The race to the finish line is on By: Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe Posted: 4:10 PM CDT Sunday, Mar. 10, 2024 Last Modified: 6:03 PM CDT Sunday, Mar. 10, 2024 Updates

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This article was published 10/03/2024 (575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER — The trade deadline has passed and the stretch run is officially on for the Winnipeg Jets.

With 19 games left in the regular season, it will be a sprint to the finish line and, after making three important additions before the NHL trade deadline, the 40-18-5 club has plenty of reasons to feel good about where it stands.

How is the Jets’ fan base feeling after the deals that were made and where the Jets currently stand, which is in a battle for top spot in both the Western Conference and Central Division even after Saturday’s lopsided loss to the Vancouver Canucks?

We’re glad you asked and here’s the latest edition of the Jets monthly mailbag for March, with a dozen questions ripe for the picking.

Thanks for submitting yours, and we’ll have one more of these before the regular season comes to a close.

Let’s dive into what landed in the inbox:

1. If you had the coach’s hat on, what would your ultimate forward lines be now that the Jets have Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli? -John

KEN WIEBE: Assuming full health once Gabriel Vilardi returns, there are a number of ways this could go. But this is where I would start:

Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Tyler Toffoli

Nikolaj Ehlers-Sean Monahan-Gabriel Vilardi

Nino Niederreiter-Adam Lowry-Mason Appleton

Morgan Barron-Vladislav Namestnikov-Alex Iafallo

EXTRAS: Cole Perfetti, David Gustafsson, Rasmus Kupari

This group has incredible depth and several parts are interchangeable. The five-line depth is right there with what the Jets rolled out during the 2018 playoff run to the Western Conference final.

Now, it’s important to note I expect Toffoli to start with Monahan and Ehlers and that might end up working well. But since we know Ehlers and Vilardi also have shown chemistry together when Connor was out with a knee injury, I can see value in trying them together with Monahan to see where that goes because you can always throw Vilardi back up to the top line if it works better the other way.

I realize that a number of people want to see a reunion of Ehlers-Scheifele-Vilardi because they outscored their opponents 15-4 at five-on-five while Connor was out of the lineup. No doubt that’s an option to consider, but it’s possible that having Monahan in the middle of those two players could be equally dynamic.

Toffoli is the type of player that should be able to fit in seamlessly on either one of the top two lines and he averaged 17:32 of ice time through 61 games with the New Jersey Devils this season. We know head coach Rick Bowness prefers to keep the Lowry line together, so one of the top priorities during the final quarter of the season is to land on the optimal deployment for the top two scoring lines.

The Jets are well-equipped to combat injuries and/or a dip in production. Two players on the fourth line have spent considerable time in the Top 6 this season and Barron was essentially the full-time left-winger with Lowry and Appleton last season, so that’s another reminder of the depth up front — where the Jets currently employ 11 forwards in double digits in goals — with Namestnikov and Iafallo (both at eight) threatening to join the club.

When a 14-goal scorer and 31-point getter like Perfetti is battling to get into the lineup, that’s a sure sign this team is a legitimate contender. It’s also a sign that all three members of the fourth line are part of the penalty kill, which can help boost their minutes during this busy stretch of 17 games in 31 days before the calendar flips to April.

MIKE MCINTYRE: As Kenny points out, there is no shortage of options here. This is the deepest group of forwards the Jets have had in ages, perhaps ever. (the post-deadline 2017-18 group would be the only one that compares). I’d like to see a slightly different look, which brings back a top line for Winnipeg that was so effective earlier this year when Connor was out of the lineup. It would allow everyone to see if there’s some chemistry between Connor and Monahan, which we have yet to explore. I’d also try something a bit different on that third line, perhaps to add a little more offence. So, why not try this:

Nikolaj Ehlers-Mark Scheifele-Gabe Vilardi

Kyle Connor-Sean Monahan-Tyler Toffoli

Nino Niederreiter-Adam Lowry-Alex Iafallo

Morgan Barron-Vlad Namestnikov-Mason Appleton

EXTRAS: Cole Perfetti, David Gustafsson, Rasmus Kupari

I would be tempted to use Namestnikov in a bigger role — I think he’d be fantastic on the wing with Niederreiter and Lowry, but then the problem becomes a centre on the fourth line. Unless you’re scratching someone like Barron (and playing a C like Gustafsson or Kupari), you probably need Namestnikov in that spot.

2. With the trades, is Bowness actually going to let Nikolaj Ehlers play in the top six? -Matt

MM: Does the Jets coach often take issue with some of the high-risk plays that Ehlers makes? Absolutely. Heck, Ehlers himself regularly talks about the need to clean up that part of his game, only to go back out there and continue to do it. But does Bowness also recognize Ehlers brings a unique set of skills that can translate to plenty of offence?

Yes, I believe he does. It’s all about finding the right mix, and I suspect Ehlers remains on one of the top two lines, with no shortage of intriguing options as to who else might play with him. The trick is to find some significant chemistry heading down the stretch and into the playoffs.

3. With the success that Sean Monahan has had since joining the Jets, I think it’s safe to say they would like to sign him to a new contract. Do you think Monahan is open to an extension with the Jets and, if so, what do you think the deal would be in order to keep him? -Lee

4. Monahan had been a great fit at 2C and we know it’s a perpetual issue for the Jets in finding the right fit at that position. What are the chances of resigning Monahan and what would a deal look like? -Duane

KW: There’s no doubt that Monahan has checked all of the boxes since his arrival on the scene in early February. Given their previous interest in the player, you can be sure the Jets will be interested in keeping him around longer than just this playoff run.

How does Monahan feel about a potential extension of this union? It’s simply too early to tell what the future is going to look like for him. In several conversations around the rink, he’s clearly enjoying this situation and it’s easy to see why. He’s counted on in all situations and would be a perfect complement to the core group moving forward.

He’s been able to thrive in a pair of Canadian markets previously, so that’s unlikely to deter him from sticking around. Given that the Jets are looking for a longer-term solution at 2C, you can be sure that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is going to make him an offer that is going to tempt him to stick around. The injury history is well documented but Monahan is showing no signs of wear and tear.

A three-year contract in the range of US$5 million (or slightly north of that) would seem to be something that would be appealing to both parties. Will other teams offer more than that on the open market if he gets there? It’s possible as centremen of this quality are always in high demand.

5. Chevy gets an A or A+ over the past 12 months from me. Signing which of the six pending UFAs sets the Jets up best for 2024-25? -Craig

MM: The Jets have doubled their UFAs from three to six now that the deadline has concluded, with Monahan, Toffoli and Colin Miller joining Dylan DeMelo, Brenden Dillon and Laurent Brossoit.

First off, you can say goodbye to Laurent Brossoit. Not that the Jets wouldn’t want him back, but some team desperate for an upgrade in goal is going to give him a well-deserved contract this summer to be a No. 1 or, at worst a 1A/1B type tandem. With Connor Hellebuyck locked up long-term, that’s just not happening in Winnipeg.

I suspect Miller and Toffoli are pure rentals.

Monahan, as Kenny outlines above, would make some sense for the Jets. And I’d be a big advocate for re-signing DeMelo (who is the perfect complement to Josh Morrissey) and Dillon (who brings plenty of tools they don’t really have from anyone else). I guess if I had to prioritize those three, I’d go Monahan, then DeMelo, then Dillon.

6. As much as I like Cole Perfetti and am impressed by his hockey ‘smarts’, I don’t think he’s built for success in the NHL (too small and not fast enough), definitely not top 6. Do you agree? -William

KW: To borrow a phrase from former Jets winger Patrik Laine, “hockey is hard” right now for Perfetti, who was a healthy scratch for the second time in five games on Saturday night. That’s not going to sit well with the player and it shouldn’t.

Bowness doesn’t want Perfetti to like being out of the lineup, but he wants him to understand why he isn’t in the lineup. Perfetti has gone 21 games without a goal and he has two assists during that stretch, but this isn’t only about a significant drop in production.

If a skilled player isn’t scoring, he must find alternate ways to impact the outcome. The games are getting harder and this is the deepest Perfetti has played into an NHL season. There are always going to be ups and downs for a young player and how Perfetti handles this bout of adversity will be interesting to monitor.

I don’t agree with your assessment that Perfetti isn’t built for success in the NHL. He’s already delivered 14 goals and 31 points in 61 games at the age of 22. That’s a successful season for many players in the league and he’s done so while enduring a lengthy dry spell. There’s no doubt Perfetti needs to add some further quickness to go along with his elite hockey intelligence, vision and passing ability.

He took strides on that front last summer and figures to be investing plenty of time in that area during the upcoming offseason to work on his skating. It’s been mentioned before, but Perfetti lost a lot of development time in terms of games played during the pandemic and an abundance of training time the past two offseasons after dealing with season-ending injuries.

We know from how emotional he was in Buffalo when we discussed the initial healthy scratch that this is only going to motivate him to be better. And while they are much different players, in Mark Scheifele’s second season in the NHL (at 22), he had 15 goals and 49 points while appearing in all 82 games. He’s turned out to be a pretty good player and I imagine Perfetti is going to continue to take steps forward to improve his all-around game and be a consistently performing top-six player.

Those guys are hard to find. Perfetti is clearly in a battle for playing time and has seen an adjustment in his role, but I still feel it’s too early to write him off as being a regular scratch down the stretch.

7. Who is the best matchup for the Jets in the 1st round if it’s one of the Stars, Avalanche or Knights? -Craig

KW: When it comes to the prospect of any of those aforementioned teams, the BEST matchup is definitely a relative term.

The Jets are four points behind the Stars for top spot in the Central and passing them probably provides the best matchup (I know that’s not what you asked), even though whoever finishes in those wild-card spots is also going to be a tough out for the Top-2 seeds in the Western Conference, especially when you consider how hot the Nashville Predators are right now (10-0-2, for those of you scoring at home).

Back to the task at hand. Well, the Jets are 0-3 against the Stars so far and they’ve found it incredibly difficult to generate much of any offence in that matchup — with one game left on the final road trip of the regular season in April to see if they can find the Caramilk secret.

The Golden Knights are 2-0 against the Jets after a pair of meetings early in the season and they’ve outscored the Jets 10-5 and were mostly in control of both outings. Those two teams meet in Winnipeg later this month and while the Golden Knights have gone through a rough patch (losing nine of 12), they upgraded their roster significantly prior to the NHL trade deadline and figure to be a dangerous opponent, no matter where they finish.

They got to the top of the mountain last June and they know what it takes to win. Both the Stars and Golden Knights have big, strong D-men who make it difficult to get to the blue paint along with the mobility to stifle the Jets’ ability to generate offence off the rush. That leaves the Avalanche, who also changed the construction of their roster last week, adding a second-line centre, a pair of fourth-line forwards with grit and swapping out a potential top-pairing blue-liner (Bowen Byram) for pending UFA Sean Walker.

The Avalanche addressed their areas of need and might also be getting captain Gabriel Landeskog back at some point in the playoffs. Goalie Alexandar Georgiev has something to prove in the postseason, but any team that has Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon and Makar on it, along with the championship pedigree of winning in 2022, is also going to be a handful, no matter what round a team might face them.

So, the short answer after my long-winded explanation is reluctantly the Avalanche, but that would be a coin-flip series and the reason the Jets could be favoured is because Hellebuyck should have the edge in the goaltending matchup.

MM: Pick your poison. Honestly, the best first-round matchup for the Jets is probably the Nashville Predators, which means needing to win the division and hope you get them as the wild-card matchup.

I think the Los Angeles Kings as a wildcard would be a decent matchup as well. The three you outlined in your question represent worst-case scenarios for me. Kenny has outlined the upgrades they made, and the Jets have had a hellacious time this year against both the Stars and the Golden Knights, while Colorado has so many weapons to make you pay.

I suppose, if I had to pick one of your three options, I’d say roll the dice on Vegas and hope the third time (in the playoffs) could be the charm, on top of the fact the Golden Knights have really been scuffling since a hot start to the season. However, I’m not sure I’d view the Jets as favourites in any of those three scenarios.

8. Mike, from your perspective in the stands on Sunday, if you could do one thing that would improve the game experience and bring back the fans, what would it be? What would you do? -Jack

MM: As you noted, I recently watched a Jets game from the crowd rather than the press box, and it was an interesting experience to say the least. A reminder of how fast the game at the highest level moves, and how little time players really have to process information and make decisions. It was eye-opening, and a very worthwhile experience.

It was also great to see a game “among the masses” if you will, and your question is a good one. For me, I would find a way to showcase some of Manitoba’s terrific musical talent by showcasing them inside the arena during intermissions (and even some TV timeouts). Plenty of rinks around the NHL now do this — I believe Nashville was the first — and it adds so much to the atmosphere. We’ve seen it occasionally this year, including the recent WASAC game here at Canada Life Centre, and I’d love to see it become a staple.

You could also get local music bands (such as high schools, for example) to play as well. I remember going to a UND game in Grand Forks several years ago, and it was such a fun and lively experience.

9. A Norris trophy for our Winnipeg guy? It is a two-horse race- Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar. Others need not apply. In future years maybe. Not this one though. -Tim

KW: There’s no doubt that Hughes and Makar are the front-runners for the award this season, and that’s been written in this space on multiple occasions. Hughes bolstered his case on Saturday night in the 5-0 win over the Jets as he was the best player on the ice, but there’s still nearly a quarter of the season left.

Morrissey isn’t likely to catch Hughes in points, but given his play up to this point, he’s clearly been a driver for the Jets and is having another great season. He’s definitely under consideration to be a finalist for the award after finishing fifth in voting by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association last season.

10. Does Blake Wheeler’s long-term IR effect the cap hit on the Jets buy-out? -Bill

MM: No, it does not. The Jets will still carry the US$2.75 million hit this season, and again next season, before it disappears from the books. Wheeler’s unfortunate injury, which brought an abrupt end to his regular season, is also likely to keep him out for all of the playoffs, with a remote chance he could make it back if the New York Rangers go deep.

With no contract beyond this season you wonder if this ends up being a career-ender for a guy who will be 38 in August? After a very slow start on Broadway, Wheeler had started coming around before he went down last month, with 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 54 games.

11. Why do the Jets not play Logan Stanley more? -Lloyd

KW: Well, right now the Jets view Stanley as the eighth D-man after the addition of Colin Miller on Friday. That means it’s going to be even tougher for Stanley to get into the lineup during the stretch run, though the Jets are in a stretch of 17 games in 31 days, so he’s not going to be banished to the press box for the remainder of the season, either.

There have been some flashes during the 14 games this season, but the simple answer is that he’s been passed on the depth chart and hasn’t done enough to stay in the lineup. Given his size and skill set, Stanley should be able to help on the penalty kill and there’s little doubt he could take a regular shift on the third pairing of some teams around the NHL.

But on a team with championship aspirations, he’s not quite there, yet. The Jets value him enough not to risk putting him on waivers and they didn’t trade him at the deadline for a draft pick, so they haven’t given up on him. But it’s incumbent on Stanley to give the coaching staff a reason to provide more regular minutes.

Having said that, the Jets have two pending unrestricted free agents in Brenden Dillon and Dylan DeMelo, so that’s probably part of the reason the Jets still have Stanley in the fold. The competition will ratchet up further next season though, with Elias Salomonsson coming over to play in North America and Ville Heinola no longer exempt from waivers.

The Jets have invested a lot in the development process, but the 18th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft is 25 and he’s eager to take the next step on the road to becoming an NHL regular. There probably won’t be clarity on that front until this summer.

12. Do the Jets have a faceoff coach?? How much do they practice it? -Doug

MM: There is no specific “faceoff coach” on the team, but skill development is an important part of an NHL team. And the Jets do work on faceoffs on a daily basis, typically toward the end of practices and morning skates.

Typically, one of the assistant coaches (Marty Johnston or Brad Lauer) gathers the centres around a dot and they take turns going head-to-head. There’s plenty of talking in between puck drops, often with a more experienced centre like Lowry, Scheifele or Monahan giving feedback to some of the younger ones (like David Gustafsson and Rasmus Kupari).

Obviously this is an area the Jets have struggled in, especially before they acquired Monahan. As of Sunday, the Jets are at 46.9 per cent as a team, which ranks 27th out of 32.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg