Winnipeg Jets: 4 Reasons They Are Playoff Bound This Season

As the 2011-2012 NHL season nears the end of the calendar year the Winnipeg Jets find themselves one point out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. While there is still a long way to go in this season there are reasons for Jets fans to feel that a playoff appearance is possible. 

You might be saying to yourself, “Wait a minute. Aren’t these the Atlanta Thrashers? The same Thrashers that were perennial cellar dwellers?”  

While that might be an understandable response, things have changed this year. The mess in Atlanta is falling into place in Winnipeg. 

The excitement of the Jets being back is great, but imagine the excitement when the playoffs come around. 

Believe it or not, the Jets just may be playoff bound in their first season back in Manitoba. Here are four reasons they are playoff bound.

Improvement of Young Players

Coming into the season the Jets were one of the youngest teams in the league. While that bodes well for the future it also means inconsistency and calls for patience. 

That youth was struggling as the season began and the Jets crawled out of the gates. 

However, that youth is coming around. Particularly with guys like Evander Kane, Alex Burmistrov, Zach Bogosian and Ondrej Pavelec. 

Kane has shown potential and is starting to live up to it. Through 30 games the 20 year-old Vancouver native has scored 15 goals and has 24 points and is on his way to his best season in his young career. Kane has blazing speed, can hit and is showing a goal-scoring touch. 

Burmistrov, also 20 years-old, continues to show an uncanny defensive ability this year and is one of the Jets key penalty killers. He also is now showing that he can contribute at the other end. He has 14 points on the season which is only six away from his total output last season. 

Former first round pick Bogosian seemed to regress a bit last year but is playing solidly this year after signing a contract extension prior to the season starting. Bogosian is playing better defense and is on pace to have his best offensive year for Winnipeg.

Pavelec has been the back bone for the Jets so far this season. Often the last man standing after defensive break downs, he has been solid in net. He continues to show that the Jets just may have their number one goalie.

Better Defensive Play

In their last season in Atlanta, the Thrashers' defense was woeful. They were 29^th in the league in goals allowed and 26^th in shots allowed at 32.3 shots per game.

This year the Jets have improved those numbers. So far they are 20^th in the league in goals allowed and 18^th in shots allowed. 

This trend in the right direction has them in playoff contention and will help them make the playoffs at the end of the season.

If they can get Dustin Byfuglien to stay at home more often, these numbers might improve more. Regardless, the Jets are winning more close games than they were able to last season.

They Are Getting Healthy

The Jets have suffered a number of key injuries so far this season. Most notable is the broken collar bone of Tobias Enstrom. 

Enstrom has only played in 11 games this year and is one of their key players. Word is that he is healing and will be back on the ice before too long.  

Getting back a player like Enstrom is akin to making a deadline deal for a puck-moving defenseman and will help t he Jets tremendously. 

Winnipeg also just got Eric Fehr back from injury. He has played in seven games and if he can stay healthy will give the Jets deeper scoring from the top six forwards.

Great Home Ice Advantage

If you haven’t caught a Jets home game on television yet, you are missing out. The atmosphere in the MTS Centre is electric. 

The crowd is mentioned by every visiting team’s players, coaches, broadcasters and writers. 

Every night at the MTS feels like a playoff game. The crowd is loud, into the game and picks one opposing player each game to boo ferociously. Sometimes the victim makes sense, other times it doesn’t. 

The MTS Centre gives the Jets an advantage that the franchise never had in Atlanta. The Jets have been cashing in as well, going 10-5-0 at home so far this year. 

Having a home record like that will keep them and eventually propel them into the playoffs.