It was a lot of fun to watch the Jets and Panthers during their two-game series in Finland. Not just the reaction by fans, but the way the media handled it as well.
From the Laine/Barkov “who’s the daddy” question, to comparing Laine’s scoring woes to a ketchup bottle (it’s hard to get it started, but once it does it’ll flow like a river), the European media contingent showed us North Americans what it’s like to handle the job with a little more levity.
Watching Laine in the Jets dressing room when Finnish journalists visit Winnipeg, it’s clear he likes that environment.
A running storyline inside the media over Laine’s short career has been his penchant for coming up big when Finnish journalists are in the house. I’m not saying one has an affect on the other, but after Laine’s four-goal performance in his home country, it’s getting harder to deny the link.
Schedule stiffening
With the trip to Finland in the rear view mirror, the Jets can finally focus on getting back into a routine and settling in for the grind of the NHL season. A glimpse at upcoming games indicates that grind is going to get tougher in a hurry.
The Jets’ schedule has been light so far to say the least. Six of their first 14 games were against the bottom four teams in the league. They have played just five teams above the playoff line (as of Monday morning) with a record of 1-3-1 in those games; their sole win coming against an Elias Pettersson-less Vancouver Canucks.
The Jets have had great survival instincts so far and it shows in the standings, but the league’s better squads have been getting the best of them.
The more complete style of game this team has been searching for will be needed as the competition stiffens. First up, the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.
Challenging new era of development
It’s truly impressive how the Jets have been able to scout and draft talent, but maybe more impressive has been their ability to develop that talent. Having skilled prospects in the system is one thing, but a lot of great prospects never make the transition to the NHL. Many of those who do never fully achieve their potential.
The Jets organization and its coaching staff has done an excellent job bringing these players along and it’s a big reason Paul Maurice had the confidence of his general manager and owner during the non-playoff years.
Of course, opportunity played a big role in many of those cases. Players such as Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine, Nik Ehlers and Kyle Connor were all given top-six roles fairly early and they all deserve credit for seizing their opportunities, but the fact remains the Jets had holes in their roster these players had to fill.
Time and again Maurice has said he wants his prospects playing the same role in the minors they will be expected to play in the NHL so the transition can be smooth. It’s why we saw Connor jump from the top line with the Moose last season to a similar role on the Jets’ top line alongside Scheifele and Blake Wheeler. Clearly it worked.
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But the holes which were once there are no longer. The Jets’ top nine is a log jam of talent and that means prospects such as Jack Roslovic and Kristian Vesalainen won’t have the benefit of stepping into the lineup alongside top-line talent and get the minutes that go with it.
It’s going to take patience and an ability to stay confident through long bouts of limited ice time for a prospect to flourish on this Jets team in the future. That’s the cost of breaking into a winning line up.
Roslovic
Speaking of Roslovic, the move to put him back on the wing makes a lot of sense. At the 2017 World Junior Hockey Championship, Roslovic’s speed stood out every time he hit the ice. That continued last season in his limited audition during Winnipeg’s playoff run. Journalists who covered his time with the Manitoba Moose will tell you he took over games at the AHL with his speed.
Talking with Roslovic to start the season, he said the move to centre actually limited his speed. Handling the complexities of the position at the NHL level can slow down the thinking process.
Spending some time back on the wing will allow Roslovic to free up the mind and let the feet fly. It could be exactly what he needs to build confidence after a start with just two points in his first 13 games.
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