Winnipeg Jets 2015-16 Season Primer

Looking at the Winnipeg Jets heading into this season – outlook, potential lines, roster, top prospects, draft history, stats and season schedule.

2014-15 record: 43-26-13, 99 points (5th in the Central Division, 7^th in the Western Conference, 14th in the league)
2014-15 Outcome: Lost in the first round to Anaheim

Total Cap Hit: $58,864,998
Total Player Salaries: $60,665,000
Cap Space: $12,535,002

Source: General Fanager

In: Andrew MacWilliam, D (FA – Tor), Matt Fraser, LW/RW (FA – Edm)

Out: Jiri Tlusty, LW/RW (FA – NJ), Keaton Ellerby, D (FA-Europe), Will O’Neill, D (FA – Pit), Juho Olkinuora, G (FA-Minors), Eric O’Dell, C (FA – Ott), Michael Frolik, RW (FA – Cgy), Patrick Holland, RW/C (FA-Europe), T.J. Galiardi, W/C (FA-Europe), Julien Brouillette, D (FA-Europe)

Source: Sports Forecaster

Outlook for the Season:

Winnipeg ended last regular season on a high note, bringing playoff hockey back to Manitoba for the first time since 1996. While they were unceremoniously swept by the steamroller that was the Anaheim Ducks, it signaled a resurgence by a team that hadn’t been considered a contender since before its return to Winnipeg.

With that in mind, the Jets decided not to make a splash in the offseason, relying on their talented core, including Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler, to come through for them offensively. The Jets also have one of the deepest prospect pools of any team in the league, and a few new faces will be likely be joining the roster this coming season.

One of them, Alexander Burmistrov, isn’t exactly a stranger to the NHL, having gone 8^th in the 2010 draft back when the Jets were known as the Thrashers. He put up 55 points over three seasons, but signed with his hometown KHL team two years ago and hadn’t looked back – until now. According to a piece on NHL.com, Paul Maurice actively began courting Burmistrov last year, and familiar with his style of play, wants the 23 year old center to fill the hole that Michael Frolik left. The last year Burmistrov was in the NHL, he recorded 1.08 Points/60 and a Corsi For % of 51.52% at even strength (Corsi is a shot based measure of possession). The Jets have slowly evolved into a strong possession team, so Burmistrov may find himself playing catch up with the rest of the squad.

Another forward surrounded by a lot of buzz is Nikolaj Ehlers, 19, who spent last year with the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL. The speedy winger needs to bulk up his 6’0” frame for the Jets training camp, since there are forward spots up for grabs now that guys like Stempniak and Tlusty are free agents.  His numbers with the Mooseheads are impressive – 101 points in 51 games last season and 31 points in 14 playoff games, and was named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team. On a team loaded with size and big hitters, Ehlers’ quickness could prove to be just the weapon the Jets are missing.

The last young gun looking to crack the Jets’ roster is Josh Morrissey, a 20 year old defenseman with the Kelowna Rockets (he was traded midseason from the Prince Albert Raiders). He posted 38 points in 47 regular season games and making it all the way to the Memorial Cup Final. In 2014 he was recalled to the St. John’s Ice Caps, helping them out with 9 points in 20 playoff games on their way to the Calder Cup Final. Morrissey was also extremely impressive in the World Cup Juniors this year, winning gold with Canada and being named to the All-Star First Team. Currently, the Jets have 10 defensemen signed for the 15/16 season, so Morrissey will have to turn in a similarly all-star performance in training camp to make the cut.

Trending Up:

The Winnipeg Defense:  Led by Dustin Byfuglien, the Winnipeg defense was a force to be reckoned with when it was firing on all cylinders, but it was hampered by constant injury. Mark Stuart played the most regular season games with the club – at a grand total of 70.  This season they should be back on track and that should send a shiver up the spine of their Central Division rivals.

Byfuglien and Myers, who was acquired from Buffalo in the trade for Evander Kane, were fearsome offensively, putting up 1.75 and 1.58 Points/60 respectively in all situations. Jacob Trouba proved to be a trusted penalty killer, spending 3.5 minutes per game on the PK, and still managing to post a 50% all situation Corsi For % on the season. With a bevy of options to choose from come game time, the Jets’ defense will keep the rest of the league on their toes.

Trending Down:

Ondrej Pavelec:  Last season, the Jets wrangled fantastic goaltending performances out of two very unlikely sources. The first was Michael Hutchinson, a rookie who could be the real deal. Of the 36 games he started, 21 were wins, and he posted a very respectable 0.914 Save percentage. He also earned two shutouts, and came in 8^th in Calder voting. While it’s likely he’ll put up similar numbers this year, he’s still expected to be the #2 guy in Winnipeg, behind Ondrej Pavelec.

To be frank, while Pavelec’s coming off a career year, with a 0.920 Save percentage and 2.28 GAA, the Czech goaltender has little to no chance of repeating those numbers. Up until last year, his career high Save percentage was 0.914, earned in the 10/11 season with the Thrashers. His career average? 0.908. Expect him to slide back to his old habits next season.

This could mean good things for Hutchinson, in earning a greater number of starts, and with such a stout defense, that GAA should remain fairly low, but it won’t be because of Pavelec. Don’t worry Jets fans, there’s also help waiting in the wings – 2012 draftee, Connor Hellebuyck, was ranked by Corey Pronman as the #5 Goalie Prospect to watch.

Trade Deadline Outlook:

The only thing the Jets really need to make a playoff push is a new Athletic Trainer.

Just kidding!

Sort of.

The Jets system is deep, so while they can reasonably plug any holes made by injury, the frequency of injuries became one of their biggest problems last year, and is what will likely drive any deadline acquisitions. If they’re on the market as buyers, they’ll be doing it out of necessity, not because the organization has a glaring hole coming out of the offseason.

Projected 2015-16 Range: Playoff Chances: Bubble

Written by Carolyn Wilke, who can be found on twitter@Classlicity

Jets: Outlook | Lines and Roster | Top Prospects and Draft History | Stats | Schedule

Potential line combinations, defensive pairings, and goalies.

Andrew Ladd – Bryan Little – Blake Wheeler
Drew Stafford – Mark Scheifele – Alexander Burmistrov
Mathieu Perreault – Adam Lowry – Nikolaj Ehlers
JC Lipon – Andrew Copp – Chris Thorburn
Anthony Peluso – Thomas Raffl

Dustin Byfuglien – Jacob Trouba
Tobias Enstrom – Tyler Myers
Mark Stuart – Ben Chiarot
Paul Postma

Ondrej Pavelec
Michael Hutchinson

Jets: Outlook | Lines and Roster | Top Prospects and Draft History | Stats | Schedule

Some top Winnipeg Jets prospect lists heading into the season.

* Different sites have different guidelines for who is a ‘prospect.’

A look at the Winnipeg Jets drafting from 2010 to 2015.

Jets: Outlook | Lines and Roster | Top Prospects and Draft History | Stats | Schedule

Winnipeg Jets 2014-15 player stats.

Jets: Outlook | Lines and Roster | Top Prospects and Draft History | Stats | Schedule

A look at the Winnipeg Jets 2015-16 schedule.

Jets: Outlook | Lines and Roster | Top Prospects and Draft History | Stats | Schedule