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Title - Lindsay Ryall
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Are The Jets Tanking For 1st?
By Lindsay Ryall
HometownHockey.ca

Are The Jets Tanking For 1st?
the Jets are now on a short list of teams that may have a shot at generational phenoms Connor McDavid (2.9 ppg in the OHL so far) or Jack Eichel (2 ppg in U.S. college this year). The question arises: is a disastrous 2014 - 15 season probably the best possible thing that could happen to the Jets? And, is it by design?

Winnipeg - October 27, 2014 - The season is still early, but if things continue as they have started, 2014 – 15, it will not be a year of progress for the Winnipeg Jets. After a very nice finish to the 2013 – 14 season under Paul Maurice, with a tidy 18 – 12 – 5 record, this season they are floundering badly, getting off to a 3 and 5 start, good for third last in the league.

And as a result, the Jets are now on a short list of teams that may have a shot at generational phenoms Connor McDavid (2.9 ppg in the OHL so far) or Jack Eichel (2 ppg in U.S. college this year). The question arises: is a disastrous 2014 - 15 season probably the best possible thing that could happen to the Jets? And, is it by design?

In my mind a complete tank would be a definite godsend for the Jets. The Jets have almost all the pieces of being a perennial playoff contender, and decent team , but are missing a huge ingredient: elite scoring and skill. It’s not to say that the Jets are completely devoid of skill at this time, Scheiffle is good (not great), Trouba could be elite (a defensemen though), and Ladd, Little, and Wheeler are all B+ players. But they wouldn’t be confused for with Crosby, or Stamkos, and that is the type of player McDavid and Eichel are projected as developing into.

So let’s say you add McDavid or Eichel, plus a year older and more physically mature Nick Ehlers, (who was easily the most skilled forward at the Jets’ camp) and suddenly you have something. A team with real elite skill, complimented with a foundation of solid two way forwards that can compete with the big boys in Western conference. At that point, the inevitable trade of perennial drama queen Evander Kane would be a bonus. Maybe, hypothetically, at that point you can trade Kane for an elite goaltender? And at that point, all the Jet’s primary food groups would be covered.

But for the sake of conversation, if the Jet’s tanked this year, would it be by design? For many years its been said that teams tank on purpose to get the franchise player. But to what degree of manipulation do they really? When the Islanders’ dynasty fell apart and they rapidly descended to league’s cellar (and remained there for years) you can’t say it was on purpose. And if it was, it wasn’t a very good plan. Similarly, when the Edmonton Oilers experienced their free fall after their unexpected cup run in 2006, I don’t think they planned on finishing last (or close to it) for three years in a row and missing the playoffs for eight straight.

One thing that is certain, Paul Maurice can expect few, if any significant moves to rescue his team. When Evander Kane went down with an injury, the team dealt with it, and no major moves happened. As the season progresses, and if they look like they have a legitimate shot for Mac or Jack, Chevaldayoff may be in permanent sitting on hands mode.

But do the Jets really have a shot? Could they really finish lower than the likes of Florida, Buffalo or Carolina? It could be a stretch but it just might be a possibility. The biggest thing going for Winnipeg is that Florida and Buffalo are in the much softer Eastern conference. They don’t have to worry about facing west coast beasts like LA or Anaheim with as much regularity or perennial Stanley cup favourites like Chicago. Another consideration is teams like Florida have been picking high for a while and may start to turn north. With future big name players like Huberdeau and Barkov showing steady improvement, Florida could very well be out of the running for last overall. As for Buffalo and Carolina, well, that’s stiff competition.

But based on how the season goes, the Jets could still be in the running based on their conference and who they have to play. All the teams in the central division made huge strides in the off-season and it shows. Nashville has shot well out of the gate and Pekka Rinne appears to have returned to form and that was the only other non-playoff team besides Winnipeg in the division. Dallas has added the likes of Jason Spezza and Ales Hemsky and look to be challenging for the division title. The Jets by comparison added Mathieu Perreault . . . a useful addition but not quite the same quality.

So the Winnipeg Jets are in tough this year but it could work out handsomely in the long term. But was this part of Chevy’s two year master plan? Something he’s been putting together since McDavid starting dropping scouts’ jaws? I don’t think so. If it was, he wouldn’t have tried to make the additions he did, which included adding goaltending depth at the start of the season. But now that the opportunity has presented itself. I’m sure he will do little to ruin the opportunity.

Follow Me on Twitter If you have any questions, feel free to contact him at lryall@hometownhockey.ca


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