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.
Nate Schmidt played a variety of roles in his second season with the Jets as his offensive numbers dipped but his defensive metrics improved.
Schmidt Was a “Swiss Army Knife”
Schmidt could be consider a bit of a Swiss Army Knife through 2022-23. While he played consistently on the right side, he did so up and down the lineup. He skated mostly with Brenden Dillon on the second pairing or Dylan Samberg on the third, but occasionally with Josh Morrissey on the top pairing as well.
Schmidt, known for his larger-than-life personality and good nature, accepted these various assignments with gusto. He was one of the first Jets to buy into the accountability structure new head coach Rick Bowness sought to implement, but on ice, produced mixed results.
Schmidt’s Offensive Numbers Dipped, Defensive Metrics Rose
Schmidt’s point totals dipped compared to a season before as he recorded seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 71 games as opposed to 32 points in 77 games in 2021-22. His seven goals were three more than he scored in 2021-22, but his assists fell all the way from 28. A slow start was the primary cause for this as he had just six points by the new year.
He also saw his ice time dip by nearly two minutes under Bowness. He was still fourth among Jets d-men but skated 18:28 as opposed to 20:13 under Paul Maurice/Dave Lowry.
The power play time he logged per game was about the same, 1:38 as opposed to 1:40. Bowness used him more on the penalty kill than his predecessors, with his PK ice time at 1:05 per game as opposed to 0:39.
From a defensive standpoint, Schmidt was stronger than last season. His CORSI and Fenwick percentages, which measure puck possession, were higher, as was his plus/minus, which jumped to plus-15 all the way from minus-2.
Despite his point totals dropping, he created more scoring chances (660) than he allowed (576) and had a High Danger Chance For Percentage of 54.26.
Schmidt Took Brief Benching in Stride
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Schmidt, though. During the Jets’ prolonged second half slide, he found himself on the receiving end of Bowness’ accountability structure in the form of a healthy scratch.
After the Jets lost eight of 10, Bowness sat Schmidt for the March 4 game against the Edmonton Oilers. Schmidt, along with the rest of the team, struggled with their compete levels and consistency during that stretch and Bowness simply said “we need more, we need better.”
Related: Jets Scratching Nate Schmidt Should Set a New Standard
Instead of pouting like some of the Jets’ core players are prone to, Schmidt took the benching as motivation. When inserted back into the lineup for the March 6 matchup against the San Jose Sharks, he scored a big goal to put the Jets up 2-1 in the third (they’d later fall 3-2 in overtime.)
“You look back at some of your past experiences and you have to make sure that you come back in and put a good foot forward because you can’t be feeling sorry for yourself over what happened,” Schmidt said upon the news he was heading back into the lineup. “This game is a fickle thing sometimes. You’ve always got to make sure that you’re prepared.”
Schmidt Could Be on the Move
There is no doubt Schmidt is a high-quality person and teammate, but his high AAV combined with the Jets’ logjam on defence makes his future with the team questionable.
Cheveldayoff inherited Schmidt’s $5.95 million cap hit from the Vancouver Canucks in the 2021 trade that brought him to Winnipeg. That’s quite the paycheque for someone who bounces between the second and third pairings.
The Jets could get better bang for their buck by giving promising youngsters Declan Chisholm or Ville Heinola a chance at a regular NHL role next season. Both had splendid seasons on the farm for the Manitoba Moose, with Chisholm being named an AHL All-Star and leading Moose d-men with 43 points and Heinola recording 37 points and a plus-20 rating. Both players are too good for the AHL and need big-league playing time to continue their development paths.
Related: Jets’ Ville Heinola Working Toward NHL Role Next Season
Although getting the final two years of his contract off the books could be more valuable than retaining him, there’s no guarantee that will happen. Trading Neal Pionk would accomplish the same goal of freeing up a space for someone younger, and would keep Schmidt’s big personality in the fold.
At 31, Schmidt is unlikely to ever play to the level he did with the Vegas Golden Knights earlier in his career, but overall, he still demonstrated his utility and a winning attitude on and off the ice.
Overall Grade: B
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