The Winnipeg Jets are coming off of one of the best seasons in franchise history, and while the bulk of the team is returning, there are questions as to what the ceiling of this team has become. The success was largely thanks to a cast of solid performers last season, and with most of them returning, it’s up to them to try to match that performance as they try to contend for a playoff spot again.
That said, it can’t be expected for everyone to either progress or remain the same after such a successful regular season. There’s always going to be players who take a step back, especially when their previous season exceeded expectations. There should be players who either progress or regress this season, something that the Jets need to be aware of as they enter 2024-25.
Progression: Cole Perfetti
Naturally, the Cole Perfetti discourse is currently all over the place as he remains unsigned less than two weeks away from the start of training camp. That said, all signs seem to point to that getting hashed out soon.
So, the next logical step in that discussion is figuring out how well the young forward will perform in what many assume is a big stepping stone for him under the new coaching staff. With big things seemingly planned for Perfetti, one can assume his success should follow.
Related: Should Jets Fans Be Concerned About Cole Perfetti’s Lack of Contract?
It’s more than likely he’s a fixture in the top six for this season and many to come, and given the fact he was a near 20-goal scorer last season despite being scratched, he should flourish. There was clearly a disconnect between him and previous head coach Rick Bowness, but with new head coach Scott Arniel seeming excited to work with Perfetti, it should create an environment for him to take that next step in his game.
With him being such a talented playmaker, don’t be surprised to see a much more consistent impact on the powerplay as well. His point production should certainly rise and that will certainly be a welcome sight in that top six.
Regression: Dylan DeMelo
Two things can be true in the case of Dylan DeMelo. For one, he’s been one of the better defenders for the Jets over the past several seasons and he earned his contract extension this season. On the other side of things, he has already begun to regress defensively from where he was and he can’t be expected to keep up his recent offensive contributions.
This isn’t to knock what DeMelo, 31, has done for the Jets and what he’s sure to do over the remainder of his time with the team, but it isn’t realistic to assume that he’ll be able to maintain what once was in such a demanding role as he gets older.
He was one of the true shutdown defenders the Jets have had over the past several years, and while last season wasn’t his best defensive showing, he was still one of the better defensive contributors. He also put up a career-high 31 points, besting his career mark which was set the year prior.
He’ll certainly be on that top pairing with Josh Morrissey this season, but don’t be shocked if that pairing looks a little less solid defensively. As the years go on, that role likely shifts for him, but for the time being, fans should be happy to still have such a solid player in their group.
Progression: Ville Heinola
There has never been a season as possible as this one for Ville Heinola to make an impact at the NHL level, and the conditions are favourable for him to do just that. With the buyout of Nate Schmidt opening up a spot on the third pairing, it’s safe to assume it will be a battle between Heinola and Logan Stanley for that final spot.
Heinola, 23, seemingly made the team out of training camp last season but suffered an ankle injury that effectively snuffed out his chance of cracking the lineup. After returning to action with the Manitoba Moose in the American Hockey League (AHL), Heinola looked like he was returning to form as the season came to an end.
Now, with a spot beside Colin Miller up for grabs on that third pairing and options limited for Heinola, this is the shot he’s been looking for to break out and crack the NHL lineup. Frankly, it makes sense for everyone to try him there, as the next step in his development path is to make that jump as he’s already shown that he’s more than good enough to be a top defenceman in the AHL.
Regression: Vladislav Namestnikov
Vladislav Namestnikov was a true workhorse for the Jets last season, effectively going anywhere he was asked and doing that very well. He was everything the team needed him to be, and will likely continue to be that Swiss Army knife up and down the lineup.
That’s largely where the potential regression comes in, impacting production more than anything else. The Jets have had a lot of questions about their second-line center position going into the season, and while Namestnikov is expected to start there, there isn’t necessarily a guarantee he will finish there with the potential emergence of Brad Lambert as an NHL option.
Namestnikov is coming off the second-best statistical season of his career, and if he finds himself centering that second line, he could absolutely challenge that again. That said, the uncertainty of that spot leaves that up in the air a bit, and given his career high is 48 points, it’s going to be hard to reach that level again. Would the Jets love him to get there again? Absolutely, but it’ll be an uphill battle.
Jets Have Tough Standard to Live Up to
With the Jets finding as much regular season success as they did in 2023-24, it’s going to be hard not to look at the team as an example of regression. It’s going to be incredibly difficult to reach that standard of play again, especially without any clear upgrades.
That said, the individuals on this team have the opportunity to step up and help push the Jets to that level again, even if others might take a step back. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how they handle such a season to live up to, especially under the new coaching staff.
