The Winnipeg Jets will ice another competitive team for the 2020-21 NHL season, backstopped by one of the league's elite netminders in Connor Hellebuyck.
But as the team looks to push for another long playoff run, dark storm clouds are overhead, as trade rumors persist involving goal-scoring wizard Patrik Laine. Here's everything you need to know about the Jets prior to opening night:
Big question: What's up with Patrik Laine?
The Canadian border might be the only thing that keeps Laine in Winnipeg this season. After last season, agent Mike Liut suggested that the Jets trade Laine, who was reportedly unhappy with his role in the lineup. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff didn't exactly defuse that bombshell in the offseason. When asked his status with the team, Laine told local reporters, "Well, I'm here, aren't I?"
The 22-year-old winger is in the last year of his contract ahead of restricted free agency, and had 63 points in 68 games last season. He has 138 goals in his first 305 games. Assuming he's in Winnipeg this season, the Jets found him someone to play with: Paul Stastny, with whom Laine clicked when the Jets acquired the veteran center at the trade deadline in 2018, before Stastny left as a free agent. By far, the Patrik Laine drama is the most intriguing aspect of the Jets this season.
Did realignment hurt or help?
Helped. Instead of having St. Louis, Colorado and Dallas eating up three playoff spots, the Jets join a group of five teams ahead of Ottawa but behind Toronto in the crowded North Division.
Offseason comings and goings, plus the cap situation
Stastny was a salary cap casualty in Vegas. The Jets desperately needed scoring depth at center and brought on his $6.5 million cap hit for this season, no doubt remembering his strong post-trade performance in 2018 while skating mostly with Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers. Defenseman Derek Forbort and center Nate Thompson signed as free agents, while the team lost Dmitry Kulikov and Cody Eakin to free agency. Restricted free agent Jack Roslovic did not report to camp, and has asked for a trade. The Jets currently have no cap space.
Bold prediction
Stastny can't recapture the magic. On a contending team, Paul Stastny is a valuable asset. He does a lot of the little things right that can make the difference in a playoff series. But the last time he was in Winnipeg, he was 32 years old and had a 0.65 points-per-game average between the Jets and Blues. Last season, in 71 games, that averaged dipped down to 0.54, the lowest of his career. Not a liability as a player, but maybe no longer the guy you want as your No. 2 center. Then again, he did have impressive chemistry with Ehlers and Laine, so we could be wrong.
Breakout candidate: Josh Morrissey
In Sept. 2019, the defenseman signed an eight-year, $50 million contract extension, which kicks in this season. But in the 65 games between that signing and the 2020-21 campaign, Morrissey didn't play to that investment's standards. Whether it was the weight of expectations or the dramatic changes to the Jets' defense -- they lost four of six defensemen from 2018-19 to 2019-20 -- he regressed. All that behind him, Morrissey is the clear No. 1 defenseman on this team, and will try to get his momentum going again in the first year of his new deal.
Biggest strength: Connor Hellebuyck
The Jets have one path to the playoffs, and it's the one that Hellebuyck leads them down. Last season's Vezina Trophy winner faced more shots, made more saves and had more shutouts than any other NHL goalie. Hellebuyck said he could see a situation where he plays 45 of the 56 games this season. "I'm surprised he dropped it to 45, to be honest with you," said head coach Paul Maurice. "He's a gamer, man. He's competitive."
Biggest weakness: Forward depth
The Jets are a very top-heavy team. Mark Scheifele is a legit No. 1 center, and Blake Wheeler remains an offensive force. Kyle Connor has hit 30 goals in the last three seasons. Laine and Ehlers are dynamic, and Stastny is an old pro. But with due respect to Andrew Copp, the quality at forward takes a severe tumble after that, with players like Thompson, Mathieu Perreault, Adam Lowry and Trevor Lewis filling out the lineup. The defense corps didn't much better, but at least may have improved over the last season.
Jets in NHL Rank
No. 11: Connor Hellebuyck, G
No. 38: Mark Scheifele, C
No. 57: Patrik Laine, RW
No. 62: Kyle Connor, LW
No. 79: Blake Wheeler, RW
Prospect perspective
Pipeline ranking: 27
Prospects in the top 100: No. 11 Cole Perfetti
Fantasy facts to know
While we're well familiar with what Wheeler, Scheifele and Connor are capable of producing, the Jets' revamped second line intrigues us the most ahead of this season. Not only will the return of Stastny benefit the playmaking veteran himself, but should also help Laine reach new scoring heights. This already feels like an excellent match in the making. Additionally inspired by his expiring contract, Laine will average a point per game this season, most of them in the form of goals. Just watch.
After taking over for Morrissey on Winnipeg's top power play, defenseman Neal Pionk wrapped up 2019-20 with six goals and 39 assists, including 25 power-play points, in 71 games -- despite a less-than-impressive 3.4 shooting percentage. He'll improve on that figure in his fourth NHL season. The Jets' top fantasy defenseman should be ranked higher than 80th overall (D22), in my view.
Outside of Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy, there's no safer fantasy bet in net than Hellebuyck. Partly in "thanks" to his teammates allowing an average of 32.6 shots per game (seventh most in the league), no one made more saves (1,656) in 2019-20 than the Jets' netminder. He also led the NHL in shutouts and finished second only to Vasilevskiy in wins. If there's any fantasy concern with Hellebuyck, it's that Laurent Brossoit might pitch in a bit more to lighten the Vezina winner's load.