The Winnipeg Jets are midway by their six-game preseason slate and there’s been a lot to glean from their first three matchups. Right here, we’ll dive into three takeaways from the competition versus the Minnesota Wild and a pair towards the Edmonton Oilers.
1: Arniel And New Teaching Workers Starting to Set Themselves Aside
Whereas it may be unwise to learn an excessive amount of into preseason lineups and participant deployment contemplating the variety of younger prospects getting motion and the way a lot lineups can change from recreation to recreation, some selections and strikes are effectively value noting. There have been a number of clear situations already of latest head coach Scott Arniel and his pair of latest assistant coaches in Dean Chynoweth and Davis Payne setting themselves aside from the Rick Bowness period.
Utilizing Nikolaj Ehlers on the highest unit of a new-look prime power-play unit; utilizing Colin Miller closely and on the second power-play unit; and utilizing Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele on the penalty kill are only a new concepts already being examined out.
Followers and pundits alike have griped for years that Ehlers has been constantly under-utilized regardless of being one of many Jets’ most dynamic gamers and among the best analytically. He has not often gotten prime power-play unit time, primarily being deployed on a second unit that has traditionally gotten 30 seconds or fewer on any given man benefit — actually, scraps of titme that didn’t permit anybody to do a lot of something.
Nonetheless, the Dane has been tapped by Payne — who’s newly accountable for enhancing a pass-happy energy play that completed twenty second within the league final season, to play the “bumper” place in a 1-3-1 setup. Arniel known as the bumper the “most necessary” power-play place and having somebody as offensively gifted as Ehlers in it ought to permit the Jets to generate high quality probabilities even when Connor and Scheifele — who bought their first style of preseason motion on Sept. 25 towards the Oilers — get keyed on.
Miller seems set for a much-increased position with Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt’s departures. The veteran defender has suited up for 2 of three video games, logging virtually 23 minutes towards the Wild on Sept. 21 and simply over quarter-hour towards the Oilers on Sept. 25. Payne has tapped the 31-year-old to quarterback the second unit and Miller appeared glorious within the position, transferring the puck effectively and blasting residence a purpose from the purpose in every recreation.
It’s nonetheless unclear why Bowness used Miller so sparingly, solely taking part in him in 5 video games down the stretch and one playoff recreation, after basic supervisor Kevin Cheveldayoff acquired him from the New Jersey Devils on the deadline. Miller has a bomb of a shot — he recorded the NHL’s hardest in-game shot las season at 102.59 miles per hour and likewise gained the American Hockey League All-Star Abilities Competitors’s hardest shot in 2015 when he unleashed one at 105.5 mph. The modifications to the highest unit and a heavy dose of Miller on the second may go an extended option to serving to the Jets pot extra power-play objectives.
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Prime-line forwards Connor and Scheifele being deployed on the penalty kill is an indication Chynoweth — who’s accountable for enhancing a kill that completed twenty first final season — needs the regime to make use of extra aggressive techniques. Jets’ penalty-killing models of the previous have typically been too passive, and having gamers with nice pace and ability may put extra strain on opponents and presumably snag some shorthanded objectives if they’ll get going the opposite means with tempo and area.
The Jets’ penalty kill towards the Oilers on Sept. 25 featured each gamers and killed off all 5 of its shorthanded conditions.
2: Brad Lambert Seems to be Actually Good
Of all of the Jets’ prospects who dressed within the first three video games, Brad Lambert is the very best profile by far. After a powerful 2023-24 with the Manitoba Moose the place he led the staff with 55 factors and performed top-six and prime power-play roles, the group hopes the now-20-year-old centre can take one other huge step ahead.
The 2022 Thirtieth-overall choice has suited up for 2 video games to this point. He was held off the scoresheet towards the Wild regardless of being noticeable and having three photographs in almost 20 minutes of ice time earlier than having an amazing displaying towards the Oilers on Sept. 25 whereas centring the second line between Ehlers and Vladislav Namestnikov. He not solely notched two factors — together with a 3rd interval power-play snipe — but in addition had a pleasant drive to the online that opened up area for Ehlers to attain the sport’s opening purpose, drew a penalty, and was named the proceedings’ second star. He was the third-most impactful Jet, in response to HockeyStatCards’ GameScore Influence Card.
The battle for the second-line centre spot vacated by Sean Monahan gave the impression to be a four-person race between Lambert, Namestnikov, Cole Perfetti, and Gabriel Vilardi. Nonetheless, it seems Vilardi is ready to start marketing campaign because the first-line proper winger alongside Connor and Scheifele, whereas the newly-signed Perfetti is extra prone to be deployed on the wing as he was for almost all of final season.
That leaves the battle between the veteran and the rookie. Namestnikov doesn’t have high-end ability, however is a gentle hand who has been versatile and efficient in a wide range of roles up and down the lineup. Lambert is ready to play once more on Friday, Sept. 27 versus the Wild, and if he reveals effectively once more, Arniel and firm can be laborious pressed to go away him off the opening-night roster. If Arniel have been to bump Namestnikov down, a second-line of Lambert, Ehlers, and Perfetti could possibly be fairly the electrical trio. It’s one thing value at the very least taking a look at.
3: Kahkonen Seems to Have Inside Monitor on Backup Goalie Gig
Generally, preseason utilization can say lots.
The very fact Kaapo Kahkonen bought two of three begins, and didn’t have to separate time with both of his backups, signifies the group is giving him each alternative to earn the backup position behind Connor Hellebuyck.
Kahkonen, signed in free company on a one-year deal, bought the decision towards the Wild and on Sept. 25 towards the Oilers. His first begin didn’t go so effectively as he allowed 5 objectives on 28 photographs and would doubtless need the fourth and fifth objectives again. The 28-year-old Finn rebounded rapidly, although, as he stopped 26 of 27 photographs the Oilers fired on him and was 3:28 from pitching a shutout earlier than Connor Brown’s deflection beat him when the Jets have been cruising up 6-0. One caveat is that Oilers’ head coach Kris Knoblauch iced a younger lineup sans Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Connor McDavid.
Comrie, acquired in free company to a two-year deal, bought the beginning on the street towards the Oilers on Sept. 22 and appeared respectable, stopping 25 of 28 in a 3-2 time beyond regulation loss. Not one of the Oilers’ 4 aforementioned stars suited up for that contest both.
Arniel has indicated the reigning Vezina-Trophy-winning Hellebuyck will get two-and-a-half video games previous to the common season, so there’s not a lot time if any for Comrie to make up floor in the backup goalie battle. It appears the group is greater on Kahkonen, who regardless of being youthful, has extra NHL expertise (139 video games to 57 video games.) It’s additionally doable the group feels Kahkonen is likelier to be claimed off waivers if assigned to the Moose than Comrie, (though Comrie was claimed off waivers twice when the Jets tried to ship him to the Moose in prior stints, by the Arizona Coyotes in 2019 and the Devils in 2021.)
The Preseason Rolls On
The Jets are again in motion tonight (Sept. 27) in Minnesota towards the Wild. They’ll then return residence to face the Calgary Flames on Oct. 2 earlier than touring to Calgary for a rematch on Oct. 4 to wrap their preseason slate. Hold following The Hockey Writers for extra on the Jets and each different NHL staff.