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The Winnipeg Jets should go all in with a skilled fourth line

The Winnipeg Jets are an interesting team. They have good depth, but they also have players who some may see as underperforming against their potential because of the numbers they have put up in the NHL when they have been played. Players like Nic Petan and Marko Dano have few fans because of how little they have produced in Winnipeg. However, there is still a great opportunity for the Jets to use them effectively in the NHL.

The Winnipeg Jets clearly have a checking line that will include the deadly Adam Lowry/Andrew Copp duo. They could use that line as a third line checking line and then have a skilled fourth line. This would mean that Petan, Dano, and an unnamed third player would be used to create mismatches all over the ice. It is something that they Montreal Canadiens used to do during their dynasty years to great effect and is something that some teams are slowly moving back to this idea after decades of not using it.

How could this benefit the Jets? It could help them make up some of the offence lost when Paul Stastny left for the Vegas Golden Knights. Having some inexpensive offensive that comes from under-utilized players is one way to get good value out of skilled players who have not reached their ceiling. If the Jets simply use the assets they possess, they could be able to make up some of the lost offence would help them maintain their play from last season.

The Winnipeg Jets can prey on some teams by having a skilled fourth lines made up of players like Nic Petan and Marko Dano. This can hopefully help mitigate some of their off-season losses and make it easier for them to replicate last seasons performance.

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