Too many points left on the table

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/04/2022 (1296 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Coulda. Woulda. Shoulda.

With apologies to the provincial government and its pandemic-related talking points, this really could be the unofficial slogan of the Winnipeg Jets when it comes to the current campaign. Sure, it’s a bit of a fool’s game to look back — hindsight is 20/20, after all — but there are a number of games the organization is likely wishing it could have a “do-over” as it heads into the final stretch of the regular season.

Despite going 2-0-1 in the past three, Winnipeg remains seven points out of the final Western Conference playoff spot. The Jets likely have to win their final eight games, plus get plenty of help on the out-of-town scoreboard, just to sneak in. They have six dates left against powerhouse contenders, including a four-game road trip that begins Friday in Florida and includes dates with the Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes.

After that, it’s back home for the final four against the Colorado Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames and, finally, the Seattle Kraken (which was previously scheduled for Wednesday).

Good luck. They’re going to need it.

Thing is, it didn’t have to be this way. So many valuable points were there for the taking, only to be left on the table. The Jets developed a bad habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, and it’s now costing them dearly.

So, as we watch the snow blowing outside, while the hockey team currently soaks up the sun in south Florida after beating the blizzard by flying out Tuesday afternoon, let’s count some of the ways this season started swirling down the drain, shall we?

Hey, it beats shovelling.

I’ve broken them into two distinct categories representing a total of 22 games that will haunt the hockey club and its fans.

Eleven overtime and shootout losses:  When it comes to writing the 2021-22 obituary, this should be right at the top.

No, you can’t win ‘em all. But a team with as much talent as Winnipeg should be a lot better than going 7-for-18 in games that go beyond regulation. Those 11 extra-time defeats trail only Anaheim (13) for most in the NHL.

To delve deeper, the Jets are 5-7 in games decided during three-on-three overtime sessions, and 2-4 when it goes to the shootout.

A few of them have been particularly difficult to swallow, starting with the 6-5 setback in St. Paul, Minn., back in October in which an offside reviewed overturned an empty-net goal that would have sealed a victory, only to have the Wild take advantage of their new lease on life, tie it in the final minute, then win it on an overtime power play. That development, in the third game of the year, turned out to be rather ominous.

A 2-1 overtime loss just over a week later in San Jose came on a night when the Sharks were without seven regulars owing to a major COVID-19 outbreak.

Three meetings with the Dallas Stars in February and March — one of the teams they’re desperately trying to catch — ended in overtime defeats, including two games where the Jets had a one-goal lead with less than seven minutes left in the final frame. Those proverbial three-pointers are even more painful whey they come against a division rival.

For example, winning all three overtime games against the Stars instead of losing all of them would have Winnipeg currently one point behind Dallas, not seven.

There were other late-game collapses as well. A 2-0 third-period lead in Pittsburgh ended in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Penguins. A 2-1 lead against St. Louis with just over eight minutes left ended in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Blues. A 1-0 lead against Edmonton with under six minutes to play turned into a 2-1 shootout loss to the Oilers.

You get the picture. It isn’t pretty.

Eleven “how did they lose to those guys?” games: These are the ones that really stick in the craw of fans. And there’s been no shortage of examples where Winnipeg, for whatever reason, seems to play down to the competition.

Back-to-back regulation losses to start the year in Anaheim and San Jose were a sign of things to come. Both the Ducks and Sharks are very much in rebuild mode and currently below Winnipeg in the standings.

A 3-0 loss in Columbus in November, when the Blue Jackets were missing a number of players including Patrik Laine.

That 1-0 heartbreaker against the Arizona Coyotes — otherwise known as the Karel Vejmelka coming out party — less than a week later at Canada Life Centre.

A 4-2 loss to the lowly Buffalo Sabres in mid-December that would prompt long-time coach Paul Maurice to tender his resignation.

A putrid 5-1 home-ice defeat to the Vancouver Canucks in late January that extended a season-long winless streak to six games (on top of an earlier 3-2 loss on the West Coast in November).

A 3-1 loss in Philadelphia heading into the All-Star break.

A 3-1 loss to the host Chicago Blackhawks in mid-February.

A 5-2 loss on home ice to the Ottawa Senators late last month.

A 3-1 loss on home ice to the Detroit Red Wings last month.

Add it all up and there are 11 games against non-playoff teams — 22 potential points — where the Jets came away with absolutely nothing.

So, how did this happen?

In reviewing the above games, one thing stands out. Far too often, the Jets simply didn’t produce enough offence to win. By my count, there have been 32 games (out of 74) where the Jets have scored either zero, one or two goals. Their record in those low-scoring affairs is just 3-24-5.

But in the 42 games they’ve manage to light the lamp at least three times, Winnipeg is a stellar 32-4-6.

For all the hand-wringing around here over the play of the defence core and even, at times, Connor Hellebuyck, it would seem the team’s primary culprit is being unable to get to the magic number of three far too many nights this year. A few more slightly more offensive outings — the good kind — and it would be a whole different story.

You wouldn’t think that would be an issue with a roster that includes 42-goal, 85-point scorer Kyle Connor, three guys in Mark Scheifele (29), Pierre-Luc Dubois (26) and Nikolaj Ehlers (25) all flirting with 30, Paul Stastny now in the 20-20 club (goals and assists), and captain Blake Wheeler at nearly a point-per-game clip as well. Not to mention a trio of offensive defencemen in Josh Morrissey, Nate Schmidt and Neal Pionk who have combined for 96 points between them.

Yet here we are.

Whether it’s been the streaky power play going cold, failing to have more than one of the top lines clicking at the same time, or simply not getting enough depth scoring — an issue that has been exacerbated by the deadline day trade of Andrew Copp — there is plenty of blame to go around.

And, because of all these missed opportunities, plenty of time to reflect in the coming offseason about what might have been. Not to mention how to try and fix it so that history doesn’t end up repeating itself next year.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg