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Ranger down Jets but Penalties are the story...again

December 9, 2016, 11:27 AM ET [9 Comments]
Peter Tessier
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Quick update here: Jets have sent Kyle Connor to the Moose. This is the right move.


I’ll be honest, I did not watch all of the Jets vs Rangers game last night. It’s Christmas party season and we had ours. Sorry not tales to tell. That being said I saw enough and read enough to know that the Jets have a problem that is preventing them from finding success. It’s one that has been consistent with them the las few seasons and it’s rearing it’s ugly head again this year: penalties.

Here is the Jets history with penalties taken.

Since 2011 the Jets have taken the 4th most penalties in the entire league at 1883 for the 6th most minutes at 4708.

Since 2012 1st at 1515 for 2nd most minutes at 3803

Since 2013 1st at 1322 for 1st most minutes at 3228

Since 2014 1st at 933 for 1st most minutes at 2295

Since 2015 3rd at 505 for 4th most minutes at 1227

2016 season2nd at 131 for 5th most minutes at 307.


It’s an abomination of discipline and last night it reared its head again giving up the first goal on a PP and then the game winner with 1:09 left in the game. All you needed was to look at social media to see the fury with which the vocal side of the fan base reacted to Drew Stafford’s dumb high sticking penalty. There was no miracle like Chicago last Sunday to bail them out either.

Lost in the mess is the fact that the Jets have 5 of 8 point in their last 4 games against good competition because everyone knows it could have been better and the one issue that never changes is the penalties.

Is that on the coach? Many are starting to believe that and frankly it’s hard to say they are wrong in that belief. However it becomes a bit more complicated than pointing a finger at Maurice, how is he to fix the problem?

There’s really only one solution and it’s like old-fashioned child discipline, a time-out. Sit a guy for the balance of the period after that happens or game depending on the offender. There’s a catch though, the punishment has to be doled out equally to all players. The captain down to the benchwarmers who don’t frequently play. Is that why Kyle Connor is not playing right now? Probably not as he has not taken a penalty in the last 5 games that he has played.

So why does he sit while others, and yes this is about Drew Stafford, get chance after chance to play and do something? In fairness Stafford only has 8 PIMs this year so far and is hardly the problem, but last night he was the poster boy for the Jets' biggest problem.

If you look at the Jets to date the PIM leaders got like this:

Thorburn 48
Byfuglien 29
Scheifele 24
Tanev 24
Lowry 19
Wheeler 18
Morrissey 16
Trouba 14
Myers 13
Ehlers 12

Now Thorburn has 30 minutes in majors so assume he’s taking another with him there though. Tanev has 2 majors and Byfuglien has 1. Scheifele Lowry and Wheeler have some explaining to do though.

That’s the problem because now you have to look at this issues the penalty kill.

Since 2011 the Jets have the 25th best PK rate at 80.6% allowing the most goal against at 275

Since 2012 24th best at 80.8% allowing 2nd most goals at 217

Since 2013 20th best at 80.9% allowing the most goals at 189

Since 2014 24th best at 80% allowing the 2nd most goal at 140

Since 2015 26th best at 78.5% allowing the 2nd most goals at 86

2016 the 25th best at 78.9% allowing the 4th most goals at 23 (#1 is 24 so don’t think there’s improvement)

So perhaps this is on the coach and the GM- fix the penalties and fix the penalty kill. If they can’t do two things because the the usual in season excuses of practice time, travel, wear and tear try fixing one.

When you consistently give up more penalties and play more time short-handed you are probably going to give up more goals and low and behold that’s happening, again for the 6th straight season. There has been no improvement nor has it appeared much concern has been given by the organization to change their evils ways.

There’s an old saying that goes ‘if you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime’ and nothing applies more to the Jets than this sentiment. They can’t serve the time on the penalty kill well and they do nothing to stop taking penalties and that alone might be the key contributing factor as to why this team cannot break from the bottom half of the league standings.
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