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Winnipeg Jets Stars Continue to Shine, Battling for Division Spots Already |
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The Winnipeg Jets' stars continue to shine in an overtime win against the LA Kings. With the Connor-Dubois-Svechnikov line leading the way, this Jets team is ready to challenge anybody for the top spot in the division.
Logan Stanley starts off the first goal with an innocent shot on net, tipped, leaving a rebound for Kyle Connor, who does the rest of the work alone and buries his 11th goal in just 14 games.
Kyle Connor has been in a world of his own this season for the Jets. Now registering 19 points in 14 games, the only players with more total points so far this season, are Leon Draisaitl (28), Connor McDavid (25), and Alex Ovechkin (24). Troy Terry (19) is tied with Connor for the 4th most points. Now, other than maybe a surprising start from Ovechkin, this list doesn't get much more exclusive. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl should lead the league in points for the next 10+ years, so the rest of the players are really just battling for 3rd on the scoring column.
Also worth noting, Kyle Connor currently sits 3rd, with Troy Terry (11) and Chris Kreider (11) for goals, just one behind Ovechkin and three behind Draisaitl.
Andrew Copp and Pierre-Luc Dubois have also been having fantastic starts, too. Copp, who has 5 goals, 10 assists, has really had a breakthrough. Last year he showed that he earned this spot, this year he is showing why he should keep it. Copp has become a dependable Top-6 player that can play just about anywhere. Dubois is a similar situation. Last year, he didn't have the best year, he knows, we know, it's no secret. But Dubois came out of the gates this year with something to prove. With 8 goals, 14 points, and very strong power-center play, Dubois has inked himself in as the 1B center option for the Winnipeg Jets. It is hard to imagine anybody taking away the first line center position from Mark Scheifele, but he and Dubois will make a fantastic "tandem" in the top center roles.
Fast forward to overtime, Mark Scheifele used a wicked shot from the top of the circle to put it past Cal Peterson to score the winner. Scheifele has been offensively-dazzling to start the year, but it is hard to judge where he is at with all of the time missed due to suspension, COVID, and injury. Scheifele has been a monster on the puck, though he looks like he needs to get his legs going a bit more up-and-down the ice.
Nikolaj Ehlers had himself a game as well. Playing best beside Scheifele. especially during overtime, I would expect a more permanant lineup coming in the next few days now that all but Stastny are healthy.
Turning to the defense, Logan Stanley had a pair of assists against the Kings, including a beautiful spin-move sending the puck all the way up into the neutral-zone to Copp, who sets up Dylan DeMelo for his first goal of the season.
The battle of the Central. It will be a close one. With Minnesota leading the way with a 10-4-0 record, the Jets (8-3-3) are just one point behind, and the Nashville Predators (9-5-1) and St. Louis Blues (8-3-2) are within reach of the Jets. You can never count out the Colorado Avalanche (6-5-1) with the team they have built. While every team is battling their own injuries and COVID absences. it will be a very close division throughout the whole year. Even the Dallas Stars (5-6-2) have a shot at getting in.
Thank you for reading, make sure you let me know your thoughts in the comment section below, and have a great day!
By Jacob Billington
Winnipeg Jets Blogger • 
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