The Winnipeg Jets just wrapped up a four-game homestand, dropping games to the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers, and defeating the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes. It was a star-studded homestand featuring Connor McDavid, Connor Bedard, Jake Oettinger, and Sebastian Aho.
There was plenty to take away from the four-game homestand as the Jets struggled mightily at times, got bailed out by great goaltending at times, and maybe even found a new top-line trio in the process.
Nino Niederreiter’s Extension the Biggest Storyline of the Week
The Winnipeg Jets ended the homestand off with some huge news, as they re-signed Nino Niederreiter to a three-year extension worth $4 million per season. Niederreiter expressed his joy to reporters after practice, stating: “I’m very happy to be here, and I think we have a good chance in the coming years to be an elite team, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
This was a home-run signing by Winnipeg. Niederreiter has spoken on the record in the past as to how much he loves the city, how much he loves the team, and his desire to play for a competitive team.
Related: 3 Takeaways from Jets’ Nino Niederreiter Extension
Niederreiter has been one-third of the best bottom six lines across the entire NHL, but in terms of production and deployment, they cannot be classified as the third line. They average more time on ice than the Jets second line, and Niederreiter is a huge reason why they have earned that ice time.
Niederreiter is an all-around force at even-strength, and will provide surplus value on his newly signed contract. The Athletic’s market value calculations estimates his worth at $6.7 million, and with his contract coming in at $4 million, the Jets seem to have gotten tremendous value on this deal.
Ehlers, Connor, & Scheifele Are a Dynamic Trio Offensively
Rick Bowness recently shuffled his top six, putting Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, and Mark Scheifele together at the start of the homestand. This line has been dynamic offensively, consistently making “wow” plays off of the rush which has led to some eye-popping offensive numbers.
According to Money Puck, the new trio of Connor, Scheifele, and Ehlers has been recording 3.17 expected goals per 60 minutes. That is the best forward line for Winnipeg that has played at least 30 minutes at even-strength. Combine that with their 55.7 percent expected goals percentage, and the Jets have found a reliable offensive-minded top-line.
Ehlers told reporters after the Hurricanes game: “The first two games we played together we created a lot of chances, and tonight, playing against a team that’s not going to give you a lot, we were able to create some pretty good scoring chances”
Plays that are similar to the one above are the types of chances this trio is generating, and when they are clicking, the chemistry is on full display and they are a tough group to stop.
Jets Got a Much-Needed Great Start out of Laurent Brossoit
Laurent Brossoit had a great start on Monday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, as he stopped 42/43 shots and saved 3.08 goals above expected. He was in much need of a start like this one after a rough first five games to begin the season.
Bowness praised his goaltender in the post-game press conference, stating: “Listen, tonight was the reason we signed him, he was the difference, there’s no question. But again, you’re not going to beat that team without great goaltending and ‘LB’ certainly gave us that tonight. That was his best game, by far.”
Much has been said about Connor Hellebuyck’s workload over the past couple of seasons, and it is without a doubt that the Jets signed Brossoit to a one-year deal to be a reliable backup who could take some of the load off of Hellebuyck’s shoulders.
This was one step in the right direction, but going forward, it looks as though Brossoit can be trusted against good teams, and considering the Jets are lining up to be in the playoff race near the end of the season, you’ll want Hellebuyck as fresh as possible for those games.
Gabe Vilardi is Starting to Look More Comfortable
Gabe Vilardi made his return on the homestand following a six-week absence, as he slotted onto the fourth-line against the Edmonton Oilers. A lower-body injury to Vladislav Namesntikov forced Vilardi back up to the top-six the very next game, where he has started to look more and more comfortable.
Vilardi set up Scheifele for a gorgeous goal in the Chicago game, and had a few good looks on the top power play unit. Over the course of the upcoming four-game road trip, it will be crucial for Vilardi to establish chemistry with his linemates, which he has yet to do as he was hurt early on in the 2023-24 campaign.
Vilardi is without a doubt an X-factor within the Jets top six. If he is able to return to his 2022-23 form, and string together some good luck in the health department, the Jets will be able to flex their offensive depth even more than they have up until this point. He was the main return in the PL Dubois trade, and he has yet to show his full capabilities for Winnipeg.
The upcoming four-game road trip features the Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and a re-match with the Los Angeles Kings, who defeated the Jets 5-1 earlier in the season. It will be a tough test for Winnipeg featuring two “measuring stick” games against the Avs and Kings, just over a quarter into the regular season.
