Team Card #31: The Winnipeg Jets #gojetsgo #NHLTeamCards
The Jets are a mixed bag offensively. There's still evidence of their top-end talent in their top 10 shooting performance and powerplay. But they are not good at generating offence at all, finishing 3rd last in expected goals for and 19th in even strength goals for. #GoJetsGo
The Jets are Connor Hellebuyck defensively. That's it. They were third worst in preventing expected goals against and yet somehow finished just outside the top ten in goals against thanks to the league's best goaltending. #GoJetsGo
The team's fall from grace since 2017-18 has been stunning. Their goaltending is been consistently strong for the past three years, but their skaters have gone from elite to average to bad. What the hell happened? #gojetsgo
Even more grim are their playdriving numbers. The Jets finished 31st - BELOW THE RED WINGS - in expected goals % AND in terms of games where they outplayed their opponent. The Jets were overmatched an insane 75% of the time. And are in the play-in. It's nuts. #gojetsgo
The Jets' forwards are poor offensively and a horror show defensively. Scheifele, Laine, Ehlers, and Connor were very good offensively. Connor was also the 2nd worst forward in the NHL defensively, and Schefiele was 7th worst. Their bottom six is very weak. #gojetsgo
The blueline was also a big problem. When Josh Morrissey and Luca Sbisa are your best offensive defencemen, you might be in trouble. Kulikov and Pionk were okay defensively. Most telling about the Jets' defence? Demelo had their second-best WAR. In 10 games. #gojetsgo
Coaching isolates have always considered Maurice a low-event defensive coach, and this year is no different. The implication would be that the team's bad defence was because of the players, not the system. That might be generous, but do with that what you will. #gojetsgo
Finally, the salary cap. A few years ago, the Jets were a cap dream, getting so much value from their young players. Not anymore. They ranked 4th in skater salary and 25th in surplus value this year. #gojetsgo
Overall, this team is really really not good. If it weren't for Hellebuyck putting together an MVP season, they would have been one of the worst teams in the league. Their top-end offensive talent is still evident (on the powerplay and shooting) but it's not enough. #gojetsgo
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