WINNIPEG JETS
| LEADING SCORER | |
|---|---|
 |
RW Blake Wheeler GOALS: 17 | ASST: 47 | PTS: 64 SOG: 208 | +/-: 3 |
| TOP GOALIE | |
|---|---|
 |
G Ondrej Pavelec RECORD: 29-28-9 GAA: 2.91 | SVP: 0.906 |
| TOP ROOKIE | |
|---|---|
 |
RW Spencer Machacek GOALS: 2 | ASST: 7 | PTS: 9 SOG: 12 | +/-: 8 |
| TEAM MVP |
|---|
 |
| Ondrej Pavelec |
| SURPRISING STAT |
|---|
| Leading scorer Blake Wheeler managed only seven points in his first 18 games and did not score his first goal until Nov. 17. |
The Jets never figured out how to string together wins away from their raucous home crowds, and their 14-22-5 road record included losses to non-playoff teams Columbus, Montreal (twice), and Toronto (twice). That road play, especially when coupled with home losses to Edmonton, Montreal, and the New York Islanders (twice), doomed the Jets’ playoff hopes. Winnipeg’s habit of playing up to or down to the level of its competition frustrated coach Claude Noel.
How to fix it?
The organization has missed the playoffs for five consecutive seasons and fallen far short of its franchise-high 97-point effort in the 2006-07 campaign, the only postseason berth in club history. Several key players – Nik Antropov, Tobias Enstrom, Ron Hainsey, Bryan Little, and Jim Slater – have spent several years with an organization that has struggled to move much beyond the 80-point mark. Club management has emphasized its commitment to patience and long-term development, but does general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff need to move out some key pieces of the Winnipeg dressing room if the Jets are to escape their near-.500 purgatory?
Three reasons for hope:
1. Pavelec made significant progress in establishing himself as a No. 1 goaltender capable of holding the Jets in games, even when the club’s attention to defensively-responsible play wavered.
2. The Jets struggled to surround Evander Kane with established top-six forwards, and he clashed with Noel at times, but the third-year forward increased his goal output from 19 to 30.
3. Defenseman Zach Bogosian reduced many of the inconsistencies in his game in his first season working with new assistant coach Charlie Huddy. Bogosian will be just 22 years old when he begins his fifth NHL season and figures to anchor the Winnipeg blue line.
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.