The Easiest Change

The New York Rangers are a rather solid team who play in an ultra-competitive division. Carolina has emerged as a solid front-runner in the Metropolitan Division, Pittsburgh still lurks with their talented team, and Washington should never be counted out with the stars they have on their roster. The Rangers, though, have shown that coaching can put a good team onto a new level as Gerard Gallant once again turns a team of solid players into a well-oiled machine just as he did in Vegas. The lesson learned here should be obvious: coaching matters in the new NHL where youth, speed, and skill are the hallmarks of all successful teams. For the Winnipeg Jets, who just got schooled by a Gallant-coached team again, this summer should be their most extensive and deepest dive into the pool of available coaches.

Interim head coach Dave Lowry seems to be stuck in the same manner of thinking as his predecessor in Paul Maurice. That's not to say that they didn't find success, but it's that they didn't find it often enough or consistently enough. What's notable is that both men have similar win percentages while laying virtually identical systems: Maurice was 13-11-5 for a .534 points percentage while Lowry is 22-21-6 after tonight's game for a .510 win percentage. Hovering around .500 will not get you into the playoffs in the NHL.

This isn't simply a Dave Lowry issue, though, as the special teams, defensive scheme, and goaltending have all seen steps taken backwards. While the likes of Jamie Kompon, Charlie Huddy, and Wade Flaherty might have worked a few seasons ago, teams have adapted and gameplanned for the Jets since their systems haven't changed in a decade. Huddy's defensive coaching might be the most glaringly obvious pitfall for this team on the surface, but there's no denying that the power-play and penalty-killing units need to perform better as well. Goaltending has taken a beating with the poor defensive system in front of Hellebuyck and Comrie, but there could be some tweaks made there as well.

Tonight, though, the Jets got another first-hand look at a Rangers team that plays a lot like Vegas did under the watch of Gerard Gallant. They're aggressive when they forecheck to force defenders into mistakes, they're opportunistic in creating chances through skill and speed, they defend like the house is on fire, and move the puck up the ice incredibly quickly. This is how the new NHL looks, and the Jets seem to be stuck in the past when it comes to their current systemic woes.

There will have to be changes made this summer simply due to the Jets missing the playoffs this season. While it will take one additional point or one additional loss of any kind by the Jets to mathematically make that a reality, the consensus among 99.999% of hockey pundits is that this season is over. In knowing that, the Jets need to get younger, faster, and better, but they need someone to guide the kids with a much different system than fans are used to seeing in Winnipeg. Whatever the Jets currently do hasn't worked year after year after year by the very evidence of never advancing further than their singular appearance in the Western Conference Final.

At this point, the easiest move the franchise can make to improve the future is to dismiss the men steering the ship into the rocks in which they often find themselves. Wholesale changes behind the bench would mean a new direction entirely for the franchise, but it's one that needs to happen since the direction hasn't changed with Paul Maurice stepping down. In fact, it's gotten worse under Lowry as shown above, so it's time to find someone new with his or her own staff to try and right this franchise.

Nearly one-third of the NHL franchises have coaches on expiring deals right now, so GM Kevin Cheveldayoff should be making a short list of those coaches who he'd like to interview. Beyond that, he should be scouring the AHL, the NCAA, U SPORTS, and Europe for some of the better coaches there. Dipping into other leagues like the ECHL and the CHL wouldn't hurt either, but AHL coaches like Kevin Dineen in Utica, Mark Morrison in Manitoba, or Ryan Warsofsky in Chicago would be good candidates for a chat if their parent NHL clubs allow it. Of those three men, I suspect only Morrison would have approval if the Jets asked.

All jokes aside, the Jets shouldn't be content to enter next season running the same systems they did this season or in any season previous to this one. If they need proof, look at the New York Rangers who replaced David Quinn with Gerard Gallant. That change seemed to work pretty well in Manhattan, and with season ticket numbers waning in the Manitoba capital, people are using their hard-earned dollars to show the Jets that slightly-above-.500 hockey teams aren't worth the price of admission. That should worry the Jets' owners which should prompt them to have management respond.

A change in coaches always means there's new hope, but this franchise needs a change in coaching philosophy to move past the ghosts of this season and in seasons past. The old adage of "you can't fire the team" holds true, but the change in how this team is run and what systems they play is long overdue. The Jets could be successful with the same cast of characters on the ice next season, but it won't matter who they put on the ice if the systems remain the same.

It will be another spring without playoff hockey in Winnipeg despite the talent they have on their roster. Management has tinkered enough with the lineup that it should be obvious that it isn't the players who are failing in the Manitoba capital. If that's not evident by now after repeatedly falling short of making deep playoff runs, this franchise will be forever doomed to disappointing their most important asset: their fans. That's not a group that teams should be so eager to alienate.

Forget math on this one, folks, because the Jets are done. So long 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and thanks for all the fish.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!