Kyle Connor’s recent return from injury hasn’t sparked the power play as much as the Winnipeg Jets would’ve hoped, and now they are left with more questions than answers in that area of the game heading into the All-Star break.
The power play has been the one constant knock on the Jets’ overall play this season, and it cost them yet again in a 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. “We’ve got to score on those opportunities and we’re just not doing it”, Rick Bowness said after the game. The Jets went 0-4 with the man advantage and failed to generate enough chances to earn a goal.
Winnipeg Jets’ Power Play Costs Them Once Again
The Jets head into the All-Star break having gone 2-3-1 in their last 6 games, as they scored only 5 goals in their final 4 games. Arguably the biggest reason for that is the power play. Bowness stated: “We’re losing 30-40 seconds every power play because we lose the faceoff and they ice it.” Adam Lowry even took a faceoff in the third period, as the Jets were getting shredded in the dot, and despite that, they were unable to generate any high-danger chances.
Mark Scheifele missing six straight games has loomed large not only at five-on-five but on the power play as well. If there was a lone bright spot when Winnipeg found themselves on the power play, it was Cole Perfetti, who was able to generate a few chances from the half-wall on the second unit late in the third period.
When asked about what is going wrong with the power play between personnel, movement, mindset, etc. Rick Bowness responded: “It’s a mindset, there are better plays to be made than we are making.” The man-advantage looks confused and set on the ‘perfect play’, despite Bowness’ repeated asks of putting more pucks to the net.
The Jets need the upcoming All-Star break for health reasons, as Scheifele, Gabriel Vilardi, Josh Morrissey, Perfetti, and now Brenden Dillon are all managing different minor injuries. Getting healthy and having more practice time will result in the power play looking more effective than it has been, but if it doesn’t turn around sooner rather than later, the Jets could be looking at a massive hole in their game come playoff time.
Jets’ Are Taking A Lot of Positives Into All-Star Break
Outside of their power play and suboptimal health, there has been a lot to like about the Jets’ play over halfway through this season. 30-12-5 is their season-long record, as they are fresh off of 34 straight games where they allowed three goals or fewer.
Related: Banged-Up Jets Badly Need NHL All-Star Break
Their five-on-five game has remained elite despite losing their top-line centre as of late, and their goaltending remains among the league’s best. There is no reason to panic despite the recent results, even though it may be easy given how this team collapsed last year.
The Jets’ defensive system and ability to pressure on the forecheck have given them the runway to become an elite hockey team. With a return to health seemingly on the horizon, the Jets should be able to get back to their winning ways rather quickly.
Lowry was asked about the upcoming break and how his team will handle it, and he responded by saying: “You know what, I think the best thing is a little mental reset. I think this is kind of one of the first blocks of adversity we’ve faced this year – I think we all know over the last couple of weeks that we can play better. There’s been games where we haven’t been as sharp as we want to be, and it’s important that we keep striving, we keep trying to push ahead, and we keep trying to get better.”
When Bowness was asked about the upcoming break, he added: “I know we haven’t won in three games, but there’s been enough positives in those games that we could’ve won them and we could’ve got back in them.” It’s safe to say that the Jets aren’t panicking when it comes to their recent 2-3-1 stretch, and neither should fans. This is an elite hockey team – especially so in the most important aspect of the game, which is five-on-five play. They are well set up for a playoff run and with the Trade Deadline looming, who knows what this team will look like on paper in a few months.
Mark Scheifele’s Importance Highlighted With Recent Injury
Scheifele’s recent stretch of six straight missed contests has highlighted not only his importance to the Jets and their success this season, but also the Jets’ need for another centre at the upcoming Trade Deadline. Scheifele’s injury had forced Lowry and Vladislav Namestnikov to handle top-six minutes, and the Jets’ offence cratered as a result.
It’s hard to argue that both Connor Hellebuyck and Scheifele are two of the most important players on the Jets right now, which makes this season all the more special, given it started with them signing matching seven-year contracts in the middle of training camp.
Scheifele has been managing a “day-to-day” lower-body issue that has kept him out of the lineup since Jan. 11. Presuming he is able to return after the extended break, the Jets offence will look to get back on track in their return to action on Feb 4th against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In the meantime, Jets fans will have plenty of content to keep them satisfied, as Bowness, Hellebuyck, and Connor are all headed to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto to represent the Jets organization. Most notably, it is Bowness’ first All-Star nod as a Head Coach, and as he celebrated his 69th birthday the other day, it’s will be entertaining to keep note of his journey through All-Star weekend.