Winnipeg Jets: Segment 2 Update

UPDATE: Nov. 19

The Winnipeg Jets 2nd ten game segment –

How many points will it take for the Winnipeg Jets to secure a playoff berth?

2014-15: Winnipeg Jets got the last wildcard position with 99 points. (96 would have been enough)

2013-14: Dallas Stars needed 91 points to get the last wildcard position.

The 2015-16 season’s original article can be read here >>> Winnipeg Jets:  Segment 1

Winnipeg Jets Segment 2

Inexplicably, segment 2 found the Winnipeg Jets feeling the need to revert back into the Claude Noel Winnipeg Jets.  It was quite frightening to watch at times. Not coincidentally, their goaltending suffered along with their loose defensive play.  Poor defensive play, bad goaltending, special teams going in the wrong direction (dropped 3 straight weeks), and only one line scoring are a recipe for disaster.

I think a lot of the Jets problems are on the coaching staff; paralysis by over analysis.  Paul Maurice has decided to implement a more aggressive pinching system that hasn’t worked and left their goaltenders to face far too many breakaways and odd-man rushes.  PoMo has also inexplicably decided to tinker with lines and defence pairings that worked last season as well.  “Keep it simple stupid” and “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” seems to be the sentiment amongst fans and I tend to agree.

There has been some conjecture around town that the lack of contract extension talks for Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien are part of the problem.  I say HOGWASH.  There has also been talk that part of the problem is the Jets have 9 players under the age of 25 and 3 raw rookies.  This may be true but they haven’t been the problem so I say DOUBLE HOGWASH to that.

The bad news:  The Winnipeg Jets second segment was marred by 4 straight road losses to Central Division teams that gave them their worst 10 game segment in the last two seasons.

The scoring from the second, third, and fourth lines dried up in this segment.     

The good news:  Their 3-6-1 record for seven points was only two points worse than 2014-15’s second segment which was their worst.

After struggling to score in most of segment 2, Mark Scheifele and Drew Stafford ended the second segment with 2 goals each versus the Vancouver Canucks.

If you compare this year’s chart to last year’s chart, you will see that at this time last season the Jets were 10-7-3 for 23 points and so far this season they are 9-9-2 for 20 points so as bad as it seemed after their last road trip they are only 3 points off last years record and only 2 points off the 11 point minimum.

This is why some coaches like to break down the schedule into 10 game segments and this is why I do it this way as well.  It really does keep you from getting too high or getting too low.  Now in saying that, you can’t afford to have many poor segments like the last one but in the grand scheme of things the sky actually isn’t falling.

Also, there are no doormats in the Western Conference this season so I believe the point total to make the playoffs will be less than 2014-15 although it could be possible the 6th place team in the Central Division could have more points than the 3rd in the Pacific Division.  Possible but not probable.  

The formula is eleven every ten

It’s simple Winnipeg Jets!  Win every 10 game segment and you’re in.

If the Winnipeg Jets can garner a minimum of eleven points in every ten game segment (on average) and win those two extra games, they should be very close to clinching a playoffs position or at least be in the hunt in the last week of the season.  The team would have 92 points.  Now 92 points might not get you the final playoff position but it should keep you relevant into the last week of the NHL season.  It’s a small conciliation prize but it’s better than being out of it in February isn’t it?

        As of November 19th, 2015

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