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Thirty-two times, to be exact, we have witnessed incomplete games from this Winnipeg Jets team. Not enough traffic in front of the net, not enough shots, defensive lapses at the worst of times.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, Tampa Bay is a better team. The Lightning should have won the game. But I think it’s fair to say that many expected more from the Jets in their 4-1 loss on Thursday night — more energy, more consistency, more desperation. By the time the team landed in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., they found themselves 10 points out of a playoff spot.
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Trying to answer the question of why this has happened to the Jets this season is a Rubik’s Cube of answers. Putting the frustration in perspective, exactly one year ago Friday, this team was in the midst of an 11-game winning streak and was more than 20 games over .500. They could do no wrong. Players who had career years last season are in career slumps this season.
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Yes, the team is older. Yes, the team is slower. This team had a goal differential of plus-86 last season. This season so far, it’s minus-11.
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But deeper than that, what does the future look like for this squad? Is this season an outlier? Can this core of players return to their winning ways? Can this core win the Stanley Cup? Advancing to the second round of the playoffs was progress, but was it enough?
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In the simplest of terms, sticking with the veterans of this team would be the preference, but is it the right move? With the playoff possibility fading and the trade deadline looming, there are some difficult decisions to be made.
Those decisions will have to come after one simple question is answered: With this group of players, what have you really won?
If the answer is “Not enough,” then some hard choices, involving familiar faces, will have to be made.
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