• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Winnipeg Jets

Jets Need to Keep Playing Heinola

By Declan Schroeder October 20th, 2019

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Ville Heinola is fast approaching the nine-game threshold — the maximum number the Winnipeg Jets can allow the rookie defenseman to suit up for before they must “burn” a year of his entry-level contract.

In this case, the Jets should allow that year to burn, baby, burn, like a Disco Inferno.

Heinola Makes Jets’ Defence Better

The simple fact is Heinola has been one of the best of the Jets’ makeshift blue line. The defence was a huge question mark coming into 2019-20 and is no less of one now, nine games in.

The 18-year-old has great hockey IQ and vision, makes efficient and effective reads more often than not, and moves the puck extremely well. He has done nothing but impress, beginning with the outstanding preseason that allowed him to crack the roster despite long odds.

Ville Heinola Winnipeg Jets
Heinola’s skill set is highly impressive. (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Even head coach Paul Maurice, often loathe to heap too much praise on his players, had some for Heinola after the 2019 first-round pick skated more than 20 minutes against the New York Islanders Thursday after being a healthy scratch for three straight games.

“Good enough to play him 20 minutes,” the bench boss said following the 3-1 loss. “The things you may point at in his game, he’s going to grow out of. The things that he does so very well — surprisingly as an 18-year-old, is a gift. This guy is going to be a really interesting player to watch develop over time. He moves so efficiently around the ice, with such poise. There’s nothing in his game you can’t say wasn’t in any other defenseman’s game. Just young. He was just as good, or better, on most of them. He was good.”

Paul Maurice on Ville Heinola’s performance against the Islanders

Heinola Is Proving He Belongs

Heinola is a compelling candidate to stick around only because he’s made the most of the opportunities he’s been given through his six games.

He looked right at home in his Oct. 3 Broadway debut against the New York Rangers, skating 18:04 and becoming the first player born in 2001 to tally an NHL point. Less than a week later against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he became the youngest defenseman in Jets history to score an NHL goal.

Just 109 days later… 😳

Congrats to Ville Heinola on scoring his first NHL goal in Tuesday's @NHLJets win! pic.twitter.com/XIVCC9FHtY

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) October 9, 2019

He already has four points, good for third among Jets’ defensemen behind Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk. He’s also third in average time on ice at 19:29, behind the same two.

Related: Heinola Not the First Jet to Hit Scoresheet in NHL Debut

His possession numbers — a Corsi for percentage of 50.6 and Fenwick for percentage of 48.3 — rank him toward the bottom of Jets’ d-men, but are still respectable given how green he is. He’s also been on the ice for more goals for than goals against, a feat considering the Jets have a negative six-goal differential.

Jets Can’t Justify Sending Heinola Packing

In an ideal world, the Jets would not have to give Heinola a starring role at such a tender age. He would be with the Manitoba Moose or back in Finland, maturing mentally and physically for another year.

Winnipeg Jets Ville Heinola
Ideally, the Jets wouldn’t have to even consider keeping a player they drafted less than six months ago in the NHL, but their defensive fortunes are far from ideal these days. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)

However, things are far from ideal on the Jets’ back-end. They lost Ben Chiarot, Tyler Myers, and Jacob Trouba in the offseason and failed to add any veterans to replace them. Nathan Beaulieu is out until at least November, Sami Niku can’t seem to shake the groin injury that hampered his preseason (he’s out of the Moose lineup again), and Dustin Byfuglien continues to hold the team hostage with his ill-timed leave of absence.

Players such as Anthony Bitetto — placed on injured reserve Saturday — and Carl Dahlstrom, as earnestly as they try, are not NHL-calibre defensemen. Not only are both on the Jets’ roster, but they are posting career-highs in ice time.

Winnipeg Jets Carl Dahlstrom
With fringe players such as Carl Dahlstrom (pictured) and Anthony Bitetto playing on a nightly basis, the Jets cannot afford to scratch Heinola or send him down. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

The Jets simply can’t justify sending Heinola packing while continuing to ice those two — and giving Dmitry Kulikov top-four minutes, for that matter — on a nightly basis.

Heinola’s upside is simply too good to ignore and despite the struggles, he’ll inevitably run into as a boy against men, the Jets need to keep him around for the entirety of 2019-20. There should no more scratching him to delay a decision.

Heinola is the real deal and if the Jets management send him back then imo they are throwing in the towel for the season.

— #FreeNiku (@JetsPope) October 18, 2019

They’ll have to sacrifice the ELC slide, but it’s worth it if they have any notions of making the playoffs and proving wrong those who believe their window to win the Stanley Cup is closed. After all, it would only be “burning” a year if Heinola wasn’t ready for regular NHL duty.

  • Tags
  • Ville Heinola
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 19th 7:42 PM
Colorado Avalanche

Wild Acquire Ian Cole From Avalanche for Greg Pateryn

Jan 19th 6:05 PM
Calgary Flames

Flames Need to Be More Disciplined if They Want to Stay Hot

Jan 19th 5:50 PM
Columbus Blue Jackets

9 Blue Jackets’ “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” Fun Facts

Jan 19th 5:40 PM
Toronto Maple Leafs

Babcock Bombs as Former Leafs Coach Tries to Clarify Marner Drama

Jan 19th 5:25 PM
Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights Are 3-0, But Still Have Plenty of Work To Do

Jan 19th 5:15 PM
New York Rangers

Rangers News & Rumors: Essential Workers Night, DeAngelo, Trouba & More

Jan 19th 5:05 PM
Calgary Flames

Flames Should Add Forward Oliver Okuliar to Prospect Pool

Jan 19th 4:55 PM
Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens: 3 Takeaways from Week 1

Jan 19th 4:45 PM
Hockey History

Top 3 Penguins Trades Under Jim Rutherford

Jan 19th 3:45 PM
St Louis Blues

Blues Weekly: Up and Down Start to the 2020-21 Campaign

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information