Five takes: Jets lose to Flames

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/03/2016 (3491 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Five takes the morning after watching the Winnipeg Jets crash and burn in Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to the Flames in Calgary:

1. We now return to your regularly-scheduled Jets programming…

A couple of nights after thoroughly dominating the Vancouver Canucks in B.C., the Jets started well in Calgary before being blow-torched later in the first and dropping to a Flames squad that entered the game with the exact same record and the exact same dominant season storyline of disappointment after last season’s playoff push.

The result, coupled with Edmonton’s 6-4 win over St. Louis, left the Jets tied with the Oilers for second last in the National Hockey League with 63 points (Edmonton has played three more games). Only Toronto, with 59 points and on a two-game win streak, is lower in the overall standings.

Just to put the Jets’ points dropoff in perspective, even if they won out this season and racked up 12 straight wins — yeah, right — they would finish with 87 points. That would still be 12 points shy of last year’s franchise record of 99.

Check out the math here: http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Western/Central/Winnipeg.html

2. A couple of numbers from Wednesday’s loss before we put the thing to bed and move on:

• Mark Scheifele had his eight-game point streak snapped against the Flames, but wasn’t without his chances. He registered one official shot on goal, but also hit the post once, had three attempts blocked and missed on one other. During the period from Feb. 15-March 15 no one in the NHL registered more points than the Jets’ young centre, who turned 23 on Tuesday.
• The Jets continue to be absolutely awful in the face-off circle. Calgary won 66 per cent of the draws (39-20), led by Mikael Backlund, who was 10-2 (83 per cent). The Jets have won 47.3 per cent of their draws this season, ranking them 28th overall (Arizona is first at 54.2).

Since relocation the Jets have ranked 21st, 22nd, 28th, 22nd and now 28th in face-off win percentage. It doesn’t take this guy (http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/trophies/winners/JAA1996.jpg) to figure out starting out without the puck means you are forever chasing the game.

3. More math, as it pertains to the Jets goaltending…

When Ondrej Pavelec returned from the injured list this winter the decision was made to send Connor Hellebuyck back to the Manitoba Moose so that he could still pile up minutes and work on his game. In his last five appearances before the demotion, Hellebuyck was 2-2 with no decision, had been yanked from a couple of games and had a .869 save percentage.

But consider this: Ondrej Pavelec (8-12-1) and Michael Hutchinson (8-13-1) have a combined record of 16-25-2 this season; Hellebuyck is 13-11-0. Pavelec and Hutchinson have a combined save percentage of .903. Hellebuyck’s save percentage, even with his struggles before returning to the Moose, is .918.

Look, we understand the concern about ‘ruining’ Hellebuyck by rushing him here. But should there really be any debate as to who the Jets’ No. 1 goaltender is starting next season?

4. A plug for a friend: if you want a good read check out George Johnson’s blog and his take prior to the Calgary game: http://shakeyonsports.com/

5. Finally, something to consider, Jets fans, as you take a peek into the crystal ball and next season while hitting the “reset” button on the NHL Draft Lottery simulator…

Coaches, Paul Maurice included, love to talk about having as many centres as possible up front because most of them are able to make the transition to the wing, if needed. If by some small miracle the Jets were to land prized prospect Auston Matthews, the Jets could open 2016-17 training camp with Scheifele, Matthews, Bryan Little, Adam Lowry, Michigan star and Hobey Baker finalist Kyle Connor and Andrew Copp at centre and also have Mathieu Perreault, Alex Burmistrov and Nic Petan and Chase De Leo ripening on the farm.

Perreault and Little, FYI, would the oldest of that group, both at 28.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait-30-