|
Good day to all.
So, does Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff make a trade today? Over the weekend? Down the stretch next week, prior to the Friday, March 3 deadline? Or does he stand pat?
He won’t do nothing, am I right?
Advertisement
Cheveldayoff runs a hockey team that possesses one of the best goaltenders on the planet, loads of talent on its top two forward units, and a serviceable defensive group.
But this is a crew that, after a blazing start to the 2022-23 NHL campaign, is now mired in mediocrity. Heading into tonight’s contest with the visiting — and streaking — defending Stanley Cup-champion Colorado Avalanche, the Jets have won six of their last 14 outings.
Winnipeg scored just 32 goals over that span, an average of 2.28 goals per game. In the previous 44 games, the squad averaged nearly a goal a game more.
Mark Scheifele has eight goals since Jan. 17, Kyle Connor has supplied five, Pierre-Luc Dubois has fired four, Blake Wheeler and Josh Morrissey have three apiece, and Nik Ehlers and youngster Cole Perfetti (who we now hear is sidelined, unfortunately, for two months with an upper-body injury) each has a pair.
Mark Scheifele (Gene J. Puskar / The Associated Press files)
The group of one-goal scorers since a mid-January defeat to Montreal includes Karson Kuhlman, Kevin Stenlund, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Nate Schmidt and Neal Pionk.
Then, there’s the zilch gang.
Look, I like Adam Lowry the player. Like Adam Lowry the person even more. But no snipes since Dec. 9? That was 31 games ago.
His regular linemate, Morgan Barron, has two goals since Dec. 15.
These guys play regular third-line minutes, averaging about 15 minutes of ice time a night.
Saku Mäenalanen offers nothing in the way of offence. Veteran Sam Gagner added a spark early in year but has been in and out of the lineup, and his scoring touch has disappeared.
Mason Appleton missed 10 weeks owing to a broken wrist and gets a grace period. After a half-dozen games, I’d now consider it done.
Overall, simply not good enough.
This team has a dearth of secondary scoring, plain and simple. It’s not simply that the puck isn’t finding the back of the net, it’s the scarcity of chances the bottom forward units create.
And that won’t change. Jets fans know it. Management knows it.
So, Cheveldayoff needs to make a move. An argument could be made he’s already lagging, as several deals for bona fide offensive stars have been done.
But there are big names still out there, such as Timo Meier of San Jose, Nick Schmaltz of Arizona, Travis Konecny of Philadelphia and Brock Boeser of Vancouver.
Arizona Coyotes centre Nick Schmaltz (8) carries the puck past New York Islanders defenceman Robin Salo (2) in a December game. (Rick Scuteri / The Associated Press files)
The injury to Perfetti hasn’t helped matters, although the need for scoring was evident long before he went down the other day in New York.
Here’s my take. And it’s no great revelation. The window to reign in the Western Conference is wide open.
Connor Hellebuyck gives the club a chance to win every night. The blue-line corps, I believe, is just good enough (although I’d be shocked if Cheveldayoff doesn’t find a veteran upgrade to replace the platoon of Dylan Samberg and Logan Stanley).
Winnipeg has picks and prospects at its disposal. Nothing should be off the table.
Thrill the market with a major acquisition. White out the downtown. Try to win the Cup now, not later. No more kicking the “future” can down the road.
Get busy.
|
