The Winnipeg Jets went from a Stanley Cup favorite to not making the playoffs in a very short time. Roster changes and the league's parity getting stronger were two of the reasons for the demise. However, Winnipeg now has some decisions to make for next season's roster based on performances this season and free agency. Who stays and who goes?
The numbers reveal Winnipeg's biggest offensive problem
The stars for the Jets this offseason are not good regardless of how we look at them. There were two positives and they were both at forward. Winnipeg finished the season with a 35-35-12 record, good for 82 points but firmly out of a playoff spot. Winnipeg was 26th in goals for (229), had a power play percentage of 18.5 % success rate, and was 22nd in shots taken per game (26.4).
They found out quickly that they have little to no secondary scoring. Mark Scheifele was the best offensive player with 103 points, followed by Kyle Connor, who had 92 points. Gabriel Vilardi followed that with 69 points. That is quite a drop off. Other players were missing the entire season, not contributing offensively at any point of the season. This entire season proved the Jets need help at forward because Scheifele and Connor can not do it alone.
Winnipeg's defensive play took a major step backward
The Jets' defense, at one time, was good enough to hold their own in a tough Western Conference. Things have changed. Not only has the offense struggled so has the defense, they were 22nd in goals allowed with 256. They were ranked 21st in penalty kill efficiency with a 77.6 % kill rate.
One of the best goaltenders in the league, Connor Hellebuyck, posted a record of 23-23-11 with a 2.86 goals against average and a disappointing save percentage of .895. His backup, Eric Comrie, did not fare much better, posting a record of 12-11-1 with a 3.13 goals against average and a save percentage of .890. for the goaltending to improve, the entire defense and its philosophy need to be upgraded.
Kevin Cheveldayoff faces difficult roster decisions
So what changes does General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff make? Trades are always a possibility but free agency is where he could stand out.
Winnipeg has a projected cap space of $20.188 million that could show upgrades to every position. What should not be expected is an elite player. The Jets and Cheveldayoff would be better served by going out and acquiring players who fit their system and are upgrades over what they have now. They do not need elite players. They have a good, solid team now, that is what works and it has done so in the past. Good, solid defensemen and two-way forwards are what Cheveldayoff might be searching for come this offseason.
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