Winnipeg Jets

The Winnipeg Jets went off the board with their 13th-overall selection in Sunday’s NHL draft when they took defenseman Josh Morrissey.

It was an unexpected pick. Well, sort of.

Morrissey was projected to go in the latter part of the first round. However, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Jets drafted him before his projected spot. They’ve done this before.

The Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is known for going off the board in past drafts. In 2011, Cheveldayoff drafted Mark Scheifele with the seventh-overall pick. Scheifele was projected to go in the mid to latter part of the first round. The Lukas Sutter selection in 2011 was also considered to be another one of Cheveldayoff’s off the board picks.

History repeated itself when Cheveldayoff gambled at yet another Jets draft. However, none of these gambles can be justified right or wrong at the given time. Five years from now we can look back on the decision and judge. Today, we can only look at the player and analyze the talent.

Morrissey is a small, Canadian-born defenseman listed roughly around 6’0”, 185 pounds. He has a left-handed shot, something the Jets needed on the back end. He's not the strongest, but he'll have time to build strength.

Morrissey is an all-around defenseman who excels in many different categories. He’s a great skater, can move the puck with ease, is reliable in his own end and has a lot of offensive upside. His silky smooth skating ability is probably his best tool.

On the other hand, Morrissey has brilliant hockey sense and IQ.

Morrissey is a smart kid both on and off the ice. He was the recipient of the CHL Scholastic Player of the Year Award this past season. The award is an accomplishment that shouldn’t go unnoticed. It also says a lot about the players Cheveldayoff likes to draft.

Morrissey has played in two full seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL. In 2011-12, he played in 68 games and recorded 10 goals and 38 points. He surpassed those totals in the 2012-13 season when he recorded 15 goals and 47 points in 70 games.

Morrissey also played with Team Canada at the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championships where he helped his country win the gold medal.

Morrissey is considered to be an undersized NHL defenseman. The Jets know firsthand that undersized can also mean underestimated. Tobias Enstrom is one of the smallest defenseman in the NHL, but plays like he's one of the biggest.

Besides, Morrissey will have plenty of time to grow and gain strength.

The sky is the limit with Morrissey. No one truly knows just how good the kid can be, but he has all the potential in the world. A lot of Jets fans will want to adopt the Raiders as their favorite WHL team for the next couple of years just to see his growth and potential as a player firsthand.

The Jets filled a major need with this selection in getting another highly-touted defenseman. In a few years we could see Morrissey playing along side another top-prospect of the Jets, Jacob Trouba.

The only downside of Morrissey selection is that he won’t likely be ready until two or three years down the road. That won’t be an issue with the Jets as they’ll patiently wait for his arrival. The bright side to that is he’ll continue to develop his already excellent game which will serve him better in the long run.

Player: Nicolas Petan

Drafted By: Winnipeg Jets (43rd overall)

Position: Center

Final Central Scouting Ranking: No. 33 North American skater

Height/Weight: 5'9'', 165 lbs

DOB: March 22, 1995 (18 years old)

Most Recent Affiliation: WHL, Portland Winterhawks

Background

Nicolas Petan has been a point-producing machine at every level of competition so far. He made his WHL debut as a 15-year-old in 2010-11, skating in three regular-season games and seven postseason contests for the Portland Winterhawks.

After a quiet rookie season in 2011-12 in which he scored 35 points in 61 games, Petan absolutely erupted in 2013. He went on a rampage through 71 games, scoring a massive 120 points en route to tying teammate Brendan Leipsic for the league scoring title.

Full Scouting Report

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqhYs_Vem1k

Despite his small stature, all Petan has done is score truckloads of points everywhere along the line. The point totals are no fluke—this is a kid that can flat-out play. His offensive instincts are downright impressive, and he plays much bigger than his 5'9'' frame would indicate.

He's not afraid to go to the dirty areas to score goals, but that's not where Petan is at his best. He's a beast when you give him a little time and space, and it doesn't take him long to kick it into high gear when he skates through the neutral zone.

His acceleration is well above average, and Petan has a cannon for a shot. The release is excellent, and he's capable of firing off pucks at a dangerous velocity from anywhere on the ice.

NHL Player Comparison

Jordan Eberle of the Edmonton Oilers. Petan's skill set is very reminiscent to that of the Oilers' young phenom. Both are small-ish players that rely heavily on speed and an outstanding shot to break through defenses.

NHL Timetable

It'll take Petan at least until the 2014-15 season to tack on the muscle needed to hack it in the NHL; 165 pounds is way, way too light to hang against even the smallest competition at that level.

Top-End Potential

While the NHL is a skill league, bigger players still tend to run the show. Petan has some serious obstacles to overcome to get there, but he has all the talent needed to be an affective top-six forward at the pro level.

Player: Josh Morrissey

Drafted By: Winnipeg Jets (13th overall)

Position: Defense

Final Central Scouting Ranking: No. 27 North American skater

Height/Weight: 6'0'', 186 lbs

DOB: March 28, 1995 (18 years old)

Most Recent Affiliation: WHL, Prince Albert Raiders 

Background

Josh Morrissey had a strong sophomore season with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL, and he is poised to make an impact at the NHL level. Morrissey was 12th in the WHL in scoring with 47 points in 70 games, and the rugged defender also had 91 penalty minutes.

Internationally, Morrissey had a strong outing at the IIHF Under-18 World Championship, and he led all defensemen with seven points.

Full Scouting Report

Morrissey is an amazing skater who has a ton of skill. He is one of the best skaters in the draft, he is agile while maneuvering on the ice and he is a skilled passer. He also is solid in his own end, and he has a pretty solid all-around game.

The one thing he lacks is consistent physicality, but he possesses the puck enough where that won’t be an issue at the NHL level. He can lay out an opponent with a great body check from time to time, but sometimes he is outworked and he loses puck battles along the boards. 

The 18-year-old blueliner has shown great promise already, but his best days are yet to come, and he has time to polish his game before he makes the jump to the NHL level.

While Morrissey is known for his defensive qualities, prospects aficionados such as Corey Pronman of Hockey Prospectus have described Morrissey as a defender who has some offensive upside.

He is also a top-end puck mover, frequently making aware and accurate passes. He can run the point on a top power play unit, jump into the rush, make a good outlet, and flash a highlight reel play with the puck. His defensive awareness is solid, and he has killed penalties at times.

While Morrissey has shown an aptitude for offense, ideally, he is a two-way defender with some offensive upside. Morrissey is also a scrappy defender who likes to drop the gloves. He doesn't have the ideal size of an enforcer, but he can hold his own when someone wants to drop the gloves with him.

NHL Player Comparison

Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Morrissey is a strong skater who uses his mobility well, and he is a two-way player with a decent offensive game.

NHL Timetable

Defensemen take longer to mature, so the best bet for Morrissey to make his NHL debut would be at the start of the 2015-16 season.

Top-End Potential

Morrissey has a lot going for him, and he should be a very good top-four defender. He is a great skater, he plays well in all zones and he knows how to use his offensive and defensive strengths to his advantage.

He could get better with some more developmental years, and he may eventually develop into a fringe first-pairing defender.

With the 13th pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, the Winnipeg Jets will have a plethora of players to target. But who will they select with that pick? That's the question many fans are pondering.

This year's draft is the deepest in a long time and there are many options for the Jets at 13. Usually, the 13th overall pick is one of those dead end, middle-of-the-pack picks with hit-or-miss players. That's not the case this year as the entire first round is full of first-round talent.

In a year with so much talent across the board, it should be close to impossible to miss with a pick. It's an opportune time to fill a major need for any team. The Jets are in a supreme position to continue their rebuilding through the draft.

On my list of five possible targets, I only include one defenseman. It's a long shot, but even I won't rule out the possibility of a defenseman going that early. The reasoning behind it being a long shot is because it's not the Jets biggest need. Also, the Jets have three second-round picks. Plenty of talented defenseman will be available then.

The Jets should end up going forward at 13 and rightfully so. There is just too much talent to pass up on. Here are five players the Jets will target with their first-round pick.

Max Domi, Forward

This is my favorite choice for the Jets, but one that may not happen based simply on the fact that the 13th pick may not be low enough. Max Domi would be a great addition to the Winnipeg organization. He brings the skill and offensive upside that the Jets are not only looking for, but very well need.

It's difficult to pinpoint where Domi ends up. The consensus from mock drafts seem to have him going anywhere between the ninth and 15th pick. If Domi is there when the Jets are on the board, the Jets have to pull the trigger on this one.

Bo Horvat, Forward

Bo Horvat is another that may not be available when the Jets make their selection. However, he's a player to covet in this draft. Horvat is a complete player. He's strong, physical, defensive-minded and has offensive scoring abilities. He's the perfect two-way forward.

Horvat seems to garner more attention than Domi and some drafts have him going as early as 8th. The odds that both Horvat and Domi are available when the Jets make their pick are slim. If it happens to be Horvat, the Jets should be very pleased.

Hunter Shinkaruk, Forward

Hunter Shinkaruk could end up being one of the best goal-scoring wingers this draft has to offer. He has great vision and hockey sense to go along with his dynamic ability to score goals. He should be around when the Jets make their pick, but even that is no guarantee.

He's a player the Jets would easily consider, in any case. The Jets need a pure goal scorer and not many fit the bill like Shinkaruk.

Alexander Wennberg, Forward

The young Swedish forward will need time to adjust from his international style of play to an NHL style.

When he does, watch out.

Outside of his tremendous speed and stick handling skills, Wennberg has grade-A hockey IQ. He plays the game with a ton of patience and rarely makes a mistake.

The Jets could use a player like Wennberg. He'll likely be around when the Jets are selecting.

Samuel Morin, Defense

The lone defenseman on my list is Samuel Morin. Even though drafting a defenseman this early in the first round is a long shot, Morin has attributes that may prove to be too difficult for the Jets to pass on. He's listed as 6'6", 202 pounds. Obviously, he has great size and is very physical, but he's also a solid skater.

A lot of mock drafts have the Jets taking Morin. However, it's extremely difficult to project who falls and who doesn't. The only way I see the Jets going with a defenseman is if the draft doesn't play out to their favor.

If Domi or Horvat fall, I just can't see how the Jets pass up on that. Even if they don't fall, Shinkaruk would be a pleasant steal. There are just too many talented forwards in the first round.

The NHL draft is just over two weeks away, and the Winnipeg Jets will have another opportunity to add a few pieces in their lengthy rebuild.

Not only will the Jets be selecting 13th-overall in the first round, they'll have three more picks in the second round, and two more picks in the third round. That's six picks in the first three rounds of a draft that is as deep as any. 

Now it's just a matter of how the Jets will use their high quality draft picks. What positions will they target and in what rounds? More importantly, how will they replace some of their graduating prospects?

With Jacob Trouba coming into the mix next season, it leaves a huge hole in the Jets' defensive-prospect depth. The same can be said regarding center depth when Mark Scheifele begins his career as an everyday player with the Jets.

Suddenly, the Jets prospect pool doesn't look so good.

The Jets' top two prospects will be in their lineup at the start of the 2013 season. After those two, there's a huge gap in talent, which is why this year will be the most important draft year for the Jets since they returned to Winnipeg.

The 2013 draft is projected to be one of the deepest drafts in a long time. That's good news for a team that controls six picks in the first three rounds. It also means the Jets can focus on more than one need while they attempt to re-establish their prospect pool.

The Jets will probably go after a forward in the first round, but when the second and third rounds roll around, expect the Jets to target at least one defenseman. And then another forward. Probably another after that.

That's the beauty of having a boat load of picks.

Outside of the first round, it's nearly impossible to mock an entire draft of players the Jets could target. However, it's easy to see that they'll get the positions and players that meet their needs, whether they hit or miss in the future.

Which brings me to this...The Jets can't afford to strike out with all these draft picks. Other teams find diamonds in the rough in the latter rounds, and now the Jets have to do so too. If everything goes well, the Jets could make some noise with players in this draft alone.

The Jets have a lot of ammo heading into the draft. Building through the draft has always been the most critical part for the once Atlanta Thrashers—now Jets. This year will be no different. The Jets will continue to build their team through the draft.

One of the major storylines to follow for the Winnipeg Jets as we near the early stages of the offseason is whether or not Alex Burmistrov wants to remain in Winnipeg.

Burmistrov was drafted eighth-overall in 2010 and has just played out the final year of his entry-level contract making him a restricted free agent this offseason. This gives the Jets a few options. Should they trade him or attempt to re-sign him?

The Jets may be forced into a trade and the fault lies with their head coach.

It’s no secret Burmistrov is unhappy after what Claude Noel put him through during the regular season. Burmistrov was consistently scratched, extremely misused and given little to no ice time each game. Not to mention the incapable line mates he played with when he actually played in a game.

The fact that Burmistrov was playing on the fourth line more times than not should say it all.

Noel’s philosophy seems to be if you skate hard you get to play top minutes in a scoring role even if you score one goal a season. In other words, if you’re a fourth liner you can play on the first line. Apparently Noel believes a player like James Wright is more fitting in a scoring role than Burmistrov.

It’s also a head scratcher when lower-tier players are playing worse than Burmistrov and getting promoted for it while Burmistrov sits in the presser. But with communication between Noel and Burmistrov nonexistent, Noel never explained why this occurred. He barely even talked about Burmistrov, why he was scratched, or why he played in roles he’s unfit for.

Burmistrov isn’t fitting in with the Jets because Noel isn’t allowing that to happen. Burmistrov has to play in a scoring role with skilled wingers, not in a checking role on the fourth line where he’ll be lucky to see three minutes a game. Noel clearly isn’t using him properly even though he outshines most of what the Jets have on their roster.

Burmistrov is a solid possession player and has good Corsi stats. He’s also a two-way forward with both an offensive and defensive side to his game. What more is there to ask for from a young, 21-year-old forward continuing to grow at the NHL level?

Sure, Burmistrov hasn’t blossomed into some world beater yet, but he’s on the path to becoming a solid NHL player. Besides, most NHL center prospects don’t come in right away and light the world on fire.

There was always a waiting game with Burmistrov and now he might not even be a Jet in the long run.

With that being said, if Burmistrov is truly unhappy, the Jets may be forced to trade him even if the return isn’t what they expect. Unless Kevin Cheveldayoff can sit down with him and try to work something out, Burmistrov’s tenure in Winnipeg will come to an end.

If Burmistrov wants out of Winnipeg, don’t say it was because of the city, team, or teammates. The blame is all on Claude Noel here.

The Winnipeg Jets were in the playoff race until the bitter end. Well, almost.

The Jets were up 2-1 on the Montreal Canadiens after two periods of play in their 48th and final game of the shortened 2013 season. But, with overtime wins by both the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers, the Jets were eliminated from postseason contention before the puck dropped in the third.

Winnipeg went on to lose 4-2 and finish ninth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 24-21-3, for a total of 51 points.

On one hand the Jets improved on their 11th-place finish from last season. However, they failed to capitalize on a great opportunity to qualify for the postseason.

Yes, Winnipeg had a tough travel schedule, but they also played in a division that featured the bottom three teams in the Eastern Conference. And yet, they managed just a 10-8 record against Southeast Division opponents.

A couple more wins against the Washington Capitals and the Jets would have taken the division title.

On the other end of the spectrum, the re-tooled Carolina Hurricanes and the offensive juggernaut that is the Tampa Bay Lightning, greatly underachieved.

It’s tough for fans to see their team just miss out of the playoffs. But, if nothing else, at least the Jets were competitive throughout the season and appear poised to continue to improve in the coming years.

Perhaps that’s where fans can find a silver lining.

The top line, featuring captain Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler, was dominant and accounted for about a third of the team’s offense. Defensive struggles were apparent at times, but a healthy Tobias Enstrom and the signing of prospect Jacob Trouba should make a significant difference in the future.

As for goaltending, Ondrej Pavelec rarely costs the Jets a chance to win, although he doesn’t steal games on a consistent basis either. Expect him to get better next season, especially as the defense improves.   

Love him or hate him (and how could you hate him?), Claude Noel has done a good job given the players he had to work with. It’s up to Kevin Cheveldayoff and the rest of Winnipeg’s management and scouting team to make the proper additions and subtractions in the offseason, to push the Jets over the top next year.

That process begins Monday, April 29, at the NHL draft lottery, where Winnipeg has just a 0.8 percent chance of snagging the first overall pick.

With that in mind, NHL realignment will see the Jets in much more competitive division next season, but in a conference with only 14 teams. The Jets division features the Blackhawks, Avalanche, Stars, Wild, Predators and Blues.

Expectations will likely be high once again, as Winnipeg yearns for its first taste of NHL playoff hockey in nearly 20 years. 

It was a valiant effort by the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night, but they fell just short in a playoff-like battle against the Washington Capitals. The Jets lost by the final score of 5-3 and, as a result, their season is more than likely over.

The game was one of major importance as both are chasing a playoff spot late in the season. The Capitals gave it all they had and the Jets responded with all they had. In the end, the Capitals were too much to handle. The Capitals have clinched the Southeast Division title while the Jets are currently on the outside looking in.

The battle between the two will go down as the last meaningful game ever played in the Southeast Division. I guess you could say the division went out with a bang, but the Jets would have preferred a different outcome.

As for the Jets, they are still mathematically alive, but it would take a miracle for them to make the playoffs.

The Jets have one game remaining on their schedule. It’s a must win game against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night at the MTS Center. If the Jets want any chance at all, they have to win their final game.

That’s considered the easy part. They still need a ton of help as well.

The Jets are chasing two teams: the New York Rangers and the Ottawa Senators. The Rangers have two games left on their schedule while the Senators will see action in three more games. Here’s the hard part: if any of these two teams win at least one more game they will clinch a playoff berth. If they do so, the Jets will officially be eliminated.

The Rangers will be in Carolina on Thursday and finish their season on Saturday at home against the Devils. The Senators will be in Washington on Thursday, home against the Flyers on Saturday and finally end their season on Sunday in Boston.

One of the Rangers or Senators has to lose out. That’s the Jets only path to the playoffs. It’s not easy, it’s not convenient, but it’s still possible. If the Jets win on Thursday and the Rangers and Senators both lose, it will make things very interesting going into the weekend.

As you can see, it’s going to take a miracle for the Jets to get in.

The Winnipeg Jets’ playoff hopes are on life support following a 5-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

Mathematically, they’re still alive, but it will take a remarkable collapse by either the New York Rangers or Ottawa Senators to put the Jets into the postseason.

Winnipeg had a great opportunity when the puck dropped in Washington. They could keep the Capitals from clinching the Southeast Division title and leapfrog them in the standings. A win could have also put them a point up on the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers, which lost 3-2 to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.

Instead the Jets came up empty, losing in regulation for the first time since April 4.

A crucial moment in the game came in the first period with the score 1-0 for Washington. Ron Hainsey kept the puck in at the blue line and took a shot which was tipped over Braden Holtby’s shoulder. The puck was trickling onto and seemingly over the goal line, until John Erskine swept it away.

The play was reviewed and the call on the ice stood, no goal.

With the score 2-0, Evander Kane got the Jets on the board 16 seconds into the second period with a power-play goal. Blake Wheeler evened the score later in the period, on a great pass from Nik Antropov.

However, it all fell apart less than a minute later.

Nicklas Backstrom scored to put the Capitals back on top and minutes later Mathieu Perreault restored the two-goal lead.

Antropov cut the lead down to one in the third, but it wasn't enough. Alex Ovechkin notched his league-leading 31st goal into an empty net to seal the win.

The Jets were outplayed, plain and simple.

Washington outshot them 41-27 and had the edge in the faceoff circle as well. It appears as though the Capitals are pulling it together and quickly becoming the strong, often dominant team we've grown accustomed to seeing in recent years. 

Washington is locked in as the third seed, while Winnipeg is on the brink of becoming the last team eliminated from playoff contention in the East.

The Jets will play their 48th and final regular-season game Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens. A win would give them 53 points on the season.

However, the Senators and Rangers are tied with 52 points now. The Senators have three games remaining versus the Capitals, Flyers and Bruins. The Rangers have two left, against the Hurricanes and Devils.

The only good news for the Jets now is the fact that they have 22 regulation and overtime wins, whereas the Senators only have 19 and the Rangers 20. Although odds are that won’t come into play. 

For those fans wondering what could have been, look no further than the season series with the Capitals. The Jets won the first game 4-2, but went on to lose the next four by a combined score of 18-4. 

The shortened NHL season is coming down to the wire for many teams with just one week remaining in the regular season. The Winnipeg Jets are just one of the teams battling for a chance to play in the playoffs.

It’s been an uphill battle for the Jets ever since they went on a five-game losing streak a few weeks ago. The Jets are coming off a six-game homestand where they went 5-0-1 and took 11 of the possible 12 points.

The uphill battle to get a playoff spot still continues as we head into the final week of the regular season.

The Jets have three games left and sit at ninth place in the Eastern Conference. They are also three points back of the division-leading Washington Capitals, and three back of the eighth-placed New York Rangers. The Capitals and Rangers also have three games remaining in their season.

It will be difficult for the Jets to make the playoffs, but still very possible. Winning out is the safest path and there is still one game on the Jets schedule that could determine who makes the playoffs or not. Let’s take a look at their remaining games.

First, the Jets will go to Buffalo to take on the Sabres Monday night. The Sabres are eliminated from playoff contention and are playing for nothing at this point, but they are still a dangerous team, especially at home.

The Jets will then play the second game of a back-to-back on Tuesday in Washington to take on the Capitals. Obviously, this is the biggest game of them all and one that could determine who makes the playoffs and who stays home.

Finally, the Jets wrap up the 2013 season at home against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. The Habs have been struggling of late and are in a head-to-head battle against the Boston Bruins for the Northeast Division. The Habs will not take that game lightly even though they’ve already clinched a playoff berth.

It’s a pretty difficult schedule with each game being important as the last. There is no such thing as an easy win especially going into Buffalo on Monday. The Jets have to play each of these games with the utmost effort and not even think about playoffs. If they lose once, it’s all but over.

Can the Jets win out? I think it's very possible.

The game on Tuesday against the Capitals is the most critical only if the Jets take care of business on Monday first. Two points should be the only thing on the Jets' mind in Buffalo. There is no such thing as looking ahead when you need every possible point.

Even if the Jets win out, there's still no guarantee they would make the playoffs. It's the best they can do though. The Jets just have to win their games first and scoreboard watch afterwards.

Let’s take a look at the remaining games on the Capitals and Rangers schedules.

The Capitals will be home against Winnipeg on Tuesday, home against Ottawa on Thursday and wrap up the season home against Boston on Saturday. The Rangers will be on the road against the Panthers on Tuesday, in Carolina on Thursday and home on Saturday against New Jersey.

The Capitals have a difficult schedule while the Rangers have a much easier path to the playoffs. At this point the Jets would gladly take the eighth seed, but the easier path is winning the division because the Jets still face the Capitals.

Whatever happens to the Capitals and Rangers, all of it is irrelevant if the Jets can’t win their own games first. This is something you just have to take one game at a time because of the fact that every game is equally important.

It starts on Monday in Buffalo.