Winnipeg Jets Playoff Odds And Questions

Are the Winnipeg Jets in or out? –

I recently posted a poll on twitter the night before the Winnipeg Jets took on an Oilers-Flames back-to-back.
A website that tracks all teams had the Jets at having a 24.8% chance at making the playoffs.

If you look here https://t.co/uqRFvPJ9rX #NHLJets have a 24.8% chance of making the playoffs. What do you think?

— Scott Campbell (@NHL_Campbell) December 21, 2015

I’m not surprised by anything I hear or read from Winnipeg Jets fans because there is always a differing opinion no matter what you think. Such is life. Whether it be politics, religion, work, or sports, a good debate is fun and should always be had.

This poll showed me what I already thought. Most fans are resigned to a season of non-playoff hockey. People can rationalize it all they want as “true fans” but they are just going with the percentages and understanding that last year’s team after the trade deadline had talent that they don’t have now and of course we have the tough Central Division the first excuse we usually hear from many out there. Many questions are raised at this point, some of which will follow here.

Questions

1) What happened with systems and the “right way of playing” that provided the Jets with their sound, snug defensive style of play that got them through incredibly tough patches last year?

They looked a lot like the lost souls of the Claude Noel era through a good chunk of the early season. Yes they lost a few good pros but most players in the lineup had been through this before. Newbies Nikolaj Ehlers and Andrew Copp were certainly not the problem.

2) The Winnipeg Jets then seemed to regain their old self, like on the Friday afternoon game against Minnesota where we thought they “were back”. Then they hit valleys and hills. So what up?

Was it because Minny didn’t wake up early enough or was it truly how the Jets can play but they are not really on the same page on a daily basis? Were the Rangers tired on a back-to-back and exhausted on a road trip that went bad? They had been playing poorly for quite a while or are the Jets just not good enough? While I “hope” for all the best answers to be true for the Jets and there are some things to point to that it’s not just a pipe-dream, I’m still making my mind up. Are you?

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3) The top 2 lines have been scoring but it’s not enough. When media talk of “secondary scoring” they also mean “thirdary scoring” (patent pending on thirdary 🙂 ) So again, what up?

With last year’s incumbent third-liner Adam Lowry being sent to the minors after a fourth line demotion, it’s up to Burmistrov, Ehlers and … ahem Thorburn. I’m just a guy that’s happy when the “Mighty Thor” is on our fourth line as our team would be much better when that worked. The Jets need a left-winger that can play with speed and has the hands to complement the offensive abilities of Ehlers and Burmistrov. Where we get that guy is open to opinion of course, whether trade or internally at the moment, or next summer by attracting an Unrestricted Free Agent.

4) Speaking of UFA’s, lets talk Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien. Names both loved and who also scare the crap out of many a Jets fan. Who knows where things sit? That is what we get from TRUE NORTH which boss Mitch refers to as their “Cone of Silence”. How long does it go on and how does this affect the dressing room? That’s without mentioning the swirling Travis Hamonic rumours. Oops.

There are lots more questions but not as many answers. Let’s hope this all works well for the Winnipeg Jets because hopefully the direction of the team becomes clear soon. As far as their 24.8% chance of making the playoffs goes, I’m reminded of the Jim Carey line from the movie “Dumb and Dumber”.