The Winnipeg Jets had an exceedingly up-and-down 2022-23 season. They had a strong first half, suffered a prolonged slide in the second half, recovered from it just in time to squeak into the playoffs, then were quickly dispatched in the first round by the Vegas Golden Knights.
In this series, we’ll take a look back on the season, player by player, and grade their individual performances with an eye toward their future with the team.
Nino Niederreiter had a positive impact on the Jets down the stretch, producing reliably and playing to his strengths.
Niederreiter Brought Fuel, Fire Upon Joining Jets
Niederreiter — a 30-year-old veteran of 12 NHL seasons with four NHL clubs prior to joining the Jets — has crafted a reputation as a reliable middle-six goal scorer and point producer who plays a direct and physical game.
The Swiss product lived up to his reputation immediately after being acquired from the Nashville Predators for a 2024 second-round pick in late February, recording six goals and seven assists for 13 points in 21 games and logging nearly 17 minutes per game. That bumped up his season totals between the two teams to 24 goals and 17 assists for 41 points in 78 games; it was the seventh time in his career he scored 20-plus goals in a season.
The Jets enjoyed a tremendous first half of the regular season, at points sitting in first place in the Central Division and even the Western Conference. By the time Niederreiter came aboard, though, they were a sinking ship, losers of five of six prior to the acquisition.
GM Kevin Cheveldayoff knew his team needed a boost to their forward depth considering the season-ending injury to Cole Perfetti was announced just a few days prior, and Niederreiter immediately provided it. He had four goals and seven points in his first eight games with his new team and quickly endeared himself to the fans with his nose for the net and solid offensive instincts.
It was almost comical how many milestones Niederreiter set with the Jets in less than two months. Between the trade and the end of the regular season, he scored his 200th-career goal, recorded his 200th-career assist, recorded his 400th-career point, and played in his 800th-career game.
Niederreiter Complemented Middle Six During Push for Playoffs
With his team slumping badly in late March and in danger of being the first team in NHL history to lead a conference more than halfway though the season but miss the playoffs, head coach Rick Bowness found the secret formula that spread the scoring prowess between three lines. The Niederreiter addition — and his ability to play centre and wing — were key reasons Bowness was able to do that.
Bowness bumped Niederreiter down to the third line right wing with Mason Appleton and Adam Lowry, but he didn’t take it as a demotion. He complemented them well and unlocked their offensive ability — both Appleton and Lowry broke long droughts by scoring in back-to-back must-win games against the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild down the stretch.
Related: 3 Reasons the Jets Made the 2023 Playoffs
That line, combined with the Connor/Dubois/Scheifele and Ehlers/Namestnikov/Wheeler lines, helped the Jets win six of their last seven meaningful games and snag a playoff berth in the second-last game of the regular season. The team scored 26 times in those seven games after scoring just nine goals and being shut out three times in the seven before that.
Niederreiter Did His Best to Step Up in Postseason
Bowness would have loved nothing more than to run those same lines against the Golden Knights in Round 1, but the Nikolaj Ehlers injury saga threw a wrench into his plans. The dynamic Dane continually not being cleared to play despite saying his was “good to go” thrust Niederreiter back into a top-six role.
Niederreiter played both left and right wing and on the first and second line in the series, registering two assists in the Game 1 victory and a goal early in the third period of the Game 3 comeback that forced overtime.
Overall, he finished with one goal and three assists and logged 17:03 in average ice time, but carried a minus-7 rating as his linemates were decidedly ordinary throughout the series and terribly subpar in the Game 5 no-show.
Jets Have a Gamer in Niederreiter; Should Look to Extend Him
The Jets have big issues with their core. While Cheveldayoff will not commit to a rebuild, it’s pretty clear big changes are needed to get out of the “mushy middle.” If Cheveldayoff does commit, the potential is there for him to move number of long-time players and dramatically alter the team’s makeup ahead of 2023-24.
Related: Jets Should Not Be Satisfied With Season; Big Changes Required
One player who won’t be on the move is Niederreiter, who is under contract for another season. With the core once again proving they lack the strength of character to consistently work hard, having a player of Niederreiter’s character would be all the more valuable long-term.
He showed that character after Bowness benched his line in a mid-March game against the Carolina Hurricanes because they were on the ice for three-straight goals against. While Scheifele — an alternate captain — refused to talk to reporters, Niederreiter stepped up and spoke candidly, saying “we didn’t deserve to play,” and “we weren’t engaged, we weren’t doing the job we were supposed to do… it was definitely unacceptable.”
Cheveldayoff would be well-served to explore talks of an extension this summer that keeps Niederreiter a Jet for the rest of his prime. In his exit interview, Niederreiter said while he doesn’t know the organization’s intentions yet or if he’s destined to be in Winnipeg long term, he said “I do have a good feeling about this team and I’m sure they’re going to do something to make us great next year.” He went on to compliment True North Sports & Entertainment for the way they treat players and the fan base for their dedication.
“I had a personally great experience and would definitely like to stay here definitely for next year and even longer and I do see a good potential here,” he said. “But I do also think the city can’t go through a rebuild, really, in my opinion…” he added, explaining a chance to win is important for someone his age. What happens this offseason with Pierre-Luc Dubois, Connor Hellebuyck, Scheifele, and others will influence Niederreiter’s choice to stay in Winnipeg beyond 2023-24 or go elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent.
“At the end of the day as a player, you don’t want to go through a rebuild, it’s pretty simple,” he said. “You want to go out there and be competitive and get be able to get crack at the Cup… I haven’t won anything yet, so for me personally, I wouldn’t want to go through that.”
Final Grade: A-Minus
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