Winnipeg Jets Pre-Season FancyStats

The pre-season is over. How did the players perform?

By garret9@GarretHohl Oct 8, 2014, 9:00am EDT

Caution must always apply when evaluating from pre-season. Samples fall short in significance. Competition ranges from junior players to top line NHL players. Systems are being introduced. Linemates change daily.

Regardless, optimism resides in the numbers. The Jets finished the pre-season out attempting their opposition 248 to 218 for 5-on-5 situations. This approximates the Jets as possessing the puck 53.2% of the time and out chancing their opponents.

Some of the Jets performed well, while others struggled.

Defense

Cut

#	Name	Corsi For	Corsi Against	Corsi%
43	Will O`Neill	12	7	63.2%
71	Julian Melchiori	13	8	61.9%
36	Josh Morrissey	44	42	51.2%
59	Brenden Kichton	9	9	50.0%
7	Keaton Ellerby	55	62	47.0%
63	Ben Chiarot	26	36	41.9%

O`Neill and Melchiori posted strong numbers and Kichton came out even, although without any real sample.

Morrissey performed well, but ultimately failed to pass Grant Clitsome and Adam Pardy on the depth charts to make the team. Only nineteen years of age, Jets fans have good reason to get excited for the young defensemen making the team next season.

There was a lot of talk about Chiarot making noise in camp. Chiarot was given ample opportunity but posted the worst Corsi% of all the Jets defenders. Ellerby also struggled, sending him to St. John's.

The survivors

#	Name	Corsi For	Corsi Against	Corsi%
4	Paul Postma	17	9	65.4%
5	Mark Stuart	37	23	61.7%
8	Jacob Trouba	55	40	57.9%
2	Adam Pardy	77	57	57.5%
24	Grant Clitsome	80	64	55.6%
39	Tobias Enstrom	37	33	52.9%
44	Zach Bogosian	47	49	49.0%

Postma only suited up for a single game, but performed exceptionally in it. While he struggled when paired with Enstrom last season, the two were the top pair with a nearly full Jet roster dressed. Likewise, the Stuart-Trouba pair struggled with possession last season but had a strong pre-season.

Pardy beat Ellerby while repeating last seasons dominance in soft, sheltered minutes. Meanwhile, Clitsome washed away concerns over his back injury last year. Clitsome performed admirably playing both top pair minutes and bottom pair. He also showed flexibility playing both left and right side.

Enstrom and Bogosian will likely play as the Jets top pair. They struggled both in the numbers and criticism of Bogosian ran rampantly throughout social media. Maurice will lean heavily on the two and they will need to perform better, although some of the results come from usage.

Forwards

Cut

#	Name	Corsi For	Corsi Against	Corsi%
27	Eric Tangradi	20	14	58.8%
28	Patrice Cormier	11	8	57.9%
72	Scott Kosmachuk	10	9	52.6%
38	Nic Petan	53	51	51.0%
42	Nikolaj Ehlers	51	53	49.0%
46	JC Lipon	12	13	48.0%
48	Carl Klingberg	18	23	43.9%
70	John Albert	13	27	32.5%

The forwards list features a lot of players who were not given much playing time. Tangradi performed well in the short sample, but was ultimately cut and then traded. Kosmachuk was above 50%, while Lipon, Klingberg, and Albert were far below, but none with enough time to give confidence in predictions.

Petan and Ehlers were given lots of time. Petan displayed strong two-way play and posted solid numbers, despite playing with some middling linemates. There is an argument that usage may have affected performance and ultimately the decision of Lowry over Petan. Ehlers numbers showed his inexperience, but consistently flashed offensive flair that highlight his extremely high ceiling.

Early in camp Cormier received and injury and technically has yet to be cut, but he would have to beat one of Peluso, Halischuk, or Galiardi for a spot.

The Survivors

#	Name	Corsi For	Corsi Against	Corsi%
67	Michael Frolik	60	29	67.4%
19	Jim Slater	30	17	63.8%
18	Bryan Little	33	19	63.5%
16	Andrew Ladd	48	30	61.5%
85	Mathieu Perreault	49	33	59.8%
56	Adam Lowry	63	45	58.3%
22	Chris Thorburn	29	24	54.7%
14	Anthony Peluso	37	32	53.6%
9	Evander Kane	55	49	52.9%
55	Mark Scheifele	63	57	52.5%
15	Matt Halischuk	44	40	52.4%
26	Blake Wheeler	51	50	50.5%
21	T.J. Galiardi	17	17	50.0%
33	Dustin Byfuglien	6	7	46.2%

Ladd, Little, and Frolik had a dominant pre season, out attempting their opponents severely. The three have long been known as players that push possession even under tough assignments.

Perreault displayed to Winnipeg what he can do. He dominated possession every game despite playing with some linemates not known as much for that type of performance (Halischuk) and a rookie (Lowry).

Slater, Thorburn, and Peluso showed that they can beat other team's depth and junior players. Whether it will translate to regular season when they are not as sheltered remains a question. Galiardi is another fourth line option, but was not given much opportunity due to an unfortunate accident during practice.

There was also the highly anticipated Kane, Scheifele, Wheeler line. In the last exhibition against Calgary, the Maurice placed the KSW line where they perform best, the offensive zone. The line posted a +10 Corsi differential in the final game, so you can guess how much of a hole they were in prior. Let`s hope the final game is more representative of their play over the long term.