What Would A SUCCESSFUL Winnipeg Jets Season Look Like For This Year?

What Would A SUCCESSFUL Winnipeg Jets Season Look Like For This Year?

for the 202526 season. What does success and what does failure look like for the Winnipeg Jets? Let’s find out on tonight’s episode of Locked On Winnipeg Jets. You’re Locked On Jets, your daily podcast on the Winnipeg Jets, part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. Hey friends and welcome to tonight’s episode of Locked On Winnipeg Jets, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. I’m your host Arison Lee, an avid Winnipeg Jets fan and an online blogger. You can follow me on Twitter at age living loco and at l winnipeg jets. Thanks for making Lockdown Jets your first listen of the day every day. If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to like, follow, and subscribe on all of your favorite podcasting platforms and YouTube. Doing so, of course, is always free of charge and ensures you never miss another episode. Most of all though, we just love and appreciate your support. Tonight’s episode, we are chatting about a successful and a failed season for the upcoming Winnipeg Jets campaign. And in my mind, I think a lot of this can take many different forms. Uh I think uh for tonight’s episode, let’s set some criteria, right, based on what the Jets are wanting to do this year. Uh so right now Winnipeg thinks that the next three years uh including this season are their competitive window. In that reference, you know, the the goal really here is to make the playoffs, have a deep run and all of that jazz. That said, if things don’t work out, I still think that there are ways for the Jets to both win out and do well here or also kind of miss the mark and fail badly. So, I want to talk about first uh what would possibly define a successful season, right? Because if I say that there’s multiple ways to uh skin this cat, so to speak, then you know, the Jets could potentially have a couple of different successful scenarios. And the first one’s very obvious, right? The Jets make the playoffs and they go on a deep run. I think for me this year, uh if they can get past the second round, then it’s a winning season. uh you know I don’t I don’t know that you have to be cup or bust this particular year. Um I would say that if the trade deadline is really fruitful and the team comes away much deeper then sure yeah cup or bust but I would imagine that what this roster is this for this year and this upcoming season probably doesn’t change a lot after March. Maybe I’m in for a huge shock but it doesn’t feel to me that this is the season that Winnipeg would want to cash in a lot of chips uh push all the cards on the table. I think a lot would have to happen for that to really be the case. Uh the reason that I sort of feel this way about this team is that I I look at free agency as the Jets having been a little bit cautious, conservative. Uh it didn’t feel like they brought in a lot of clear replacements for guys like Eers or Appleton. Right now you’ll say, well, you know, that’s what uh Nyquist and Keepa and Pearson were for. And kind of, yeah, kind of. But they’re also not really comparable players. Nyquist, I’ve mentioned before, he’s a little more of like a finisher poetry type. I don’t think that his game has the same transition ability and skating ability as Eers did. And you know, Nick was obviously a little bit underutilized here, but I I think once you see Nyquist, you understand what I’m kind of trying to suggest here. I think Winnipeg’s top nine is going to match up very differently than it did in previous years. Uh, and especially with Lowry not at the start of the year, I think the Jets are going to have to get a little creative. We still don’t quite know what Taves will be yet. And so, you know, I I think the Jets are going to have some uphill battles uh once they actually make the playoffs. And it’s not guaranteed that they will. Uh, obviously, there is some scenario where maybe the Jets really have a tough season and something happens with Heli where he’s not quite his normal self, but I think that scenario is pretty unlikely. Uh, I think the Jets will make the playoffs and if they do, I I really think that the goal should be to get past uh round number two. That’s not to say that only getting past round two should be the objective. Of course, the Jets should be shooting for the moon and trying to win it all. But, you know, given the limitations of the roster, understanding how the playoffs are, and you know, how the Jets currently match up against some of their opponents, I understand if things don’t quite make it past uh that second round. So, you know, let’s set that as kind of the barrier, right? The Jets with the better team last year didn’t even make that. So, if Winnipeg this year can find a way to get to round two and and beyond, I I think that that works out pretty nicely. Um, it doesn’t have to be perfect, but you know, I think it would make it feel a little bit better about the elimination because at that point, you know, you entered the Western Conference Finals, you’ve done a pretty amazing thing with the roster that a lot of people probably did not expect you to, you know, get that far. So, uh, cross your fingers that that kind of happens. Um, say the Jets don’t quite make it, right? Maybe things fall out earlier in the season, maybe injuries take a really big toll and Winnipeg just cannot quite find the punch to get it done. If the Jets have to salvage this season, uh I think it would be successful in a couple of ways, right? The first is if you can get some decent assets out of the guys that you signed at the uh at the trade deadline. And I don’t really expect a lot. You know, we’re talking mid-round picks for a lot of these players, maybe lower. Uh, but just something to help you replenish the pool. I think in Winnipeg’s hands, a lot of mid-tier picks turn out pretty well. The thing with Winnipeg is that when they take swings on late round guys, I feel like they’ve come away with really good value for where they’re drafting. You know, maybe they’re not going to be the most immediately projectable high-end NHLers, and you’re not going to be finding the McKinnons of the world out there. Uh, not once you hit round three and four for the most part, but you could still find real NHL value. And hey, maybe one of those late round picks does turn into a McKinnon or something. Maybe there’s a so-called Thompson uh Kieran Walton style hiding somewhere past the third round. You never know. And so for the Jets, you know, this is one of those scenarios where I don’t think it’s ideal and I think Winnipeg would much prefer to be in that competitive playoff spot. But if things again don’t maybe pan out the way you’d like, uh having that happen isn’t the worst thing. And if you can find a way to sneak maybe into uh the top half of this year’s draft class, uh that’s not a bad outcome. Now, again, some stuff would have to really happen for the Jets to slip that far in my mind, but if it does happen, you know, I I won’t be super upset. I probably will be at least a little disappointed from like a watching standpoint and as a fan, but I think in my head, I know that the long term could be better. Uh with that though, you also want to get those rookies some gains. I think the Jets really need to find a way to uh get their kids uh ice time this year. And I know it’s not probably gonna happen. The Jets don’t really want to do this, but especially if they’re having a bad season, use your youth a little more. Find out what they can do and see if you can get them prepared for the following seasons. I think if you’re going down with a ship, then make sure that the ship is prepared uh with a with a crew and maybe like a lifeboat that can take you into the following season and a bigger ship, a stronger one, right? That for me is something that I think sometimes gets a little overlooked. Uh and I think for the kids, you know, you want to give them opportunity to really compete. In the past, the Jets have sort of closed off a lot of roster spots even when they weren’t really doing well. And to me, I don’t really understand that. You know, if you’re not doing well and you have a core cast that you’ve called upon year after year, maybe you should give somebody else an opportunity to make a name for themselves and you have to give them some extra room to fail. Uh, you know, this isn’t one of those scenarios where you should just award a spot based on seniority status. Uh, at some point, you know, the Jets need to create competition and really encourage uh fighting for spots. I think in the past the Jets made it a little too easy and in the last couple of years the Jets have talked a lot about making you know these camps competitive making the quest for a roster spot a real challenge and you know making it not so that everyone has uh seniority status as the lead determining factor but I don’t know that I’ve really seen a lot of evidence that this has led to significant changes. Uh there have been some, but at the end of the day, the roster tends to look pretty similar year-over-year, and it’s not a bad thing in some ways. You’ll get some really good years out of this team and the score, but I think the Jets have maybe at times limited themselves from finding out if they can get even better internally. So, if you’re not going to have a great season, I think that’s where you want some of the kids to really step up and uh kind of lead the way. You know, you want to think about the future and the present at the same time. Uh but you know, failure and success kind of come in in lock step. And if something really happens uh this coming season and the Jets can’t really avoid it, I want to talk about some of the conditions for failure. There could be some big ones that Winnipeg has to be careful about. One of them being this Kyle Connor situation. I’ll chat about what could, you know, make this this upcoming season a really big mistake uh right in a moment. But before we do, did want to shout out our friends and partners at Monarch Money. Most people can’t name all their financial accounts or even what they’re worth. Whether it’s 401ks, properties, or investments, if you don’t have the full picture, you could be leaving money on the table. That’s where Monarch Money is here to help. It’s an all-in-one personal finance app that brings your entire financial life together in one place on your laptop or your phone. It does all the heavy lifting for you and you can link all your accounts in minutes, see clear data visuals, get smart categorization of spending, and finally feel in control of your money without ever touching a spreadsheet. If you have a partner or spouse, Rock Monarch Money can help you share uh an account to make sure that you’re staying on the same page and that you can actually set financial goals together. They’ve also got plenty of uh categorization spending tools that allow you to track things like subscriptions, groceries, all that stuff, and find out if you’re spending a little more than you really should be on stuff you just don’t need. Don’t let financial opportunity slip through the cracks for you. Use code locked on NHL at monarchmoney.com for uh half off your first year. That’s 50% off your first year at monarchmoney.com with code locked on NHL. Hey friends and welcome back to this episode of Locked On Winnipeg Jets, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Every day, thank you so much for rejoining us on tonight’s episode as we’re chatting about what makes a successful and what makes a failed season. We talked a lot about season success. Uh here’s where I think the Jets could also have maybe a bad season, right? Something where things really kind of go off the rails. Uh, and look, the objective for the Jets recently has been to make the cup finals and to win the cup. It’s cup or bust. Uh, at least on paper, we know that it’s more uh having a deep playoff run and putting on a good showing than it is winning the cup, at least in in practice. That’s not really uh I think quite the most realistic and attainable goal just yet. So assuming that the Jets are comfortable making the playoffs and having some kind of a run, I think things really go off the rails if they’re out in the first round this year. Um, you know, even if it gets to seven games, I just don’t really think the Jets would be very happy with that. I think they would accept the result and they’d understand why, but Winnipeg kind of got the taste of blood in the water last year. If they can’t find a way to extend the postseason run and go deeper this year, I think they would feel like it’s a really big missed opportunity. That’s going to take some work from the front office in my mind because I look at this team compared to last year and I don’t really know how the Jets expect it to go deeper in the postseason. Yes, you’ve brought in experience and championship petting uh pedigree and and certainly a winning mentality with a guy like Taves, but he also hasn’t played in two years. And we had gaps last year that the Jets didn’t address at the trade deadline. And now those gaps still exist, but with even more gaps thanks to some of the departures the Jets uh let go this this past summer. So I I think Winnipeg is in a more vulnerable and sensitive position. And because of that, I sort of wonder what they see themselves doing this coming uh playoff run, you know, or or even by the March trade deadline. I think the Jets are going to be patient and wait and see uh what happens. If they really are trying to make this dance and do it well though, then they cannot have another trade deadline like they did this past year. That was a massive mistake. It was a huge missed opportunity. And if they do that again and they’re really intending to compete, that for me is a failed season. Uh you know, the the trade deadline is a really important moment for the Jets to try and add a competitive edge and layer to this team when all of their opponents are making moves. The Dallas Stars might not be able to do as much this off uh this coming uh trade deadline and maybe this coming season, but they already made some huge moves last year that paid off pretty handsomely, at least until they met the Oilers. But you look at the ABS, you look at maybe Utah, the Blues, some of these other teams. There’s going to be some squads out there that are fighting for some really big rentals uh come this March. And I think the Jets are going to have to be very wary of letting opportunity slip by. I don’t think you want to have your I I guess your eggs in one basket like they did with Nelson and then find out that things just ain’t working out. Now, if the Jets kind of go a different direction and things don’t look like they’re leading to a playoff spot, Winnipeg holding on to assets and not figuring out what they’re doing with Kyle Connor would be a huge mistake. They really can’t let it get to the point where, you know, he’s sort of holding all the cards. he hasn’t signed a contract yet and he walks it all the way to the summer. I think that would probably be the absolute worst case scenario. Uh even if they’re in a playoff spot and they’re trying to compete, I don’t think you want to let him just walk for nothing. It it can’t happen and I don’t think it will. I I would be really shocked if we get all the way to next summer and Kyle Connor does not have a new jet a new Jets deal. I just can’t see that really happening. it it would go against everything we’ve heard from the team, everything we’ve heard from uh folks talking about Connor’s camp and all the reports. I’d be shocked. You know, it would be uh kind of unprecedented in a way given everything that we know about Connor being happy in Winnipeg, about the fact that he wants to play with this Jets top six and that you know there’s apparently been something of a a tightening of the locker room brotherhood and a belief in this core as the one that’s going to get it done. So, uh, if he were to walk, it would also present some really big question marks, uh, for how the Jets do their asset management. I guess in a similar vein, if the Jets rookies, regardless of the playoff spot or not, really don’t play more than 10 games, uh, I think that would be a bit of an issue this year. Um, I think, you know, given the roster and where we are in this Jets timeline, you got to start finding out if Lambert, Chibberov, and those guys can actually be meaningful contributors because the Jets have not traded them and have not really used them beyond uh a couple of potential offers that were out there that never really materialized. I just don’t know what else you’re going to do with these kids. At some point, if you’re not really willing to move them for major assets that can help you in the immediate present, then you you got to start finding out if they can actually be good for you as is. I I just don’t know why you wouldn’t do this when every other team out there has routinely allowed for youth development to penetrate their teams and help kind of overhaul their roster. Look at the Caps, right? The Caps were a joke a couple of years ago and people really didn’t take them seriously. And look how far they’ve come using guys like Mcichael, Protos, and sort of these in-house players. Yeah, there were some stumbling blocks and you know, obviously, uh, the Caps weren’t great, but they’ve gotten a lot better compared to what people were expecting of them. They’ve got a young coach in Carvery. They’ve played very fun hockey. Yep, they’ve got a very clear ceiling, I think, and no one is looking at them as like an outand-out cup favorite, but again, compared to where they were a few seasons ago, this team looks totally different. Obviously, some caveats to how they’ve played, but I think they’ve given their kids a winning competitive environment and they haven’t sacrificed uh the core that’s helped them along the way. You know, some guys have aged out and retired. They’ve traded a few players. Uh they’ve brought in some big free agents, relatively speaking, but you know, they also took some gamles. People apparently weren’t that hyped to give Dylan Stro money, and look at how that’s turned out. He was one of my top targets, and now Stro is easily one of the best centers uh playing in the Eastern Conference. So, I I think that there are absolutely paths for the Jets to, you know, open up and use. And some of that really starts with them developing and actually graduating their youth. If you don’t do that starting the season, I think you risk yourself going in a really bad direction in the next two years. I think for me that’s where the real competitive window is. If that’s how we’re looking at this, uh, you know, I I’ve talked a little bit about the Jets not really being as elite a contender as a lot of the top teams out there. And I think there’s a reason that we continually see teams like Edmonton uh, and of course the ABS and other squads getting further in the postseason. They have some markers in their profile uh that tend to be indicative of success. You know, they create lots of scoring chances. They’ve got lots of skill up and down the lineup. They don’t necessarily lock themselves into a clear bottom six and top six configuration. And they actually change their lines when things don’t go well. They also open up opportunities for young prospects and kids to make an impact on these rosters. not every time, but at enough of a clip to where, you know, you look at the Panthers, and that’s a very veteran heavy lineup. But they found an Anton Lindell in their system who has been kind of one of the lynch pins uh between, you know, the the top half of the roster and sort of that middle and bottom six. He’s really a super underrated part of their success. And I think guys like that are the sort of linking pieces that the Jets haven’t necessarily been able to pull together. So, you know, I I I think I don’t want to call it like a completely failed season, but if the Jets can’t find a way to get their youth involved this year, I I just feel like you’re kicking the can down the road, and you risk becoming long-term uh a more New York Islanders sort of team. And and maybe that’s what the Jets are just going to do. You know, maybe they will feel like they can’t sacrifice the revenue, they can’t risk it, they don’t want to piss off the veterans. I understand all that, but I think the Jets again have hit their ceiling of what they are uh you know heading into a postseason run. You know the regular season they’ve done about as much as you could possibly ask for. They got a freaking President’s Trophy out of that. It was amazing. And you know the playoff run wasn’t quite up to the same standard. So you know if the Jets don’t care about winning in the playoffs then this whole conversation doesn’t matter. But I can tell you all that playoff revenue that they really want and need. It’s it’s a bit of a priority and I think the Jets, you know, would be doing themselves a disservice if they don’t find out what they can be heading into these runs. But curious to know how you all feel about this. Uh do you agree that the Jets have maybe limited themselves in the past? Do you feel like this is maybe harping and beating on a dead horse? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or at my social medias at hliving loco and at l winnipeg jets. Now, closing us out, I guess it’s worth talking about which of these scenarios I really feel is the most likely. Uh, I’ll give you my thoughts coming up in a little bit. Uh, but before we do, did want to let you know about our friends and partners at FanDuel. The NFL season is finally here and FanDuel is making sure you’re ready for kickoff with a can’t miss offer. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Now, FanDuel obviously has maybe not been as kind to us Ravens fans recently, but if you were betting on some crazy results this past weekend, then you’re probably ready for a second weekend of chaos. It’s early in the season. We don’t know yet who the Super Bowl favorites are going to be just quite, you know, as clearly. But if you think you already know, maybe you can make your picks ahead of time. Maybe you think, you know, which player’s going to be the MVP or who might emerge victorious between uh Baltimore and Cleveland this coming weekend. Whatever it is, whoever you want to win, whichever players you’re tracking, you can only do it with FanDuel. So, are you ready to play? Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fandal.com to get started. That’s fandal.com to place your first $5 bet. Hey friends and welcome back to this episode of Locked on Winnipeg Jets, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Every day, thank you so much for rejoining us in tonight’s episode as we are just closing out with some, you know, final thoughts on I I guess what you could call the most likely trajectory of this season. I I’ve talked a little bit about season expectations in the past, and I didn’t really define it necessarily by whether it’s going to be a successful or a failed year. Uh, I think this year is going to be uh marginally successful in the sense that I think Winnipeg will make the playoffs. I think they’ll get past the first round. Uh, but beyond that, I would question, you know, the involvement of the youth, and I really don’t think that they’re geared to have a big uh second round appearance. I do think that they’re going to do better at the trade deadline, though. I I can’t see that happening again for a second straight season. And so, I I kind of look at this again as kind of like a marginally successful year. Uh, I just think that, you know, at the end of the day, Winnipeg is going to hit some sort of a wall and the 5v5 offense that was a little bit of an issue last year and really didn’t get a lot of attention because Hella and the defense and the power play were doing so much work. I it it might become a little bit more apparent this year and especially in the playoffs. That’s where when you’re facing the same teams uh for up to seven games, a lot of your own weaknesses start to become a lot more apparent. you know, you’re not facing the crappers of the NHL. Suddenly, all those rebuilding teams disappear and you are faced with squads that have really good coaching, good adjustments, and talent. And I think that that’s going to be uh, you know, where the Jets continually have a little bit of a stumble. And that’s kind of why I feel, you know, I’m still not very high on them for their playoff run. I think for the regular season, I’m not too worried. I would expect the Jets to make the playoffs. I think that they’ll be in that three to four mix. uh in terms of the seeding for the Central, I think they will still very much make it. They might even get into second if things really break right. Uh a president’s trophy or just winning the Central, I would probably not bet on that for the season, but everything else, you know, makes pretty good sense. You know, a playoff appearance, uh probably, you know, a first round opponent that’s going to be really tricky. The Jets maybe survive it and then they get into the second round and they start to have those issues again. Uh, I hate to kind of feel that way, but I I do think that’s where, you know, traditionally the Jets have sort of hit their true limits. You know, the past couple of years, they didn’t even reach that point. So, doing it last season is a huge step up, but I feel like given this off season and how the Jets have kind of approached the summer, I’m not really anticipating them going much further than that. Uh, I think we would need to see a lot more from this team to really feel like they’re ready to take the next step. And honestly, I kind of need to see more from Arneal himself. I think Scott, you know, got far last year and was certainly, you know, in the conversations for the Jack Adams, but there were a couple of areas where he was really rigid and I think those areas ended up really hurting the Jets in the long run. Uh, you know, the top line not really getting a lot of experimentation until injuries hit. Um, the Jets not really finding out other line combinations when it came to the middle and bottom six. Winnipeg kept sticking with a lot of things. And I feel like, you know, every other team in the league really doesn’t do that. And a lot of those other teams have had more playoff success than the Jets have in the last few years. So why does Winnipeg hold on to some of these things? This is where I think, you know, this being Arneal’s second season, he’s got the trust of the team. He’s earned, you know, the locker room uh respect and admiration. Maybe this is where you can start to really stretch your wings. Will he do it? Maybe not. Maybe. Uh but I think he has that cushion and room to experiment now. And if he doesn’t, I would be a little disappointed. I think this team is still very good as is, but it’s not good enough to really go far in the playoffs. And unless they make some changes to how they try and match things up, uh, I don’t know that that’s necessarily going to change. You know, I think Winnipeg, if they want to get deeper, either they start adjusting and experimenting or they maybe kind of end up doing the same things that they’ve done in the past and they get really lucky and have a crazy run that’s kind of off the back of a hella buck. Uh again, I don’t feel like that’s the most reliable and uh full foolproof way to do this, but if that’s how the Jets want to play this, that’s what they need to have happen. So, uh this year, I again, I think it’ll be marginally successful. I’m not high on it from a playoff perspective. I think the Jets have definitely a limited ceiling and until they can make that really gangbuster blockbuster trade that overhauls this roster that gives the top nine a completely new look. Uh I don’t anticipate this team being, you know, one of the top teams talked about in the mix for a cup run. It’s just not that likely. And everyone can keep talking about the playoffs being a luckbased sport. You know, all this momentum crap and it’s like at some point you just got to talk about the lack of talent. That’s where I think the Jets have fallen in the past few years. You know, the 171 18 team has been a hard bar to sort of reach again and it’s why that run was probably one of Winnipeg’s best ever opportunities to do it all. Now they have to try and chase that memory and it’s it’s been hard even compared to last year. Meeting last year’s standards will be a bit of a challenge. So curious to know if you think this Jets season will be successful. Are you even looking forward to it? What are you expecting out of this upcoming year? And what do you hope to see? Let me know in the comments below or at my social medias at hliving loco and at l winnipeg jets. Next week we will talk about what happens in this prospect showdown. Who stands out? Which prospects maybe look uh a little bit overwhelmed. We’ll chat about that on the first couple of episodes uh opening the week. But but for tonight’s episode, that is going to be all the time that we have. I thank you for listening and making Lockdown Jets your first listen of the day every day. Have a great weekend. We’ll see you next here uh or next week uh with the first start of Jets hockey this coming season.

The upcoming Winnipeg Jets season is one shrouded in a level of mystery. We’re seeing a fairly new-look team coming into the year, and it’s unclear as to how the new arrivals will fit in. What would a successful season look like, even if the Jets struggle in the playoffs? If Winnipeg has a tougher season, what would constant a failed year? Is a successful year or a failed season more likely?

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Gametime

Today’s episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.

Monarch Money

Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnhl for 50% off your first year.

FanDuel

Download the FanDuel app now by visiting FanDuel.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOWinnipegJets?sid=YouTube

Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL

Locked On Jets Twitter: https://twitter.com/LO_WinnipegJets

#WinnipegJets #Jets #NHLHockey
Harrison Lee’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/HLLivingLoco