Burnside: Are the Winnipeg Jets finished already?

[sipowicz]

From ESPN:

"However, is it time to put a fork in the Winnipeg Jets? The Jets were dumped 3-1 Monday night by the Oilers despite pouring 45 shots on Cam Talbot. Winnipeg is last in the Central Division now after the Colorado Avalanche surged past them into sixth place, but the real issue is the eight-point gap between the Jets and the second wild-card spot out West. That's eight too many for my liking. For a team with significant free-agent issues looming with captain Andrew Ladd and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, the playoffs look like a long shot, and the pressure on GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to get top assets in return for Byfuglien and Ladd will mount if they aren't under contract soon."

My answer to the question in the thread title would be: YES!

Click to read more...

 

[TenderBender]

Playoffs are definitely out of the question, and although as a fan I wouldn't want to wish for a tank, they might need to stink up the rest of the season so the context is right for making some moves that as a bubble team are harder to make.

You can justify trading your captain, dumping your "#1" goalie, and moving some "glue guys" (looking at you Stuart) when the team is doing poorly. If we're at arms reach from the playoffs these things look a bit extreme to the average fan.

 

[Huffer]

Considering the whole "American Thanksgiving" theory, it would appear we are done. Which is very tough when there is more than half a season left.

Agree with TenderBender though, being further out in January and February "should" make a decision to sell a little easier for Cheveldayoff.

 

[enarwpg]

From ESPN:

"However, is it time to put a fork in the Winnipeg Jets? The Jets were dumped 3-1 Monday night by the Oilers despite pouring 45 shots on Cam Talbot. Winnipeg is last in the Central Division now after the Colorado Avalanche surged past them into sixth place, but the real issue is the eight-point gap between the Jets and the second wild-card spot out West. That's eight too many for my liking. For a team with significant free-agent issues looming with captain Andrew Ladd and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, the playoffs look like a long shot, and the pressure on GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to get top assets in return for Byfuglien and Ladd will mount if they aren't under contract soon."

My answer to the question in the thread title would be: YES!

Absolutely agree. They've got to win approximately 67% of their remaining games to get up to around 99 points (considering that's what it took last year to make the playoffs). Up until now they've only won 45.5%.

 

[Duke749]

Move Ladd. Move Stuart. I'd be happy with that. Well, Stuart for sure. Ladd is more unfortunate IMO but I think you have to look long term now. Maybe we pick up an extra first again this year. Could go a long ways. Maybe get an NHL ready prospect that you like.

 

[Jetfaninflorida]

Yes.

I posted something similar to what I am going to say here in the tank thread. We are in auto-tank mode. If you ice a weak team every night you don't win very many. Automatic tank. We are a two line team. We have weak LHD and goaltending issues. We are entering the xmas break, we know what this team is by now 40% of the way into the year. We are near bottom of the league team with a significant lack of talent. Shuffling AHLers in and out of the forth line doesn't change that. It does however give fans something to talk about and generate false hope.

We are done.

 

[Gm0ney]

Yes, the Jets playoff hopes are dead. RIP.

 

[Derfel*]

I'm not ready to say we're done yet, as 8 points isn't insurmountable for this team "on paper".

That being said, if they can't string together 3-4 consecutive wins in the next short while, they might as well start planning for 2019 when they are going to win the Cup.

 

[Hunter368]

From day one of the season I've said the Jets played poorly and wouldn't make the playoffs (unless they played much better). Well now at this point the Jets have no chance of doing it. Another wasted year, with incremental improvements only and moral victories. Jets are done.

 

[Yukon Joe]

We're not done yet, but they need to put together a winning streak in order to make the playoffs. If they could rattle off 5-6 straight wins in January then they're at least within shooting distance.

I'd be against trading off Ladd and Buff just because we're out of it though by the trade deadline. If you trade them they're never going to sign back with us. If Chevy thinks he can sign one or both next summer then you keep them.

Besides what are you going to get for either one of them? At most a last 1st round pick? And those have a, what 30% chance of ever turning into an NHL player?

 

[EpicGingy]

It certainly appears so.

Maybe Chevy will finally choose a direction for this team to head. Or maybe they'll go on a 5 game win streak before going .500 the rest of the way and we ride Ladd/Buff all the way to UFA and an 8th overall pick.

 

[Guardian17]

We do not look like a team that is capable of winning two of three games until the end of the season.

The core we inherited is not doing the job and it's time to move on.

Maybe the draft lottery gods will be kind to us.

 

[Hank Chinaski]

Yes, and they've been realistically finished since they dropped below fake .500 in mid-November. You're not going to dig yourself out of a hole like that in the Central Division.

Trade market doesn't start picking up until post-ASB, which is really the only excuse for not selling at this point and playing for draft position for the rest of the season.

 

[KCjetsfan]

well yeah we're done.

what i'm most interested in seeing, which really isn't a good thing, is us getting on a roll, be within reasonable striking distance of the playoffs around the TD, and seeing what our GM does.

Does he play it like last year, and add pieces to squeak in, or does he let it go. The moves made last year (which I loved) don't jive with what I figure the philosophy is, based on actions for this year, so it'd be interesting to see what goes through his head this year in a similar situation.

 

[Positive]

Too far back IMHO. 8 pts is a lot. Basically means an eight-game winning streak, if the other teams somehow coast on .500. Considering it looks like the team can't win two or three in a row, it looks pretty grim. According to Sportsclubstats...playoff chances down to 19.5 %.

 

[nobody important]

As one of the resident pessimists, I doubt it will come as a shock when I express my belief that they're done. Nothing they've done this year would lead me to think they are capable of an extended win streak. Sadly, Bucky is proving to be every bit as inconsistent as our other goalies. Plus, we haven't even run into injury problems yet.

Now that we are so tantalizingly close to the bottom, I find myself wishing they would just take a deep breath and free dive into that trench. It might motivate Chevy into some major moves.

 

[Howard Chuck]

Done. I'll still watch and enjoy the games, but I'd like to see us take advantage of a bad situation and make some moves and go all in with letting the rookies play some real minutes with real line mates.

Let's use this season to experiment and really get ready for next draft and next season.

 

[Samcanadian]

From day one of the season I've said the Jets played poorly and wouldn't make the playoffs (unless they played much better). Well now at this point the Jets have no chance of doing it. Another wasted year, with incremental improvements only and moral victories. Jets are done.

The Jets started the season 4-1 and were scoring a ton of goals. Link to the thread you started about the Jets being finished?

 

[YWGinYYZ]

Never!

As the eternal optimist, I look at the strength of schedule that the Jets have faced, the ridiculous number of B2B's already, and the poor stretch of goaltending, and say "Nuts!". They'll come out swinging, just like the Wild did last year, and claw their way back into the playoffs.

Of course, I will be keeping my bourbon close by, and watching twitter for signs of the trade market opening up / Chevy exploring his options as well. Never hurts to hedge your bets.

The Jets started the season 4-1 and were scoring a ton of goals. Link to the thread you started about the Jets being finished?

Hunter's been pretty consistent with this take on the team, especially when we were "Leaf'ing" our way into the W column. If I remember correctly, he thought it was unsustainable. I thought that it was worrisome.

Now however, we're playing a much better 5v5 game, but losing anyway, due to 'tending and special teams.

 

[Hunter368]

The Jets started the season 4-1 and were scoring a ton of goals. Link to the thread you started about the Jets being finished?

Please reread my post again.

 

[Samcanadian]

Never!

As the eternal optimist, I look at the strength of schedule that the Jets have faced, the ridiculous number of B2B's already, and the poor stretch of goaltending, and say "Nuts!". They'll come out swinging, just like the Wild did last year, and claw their way back into the playoffs.

Of course, I will be keeping my bourbon close by, and watching twitter for signs of the trade market opening up / Chevy exploring his options as well. Never hurts to hedge your bets.

I want to believe.

We put together a quick 3 game win streak after beating the Flames tonight, and we're right back in this.

 

[Samcanadian]

Please reread my post again.

I just did. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do now.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Move Ladd. Move Stuart. I'd be happy with that. Well, Stuart for sure. Ladd is more unfortunate IMO but I think you have to look long term now. Maybe we pick up an extra first again this year. Could go a long ways. Maybe get an NHL ready prospect that you like.

At the draft Stuart might have fetched a 2nd or 3rd. Now less. I'd take a 5th. Or should that be take THE 5th? Drink a 5th? Whatever, Stuart gone is addition by subtraction.

Ladd isn't worth what he would cost and the term worries me too but he should still bring a good return from a contender.

 

[Analyst365]

To me we're not done until I'm told we're mathematically eliminated.

And that is because I am a fan not a wanna-be hockey analyst who just apes what I see declared on TV and the internet.

 

[Daximus]

We're done full tank ahead! Here we come Matthews! Team America Jets!