When the NHL returned to Winnipeg, fans in Manitoba rejoiced. The displaced Phoenix Coyotes had been residing in Arizona since 1996 while one of the most enthusiastic fan bases had been NHL free for 15 years. The 15000 fanatics that fill the MTS Center in downtown Winnipeg practically willed the Jets to the playoffs in the first two seasons back in Canada. The support for the Jets has been off the charts, but the franchise has fallen short of expectations and will end the honeymoon quickly if they don't get to the playoffs soon.
It isn't that Winnipeg has been non-competitive, but given the level of play in the Southeast Division the past two years, the Jets may have missed out on some golden opportunities to get to the postseason. The NHL's new Central Division will provide no relief for the now geographically correct Winnipeg franchise. With the defending Stanley Cup champs residing at the top of the mountain, the Jets will be in for a long season.
With no major moves other than the acquisition of Devin Setoguchi, Winnipeg instead turned its focus to extending players that were already under contract. Sure it is great to lock players up for the long-term, but is it wise to lock up a roster of guys who haven't had a taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Blake Wheeler, Evander Kane and Bryan Little are all nice players, but for the $16 million that Winnipeg has locked on them, Detroit is paying Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen and Niklas Kronwall the same amount. Equal value? Not even close.
Kane, Little and Wheeler could conceivably be put on the top offensive line for coach Claude Noel. Beyond the top line, the Jets will have some difficulty finding the net.
I don't want to suggest that the Jets are simply looking to keep the talent they have locked in to stay competitive, but it seems as though they are overpaying across the board so that players won't flee Winnipeg. The same seems to hold true on defense where the Jets have over $16 million locked up in Tobias Enstrom, Dustin Byfuglien and Zach Bogosian over the new three years. The three blue liners are above average defensemen and deserve quality compensation, but considering the depth of the roster, Winnipeg grossly overpaid for the trio.
In net, Winnipeg will return Ondrej Pavelec for the fourth straight year as the starter. I would love to suggest that Al Montoya could push him for starts, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Pavelec's most and least endearing trait is his inconsistency. The Jets have seen him stop 50 shots in a shutout while struggling to kep his overall GAA under three goals per game.
Anyone would want to play in front of a packed house every night. Fans that care for and love their team passionately are the best in the world. However, the fans that wanted the NHL to return to their city so desperately have a finite amount of patience when it comes to fielding a contender. Winnipeg has some talent locked in, but they need to stop throwing money at mediocrity if they want to be a viable franchise. In the highly competitive Central Division, a playoff spot could literally come down to a single game. The Jets are stocked with mid to low level talent that struggled in a weaker division last year. With three teams from the 2013 playoffs in the mix, Winnipeg will struggle to finish in the top half of the division.
The fans of Winnipeg got their wish and their Jets. They will come out in full force to support the team that they love. However, they deserve better from a team that will disappoint them for yet another year.
Prediction: Seventh