With things quickly gearing up towards an official announcement on a 2020-21 season, one thing that seems very likely is division realignment with an all-Canadian division being one.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman
confirmed this is likely earlier this week.
Because of travel restrictions between the United States and Canada, the NHL seemingly has no choice providing things remain the same as we flip the calendar into 2021.
The expectation is that teams will play their 56-game slate within in their division as well as the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
So, while we await an official announcement about a 56-game season that is expected to begin on Jan. 13, it’s time to think about what an all-Canadian division would look like and what that would mean for the Jets.
Edmonton Oilers: Jets 2019-20 record- 2-1-0
Going up against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl 7-8 times in a shortened season doesn’t sound like much fun but that’s something the Jets will be forced to do in this realignment. The Oilers are back in 2020-21 with a goalie combination of Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen. A duo that had some major issues in their bubble series with the Blackhawks.
The Oilers are expected to be without defenseman Oscar Klefbom for the entire season thanks to a shoulder injury that may require surgery.
After another disappointing ending to their season last year, the Oilers brought in Tyson Barrie and Dominik Kahun who should improve things in Edmonton, but the Oilers issues in goal are still very much real and could once again be what holds them back in the realigned division.
Ottawa Senators: Jets 2019-20 record: 2-0-0
Likely to be the last place finisher in the division, the Senators are trending in the right direction and could be a tougher opponent than one might expect.
Evgenii Dadonov, Alex Galchenyuk, Matt Murray and Tim Stutzle are all new additions and if Thomas Chabot and Brady Tkachuk can take that next step forward in their development, the Senators could be a surprise in 2021.
With that being said, a short training camp and no exhibition games could be an issue for a Senators team that will be incorporating some new faces into the mix.
Calgary Flames: Jets 2019-20 record: 1-0-0
The Jets and Flames only met once last season prior to their playoff date inside the NHL bubble, with that contest coming in the 2019 Heritage Classic.
While the Jets got the better of the Flames an in entertaining outdoor hockey game, it was the Flames who got the last laugh in the bubble, eliminating the Jets in four games. The Flames did a good job neutralizing what was left of the Jets offense as injuries tore their offensive depth apart in the bubble.
The Flames upgraded their position between the pipes, replacing the departed Cam Talbot with Jacob Markstrom to go along with a returning David Rittich.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Jets 2019-20 record: 1-1-0
Arguably the top team in the newly formed division, the Jets—and others—will have a tough time slowing down the high-powered offense in Toronto.
After failing to win another playoff series in 2019-20, the Leafs mixed things up a bit offensively as Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen no longer call Toronto home. The Leafs instead opted for more size in grit with the additions of Joe Thornton and Wayne Simmonds.
With some speed and skill out the door in Toronto, it will be interesting to see what the Leafs offense looks like. But regardless of how well Simmonds and Thornton perform, the Leafs still have heavy firepower in their top-six and more than enough to win on most nights.
Montreal Canadiens: Jets 2019-20 record: 1-1
I think Montreal was better last year than their record indicated and their performance in the bubble showed that. Despite trading Max Domi in the offseason, you can argue that with the additions of Josh Anderson, Tyler Toffoli and Jake Allen to save some starts from Carey Price, they’re a better team entering the new season.
If anything is to hold the Canadiens back in the upcoming season it may be their defense. The Habs top pair of Shea Weber and Ben Chiarot is very reliable and plays big minutes for them, but after that things get a little dicey.
Of course, having Price helps that lack of blueline depth and with Allen in the mix, a more rested Price could be dangerous to the rest of the division.
Vancouver Canucks: Jets 2019-20 record: 2-0-0
The team I find most intriguing in the division, I don’t really know which way I think the Canucks will go in 2020-21.
The Canucks surprised many with their bubble performance and in a year where many did not expect much from a young Vancouver team.
They’re pretty solid top to bottom depth-wise with young studs like Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. With Thatcher Demko already in the fold after an inspiring playoff run a year ago, the Canucks replaced Markstrom with Braden Holtby to give the Canucks another solid 1A/1B option in net.
How much of a factor this plays remains to be seen, but as Canada’s most west team, the Canucks will log a lot of miles in 2021. Should the league opt for series style matchups similar to what the MLB does, the Canucks could benefit from that; maybe reducing the wear and tear from constant travel.
How does it play out?
Assuming the top four in each division make the playoffs, I have the Jets making the playoffs as the divisions fourth seed.
1) Toronto
2) Edmonton
3) Montreal
4) Winnipeg
5) Vancouver
6) Calgary
7) Ottawa
Winnipeg Jets Blogger • 
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