Third straight loss reinforces Jets’ trade deadline needs

WINNIPEG — Three days earlier than the commerce deadline, Kevin Cheveldayoff’s buying listing bought a couple of extra crimson circles after Tuesday’s sport.

The three-2 loss to the New York Islanders, by itself, isn’t altering the Winnipeg Jets GM’s guidelines. However that sport, their third straight loss, positive bolstered what Winnipeg must solidify itself as a professional Stanley Cup contender. 

By now, everyone knows what that’s.

It begins with the obtrusive gap on the depth chart, sandwiched between Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti. This crew wants a bona fide second-line centre, ideally one with measurement.

Enter Brock Nelson, the crown jewel forward of Friday’s deadline.

Nelson — who registered a purpose and help to present the Islanders a 2-0 lead — is the prototype of what Winnipeg wants. The six-foot-four centre has a knack for creating offence from the center of the slot, one thing Namestnikov struggles to do. As a lot zone time because the second line had towards the Isles, lots of the performs had been made alongside the perimeter — whereas New York deserves credit score for maintaining them to the skin, Winnipeg’s six-foot second-line centre performed a component in that, too.

Jets coach Scott Arniel typically displays on regular-season video games by way of the lens of what they imply for the playoffs. And as soon as the post-season will get underway, that net-front actual property is all of the extra coveted. During the last three years, Nelson has generated 9.91 five-on-five scoring possibilities per 60 minutes — which locations him within the 94th percentile amongst forwards. In that very same span, Namestnikov clocks in on the forty second percentile (6.78).

Now, as a lot as Winnipeg’s want for a top-six centre comes up in barstool chats, so too does the crew’s lack of defensive depth. 

Often, it’s within the vein of bolstering the crew’s high 4 — with a right-shot defenceman to go alongside Josh Morrissey. However even when they’ll discover that, Cheveldayoff must be within the hunt for a bottom-pairing defenceman, and Tuesday was an ideal instance of why. With Dylan Samberg lacking as a consequence of a household matter, Winnipeg promoted Logan Stanley to the second pair alongside Neal Pionk.

In 16:28 of five-on-five ice-time, that pairing posted a 25.7 per cent anticipated goals-for proportion — fairly the drop off from the Samberg-Pionk pairing (56.2 p.c). If one of many Jets’ top-four defenceman misses time within the playoffs — which has occurred in every of the final two years (Brenden Dillon missed two video games final yr, Josh Morrissey missed two video games again in 2022-23) — you’ll be able to’t have Stanley as the following man up.

Additional down Cheveldayoff’s grocery listing — previous the meat and potatoes — is the salt: faceoff assist.

Trailing 3-2 with 1:21 left in regulation, recent off a timeout, Scheifele misplaced a vital offensive-zone faceoff to Nelson. It resulted within the Islanders pinning the puck up towards the wall and shaving about 10 seconds off the clock earlier than Winnipeg might arrange. Now, this may increasingly appear nitpicky — the Jets did win 50.9 per cent of the attracts in a sport the place they went toe-to-toe with the NHL’s greatest faceoff crew — however situational faceoffs aren’t a powerful go well with of Winnipeg’s. Take the penalty kill for example. Winnipeg completed the evening 1 / 3 on penalty kill attracts — an space they rank twenty eighth within the league (42 per cent). Winnipeg’s penalty kill has improved not too long ago, however for it to grow to be an asset, they’ve bought to get higher within the faceoff circle.

As a lot as Nelson is the gold normal for what the Jets want, a participant like Jean-Gabriel Pageau additionally suits the invoice as a depth addition. Sporting a 59.6 per cent faceoff win proportion in all conditions, Pageau is very environment friendly on the penalty kill — the place he’s gained 61 per cent of his faceoffs. Winnipeg’s penalty kill might grow to be above common with an ace within the dot. 

Maybe this sport towards the Islanders will immediate Cheveldayoff to begin his buying earlier than Friday.

• The Jets have scored simply 4 objectives over their final three video games — an uncharacteristic lull for the NHL’s third-best offence (3.47 objectives per sport). 

“You already know, I believe there’s a part of it the place it’s executions, and there’s elements of it the place possibly some fatigue within the Nashville sport, and Philly, I simply assume there have been areas in decision-making versus execution that weren’t excellent,” Adam Lowry advised reporters post-game. “After which tonight, I assumed the trouble, the compete, the decision-making, the directness was there. It was only a couple performs the place the puck rolled off the top of our sticks, a pair performs we missed possibilities.”

• Lowry has been shot out of a cannon since returning to the lineup on Feb 22. The Jets captain could also be scoreless over the past six video games, however he’s gained 54 per cent of his attracts and posted team-highs in hits (14), drawn penalties (5) and fights (two). His second tilt got here towards Isles captain Anders Lee, a couple of shifts after Lowry was in search of blood following Alexander Romanov’s bone-crushing (clear) hit on Mason Appleton. 

“It was a kind of ones the place I assumed we had been having a superb first, type of needed to set the tone early,” Lowry advised reporters. “I don’t love the hit. There’s nothing incorrect with the hit, both. It’s a clear, exhausting hit, however you need to get up to your teammates. That’s what I felt like I used to be doing.”

• Rasmus Kupari left the sport after an ungainly collision halfway by way of the third interval. At first look, it regarded like his leg bought twisted up — which it did — however upon additional evaluate, it’s clear his head additionally hit the boards.

“I believe it’s his head. I actually haven’t came upon but,” Arniel advised reporters. 

The Jets are off Wednesday, so we gained’t have an replace till Thursday’s morning skate. 

• Judging by how emotional Nelson was in a rinkside interview post-game, there’s little doubt he’ll be moved by Friday. Whereas it’d sting to swing and miss on him, it will add salt to the wound if a divisional foe — like Dallas, Colorado, Minnesota — picks him up. He’s a handful to match up towards within the playoffs.