The Winnipeg Jets have had an up-and-down season in 2019-20, although they find themselves right in the thick of the postseason race with 11 games left in their regular season slate. They have a record of 37-28-6, good for 80 points. They have won four games in a row and six of their last ten. They are in fourth place in the Central Division and currently hold the first wild card in the Western Conference. They are two points ahead of Nashville and Vancouver, who are tied for the second wild card position, but they are also just two points behind Dallas for third place in the Central Division — and the Stars have dropped six games in a row. The Jets are not a team, at least as far as they looked when the league went into an indefinite suspension because of the spread of the coronavirus, that is likely to push far into the playoffs, but the West is more wide open than the East, so it’s important to look at the positives and the negatives of putting NHL futures wagers down on the Jets as far as your sports betting is concerned.
NHL: Winnipeg Jets 2019-20 Season Analysis
The Jets saw Blake Wheeler lead the team in scoring two years in a row, and he has 65 points (with 22 goals) through 71 games so far. He is one of several key contributors on the Winnipeg offense. The problems that the Jets face come from having to reconstitute a defense after losing several key players (more on that below), and relying heavily on one goaltender throughout the majority of the season. Can they turn that trend around after this lengthy hiatus?
Offensive Analysis
Kyle Connor has already set career bests in goals (38), assists (35) and points (73) this season; this is the first season when he has averaged more than a point a game. Mark Scheifele also has 73 points, and he is on pace to set new career records in both assists and points. Connor got a seven-year, $50 million contract during training camp, and he has rewarded the team handsomely for that commitment.
Defensive Analysis
The Jets have a defense that has been largely by committee and has no real stars. That’s not necessarily a problem, but it also means that they don’t have any genuine playmakers on the back end. It didn’t help that the Jets dealt away Jacob Trouba, saw Ben Chiarot and Tyler Myers leave via free agency and lost Dustin Byfuglien to a difficult personal situation. The Jets did bring in Neal Pionk with the Trouba deal, and he and Josh Morrissey have been the top two defensemen, but that’s not saying an awful lot. They’re not the worst blue line corps in the league, but they might be the worst among the contenders.
Key Numbers & Key Players
This team is riding goaltender Connor Hellebuyck hard. He is tied for the league lead in games played with Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens. Laurent Brossoit is the backup, and he was one of the best #2 netminders in the NHL last season. However, his play has dropped off significantly, leaving Hellebuyck to play a ton. Hellebuyck has only played in both games of a back-to-back one time in 2019-20. However, after the extended break, if Brossoit is not any better in goal, he may have to do it if the league resumes regular season games, as the Jets will need to win as many as they can to make the playoffs.
Playoffs panorama and Championship Odds
The Jets currently hold +1800 odds to win the Stanley Cup this season. That’s pretty low odds for a team that is just a couple of points away from falling out of the wild card race. Given the lack of consistency in the Winnipeg defense, I would not pick them to go all the way and hoist the Cup.
