Are the Jets for real or are they going to crash and burn?

[Hobble]

I won’t believe this team has what it takes until they lose Game 1 of the first playoff series.

 

[Buffdog]

As an Oilers' fan, could someone in Winnipeg teach my team (which, btw, has eight or nine 30+ goal scorers on the roster) how to score some goals?

Winnipeg = 63 goals in 14 games
Edmonton = 33 goals in 14 games

Winnipeg has scored more than twice as many goals as the opposition.

They're obviously a very good (and probably underrated, coming into the season) club. They also have, I think, the best goalie in the NHL, which doesn't hurt -- although even with AHL goaltending, they'd probably be in first place with 63 goals in 14 games.

However, there's this thing with "Winnipeg" and "NHL playoff success". Those two things have historically been miles apart, never to unite.

To put this into perspective: The city of Winnipeg has had an NHL club for 30 completed seasons. In those 30 years, the two franchises have won a grand total of ONE hockey game past the second round.

So, Jets and NHL fans are probably a tad unexcited about regular season success unless they feel the club is ready to really push deep. Maybe they are, I don't know, but it's probably one of those things where fans are "cautiously optimistic".

If you want the Oilers to score like the Jets, they need to figure out an unsustainable shooting percentage lol. Our goal scoring will regress to the norm at some point

As for your last paragraph, I'm one of those Jets fans who always just enjoys the ride. I take each game as they come and I like it when they win, but it doesn't affect me if they don't.

WRT the playoffs, same thing. If we win the cup, that would be amazing... but if not, I don't really care if we get knocked out in thr first round or lose in the final. 31 fanbases end the season dissatisfied to some level, I guess

 

[Kegs]

Jets been good. If only Maurice was the coach….

 

[JianYang]

I don' look to early season results as much of an indicator for playoff success.

What is important right now is try to bank as many points as you can to make punching your ticket easier.

By game 82, the hope is that you are clicking on all cylinders, because that's the better indicator of what will happen moving forward.

One thing I would try on a high level is to reduce hellebyuck's workload for thr regular seaason, and banking these early points might help them afford to do so.

 

[Adam da bomb]

I’m certainly pleasantly surprised with how this season has unfolded so far. And was also pleased with how well they performed last regular season.

And then they did what they always do. Fold when playoff pressure arrived. They seem to be mentally flawed when meaningful pressure shows up. The AV’s made them look like an AHL team.

They are the poster child for showing how meaningless a strong regular season is. Hopefully, that changes this year, but color me very skeptical on that.

Only meaningless if all you are focused on is a cup. But, it feels good to win.

 

[AnonoJet]

I’m not just focusing on the cup. Being competitive in the first round would be a start.

 

[Mad Dog Tannen]

Go back a few pages. I only mentioned that the Avs started taking over the game in the 2nd period because a Jets fan had incorrectly said that they were the better team for the first 2 periods and a couple of their fans went apeshit because 'how dare I question the best team in hockey' and it snowballed from there.

Wow. Regular salt mine with your posts.

 

[BoneDocUK]

I've not seen much of them live this year given the time differences across the pond and often crap streaming options, but this is a very good team with few obvious weaknesses beyond the lower D pairings if they can keep playing at this pace.

It's the core of last year's 110 point 4OA Jennings-winning club with arguably slightly weaker D and ostensibly smarter coaching -- this is not the recipe for crashing and burning.

Is this torrid pace sustainable over 82 games? Probably not. But you don't get to this record and these analytic numbers through puck luck and high shooting % alone. These Jets are fast, well-coached and playing as a 5-man unit at most times in most games.

I'd expect them to regress a bit and lose more than 1-2 games in 10. But they sure like one of the league's elite teams, and there's no obvious reason for the wheels to fall off completely that I can see.

Agree with most posters here though that this team has already shown it's a top team in the regular season. Def think they need to bank points and then take stock in order to peak at the right time to win a series or two -- or more, of course.

 

[PattyLafontaine]

4-1 win over Dallas puts them at 14-1

 

[5 Minute Major]

They’re for real and I hope they win the Cup for the fans of Winnipeg.

 

[Hunter368]

Jets just set a NHL record for best start by any team in 15 games, going 14-1, amazing

 

[abax44]

Decent... /Bubbles

 

[CanadienShark]

I see them bowing out in the 2nd round. Obviously a playoff team, but I don't see a contender. I'm pretty indifferent to the team overall, so if they win, ok. If they lose, ok.

 

[Weezeric]

Couldn’t even hold on for the shutout. Bunch of frauds!

 

[Ghost of Murph]

14 wins in the first 15 games in this league with so much parity is incredible.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

If Helle is this version in the playoffs, we'll be dangerous.

I see a lot of good things in this team that should lead to playoff success, as opposed to previous years.

 

[abax44]

I see them bowing out in the 2nd round. Obviously a playoff team, but I don't see a contender. I'm pretty indifferent to the team overall, so if they win, ok. If they lose, ok.

If you watch the games, you definitely see a contender, right now - a month from now... who knows. But it'll be fun while it lasts.

 

[Mobiandi]

They’ll do what they do every year and go out with a whimper in 5 or 6 while Hellebuyck posts a .875

 

[heretik27]

Couldn’t even hold on for the shutout. Bunch of frauds!

The book is out on Helle, wait until he doesn't have his stick and shoot five hole!

 

[CanadienShark]

If you watch the games, you definitely see a contender, right now - a month from now... who knows. But it'll be fun while it lasts.

Sure, while a team is winning consistently, you can argue they're always a contender.

Let me rephrase: I don't expect them to be legit contenders.

 

[abax44]

Sure, while a team is winning consistently, you can argue they're always a contender.

Let me rephrase: I don't expect them to be legit contenders.

I didn't think the Jets last year were a contender. They almost won in spite of themselves. This year... Jesus, do they look like a different team. I'm not saying this is what they'll be all season, but the style of play is definitely sustainable. I think today, right now, they are certainly "legit".

 

[DANTHEMAN1967]

A weak schedule has really helped the Jets good start, I expect the regression to start any time now.

 

[LV426]

Glad for them and their fans.

 

[FlappyGiraffe]

A weak schedule has really helped the Jets good start, I expect the regression to start any time now.

Yeah they've only beat teams below them in the standings so far

 

[heretik27]

A weak schedule has really helped the Jets good start, I expect the regression to start any time now.

Pretty reasonable prediction to make when their schedule looks like this going forward..