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Best player on the Winnipeg Jets?

May 28, 2020, 12:55 PM ET [9 Comments]
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In this edition of the hotstove, we share our choices for best player on the Winnipeg Jets.

Todd Cordell

Connor Hellebuyck has been one of the top goalies in the league over the last couple of years and masked a *ton* of problems for the defensively weak Winnipeg Jets. If not for him, they wouldn’t have sniffed a regular playoff spot this season. You could legitimately make a case for him as a Hart Trophy finalist.

The level of play we see from goaltenders, even high-end ones, can vary quite a bit from year-to-year, though, so I’ll do you one extra and share my pick for their best skater.

My choice is Nik Ehlers.

I’m sure this will come over as a hot take but I really don’t believe that it is. Winnipeg does have bigger names. I won’t deny that. But guess who leads the team in goals per 60 minutes (at 5v5) over the last two seasons. Nik Ehlers. Assists per 60? Nik Ehlers. Points per 60? Nik Ehlers. Shots on goal per 60? Nik Ehlers. I’m sure you get the point by now.

His impact goes well beyond the scoresheet, which can’t be said about some of Winnipeg’s other star forwards. From 2018-present, Ehlers posted the best 5v5 goal differential on the roster and the Jets’ share of the shots and chances was much higher with him on the ice. Not just because of his ability to generate shots, but also suppress them.

I think Ehlers is the complete package. Regardless of the situation, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest he’s a top option to get on the ice. I think he has the best overall game on the Jets and it’s about time he gets recognized for that.

Sean Maloughney

Despite some more competition now in the likes of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele is still the most dominant player on this lineup. Over the past two seasons, no one on the Jets has generated more goals on ice or more scoring chances than Scheifele. Over the course of the 2019/2020 season, Scheifele's overall production took a dip and he was one of the worst forwards in the league in terms of the number of scoring chances against when he was on the ice, but his raw offensively talent makes up for any of those slights.

The reason for the increase in scoring chances against was also due to the fact that Scheifele played the most minutes at 5 on 5 among all forwards in the league, averaging close to 22 minutes a night. He played over 40 more minutes than the next highest forward, Leon Draisaitl.

The top line of the Jets consists of the previous best player in Wheeler, and potentially the future best player in Kyle Connor but it is Mark Scheifele who still deserves that honor right now.

Numbers via NaturalStatTrick.com

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