'23-'24 Central Division Predictions

[Mortimer Snerd]

If we are replacing Wheeler with Nino in the top six, that's a massive upgrade... if we are replacing him with Iafallo on the 3rd line that's also an upgrade...

A big part of the Jets success this season relies on Perfetti staying healthy and Scheif fully buying in to Bones' system - guess we will see.

Perfetti and everyone else staying healthy. It doesn't work if Perfetti stays healthy and Scheifele misses 30 games. Same goes for Ehlers vs say, KFC.

We tend to focus on players with above avg injury histories but that is actually misleading. The team as a whole needs to not lose too many man games from key players. That goes for pretty much every team in the league, to varying degrees.

We obviously need buy in. It isn't even about playing 'the best' system. It is about all being on the same page. Obviously a good page that suits the capabilities of the players.

But speaking of Scheif ........ If he remains unsigned will he just play for his personal stats to boost his UFA contract? Will he play a better 2 way game hoping that gets noticed? Or, if he is extended will he then focus more on a team first game? Or will he coast a bit? Lots of ???

 

[WolfHouse]

Perfetti and everyone else staying healthy. It doesn't work if Perfetti stays healthy and Scheifele misses 30 games. Same goes for Ehlers vs say, KFC.

We tend to focus on players with above avg injury histories but that is actually misleading. The team as a whole needs to not lose too many man games from key players. That goes for pretty much every team in the league, to varying degrees.

We obviously need buy in. It isn't even about playing 'the best' system. It is about all being on the same page. Obviously a good page that suits the capabilities of the players.

But speaking of Scheif ........ If he remains unsigned will he just play for his personal stats to boost his UFA contract? Will he play a better 2 way game hoping that gets noticed? Or, if he is extended will he then focus more on a team first game? Or will he coast a bit? Lots of ???

No, its fair to focus on a player who's played less than 70 games over two full seasons... that being said, I think Names really can step up into 2C even if its not ideal. KFC and Ehlers... I have no problem with Nino, Iafallo, maybe even Kupari/Barron taking their place (for 10-15 games)

I don't think Scheif buys in and I think he's been clear with Bones about that - he has his style and that's that. I think they both just grin and bear it... I'd be surprised if Scheif doesn't hit 50 goals if he plays a full season - and -37....

 

[AlaskaJet]

First place, big buyers at the deadline and keeping Helle + Scheif for a huge all in run

It’s barely within the realm of possibility if the Avalanche acquire key injuries and Dallas’ Stars fail to align.
Touch wood and cross your fingers but don’t hold your breath..
I like your attitude though!!

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

No, its fair to focus on a player who's played less than 70 games over two full seasons... that being said, I think Names really can step up into 2C even if its not ideal. KFC and Ehlers... I have no problem with Nino, Iafallo, maybe even Kupari/Barron taking their place (for 10-15 games)

I don't think Scheif buys in and I think he's been clear with Bones about that - he has his style and that's that. I think they both just grin and bear it... I'd be surprised if Scheif doesn't hit 50 goals if he plays a full season - and -37....

I didn't say it was unfair. I said it was misleading. Totally different.

When evaluating a player, injury history is entirely fair. When evaluating a team, one key player injured is like another, more or less.

Fair when judging Perfetti would not say that he has played only 69 games in 2 full seasons when he spent half of 1 of those seasons in the AHL.

 

[WolfHouse]

I didn't say it was unfair. I said it was misleading. Totally different.

When evaluating a player, injury history is entirely fair. When evaluating a team, one key player injured is like another, more or less.

Fair when judging Perfetti would not say that he has played only 69 games in 2 full seasons when he spent half of 1 of those seasons in the AHL.

Using the term 'fair' is a fair response to 'misleading'... cmon get your grammar together here.

And umm... 17 games in the AHL is not half a season...

 

[NA Hockey]

Using the term 'fair' is a fair response to 'misleading'... cmon get your grammar together here.

And umm... 17 games in the AHL is not half a season...

17 games in the AHL and a month at World Juniors.

He played 1 week in the NHL to open the season (2 games) in October and came back to the Jets in January after playing for 2 months in AHL and a month at World J's.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Using the term 'fair' is a fair response to 'misleading'... cmon get your grammar together here.

And umm... 17 games in the AHL is not half a season...

Nope - fair and misleading are totally different. It IS fair. But it is the wrong thing to focus on, in this case, IMO. Like I said, how does the TEAM do if Perfetti plays 82 games and Scheif plays 50? Is that better for the team than Scheif playing 82 and Perfetti playing 50? Team results will be affected by team injury load to key players.

If 17 games in the AHL is not half a season then neither is 18 games in the NHL. I don't know how many days he spent on each roster or on each IR list, but he played as much in one league as he did in the other.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

No, its fair to focus on a player who's played less than 70 games over two full seasons... that being said, I think Names really can step up into 2C even if its not ideal. KFC and Ehlers... I have no problem with Nino, Iafallo, maybe even Kupari/Barron taking their place (for 10-15 games)

I don't think Scheif buys in and I think he's been clear with Bones about that - he has his style and that's that. I think they both just grin and bear it... I'd be surprised if Scheif doesn't hit 50 goals if he plays a full season - and -37....

Further - you are probably right about Scheif. But he will look a lot better playing with defensively better (and maybe offensively too) wingers.

 

[WolfHouse]

Nope - fair and misleading are totally different. It IS fair. But it is the wrong thing to focus on, in this case, IMO. Like I said, how does the TEAM do if Perfetti plays 82 games and Scheif plays 50? Is that better for the team than Scheif playing 82 and Perfetti playing 50? Team results will be affected by team injury load to key players.

If 17 games in the AHL is not half a season then neither is 18 games in the NHL. I don't know how many days he spent on each roster or on each IR list, but he played as much in one league as he did in the other.

I hope the player that has been healthy for 52% of the NHL games he has been eligible to play can stay healthy for this season because he is now our #2C. I feel like this is important because if he can't stay healthy it sets a pattern - other players on the team do not have this pattern. It is pointless to talk about injuries in a general manner since they happen to all teams. In fact, responding to points about a specific player can have the effect of undermining any useful conversation i.e. if every player gets injured, the jets are in real trouble.

However, given the injury history of said player and the fact that he is designated as our C of the future - after one preseason game - and injury to this player would be more detrimental to the team than almost anyone else including our 1C that according to this board is either too priceless to trade or can't fetch a decent return because he's 30.

 

[Jetabre]

1st

Reasoning: Because I said so


(Followed up by 1st round exit in playoffs and losing Scheif and Helle for nothing)

 

[Eyeseeing]

4th
I can manage my expectations a little better this way.

 

[jokesondee]

I’m not sure why everyone loves Dallas so much. They have some really solid players but they also rely a lot on players in their mid to late 30s who could fall off at any moment…

Ive been saying the same thing for 4 years now, yet they always seem to finish in the top 2 in the Central.

Colorado
Dallas
Minnesota
Winnipeg
Nashville
St Louis
Phoenix
Chicago

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I hope the player that has been healthy for 52% of the NHL games he has been eligible to play can stay healthy for this season because he is now our #2C. I feel like this is important because if he can't stay healthy it sets a pattern - other players on the team do not have this pattern. It is pointless to talk about injuries in a general manner since they happen to all teams. In fact, responding to points about a specific player can have the effect of undermining any useful conversation i.e. if every player gets injured, the jets are in real trouble.

However, given the injury history of said player and the fact that he is designated as our C of the future - after one preseason game - and injury to this player would be more detrimental to the team than almost anyone else including our 1C that according to this board is either too priceless to trade or can't fetch a decent return because he's 30.

Yeah, I hope he stays healthy too.

 

[Gm0ney]

Dallas
Colorado
Winnipeg
Minnesota
St. Louis
Nashville
Arizona
Chicago

 

[SLAYER]

Dallas
Colorado
Winnipeg
Minnesota
St. Louis
Nashville
Arizona
Chicago

Same, except I would switch ARZ and CHI.

 

[tbcwpg]

Colorado
Dallas
Winnipeg
Minnesota
Nashville
Arizona
St. Louis
Chicago

 

[WaveRaven]

I see it as

Colorado
Dallas
Minnesota
Winnipeg
Nashville
St. Louis
Arizona
Chicago

 

[Mathil8]

Colorado
Dallas
Winnipeg
Minnesota
St. Louis
Arizona
Nashville
Chicago

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

Winnipeg
Dallas
Minnesota
Colorado
St Louis
Nashville
Chicago
Arizona

 

[Jets 31]

Winnipeg
Dallas
Minnesota
Colorado
St Louis
Nashville
Chicago
Arizona

 

[DRW204]

They mostly rely on Robertson (24), Hintz (26), Oettinger (24), and Heiskanen (24).

yeah those are the main drivers along with old geezer Pavelski lol. Robertson, Oettinger and Heiskanen could very well be Hart, Vezina and Norris finalists this year. Just last season they were 4th, 7th and 5th. Other than NYR, COL or perhaps TBL, idk if there are other teams have that strong of a singular Fwd-D-G combo.

just like we have high hopes of Perfetti at 2C i think they have similar hope in their young C in Wyatt Johnston, who put up 24 goals and 0.5 PPG in his first season at 19 years old. so you'd expect similar growth there.

Benn and Seguin are better served as complimentary players now given their age/injury history/NHL miles. and then same with the with Dadonov and Duchene. Benn was a complete revelation last year & am a bit doubtful his numbers are repeatable. 78 pts in 15:47 TOI per game. It looks like he got a major boost in PP role and helped propel them into a top-5 PP team. not sure if he gets close to PPG. during the bowness-years they were typicaly a v low scoring team, so idk if we see as low as ~40ish pts again either, perhaps he's around 60ish pts?

in hockey-reference's Avg Age (whch is weighted by TOI) they are right at league average last season at 28.4 years old. LeftWingLock has them at 29.6 years old this year, the Jets for reference are 28.9.

 

[SUX2BU]

3rd place

 

[surixon]

yeah those are the main drivers along with old geezer Pavelski lol. Robertson, Oettinger and Heiskanen could very well be Hart, Vezina and Norris finalists this year. Just last season they were 4th, 7th and 5th. Other than NYR, COL or perhaps TBL, idk if there are other teams have that strong of a singular Fwd-D-G combo.

just like we have high hopes of Perfetti at 2C i think they have similar hope in their young C in Wyatt Johnston, who put up 24 goals and 0.5 PPG in his first season at 19 years old. so you'd expect similar growth there.

Benn and Seguin are better served as complimentary players now given their age/injury history/NHL miles. and then same with the with Dadonov and Duchene. Benn was a complete relevation last year & am a bit doubtful his numbers are repeatable. 78 pts in 15:47 TOI per game. It looks like he got a major boost in PP role and helped propel them into a top-5 PP team. not sure if he gets close to PPG. during the bowness-years they were typicaly a v low scoring team, so idk if we see as low as ~40ish pts again either, perhaps he's around 60ish pts?

in hockey-reference's Avg Age (whch is weighted by TOI) they are right at league average last season at 28.4 years old. LeftWingLock has them at 29.6 years old this year, the Jets for reference are 28.9.

Hard to say on Dallas's support group. Benn and his line had a crazy high on ice shot %. I expect there to be some regression there.

 

[Hunter368]

Voted with my heart, I said 3rd place.......in reality I think it will be some where between 3rd and 4th place.

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

I know, I know. Picking the Avs for 4th is a bit out there, but I really think they're due for a fall.