Winnipeg Jets’ Bottom-6 Has Been Better Than Advertised

So far, the Winnipeg Jets’ 2022-23 season has gone better than advertised: they are tied for second in the Central Division with an 11-5-1 record, Connor Hellebuyck has seemingly returned to Vezina Trophy form, and Josh Morrissey has emerged as a Norris Trophy candidate.

Related: Jets Need a Trade to Replace Injured Forwards

However, the team’s biggest surprise has been the bottom six. They were considered a weakness going into the offseason but have quickly put those concerns behind them. Can this group be improved with a trade? Yes, and management might have to make one, given the injuries to Nikolaj Ehlers, Mason Appleton, and Morgan Barron. But, for what they are contributing, they have been better than expected.

Jets Offseason Pickups Have Been Effective

Before the offseason, no one expected Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Saku Maenalanen to be third-line contributors for the 2022-23 Jets, but here we are. Jonsson-Fjallby was claimed off of waivers in the preseason, and Maenalanen had not played an NHL game since 2018-19. These players have played a crucial role alongside Adam Lowry on what has become a shutdown third line.

Among lines that have played at least 20 minutes together, Money Puck has the third line of Lowry, Maenalanen, and Jonsson-Fjallby giving up 1.71 expected goals per 60 minutes. That is the best rate on the team and proves that they are thriving in the role head coach Rick Bowness has given them.

The biggest improvement from this group over last season has been on the penalty kill. The Jets have the third-best penalty kill in the NHL, with a staggering 85.3 percent success rate, and it’s a huge reason why they’ve allowed the lowest number of goals per game in the Western Conference, at 2.41 GA/G.

Before Appleton got hurt, he was beginning to find a rhythm with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele on the top line. Now, Sam Gagner has taken that role and become a complementary top-six winger. The Jets signed Gagner to a one-year, $750,000 contract near the end of the offseason, and now he is shouldering big minutes alongside the top two forwards on the team.

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With both Appleton and Ehlers projected to miss a few months, that top-line spot is now Gagner’s to lose. He got the primary assist on Connor’s game-winning goal against the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 17 and has also been asked to play crucial power-play minutes this season.

In what has suddenly…