Three Moves The Winnipeg Jets Should Make For a Long Playoff Run This Year

The Winnipeg Jets have surprised some this year as they are legitimately one of the best teams in the central division. That being said, there are still a few key areas where the team could improve before they go on a long playoff run.

A New 2nd Line Center

The Jets are relatively weak down the middle. This is often a death sentence for playoff teams. As a result, the team may want to strongly consider upgrading their second line center. Right now that position is being occupied by Vladislav Namestnikov. While he has served admirable in that position so far, not many analysts would take the team seriously in the playoffs if he is still in that position.




So far this season he has 18 points in 34 games. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but a but lacking for a 2nd line center on a playoff team.

Top-Four Left-Shot Defenseman

Another area of weakness for the Jets is on defense, particularly on the left side. Currently, Brendan Dillon is playing in a top-four role on the left side behind Josh Morrissey. While Dillon is still a capable defenseman at the NHL level, he does not scream top-four defenseman on a playoff team. Upgrading here could move him down into a more comfortable 3rd pair role while also providing Neal Pionk with a more consistent shutdown partner.

More Depth Winger Options

Another area of concern is the team's forward depth. While the team is currently not very deep down the middle, upgrading at 2nd line center would go a long way to fixing that problem. That would, however, leave the team still with an inexperienced 4th line at best and a serious liability at worst. While 4th liners typically are not the stars of the show in the playoffs, a good 4th line can make a difference, especially over the course of a seven-game series. The Jets may be interested in adding another veteran winger to help even out their 4th line.


As seen on 3 Upgrades Winnipeg Jets Need In The New Year