Winnipeg Jets Continue Undisciplined Trend

Winnipeg Jets are off to a decent start in 2015-16 going 7-4-1 with 15 points to open the season. Both goaltenders, Ondrej Pavelec and Michael Hutchinson are off to excellent starts. (minus their Sunday loss to Montreal, where Winnipeg Jets defense gave Hutchinson little support before being pulled after four goals on nine shots).

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After a first round defeat in 2014-15, the Winnipeg Jets are hoping to build off that in hopes of a deeper playoff run. The same core group of players are still together, although captain Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien are due for pay raises before becoming free agents on July 1st of next summer. There’s a couple new faces and one old one up front, as Alex Burmistrov returned from the KHL. Along with Burmistrov up front are rookies Nikolaj Ehlers and Nic Petan.

Even with some personnel change, there’s one troubling statistical trend that continues early into 2015-16. The Winnipeg Jets are the most undisciplined team in the NHL, and spend more time killing penalties than any other team.

Nov 1, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Ladd (16) during the warmup period before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Winnipeg Jets 2014-15

PP TIME – 456:11
PK TIME – 521:46 (most in NHL)
Minor Penalties – 376 (most in NHL)
*25 more than 2nd place Pittsburgh

Minor Penalty Leaders –
Dustin Byfuglien 42
Mark Stuart 32
Andrew Ladd 31
Blake Wheeler 24
Jim Slater 19
Zach Bogosian 19
Jacob Trouba 18
Mathieu Perreault 18
Toby Enstrom 18
Evander Kane 17

Winnipeg Jets 2015-16

PP TIME – 51:14
PK TIME – 77:53 (most in NHL)
Minor Penalties – 55 (tied for most in NHL)

Minor Penalty Leaders –
Dustin Byfuglien 9
Mathieu Perreault 6
Jacob Trouba 5
Anthony Peluso 3
Alex Burmistrov 3
Andrew Ladd 3
Toby Enstrom 3
Nic Petan 3
Tyler Myers 3

It’s worth noting that several of the early leaders for minor penalties in 2015-16 are not players that are likely to continue the pace. Mathieu Perreault already has 1/3 the amount he accumulated last season. Jacob Trouba nearly has a 1/3 of last years total as well. Neither are likely to get the 37-44 minors that each are on pace for.

Dustin Byfuglien, who faces a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday for his hit on Brendan Gallagher, is another story all together. He’s one of the more undisciplined players in the NHL. It’s one of those situations where you take the good with the bad. He needs to play with that edge he brings to be the effective versatile player that he is. He’s plays a strong physical game, and unfortunately that can sometimes lead to penalties. He’s been a hot topic of trade discussions, but it’s difficult to replace a Dustin Byfuglien (although Chicago barely blinked).

Do the Jets have too much of the same complexion with these physical type players? It’s obviously essential to have some of those players, but you also need to inject your roster with pure skill. They’ve made a great step in the right direction with Nikolaj Ehlers, and he hasn’t disappointed early.

If we’re going to continue to follow the trends, the numbers suggest the Winnipeg Jets should at least see a drop in minor penalties. They may not spend the most time killing penalties for two years in a row, but they’ll likely still be near the bottom as an overall undisciplined team.

It’s inevitable when you’ve got Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Blake Wheeler, and Alex Burmistrov who all like to play on the edge with that physical style game. Unfortunately, there’s not much coach Paul Maurice can do to inject major change. Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf have played with that edge their entire career, and Anaheim has built pieces around them with different styles of players.

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So can the Winnipeg Jets afford to move one of their 2016 free agents in Dustin Byfuglien or Andrew Ladd? Signing Ladd seems as though it would be a priority for management, as it’s impossible to replace quality leadership. Jacob Trouba is slowly emerging into a number one type defenseman. You’ve also got prospect G Connor Hellebuyck in the AHL, who would be on most NHL teams rosters. Winnipeg could easily move Pavelec and Byfuglien, and inject more pure skill or talent into the roster, along with some prospects and/or draft picks. So the best question is, with some glaring issues and a couple of potential valuable assets, which direction is best suited for the Jets organization to take moving forward?

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