Robertson currently unsigned, the offensive game is limited to Joe Pavelski, which is far too much for one player to handle.

Minnesota Wild

Last Season Head to Head: Split 2-2

2021-22 Season

The Minnesota Wild had an exciting season in 2021-22, finishing second in the Central Division with a 53-22-7 record. That being said, they were upset by the St. Louis Blues in the first round, losing in six games. Despite the sudden end to the season, there were many positives to take from the year. Ryan Hartman broke out for 65 points, blasting past his career high of 31 points. With his production, the Wild appear to have solidified an already solid group down the middle. Combine Hartman with Eriksson Ek, then you’re looking at a pretty good 1-2 punch.

On the wings, the Wild thrived with Kirill Kaprizov, Mats Zuccarello, and Kevin Fiala. Kaprizov recorded 47 goals and 108 points on the season, while Fiala also tallied 33 goals and 85 points. Zuccarello, a long-time NHLer, set a new career high in points at 79.

Offseason

Among the moves the Wild made in the offseason, perhaps none were as notable as the departure of Kevin Fiala. Fiala was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for defensive prospect Brock Faber and a first-round pick. The trade market remained hot for the Wild, as they also dealt goaltender Cam Talbot to Ottawa in exchange for another goalie, Filip Gustavsson. The Wild hope that the 24-year-old Gustavsson will benefit from more games played. With Marc-Andre Fleury getting near the end of his career, they need to give him all the rest he needs in order to positively impact the team.

It isn’t necessarily an addition, but Marco Rossi was cleared for action and will most certainly be in play for a roster spot. Rossi was out for an extended period after a battle with COVID-19 that resulted in him being diagnosed with myocarditis, a condition that causes the inflammation of the heart. The condition kept him out for nearly a full year and certainly hindered his development. Now, after spending last season in the AHL, Rossi looks to crack the roster and become the impact player he was drafted to be.

Projected Lines

Forwards

Kirill Kaprizov – Ryan Hartman – Mats Zuccarello

Matthew Boldy – Marco Rossi – Tyson Jost

Marcus Foligno – Joel Eriksson Ek – Jordan Greenway

Connor Dewar – Frederick Gaudreau – Brandon Duhaime

Defense

Jonas Brodin – Matthew Dumba

Jacob Middleton – Jared Spurgeon

Alex Goligoski – Calen Addison

Goalies

Marc-Andre Fleury

Filip Gustavsson

Strengths and Weaknesses

The Wild have always had strength on the back-end, and that remains the case going into 2022-23. An X-factor will be the play of Calen Addison, as he will likely get further chances to gain ice time. Addison, 22, played 15 games with the wild last season, recording four points. His AHL time, however, implies he has more to give. In his 74 total games with the Iowa Wild, he tallied 43 points.

As it has been in the past, the weakness could be the forward core. With the departure of Fiala, can other players step up to fill the void? Outside of the top six, the Wild struggled to provide offense last season.

St. Louis Blues

Last Season Head to Head: Winnipeg Jets win season series 3-0-1

2021-22 Season

It was another productive season for the St. Louis Blues, posting a 49-22-11 record that had them sitting in third in the central. It was a year of breakouts for the Blues, with two players setting new career highs. Robert Thomas, who recently re-signed with the Blues for eight more years, recorded 77 points in 72 games. Jordan Kyrou also hit his stride, tallying 75 points in 74 games. The core group of players contributed consistently, but the goaltending proved troublesome throughout the regular season and playoffs. Jordan Binnington lost the net after having a rough season, with Ville Husso taking over in his place.

Much like the Predators, their season ended at the hands of the eventual cup-champ Avalanche. The Avs did drop two games to the Blues, proving to be a handful, but Colorado wound up winning the series in six games.

Offseason

There weren’t many changes to the roster, but one of the main departures will likely cause some difficulty. Ville Husso, who became a pillar of stability in net for the Blues, was traded to the Red Wings. To counteract the loss, the Blues signed veteran goaltender, Thomas Greiss. Greiss struggled last season when playing for the Detroit Red Wings, and will need to bounce back if St. Louis has any hope of pushing for contention.

The rest of the roster was kept relatively intact, with the hope that the existing core and younger players can keep them in a cup window.

Projected Lines

Forwards

Pavel Buchnevich – Robert Thomas – Vladimir Tarasenko

Brandon Saad – Ryan O’Reilly – Jordan Kyrou

Ivan Barbashev – Brayden Schenn – Logan Brown

Nathan Walker – Noel Acciari – Klim Kostin

Defense

Torey Krug – Justin Faulk

Nick Leddy – Colton Parayko

Niko Mikkola – Robert Bortuzzo

Goalies

Jordan Binnington

Thomas Greiss

Strengths and Weaknesses

The strength of the Blues is how deep their entire roster is. With the breakouts from Kyrou and Thomas, the St. Louis roster becomes that much more dangerous. Their defensive game is solid as well, with several guys who can carry the load of heavy minutes. Even with the loss of Marco Scandella to a hip injury, look for the top-four to do a decent job at protecting the net.

Speaking of the net, that is where the Blues’ biggest weakness lies. Rolling with a tandem of Jordan Binnington and Thomas Greiss, the St. Louis goaltending is shaping up to be a disaster. Even with the solid defensive play, you have two goalies with a below-league average save percentages. The Husso trade may prove costly, as a steady hand in net is needed for the Blues.

Looking Forward

In approaching the 2022-23 season, it’s useful to know what the Winnipeg Jets are up against. In order for them to have a successful year, they need to take care of business against the Coyotes and Blackhawks, while also weathering the storm against the teams slated to finish at the top of the division. The real value games come against teams such as Dallas and Nashville, as those just might be the teams who the Jets could be battling with for the final playoff spot at the end of the season.