Winnipeg Jets 2014-15 Season Primer

The Winnipeg Jets are the final team in the Central division in our season primer series. There was lots of speculation this summer about Evander Kane’s future, but he’ll be with the team heading into training camp.

Use the below Tabs to view Jets info for this upcoming season, as well as some numbers from last year.

2013-14 Record: 37-35-10, 84 points
Where they finished: 7th in the Central; 11th in the Western Conference; 22nd in the NHL

Player Salaries: $61,867,500
Cap Payroll: $61,077024
Bonuses: $1,633,333
Bonus Overages: $235,000
Cap Space: $7,922,976
Forwards: $37.78 million (14)
Defensemen: $18.59 million (8)
Goalies: $4.47 million (2)
Source: CapGeek.com

In: Julien Brouillette D, Mathieu Perreault C, T.J. Galiardi W/C, Will O’Neill D

Out: Al Montoya G, Andrew Gordon RW, Devin Setoguchi RW, Edward Pasquale G, Jerome Samson RW, Jordan Samuels-Thomas LW, Olli Jokinen C, Zach Redmond D

2014-15 Team Outlook:

The Winnipeg Jets surprisingly stayed afloat in the Western Conference race for much of the season last year, but things went downhill after Mark Scheifele was lost for the season.

Jets GM Kevin Chevyldayoff elected to stand pat rather than try and add depth down the middle to help replace Scheifele’s production, and that backfired as the Jets fell out of the race and slid down the standings.

Ondrej Pavalec has posted a below average save percentage every year he’s been in the league, so he seemed like a prime candidate to use a compliance buyout on; especially given the amount of quality goaltenders available this summer. Chevyldayoff elected to stand pat, though, and will head into the season with Pavelec as the team’s No. 1 goaltender.

Winnipeg let Olli Jokinen go and brought in Mathieu Perreault to replace him, who I think is an upgrade for the team, but really didn’t do much else to improve the team.

The only other addition they made to the team was signing T.J. Galiardi, who I think could be a nice depth player, but that’s hardly enough to propel an 11th seed into the top-8 of an extremely tough conference.

I think Winnipeg has more talent than most give them credit for, but with Ondrej Pavalec in goal and some depth issues, I don’t think they’ll make the playoffs.

Written by Todd Cordell, who can be found on twitter @ToddCordell.

The depth chart listed below was taken from NHL.com’s 30-in-30. 

FORWARDS
Andrew Ladd – Bryan Little – Michael Frolik
Evander Kane – Mark Scheifele – Blake Wheeler
Carl Klingberg – Mathieu Perreault – Dustin Byfuglien
Eric Tangradi – Jim Slater – Matt Halischuk
TJ Galiardi – Chris Thorburn

DEFENSEMEN
Tobias Enstrom – Zach Bogosian
Mark Stuart – Jacob Trouba
Adam Pardy – Paul Postma
Grant Clitsome

GOALTENDERS
Ondrej Pavelec
Michael Hutchinson

Forwards POS HT WT DOB BIRTH PLACE
Dustin Byfuglien R 6′ 5″ 265 27-Mar-85 MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA
Michael Frolik R 6′ 1″ 198 17-Feb-88 KLADNO, CZE
Tj Galiardi L 6′ 2″ 195 22-Apr-88 CALGARY, AB, CAN
Matt Halischuk R 5′ 11″ 187 1-Jun-88 TORONTO, ON, CAN
Evander Kane L 6′ 2″ 195 2-Aug-91 VANCOUVER, BC, CAN
Andrew Ladd L 6′ 3″ 205 12-Dec-85 MAPLE RIDGE, BC, CAN
Bryan Little C 5′ 11″ 185 12-Nov-87 EDMONTON, AB, CAN
Anthony Peluso R 6′ 3″ 235 18-Apr-89 NORTH YORK, ON, CAN
Mathieu Perreault C 5′ 10″ 185 5-Jan-88 DRUMMONDVILLE, QC, CAN
Mark Scheifele C 6′ 2″ 195 15-Mar-93 KITCHENER, ON, CAN
Jim Slater C 6′ 0″ 200 9-Dec-82 LAPEER, MI, USA
Eric Tangradi L 6′ 4″ 221 10-Feb-89 PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA
Chris Thorburn R 6′ 3″ 230 3-Jun-83 SAULT STE. MARIE, ON, CAN
Blake Wheeler R 6′ 5″ 205 31-Aug-86 ROBBINSDALE, MN, USA
Defencemen HT WT AGE DOB BIRTH PLACE
Zach Bogosian 6′ 3″ 215 24 15-Jul-90 MASSENA, NY, USA
Grant Clitsome 5′ 11″ 215 29 14-Apr-85 GLOUCESTER, ON, CAN
Keaton Ellerby 6′ 5″ 220 25 5-Nov-88 STRATHMORE, AB, CAN
Tobias Enstrom 5′ 10″ 180 29 5-Nov-84 NORDINGRA, SWE
Adam Pardy 6′ 4″ 220 30 29-Mar-84 BONAVISTA, NL, CAN
Paul Postma 6′ 3″ 195 25 22-Feb-89 RED DEER, AB, CAN
Mark Stuart 6′ 2″ 213 30 27-Apr-84 ROCHESTER, MN, USA
Jacob Trouba 6′ 2″ 187 20 26-Feb-94 ROCHESTER, MI, USA
Goalies HT WT AGE DOB BIRTH PLACE
Michael Hutchinson 6′ 3″ 202 24 2-Mar-90 BARRIE, ON, CAN
Ondrej Pavelec 6′ 3″ 220 26 31-Aug-87 KLADNO, CZE

A look at the Winnipeg Jets top prospects heading into this season. Each source may use different classifications as to if a player is deemed a prospect or has graduated on from a prospect.

Rk NHL.com ESPN
Corey Pronman
Dobber Prospects The Hockey News
1 Josh Morrissey Nikolaj Ehlers Nic Petan Nikolaj Ehlers
2 Adam Lowry Josh Morrissey Nikolaj Ehlers Josh Morrissey
3 Nikolaj Ehlers Nic Petan Josh Morrissey Nic Petan
4 Michael Hutchinson Andrew Copp Eric Comrie Eric Comrie
5 Ben Chiarot Connor Hellebuyck Adam Lowry Adam Lowry
6 Nic Petan Scott Kosmachuk Eric O’Dell Andrew Copp
7 Connor Hellebuyck Adam Lowry Andrew Copp Connor Hellebuyck
8 J.C. Lipon Jack Glover Scott Kosmachuk Jack Glover
9 Scott Kosmachuk Eric Comrie Brenden Kichton Julian Melchiori
10 Eric Comrie Brenden Kichton J.C. Lipon Scott Kosmachuk

* Dobber Prospects – Prospects based on relevance in a fantasy-hockey keeper league, not actual talent on the ice.

Winnipeg Jets Draft History from the past five years

2014 Draft
Rd. Draft # Player Pos. Team Ht. Wt.
1 9 Nikolaj Ehlers LW Halifax (QMJHL) 5’11” 165
3 69 Jack Glover D USA U-18 6′ 3″ 190
4 99 Chase De Leo C Portland (WHL) 5′ 9″ 178
4 101 Nelson Nogier D Saskatoon (WHL) 6′ 2″ 191
5 129 Clinston Franklin LW Sioux Falls (USHL) 5′ 11″ 190
6 159 Steven Spinner RW Eden Prairie HS (MN) 5′ 11″ 196
7 192 Matt Ustaski C/LW Langley (BCHL) 6′ 5″ 221
2013 Draft
1 13 Josh Morrissey D Prince Albert (WHL) 6′ 0″ 185
2 43 Nicolas Petan C Portland (WHL) 5′ 9″ 165
2 59 Eric Comrie G Tri-City (USHL) 6′ 0″ 175
3 84 Jimmy Lodge C Sawinaw (OHL) 6′ 1″ 154
3 91 JC Lipon RW Kamloops (WHL ) 6′ 0″ 180
4 104 Andrew Copp C U Of Michigan (CCHA ) 6′ 0″ 188
4 114 Jan Kostalek D Sparta Praha (CZE) 6′ 0″ 176
5 127 Tucker Poolman D Omaha (USHL) 6′ 2″ 200
7 190 Brenden Kichton D Spokane (WHL) 5′ 10″ 175
7 194 Marcus Karlstrom D Aik U18 (SWE-JR. U18 ) 6′ 2″ 181
2012 Draft
1 9 Jacob Trouba D USA U-18 6′ 1″ 185
2 39 Lukas Sutter C Saskatoon (WHL) 6′ 0″ 207
3 70 Scott Kosmachuk RW Guelph (OHL) 5’11” 185
5 130 Connor Hellebuyck G Odessa (NAHL) 6′ 4″ 185
6 160 Ryan Olsen C Saskatoon (WHL) 6′ 2″ 187
7 190 Jamie Phillips G Toronto Jr (OJHL) 6′ 1″ 180
2011 Draft
1 7 Mark Scheifele C Barrie (OHL) 6′ 2″ 182
3 67 Adam Lowry LW Swift Current (WHL) 6′ 2″ 163
3 78 Brennan Serville D Stouffville (OJHL) 6′ 2″ 185
4 119 Zachary Yuen D Tri-City (WHL) 6′ 0″ 205
5 149 Austen Brassard RW Belleville (OHL) 6′ 2″ 190
6 157 Jason Kasdorf G Portage (MJHL) 6′ 3″ 180
7 187 Aaron Harstad D Green Bay (USHL) 6′ 2″ 200
2010 Draft – Atlanta Thrashers
1 8 Alex Burmistrov C Barrie (OHL) 6′ 0″ 170
3 87 Julian Melchiori D Newmarket 6′ 3″ 186
4 101 Ivan Telegin C SAGINAW 6′ 2″ 194
5 128 Fredrik Pettersson-Wentzel G Almtuna 6′ 1″ 169
5 150 Yasin Cisse F Des Moines 6′ 3″ 210
6 155 Kendall McFaull D Moose Jaw 6′ 2″ 187
6 160 Tanner Lane F Detroit Lakes 6′ 2″ 172
6 169 Sebastian Owuya D Timra Jr. 6′ 3″ 194
7 199 Peter Stoykewych D Winnipeg South 6′ 2″ 188
Player GP G A P +/- PIM PP SH GW S S%
Blake Wheeler 82 28 41 69 4 63 8 0 4 225 12.4
Bryan Little 82 23 41 64 8 58 8 2 1 170 13.5
Dustin Byfuglien 78 20 36 56 -20 86 8 0 1 256 7.8
Andrew Ladd 78 23 31 54 8 57 4 0 2 189 12.2
Olli Jokinen 82 18 25 43 -8 62 2 0 1 171 10.5
Michael Frolik 81 15 27 42 8 12 1 0 2 189 7.9
Evander Kane 63 19 22 41 -7 66 1 2 4 250 7.6
Mark Scheifele 63 13 21 34 9 14 1 0 2 100 13
Tobias Enstrom 82 10 20 30 -9 56 4 0 3 106 9.4
Jacob Trouba 65 10 19 29 4 43 0 1 1 121 8.3
Devin Setoguchi 75 11 16 27 -7 22 2 0 3 129 8.5
Mark Stuart 69 2 11 13 11 101 0 0 0 73 2.7
Grant Clitsome 32 2 10 12 -5 18 0 0 0 42 4.8
Chris Thorburn 55 2 9 11 0 65 0 0 1 26 7.7
Zach Bogosian 55 3 8 11 3 48 0 0 0 134 2.2
Matt Halischuk 46 5 5 10 -3 6 0 0 1 56 8.9
Eric O’Dell 30 3 4 7 -2 10 0 0 1 17 17.6
Adam Pardy 60 0 6 6 4 38 0 0 0 47 0
Eric Tangradi 55 3 3 6 -6 21 0 0 0 52 5.8
Keaton Ellerby 51 2 4 6 4 2 1 0 1 33 6.1
Anthony Peluso 53 2 3 5 -5 65 0 0 0 24 8.3
Paul Postma 20 1 2 3 1 8 0 0 1 19 5.3
Patrice Cormier 9 0 3 3 2 7 0 0 0 4 0
Zach Redmond 10 1 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 10 10
Jim Slater 27 1 1 2 -5 8 0 0 0 24 4.2
James Wright 59 0 2 2 -3 15 0 0 0 41 0
John Albert 9 1 0 1 -3 0 0 0 0 5 20
Carl Klingberg 3 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 3 33.3
Ben Chiarot 1 0 0 0 -3 0 0 0 0 0 0
Julian Melchiori 1 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Goalie GPI GS MIN GAA W L OT SO SA GA SV%
Ondrej Pavelec 57 57 3248 3.01 22 26 7 1 1644 163 0.901
Al Montoya 28 22 1541 2.30 13 8 3 2 737 59 0.920
Michael Hutchinson 3 3 183 1.64 2 1 0 0 88 5 0.943

Performance and Usage Charts for the Winnipeg Jets from last season, from Extra Skater.

Winnipeg Jets 2013-2014 cumulative 5v5 close FF

Winnipeg Jets 2013-2014 game-by-game 5v5 close FF

Winnipeg Jets 2013-2014 rolling 10-game 5v5 close FF

Winnipeg Jets 2013-2014 rolling 10-game 5v5 PDO

Winnipeg Jets 2013-2014 player usage