To get you ready for the 2015-16 season, we will be previewing all 30 NHL in 30 days, division by division. Check the bottom of the page for a schedule of each preview.
Today’s team: Winnipeg Jets
2014-15 record: 43-26-13, 5th in the Central
How they finished: Lost in 4 games to Anaheim in the Western Conference Quarterfinals
Coach: Paul Maurice (3rd season)
Notable additions: RW Matt Fraser, C Alex Burmistrov
Notable subtractions: RW Michael Frolik, RW Lee Stempniak, C Jim Slater
RELATED: Caps have two of the 50 top NHL goalie prospects
Schedule against the Capitals: Wed. Nov. 25 at Washington, Sat. Dec. 5 at Winnipeg
Outlook: What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over again and expecting different results. That's what seems to be going on on Winnipeg after the team was swept in the first round of the playoffs and made no moves in the offseason to get better.
There are some teams out there bursting with young talent. Those teams don't have to do much in the offseason, they simply need to wait for their players to develop into young stars. That's not the case with the Jets. Though there are a few young players who can develop into contributors--Adam Lowry (22), Mark Scheifele (22)--there's not a lot to build around offensively on this roster for this season. The Jets will not look to their young corps of budding superstars this season capable of leading the Jets for years to come. Instead, they will turn to a group of players who are in their prime and have led the Jets to the middle of the pack.
Players like Andrew Ladd, Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien are good pieces to have, but not anything to build on. Goalie Ondrej Pavelec has made a career out of playing dominant in net for 10 games and then looking like a backup the next 10. And yet, the Jets did almost nothing other than watching Michael Frolik sign with Calgary.
Expectations: Last season was a success because they made the playoffs for the first time since moving to Winnipeg, but the playoffs are the ceiling for this roster and they did not even win a single game last year in the first round. They could easily fail to reach the postseason this year after failing to make themselves any better at all.
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See more team previews:
Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks
Arizona Coyotes
Calgary Flames
Edmonton Oilers
Los Angeles Kings
San Jose Sharks
Vancouver Canucks
Central Division
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
Dallas Stars
Minnesota Wild
Nashville Predators
St. Louis
Atlantic Division
Boston Bruins 8/15
Buffalo Sabres 8/16
Detroit Red Wings 8/17
Florida Panthers 8/18
Montreal Canadiens 8/19
Ottawa Senators 8/20
Tampa Bay Lightning 8/21
Toronto Maple Leafs 8/22
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes 8/23
Columbus Blue Jackets 8/24
New Jersey Devils 8/25
New York Islanders 8/26
New York Rangers 8/27
Philadelphia Flyers 8/28
Pittsburgh Penguins 8/29
Washington Capitals 8/30
