It isn’t just the three losses. It’s how they played leading up to these losses. You could see this coming. It was a big test of team backbone when adversity came knocking, and they completely failed the test.
I hope I’m wrong, but I’m expecting serious regression after the break. There is a fundamental flaw in this team when it comes to mental toughness. Which this time of year brings.
Disappointing, but it looks like reality.
They've played well defensively in the 3 losses, which last year would've been a major flaw.
Last season's Jets and Jets teams before that were all about getting into the o-zone, never playing defense and hoping Hellebuyck bailed them out. This year's Jets are, or were leading up to this week I'm not sure where they are now, the number 1 5v5 team in the league. They went over 30 games giving up 3 goals or less.
They lost to the best team in the league after being down 2-1 late in Boston, they lost 1-0 in OT after dominating the Leafs in Toronto, and yesterday they were in it until late but didn't win. Oh well.
Also, the top line C has been out, they played Tuesday without 2 thirds of their top line and their 1D out for 2 periods, and yesterday lost Dillon early in the 1st.
People don't like losing to the Leafs, I get it, but they haven't played all that poorly this week and they've played all season in a sustainable way.
So I'll definitely call out unwarranted pessimism when I see it. Last year's team was playing at an unsustainable clip that the underlying numbers didn't bear out, this year's team has the stats to back up their record.