By Derek Curtis:
The Winnipeg Jets and Expectations –
As the season inches closer each day, each year, the hockey talk around town heats up! Everyone is excited at the possibilities for the team and fueled by their passion. Those expectations are high. Safe to say the so-called “Honeymoon” period is all but over and now fans want results. After all, who doesn’t like winning?
Are these expectations realistic? Probably depends who you ask and how “passionate” they are.
A lot of this years talk seems to center around so-called “plug” players taking up roster spots for young players trying to come up such as seeing Ehlers shifty speed or Petan’s natural offensive IQ. One can’t help but get excited at the possibilities.
Question is are they or any other the young guns ready?
We love to form our opinions but in the end it will come down to who Paul Maurice feels is ready. What are his systems and expectations, and how much pull he or Chevy have versus each other in the final say? We simply are not privy to that information.
Winnipeg Jets Head Coach Paul Maurice photo by Shawn Coates
No coaching job is safe in today’s sports world. That being said, I can’t help but assume Maurice has some consideration towards the future of the organisation having a four-year deal himself, not just winning this year.
Chevy has made some moves that are debatable throughout his tenure here: Toby Enstrom’s big money, no movement deal, Olli Jokinen receiving nine million dollars for two years of service, and more recently the Chris Thorburn deal. I’m sure there are more if you ask around. Passionate fans want the best team on the ice possible and will continue to debate this for many years to come because simply, that’s the nature of a passionate hockey fan.
From the beginning, he and Mark Chipman have stated they want to build a long-term successful organization, not a one and done. You cannot deny Chevy has done a darn good job of setting this team up for the future. He has addressed core players and locked them up long-term, solidified the top nine a little more, while simultaneously stocking the cupboard with good options at the same time.
But is the future already here? Or is the future next year?
Is it gambling with some of our prospects by tossing them in too early? Chasing big names in the market in the off-season just to make a splash? Do we seriously consider trading in our old Chevy ways for something new? Buying that shiny new Ford with the new car smell sounds exciting! Or, stand pat with our Chevy that has kept us on the road, hoping he and Maurice are making the right decisions for now and the future?
Either way, I have enjoyed seeing our prospects and believe we have a bright future in this league regardless of how it all shakes out. Only time will tell.
This organization is trending upward, albeit slowly. We are heading in the right direction if you ask me. No road is guaranteed smooth sailing but, I’m still trusting that Chevy to get us to our destination even if we face bumps in the road along the way. I, for one, am not for a “Fix or Repair Daily” mentality when it comes to this team.
Go Jets Go!
You can follow Derek Curtis on Twitter at ☛ ☛ Follow @WalleyeDboi
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