Winnipeg Jets Need To Find More Offense Next Season
TSN: Hockey Analyst Frankie Corrado joined Jay Onrait last week on SportsCenter to break down the one burning question facing the seven Canadian teams. Moving to the Western Conference, Corrado believes the Winnipeg Jets’ biggest question is whether they can find more offense to complement their great defensive game.
** NHLRumors.com transcriptions
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Jay Onrait: “The Winnipeg Jets had a very quiet offseason as you know, Frankie. Sean Monahan leaves for Columbus. At the same time, Scott Arneil takes over and Scott Arneil was terrific taking over Rick Bowness when Bowness has to leave the bench a couple of times to be with his wife this past season. So Scott Arneil, already familiar with the roster, but with not a lot of changes. What is Arneil thinking right now?”
Frankie Corrado: How can we find a little more offense for this team Jay. One of the best defensive teams in the NHL last year. You take a look at goals against the goals per game, they’re right there near the top of the list with the Florida Panthers like they’re there. Their issue is not defensively now. Offensively, they’re middle of the pack team. And if they can find a little more this year.
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Like, maybe Cole Perfetti getting an expanded role helps find a little more offense. Maybe Gabriel Vilardi being healthy for a full 82 games or close to 82 games finds a little more offense, and maybe Nick Ehlers can take himself from a 25-goal guy to a 30-plus goal guy and, you know, a 60-point guy into that 70 points, 75 point range, all those things are very attainable for those three players and forward group.
So, for the Winnipeg Jets, it’s more about keeping the defensive structure that they had in place, which I don’t think will be an issue for them. But it’s finding a little more offense and that’ll help facilitate things for the Jets this season.”