2019-20 Jets Season Preview
The ninth season of NHL hockey in Winnipeg will begin this week but on the road as the Jets visit the Rangers and former teammate Jacob Trouba. The Jets have nearly finished what could be the most tumultuous 12 months in their Winnipeg history. From key injuries, inconsistent play, to roster turnover, to contract holdouts, closed door player meetings, to confessions from the captain, and off-season visits from the coach, the team has never seen this much action. What does it all mean?
It’s complicated.
The Jets management has to put together a team but if anyone had drawn up the team for this season a year ago would they have it looking like this? Gone are prized defenseman Jacob Trouba, trade acquisition Tyler Myers and speedy forward Brandon Tanev. Also gone is Ben Chiarot but what has come in to replace them?
In theory losing the last three should not be a death sentence for a team and a well run organization would have replacements able to step in, the Jets have Neal Pionk and rookie Ville Heinola plus some depth fodder in Bitetto and Beaulieu and the concerning question of ‘where’s Buff?’
The forward problem seemed to resolve itself with the recent signings of Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor so the Jets will ice a top-heavy roster focussed on scoring. What becomes of the bottom six (more complicated with the injury of Bryan Little on Sunday afternoon) is going to be interesting as will their usage. Will it be focussed on the traditional sense of checking and grinding?
Usage is a big issue with the Jets, as many could see that towards the end of last season Paul Maurice clung to his beliefs despite mounting evidence that there was something wrong. The Jets were only starting to trend up once the playoffs started but by then it was too late. Before then there was alleged strife within the room as reported by Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press and Paul Maurice said in his closing press conference that there were ‘some feathers that needed to be unruffled’.
Mike wasn’t wrong but he probably did not know for certain why he was right. After a strange summer with little news about anything the Jet opened training camp without Laine, Connor and Byfuglien. The latter of course was a total shock to the team and management. Buff was in Winnipeg as he did some skating at the Iceplex before the season and then the news dropped. Now after some time and research the issues at hand may be a bit more known, or closer to reality.
Jets fans should expect Byfuglien to make a move soon, either retirement or requesting a trade. The latter is probably more favorable for the Jets but the sooner this decision is made the better. What’s driving this scenario is that there’s a divide but not about things that are overly personal nature but involve people, personalties and perspectives. Buff likes to have fun, he’s social, he’s funny and he’s relaxed and casual and there’s a seriousness within the room now. The younger guys don’t have the same desire for social time and fun as Buff does and there’s an expectation to fall in line with Wheeler’s vision of the team. Buff doesn’t fall in line like that.
He’s not a loner but he has a workplace he likes and this is not it. Coming back before camp, seeing the same scenario again has probably made him think twice about whether he wants to play in Winnipeg or perhaps anywhere. Of course there’s another side to this and that is the one seen by captain Blake Wheeler. Wheeler shared his soul to Sara Orlesky of TSN before camp started and talked about his drive to win, and win at all costs. Those costs being his relationships with his family and perhaps his team mates too. Wheeler likely felt the team was close in 2018 and that he could will it over the edge to make a championship happen and in the process everyone had to fall in line. It became all about winning and that likely affected the environment and atmosphere and sucked the fun out of the game for some.
The Jets are still a talented team but they need help and that help has to come from the coach with sound tactics that address issues that happen on the ice not so much with individual players. It also has to come from leadership starting with Wheeler and now Josh Morrissey who was given an ‘A’ today that would be permanent and Maurice said that if/when Buff does come back they’ll deal with it then.
Whether or not the fate of this team rides with Buff is not the issue here for this season, there are far to many variables to consider when looking at a possible Jets preview. How does the defense play and how does Connor Hellebuyck perform?
Hellebuyck is one name that seems to escape notice and scrutiny, at least so far. He had problems last season and was far beyond the player he was in 2017-18 when he was on a one year deal, and betting on himself. He never pulled his game together as fans expected and without the strong play of back up Laurent Brossoit where would the Jets have finished? This year the pressure is on especially given the suspected downturn in the performance of the blue line.
So where does this leave the team? The blogging and media pundits see a drop where the team will have to ‘perform’ their way to the playoffs. Thus the line sits around 91.5 points would you take the over or under? For the Jets to meet that number they will need some good fortune, for them to exceed it more than a few things will need to go right. The room will have to come together, Dustin Byfuglien needs to be on the team, the defense has to be performing to an average level, Hellebuyck has to raise his game and the forwards have to score more and manage the play against them better. Most importantly the coach has to adapt to his new roster, one that is on paper inferior to last year, and adapt how he manages challenges throughout the season. That’s more than a few things to have to depend on and why I take the under on 91.5 points.
That being said let’s get ready to have some fun and here’s your Jets Bingo Card for the 2019-20 season.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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