2017-18 Winnipeg Jets expectations

Its about that time again, where all the hockey know-it-alls get together, put their fantasy teams together and make their predictions.

I’m not a big fan of doing those, because, well.. I suck at them. I much prefer the easier route of telling you my expectations of the Winnipeg Jets this season.

Predictions vs expectation, what’s the difference you ask?

To me they are both quite different, one is filled with a bit of hope and faith and the other is your honest opinion based on fact and past experience.

For example, when I travel to work every day via public transportation, I fully expect the other passengers to have bathed before.  My prediction, not only will I be walking through a maze of B.O, I will most likely be walking in puddles of urine.

With that being said, it’s been awhile since I had a piece, so here are my expectations with a couple of things that has happened since June.

First off the Winnipeg Jets ranked 7^th in the league with 3 goals per game last year, so there wasn’t a surprise when GM Kevin Cheveldayoff didn’t add a an offensive minded forward to add a scoring to the lineup.  With the likes of Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine having more experience, I still expect the offensive production to increase.

Scoring is nice, but so is defending.  The Jets were 4^th in the league in most goals against, allowing 3.11 per game.  Clearly keeping the puck out of their zone and out of their own net is priority number one. With that in mind, the Jets ponied up cash to land free agents Dmitri Kulikov and goaltender Steve Mason.

Mason had a GAA of 2.66 which right away puts him as the Jets number one goaltender, with a capable young backup in Connor Hellebuyck.

With the players set to take the ice for the regular season in less than a week, I fully expect a playoff appearance for this team. They are definitely not winning the division and not expecting a spot in the top 3 of the Central division, but I expect the Jets to grab the first wild card in the West conference.

With the Chicago Blackhawks having salary cap has given issues, the Avs being the Avs, and Dallas trying to get out of the shadow of pre season expectations, this is the year that the Winnipeg Jets take that huge first step in making the make the infamous Hockey News 2019 Jets Cup prediction accurate.

Can Paul Maurice make full use of this group?  Well I look forward  to discussing that around the American Thanksgiving.