Welcome to the second edition of our Winnipeg Jets Mailbag here at THW. With training camp set to start on Thursday, Sept. 21, now is the perfect time for season preview questions, and there are a ton of them. I took to Twitter/X to ask Jets fans for some burning questions regarding the 2023-24 season as we inch closer and closer to puck drop on Oct. 10.
Some questions have surrounded the Jets organization for years, and others are new entering this season. With very little turnover on the roster outside of the blockbuster Jets – Los Angeles Kings trade, it is shaping up to be a question-filled season.
What is the Likelihood of Nikolaj Ehlers Getting Top-Line Minutes? – @JOYST1CK_34
This is a question that has outlasted multiple coaching regimes, a global pandemic, and a handful of new iPhones as well. All this to say that Nikolaj Ehlers has yet to be played top-line minutes in his 523-game NHL career, and by the looks of it, this season may not be the time either.
Ehlers is a dynamic winger whose talent level will guarantee him a place within the top-six, but top-line and top powerplay minutes have seemingly escaped him in recent years.
Ehlers was limited to just 45 games last season because of a sports hernia surgery, but in those games, he was incredibly productive posting 12 goals, 26 assists, and 38 points. The main reason for many fans pounding the table in order to get Ehlers more minutes is because his offensive analytics are among the best in the NHL. This isn’t a young player who needs to work his way up the lineup. He is entering his prime at 27 years old and is fully healthy, and his role should reflect the stage he is at in his career.
More minutes for Ehlers equals more offence for the Jets. It’s as simple as that, and for a team that is attempting to replace the 63 points that Pierre-Luc Dubois is leaving behind, it would be a great idea to play him top-line minutes and give him the reins to the top power play. Ehlers being utilized in this way is unlikely, but if the Jets get desperate for offence, it should happen sooner rather than later.
Reasonable Expectations for the Trio of Former Kings’ Players? – @Saxonmiller
These three players are Alex Iafallo, Gabe Vilardi, and Rasmus Kupari. While one of these players is easy to project, the other two are a little more complex. In the past five seasons, Iafallo has scored between 13-17 goals, posted between 33-43 points, and has been an incredible penalty-killer to add to his even-strength defensive abilities. At age 29, look for him to be that steady presence within the Jets middle-six, who is responsible defensively and can contribute offence in a pinch.
As for Vilardi, he broke out last season with 23 goals and 18 assists in 63 games played. All signs are pointing to him getting a look in the top-six, and potentially on the top line with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. If he continues the ascension from last season, the sky is the limit for him as a top-six scorer. As for a reasonable expectation, if he can stay healthy, I believe a 30-goal, 25-assist season from him would be right on par with expectations, as long as his defensive metrics remain steady.
Kupari is a wildcard, but the hope is that a change of scenery will help put his career back on track. In 130 career NHL games, he has just nine goals and 20 assists, despite being drafted 20th overall in 2018. If he is able to win the fourth-line centre role, the expectation should be to see him play at an NHL level for a consistent number of games, and if he is able to work his way up the lineup, he has already exceeded expectations. He should provide bottom-six value to a team that has been desperate for it in recent years, and potentially chip in a few goals here and there.
Do You Foresee Any Other Goaltenders Joining Camp Beyond the Likelihood of Collin Delia and Oskari Salminen? – @MinorHero
This is a very interesting question, and this reader also pointed to Evan Cormier in recent years as an example of a goaltender who has joined the Manitoba Moose on an emergency basis. I could absolutely see the Jets signing a depth goaltender that bounces from the ECHL and American Hockey League (AHL) when needed.
Related: Winnipeg Jets 2023 Offseason Overview
The wildcard in this scenario is 2023 fifth-round pick Thomas Milic. After playing four years in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the Seattle Thunderbirds, he is no longer eligible to return, and must turn pro. He is coming off a great performance at the Young Stars Tournament in Penticton, British Columbia, and could vie for a role with the Moose this season.
Collin Delia also has to clear waivers in order to be sent down to the AHL, and while it seems likely that he will, one injury across the league could force an organization’s hand into scooping up the 29-year-old goaltender.
Can Morrissey Repeat His Norris Calibre Performance From Last Year? – @JOYST1CK_34
The short and simple answer is yes, he absolutely could repeat his 76-point campaign from a year ago. Josh Morrissey is undoubtedly the most talented defender on the Jets blue line and will be commanding what should be a top-15 power play for the entirety of the season.
At the same time, it must be noted that he is a prime regression candidate. His career-average shooting percentage of 6.4 percent jumped up to 9.3 percent in 2022-23, and that is almost certain to come back towards his average. His previous career-high was 37 points, before breaking out last season. While Morrissey is an elite defender, and is a safe bet to put up north of 50 points, him reaching the near point-per-game pace he was at last season may be asking too much of the 28-year-old defender.
Morrissey is also talented enough to shrug off the regression talk and be top three on the team in points for a second-straight season. He will resume his top-pairing role alongside Dylan DeMelo, as they have built an incredible amount of chemistry having played together for multiple seasons in a row now. According to Money Puck, that pairing outscored their opponents 34-31 at even-strength last season with a 50.8% Corsi percentage.
While the questions have rightfully been about Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck for months now, diving into on-ice questions and roster construction was a must with training camp right around the corner. There are a multitude of things to watch for as the preseason activities begin, and potentially a few of the deployment questions, such as Ehlers’ usage, will be answered early on.
