The fact the Jets have the highest point percentage in the Central while having no players that are PPG is scary

[GreatSaveEssensa]

The have a team-wide .920 save% while the next best teams have a .913. That’s a massive gap which easily accounts for and exceeds their offensive struggles.

But it also looks “scary” for their postseason outlook. Teams need to be well-rounded to make a deep run. All-defense teams are just as likely to hit an ill-timed slump as all-offense teams.

The Jets are very well rounded and all 4 lines can bite you.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The Jets are very well rounded and all 4 lines can bite you.

That makes a lot more sense to me as a case for how they can go deep, than whatever we were talking about upthread.

Plenty of teams have made deep runs (not necessarily Cup runs, but close) with 4 lines and a goalie.

 

[x Tame Impala]

2nd round exit incoming. No juice on offense

 

[Soundwave]

I don't think that's necessarily a great thing. Sometimes in the playoffs you need a skater to take over a game and dominate it or break it open.

 

[Tasteless Beaver]

Schiefele is now PPG, thanks for the jynx thread boost!

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

The Jets have Connor who if not injured would have around 40 already. Scheifele just had 42 last season and is a ppg centre who is suddenly playing 2 way hockey again. Ehlers who can snipe and has 7 seasons in a row with 20+. Toffolli who will be 30+. Monahan and Niederatter will be 20+. And Vilardi would be pacing for 30+ if not for injuries. Also Adam Lowry always seems to pick it up in crunch time

They may not have that superstar power, but go ahead and sleep on the Jets and you will get bitten. To say they have no fire power is straight up wrong.

 

[abax44]

They do very well against bad teams

Like the Rangers

 

[GaryinPrague]

Like the Rangers

Shhhhh

 

[jetsforever]

Very deep team and good defence/goaltending

 

[Jaytee]

They got their shit pushed in 0-5 against Vancouver, and then lost to Nashville too. Scoring a total of 2 goals in those 2 games.

In the process of correcting the details, you just proved my point.

Hanging 6s on Columbus and Anaheim is not a predictor of exploding into a deadly offensive team in the playoffs.

If you're going to use those games as an indicator of anything, then you should probably note that most of the Jets team was fighting a vicious flu virus when they played Vancouver and Nashville, to the point where several players were on IV fluids prior to the game, just so they could remain upright and play. That's a bigger factor in those two losses than anything else.

 

[winnipegger]

Jets have 3 2nd lines and a 3rd line. They are built for depth and they play a tight defensive style. I am hoping for a jets Oilers conference final so we can answer this question once and for all.

 

[JKG33]

Ya'll can feel free to tell me to eat shit if I'm proven wrong in a few months, but this thread title is exactly why I'm not scared of them as a playoff contender. Just like with the Islanders and Hurricanes of the last few years, they're playing playoff hockey way too early. It's great to dominate the regular season like that, but I have a feeling they won't find that extra gear come playoff time that cup winners have.

Playing defensive hockey is great, but in a 32 team league with goaltending as mediocre as it is across the league, they should be scoring more than just mid pack during the regular season. If they can't put up goals now, what's gunna happen in the playoffs when games tighten up?

 

[Jaytee]

It might be the right strategy in a cap world. Spend the cap dollars up and down the lineup.

We focus on the top superstars but if you have to skimp on depth that's a weakness to exploit and makes you vulnerable to injury

The NHL is not a league that's conducive to superstars winning championships, because of the salary cap and how it's structured.

It's why the total number of Stanley Cups won by McDavid and Matthews equals zero, and there's a very good chance they finish their careers that way, the Marcel Dionnes of the modern age.

To pay these guys what they demand means that you have inferior players everywhere else, because you can't afford enough good ones. The Jets are built for the NHL salary cap system. The Leafs and Oilers aren't. Unless the salary cap system changes (and personally, I hope it doesn't), the Penguins from a few years ago will likely be the last team where superstars regularly won championships.

 

[winnipegger]

Jets have 3 2nd lines and a 3rd line. They are built for depth and they play a tight defensive style. I am hoping for a jets Oilers conference final so we can answer this question once and for all.

 

[PhilJets]

Jets are a very balanced team, specially now with the 3 new additions.

But

#HELLY4HART

 

[Sky04]

The Rick Bowness effect. Such an underrated coach.

The Rick Bowness effect, all that offense is going to dry up when they need it.

 

[ffh]

The Rick Bowness effect, all that offense is going to dry up when they need it.

They're right where they've been for offense for the last 6 years. Except with the best goals against in the league. Great job Rick.

 

[Jetcetera]

That makes a lot more sense to me as a case for how they can go deep, than whatever we were talking about upthread.

Plenty of teams have made deep runs (not necessarily Cup runs, but close) with 4 lines and a goalie.

I'd argue that LA and STL's cup winning teams came off 4 good lines and a goalie without overwhelming star power. Even vegas

 

[yeaher]

When the Rangers went to the Final in 2014, their leading scorer was Zuccarello with 59 points in 77 games.

Yeah, but then what happened?

 

[MrvJets]

They role 4 lines that can all score. They are fast and big and can forecheck the heck out of you. Look how they handled NY tonight. That score flatters the Rangers. 5 vs 5 how many teams in the league are better than them? Their PP has suffered this year due to injuries. Connor, Shief, and Vilardi have missed a lot of games. The addition of Monaghan and Toffoli have now made them more dangerous. Those that say they are not scared of their offense really don’t understand this team. I am not saying they will go far but they are the best Canadian team and have yet not shown their true potential due to injuries all year.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

The have a team-wide .920 save% while the next best teams have a .913. That’s a massive gap which easily accounts for and exceeds their offensive struggles.

But it also looks “scary” for their postseason outlook. Teams need to be well-rounded to make a deep run. All-defense teams are just as likely to hit an ill-timed slump as all-offense teams.

The Kings were 2nd last and 6th last in goals for when they won their 2 Stanley Cups having a far worse offense than the Jets.

St Louis was 15th in the league for goals for per game in 2018-19. Jets offense is easily as good as the Blues that season.

You will have to explain in detail how the Jets offense is not well-rounded.

 

[TheSuperElite]

Winnipeg Helles

 

[blueandgoldguy]

Ya'll can feel free to tell me to eat shit if I'm proven wrong in a few months, but this thread title is exactly why I'm not scared of them as a playoff contender. Just like with the Islanders and Hurricanes of the last few years, they're playing playoff hockey way too early. It's great to dominate the regular season like that, but I have a feeling they won't find that extra gear come playoff time that cup winners have.

Playing defensive hockey is great, but in a 32 team league with goaltending as mediocre as it is across the league, they should be scoring more than just mid pack during the regular season. If they can't put up goals now, what's gunna happen in the playoffs when games tighten up?

I don't know how did the Kings win 2 cups with a terrible offense?

I remember earlier in the season when you said the jets were a shitty team.
How does it feel to be so wrong?

 

[thekernel]

My man, this is the point where you should stop digging.

You’re right that I misspoke, intending to say they had only won 2 games against playoff teams this month, rather than played.

In your rush to call that out, you just demonstrated that they did indeed play 2 other games against playoff teams — in which they lost, badly, and showed zero offensive pulse.

I suspect you didn’t really want to talk about that, but here we are.

The Jets played against Nashville, a lower-end playoff team who’s barely on the right side of the bubble. In that game, Nashville was up 4-0 with seven minutes remaining. That brought the total goals to 0-9 in the games you just chose to highlight as proof that they’re going to be a playoff threat. The Jets tacked on two garbage-time goals, including a PPG with 11 seconds left, to save face on paper. That’s the offensive surge we’re talking about? Or was it the 6 against Columbus? The 6 against Anaheim?

Do I need to mention that in the current standings, their first round opponent would be the same Nashville team that ran them out of the building? Is that something you meant to highlight as well?

I’ll accept the correction you made, but the conclusion that must naturally be drawn from it is exactly the point I was making.

Just curious, with this absurd rambling, what your thoughts were on the Jets' win tonight over the Rangers. Road game, Scheifele gets a hat trick, multiple points from new guys, Connor hits 30 goals. Would love to hear you spin that one into something bad, I'm sure you've been cooking up something. Oh wait, I forgot, you don't want to talk about the games where the Jets win against good teams

 

[tarheelhockey]

The Kings were 2nd last and 6th last in goals for when they won their 2 Stanley Cups having a far worse offense than the Jets.

But the Kings absolutely exploded offensively in both of those playoffs. It’s not just that they scored more than their regular season selves (when the opposite is usually the case), they were flat-out better offensively than nearly any other team in the bracket those seasons. Look at their 2014 scoring vs the other Cup finalist… the Kings scored a full goal per game more than the Rangers that spring.

The thesis in the OP is that the Jets are primed to do the same. I’m not buying that. They have good players, but so do all the other playoff teams. Injuries notwithstanding, they’ve already been getting typical-or-better production from their core offensive players. Their best player is their goalie. They’re coached by one of the very last guys you would expect to lead an offensive renaissance, least of all in the playoffs. Of all the teams, why would this be the one that should suddenly have a Kings-style offensive breakout?