Scout's Analysis: Scheifele, Hellebuyck and why the Jets are a team to watch

Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has effectively gone through a process, over the last several months, of retooling his roster.

On Monday, news broke that the Jets had signed Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck to contract extensions. Both players are part of the Jets' core, and signed identical contracts — $8.5 million AAV for seven years — to pass on the chance to test free agency next summer.

This will be the last season of both of their current contracts, with Scheifele on a $6.125M AAV and Hellebuyck at $6.166M.

Another significant transaction occurred on June 27, in the lead up to free agency, when Cheveldayoff traded Pierre-Luc Dubois to the L.A. Kings.

Take notice of the return in the transaction:

The Jets were able to turn Dubois and his contract into four assets: Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari and what should be a high-end second-round pick (via Montreal) in 2024.

After Vilardi ($3.437M) and Kupari ($1M) signed their own deals with Winnipeg, the initial $4.5M the Jets were saving effectively went to them.

Looking further back to the 2023 trade deadline we see the Jets added two players with term remaining on their contracts: Nino Niederreiter and Vladislav Namestnikov weren’t acquired as “rentals”.

The Jets have been in a tough spot for the past year, and I’m impressed with how they navigated these transactions. Here’s a summary of “assets in and assets out” over the course of these deals:

Assets out: Pierre-Luc Dubois, 2024 second-rounder, 2025 fourth-rounder
Assets in: Gabe Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, Nino Niederreiter, Vlad Namestnikov, 2024 second-rounder

And given what the outlook has been, Scheifele and Hellebuyck almost feel like "assets in" after signing their extensions.

All of these transactions look great on paper. But of course, the games have to be played before I can fully judge the overall impact.

With that in mind, here are some of my pre-season scouting reports on Jets players listed above. Starting with the most important “core” pieces as they start a big season:

Connor Hellebuyck

Plays a positional, butterfly style. Is huge in the net — a big-body goalie who doesn't have to venture far to be in position to make stops.

Carries a heavywork load for the Jets. The 2022-23 Vezina finalist played in 64 games last season and posted a 2.49 GAA and .920 save percentage.

Has the ability to steal games on any given night. He's not overly athletic, with average-plus feet. He relies heavily on crease composure and positioning. Both glove and blocker hands are solid, not elite, but he's difficult to beat in tight due to his stature. There are nights he can be better at "starting on time" and making saves in the first five minutes of periods. Not the kind of goalie who scrambles a lot moving laterally.

Mark Scheifele

A 2F, with 1F potential when fully engaged and playing with better all-round detail.

He brings pure offence and is shooter more than distributor. Can be a threat off the rush with his quickness or with how he peels off the half wall and steps to open ice before ripping pucks on net.

His issues — especially in 2022-23 — included his face-off numbers (47.97 winning percentage) and lack of on- and off-the-puck detail defensively minus-16. Both categories will need to improve moving forward.

Despite his six-foot-three frame, he was only credited with 50 hits and 38 blocked shots in 81 games last season. Scheifele averaged 20:28 of ice time per game, mostly at even strength and on the first power-play unit. He very rarely was used on the PK.

If he elevates his defensive zone game to average or average-plus, Scheifele is easily defined as a 1F and will have significant impact in the team's success.

Gabe Vilardi

After a slow start to his NHL career due to some injury setbacks, Vilardi ramped up his game last season for the LA Kings, where he averaged 15:36 of ice time at even strength and the power play and scored 23 goals and 18 assists.

He has a big body (six-foot-three, 216 pounds) but is not overly physical. Instead, he uses his long reach as an advantage.

His skating has improved, but he's not a burner between the blue lines.

Once he does get a head of steam he is difficult to defend driving the middle lane off the puck and has well above average skill with the play on his stick in scoring areas.

Vilardi is ready for more responsibility and could be a 25-plus goal scorer on his current trajectory.

Alex Iafallo

Iafallo is the kind of player who can skate on the third line at even strength, but slides into one of the PP units and can contribute offence.

In L.A. last season, he dressed for 59 games and contributed 14 goals and 22 assists. Seven of those goals were scored on the power play.

Well above average in several categories — but not elite in any one category — Iafallo can play quick and he's tenacious trying to win pucks along the boards with an active stick. He can play the middle bumper on the PP and has a quick catch and release. On the PK he fronts the play and pressures the puck trying to disrupt flow.

What I like about him is that he competes and is a team player. Iafallo empties the tank and plays with emotion.

Rasmus Kupari

In Los Angeles last season, Kupari was used primarily in a fourth-line depth role, where he averaged 10:05 of ice time at even strength and the penalty kill, but he did not have a role on the power play. Kupari provides some push back — he had 80 hits and 34 blocked shots in limited minutes.

He has sneaky pace in open ice, a good release and he can slip pucks past goalies from distance.

He also has good size (six-foot-two, 201 pounds). When he establishes himself around the crease, Kupari can shield defenders. He's not easy to defend against and he wins the majority of his faceoffs (54.59 per cent).

Kupari brings character, compete, and he's low maintenance. He's just scratching the surface of what he can provide overall.

Kupari could end up surprising with more offence if given the opportunity. But monitor his detail at times on the defensive side of the play. There are instances where he ends up above his man in his zone which makes it difficult to regain positioning and defend properly.

Vlad Namestnikov

He came into the NHL as a potential top-six skilled forward, but he's bounced around over the years and has been deployed in a variety of roles.

In 20 games for the Jets in last season after being acquired from San Jose, he averaged 14:52 of ice time and was used at even strength and the second power play unit.

Despite his stature (six-foot, 181 pounds) he has shown willingness to get involved along the wall, shielding pucks with his body and battling to regain possession. Off the rush he has the quickness to get to the edge and potentially drive to the net to take the play deep into the offensive zone.

He brings secondary offence and competes. Namestnikov can play up and down the lineup, from the fourth line to the third and even the second in a pinch.

Nino Niederreiter

After arriving in Winnipeg via the trade from Nashville last season, Niederreiter dressed in 22 regular season games and averaged 16:54 of ice time. He does not kill penalties.

Niederreiter has good size, skates fine on straight lines, but has to manage shift length or his pace falls off, especially when having to track back from the O-zone to the D-zone towards the end of shifts.

Has some bump to his game along the wall and can be a load to handle out front the net. Niederreiter has a good release and can play the middle bumper on the PP.

He's a veteran player who has average detail defensively, but makes up for it with better than secondary scoring. He scored 24 total goals in 2022-23) and is a mid-range second-line forward.

Scheifele and Hellebuyck's committment

By signing Scheifele and Hellebuyck to extensions before the puck drops, it puts to rest any potential for in-season distractions for the Jets and their fans.

More importantly it speaks to the players' commitment and belief in the direction the franchise is moving, and how comfortable they are playing and raising their families in the community.

Don’t bet against the Jets this season. They have a positive vibe surrounding their group heading into the year.