From a fan from out of town: The primary difference between this year and last?

[Mr. Make-Believe]

...

Bruins fan (full disclaimer). But man, do I ever love this Jets team. For my money, there's not a better team to watch than them. Love how your team drafts. Love how they play. They're my personal pick to be the next Canadian team to win a Cup.

I'm curious as to why you guys have struggled this year. I can't make sense of it.

Would love to get the take from Jets fans on this, a fanbase without equal in this league.

Click to read more...

 

[raideralex99]

Bad special teams play and poor goaltending ... throw in a few bad bounces and you get the snowball effect.

 

[Hank Chinaski]

Too many penalties, crappy PK, mediocre PP. Have lacked the goaltending and depth to overcome the aforementioned issues.

 

[JetsFan815]

Terrible special teams while taking the most penalties in the league. Letting many of our depth players walk in summer with no one filling their shoes. Regression in a couple of players (Lowry and Chiarot)

 

[pegjets]

Lost a bit of the identity. Last year the Jets were very physical, won ugly games, fought tooth and nail for wins. That just hasn't been the case this season, not so much from personnel changes (maybe we just over-achieved). Goaltending had a one season peak (Pav & Hutch), but they're both back to career below average numbers. I think also our powerplay got worse this year, and it wasn't great last season.

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Good 5v5, overcome by terrible PP and PK, combined with spotty goaltending. In addition, the Jets are the most heavily penalized team in the league, so here we are.

It's fixable, but this year's done.

 

[Jaytee]

Welcome, and thanks for the kind words.

Our special teams have killed us, all year long, both the power play and penalty killing. At even strength, we're in the playoffs, easy.

That, plus inconsistent goaltending. We're not nearly as far from being near the top as some of the more negative posters would have you believe. And I agree with you - we will be the next Canadian team to win the Cuo; just not for a little while.

 

[Hank Chinaski]

Also worth noting that goaltending hasn't been quite the same issue as it has in past years. Pavelec is Pavelec, Hutchinson has regressed, but Hellebuyck gave it a nice little boost upon being called up, albeit with little to no net effect in the standings.

 

[Mighty Joe Moon]

For me it's letting a decent 4th line walk. Frolik left for less than half a million per year, Stempniak and Tlusty signed PTOs in New Jersey. Combined they are making less than $7mil, and they would all be short contracts. All three of those guys are better than anything put out on the 4th line this year. All the other stuff hurt as well, especially penalties and the lame PK, but the 4th line depth for me was the biggest thing. I don't understand how all three walked.

 

[Andy6]

Taking too many penalties is the main controllable thing. But a lot of bad luck, or what appears to be bad luck, got them down early and clearly ate away at their confidence. Looking back in 10 years, this year will just be a forgettable blip. It happens.

 

[Analyst365]

Last year we had a run of well above average goaltending that made us look well above average. This year we looked more like we really are.

From a coaching perspective, or at least how Maurice described it in interviews, last year we were tough to play against whereas this year we went small and young.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Kind of a perfect storm.
Having terrible special teams and taking the most penalties in the league at the same.
A couple of sophomore slumps.
Erratic goaltending at best.
Letting a good bottom 6 walk.

 

[Langdon Alger]

How has Pavelec been this season?

 

[204*]

...

Bruins fan (full disclaimer). But man, do I ever love this Jets team. For my money, there's not a better team to watch than them. Love how your team drafts. Love how they play. They're my personal pick to be the next Canadian team to win a Cup.

I'm curious as to why you guys have struggled this year. I can't make sense of it.

Would love to get the take from Jets fans on this, a fanbase without equal in this league.

the young rookies were given a way bigger role and filled out the depth. with rookies come mistakes and learning curves. alot of 1 goal games that we wlda won last year or games that would be dragged into over time become losses. as all teams who inject youth you take a little step back but this team is way better then its record once u remove special teams. and stu/pav

 

[blues10]

Terrible PK and PP. Mis use of players on PK and PP. Horrible bottom six. Horrible 5/6 D. Below average tending from Hutch and Pavs.

Easily fixable with some bottom six FA signings, the firing of Vincent, the buyout of Pavs and playoffs 2016-17 here we come.


#doitchevy

 

[blues10]

How has Pavelec been this season?

Take a peek over at the goaltending thread for an entertaining evening.

 

[kylbaz]

Here's a theory of mine:
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1998939
On top of that, I just dont' think we got some of the bounces last year. It seems every close game we're in this year we just don't get the bounces where as last year a lot of them went our ways. When we were playing good, we got the bounces, and continued the winning, where as this year just seems like we couldn't get momentum going.

 

[lablite47]

Certainly special teams are the worst in the league but more than anything, the team is missing (since the move to Winnipeg) that elite, polished, finishing skill component to really make us an really good team. Prospects are incubating in the farm though for the last few years and that part of it will soon surface

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

...

Thanks everyone.

I'm happy to hear that although the Jets are lower than expected in the standings, the fans are still optimistic and not jumping off of bridges.

Best of luck to all of you.

 

[bluefan]

Special teams ratio is completely one sided this year, in a bad way obviously.

Goaltending reached new lows.

Ownership decided to be the bottom of the league in terms of spending money.

Those are the three main points IMO.

 

[sipowicz]

Poor PK, PP, goaltending, no scoring, bad coaching, do-nothing GM, cheap ownership!