Winnipeg Jets 1st Half Report Card: Forwards

Winnipeg Jets Forwards Mid-Term Report Card — 

My grading system is simply based on  “what you see is what you get”.  Not very scientific.  After years of coaching and scouting I just look at the game a little differently than I used to as a fan.My evaluations are based on my experience’s in coaching (15 years), as a  WHL Scout (15 years), a player (15 years), as a Fan (forever) and even as a Fantasy GM (too many years).  I know what I like and what I don’t like in a player and it will probably be much different for every reader and that is great. We all see different things in a player.  Listed below is some of the criteria I used in grading this report card. 

1. The players position and roll in the line-up for each game … example: top  6 forward, PP.

2. The amount of ice time and hard minutes. example: playing against top lines, PK.

3. Expectations from coaches, media, fans etc.

4. Salary, return on investment (ROI).  This may seem unfair and not very popular with the mainstream media but in 1990 the NHLPA decided to introduce salary disclosure.  This was to give the players some negotiating leverage when comparing their salary with comparable players around the league.

This info from a website like CapGeek.com has now opened up the players to public scrutiny from fans and media so now there is no hiding your salary from the fans.  I’ve heard lots of fans on talk radio or social media state they could care less what a player makes.  That’s fine and that is their prerogative but player salaries impact your favorite team greatly.  Over-paying under producing players impacts the teams ability to make trades, sign FA’s etc, so salary should not be taken likely. This report is just another in a long line of different opinions from different sources.  Agree or agree to disagree is fine by me.

Winnipeg Jets Little-2-300x200

Bryan Little has been the 2013-14 Winnipeg Jets most consistent player through 41 games.

Keep in mind the first grade is based strictly what you see on the ice.  The second grade ROI is based on whether I think the player is earning his salary or is team getting the appropriate “bang for their buck”

Under “Salary” you will notice this years salary along with the “cap hit” courtesy of capgeek.com/jets 

The Winnipeg Jets record at the time of this report is 18 – 18 – 5.

 Winnipeg Jets 2013-14 Forwards

mid fwds

The Winnipeg Jets forwards for the first half of the season have been okay.  Some started out slow while others had good starts.  The trend reversed itself a bit at the mid-point of the season.  A couple of the forwards have slowed down a bit while a couple others like Scheifele and Wheeler have elevated their games.  Blake Wheeler has been very good in the 2nd quarter of this season and if the Jets want to push for a playoff spot  they need him “All-In” for the remainder of the season.  The bottom 3-4 forwards are a fail for me.  This team, as it is constructed right now doesn’t have enough top end talent to be make up for the non-existent production from the foot soldiers.  

When a hockey team is on the wrong end of as many one goal hockey games as the Winnipeg Jets, the odd goal from the 4th line could be huge.  This is unacceptable and needs to be addressed this off-season if not sooner.  The only reason James Wright didn’t receive an “F” is because he is a decent penalty killer.

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Comments

  1. Is it possible the coaching staff could be using some players wrong. Would Tangadi be better with Seto and Joke, instead of Thorburn.

    • Mitch Kasprick says

      probably …. I don’t think that Coach Noel ever dresses his optimum line-up. Is Ellerby playing now because he should or because Clitsome is injured. When Stuart came back from injury Ellerby wasn’t the guy that should have be in the press box. I think Noel’s roster management is one of his biggest weaknesses as a coach.

      • I agree, Noel’s game management is incredibly suspect. He recently admitted to a few game mistakes but there have been many more over the course of three seasons. If not for MSM finally asking questions this wouldn’t have been brought to light. Although, many having been talking about it for some time. As for Tangradi, he’s a 4th line/Press Box guy. You have to have the ability to score every once in a while. We have about 5 guys who can’t yet a called up skilled forward sits in press box and not put in a position to help a third line needing some offence. Why? See Commentary on Noel’s roster management.
        Darryl Manchulenko recently posted…Winnipeg Jets 1st Half Report Card: ForwardsMy Profile

  2. Don Middleton says

    Your ratings are extremely brutal! I sure wouldn’t want to work for you. 🙁

    • Mitch Kasprick says

      Fair enough …. but what kind of grades do players on a .500 team receive. Who do you think I really short-changed?

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