Winnipeg Jets: 2016-17 Segment 2 Update

The Winnipeg Jets 2nd ten game segment –

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

In 2013-14 the Dallas Starts needed 91 points to secure the last wildcard position.

In 2014-15 the Calgary Flames needed 97 points to secure the last wildcard position.

In 2015-16 the Minnesota Wild need 87 points to secure the last wildcard position.

I think that 88-92 points should do it this year and once again it will more than likely not be decided until the final weekend of the regular season.  

The 2016-17 season’s original article can be read here >>> Winnipeg Jets: Segment 1

Winnipeg Jets Segment 2

After an underwhelming 4-6-0 first segment the Winnipeg Jets rebounded with a solid 5-3-2 second segment.  In spite of mounting injuries and a brutal schedule the team has managed to play some exciting hockey.  The highlight of this 10-game segment was the 4-0 shutout over the Chicago Blackhawks.

The good news:

  • The Winnipeg Jets are getting very good offensive production from Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers.  The long-awaited emergence of Nic Petan as a top six forward has been a nice surprise. Although most thought this could happen, we were all starting to wonder when?
  • Dustin Byfuglien finally scored his first goal of the season.  Toby Enstrom is shooting the puck a lot so far this season and is engaging in the offense.  Josh Morrissey scored his first NHL goal and is showing why he was a first-round pick. Josh is also showing some Jets fans the physical part of his game. 

BUT  

  • The biggest news was Jacob Trouba signing a two-year bridge deal.  After a couple of practices with his teammates, Jake jumped right back into the lineup and didn’t skip a beat.  He looked real comfortable almost immediately.
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The bad news:

  • The Winnipeg Jets will still be without Bryan Little, Tyler Myers, and Mathieu Perreault for a couple more weeks. 
  • The Winnipeg Jets can’t win a key face-off to save their lives and despite what the analytics community will say, they are important.  The Jets are dead last in face-offs in the NHL.
  • The goaltending is still a little inconsistent.  Connor Hellebuyck is starting to play a lot better BUT neither goalie is quite at the top of their game yet.  For some inexplicable reason, they both have been giving up one stinker per game.   
  • After five years of Ondrej Pavelec, most Winnipeg Jets fans seem to be giving this tandem the benefit of the doubt, for now. 
  • In the Jets next 10-game segment they play 5 at home and 5 on the road.

Is it too early to talk about playoffs? 

A lot of hockey pundits like to use the NHL standings at U.S. Thanksgiving mark as an indication “potential” playoff positions.  U.S. Thanksgiving happens in Segment 3 and the Winnipeg Jets are actually in a playoff position but they have also played the most games so the standings are a little skewed.  The teams in the Western Conference and especially in the Central Division are off to slower than expected starts.  At the 20-game mark, nobody is really out of contention.

There seems to have been a bit of a shift in the strength of the Eastern Conference so maybe Western Conference teams will have fewer gravy points coming their way and maybe points in the mid-80’s could be good enough for a playoff spot.  Stay tuned.

        As of November 19, 2016

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