Winnipeg Jets have the option to change deployment in 2024-25

In the Rick Bowness and Paul Maurice eras, the Winnipeg Jets typically followed a strict top-six/bottom-six deployment style for their forward core. In Tuesday’s practice, we saw glimpses of how Scott Arniel could change that philosophy this season and end the 2C battle once and for all, by having three second-line centres. 

Brad Lambert centres Nino Niederreiter and Alex Iafallo on Tuesday:

Brad Lambert, who has been in the middle of the second-line centre debate throughout the preseason, found himself playing alongside Nino Niederreiter and Alex Iafallo during Tuesday’s skate. 

Scott Arniel was asked about a potential philosophy change and mentioned that it’s a path the Jets could go down this season. 

“Yeah there’s different ways you can go about it,” Arniel explained after Tuesday’s skate. “Probably has something with how you match up against some other teams. There is lots of that, where you have three lines of skill and you’ve got a line that can go out and kill penalties and shut down the opposition and play a physical role.”

Working off of that line and the potential that comes with it, here’s a way the Jets could break the top-six/bottom-six framework and deploy four strong lines: 

Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi
Ehlers-Namestnikov-Perfetti
Niederreiter-Lambert-Iafallo
Barron-Lowry-Appleton

By breaking the typical structure of the forward core, the Jets would be able to deploy four strong lines and keep Adam Lowry in his shutdown and physical role. 

On the line of Niederreiter-Lambert-Iafallo specifically, Arniel mentioned that they could play together on Wednesday night against the Calgary Flames. 

“I want to see what they look like, and I want to see how it goes, and maybe that’s an option for tomorrow night.”

While this is a possibility for the Jets in 2024-25, Arniel maintained that it’s just that, and in that case, we might not see it to begin the season. “I’m not really tipping my hand where I’m going (with the lines) but no, that is a possibility.”

New look special teams could affect five-on-five ice time:

A surefire change the Jets coaching staff is making this season is on special teams. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor are going to begin the season killing penalties, and Nikolaj Ehlers finds himself on PP1 in the high slot. 

With more of the Jets’ top-six forwards being used on special teams, especially in the penalty kill department, the five-on-five ice time could be affected by those extra minutes.  

When asked about it on Monday, Arniel brought up the second power-play unit, which is destined to receive more ice time this season with the added responsibilities for Scheifele and Connor. 

“There’s lots of times where your top people draw the penalties, and they may have been out on the ice for 30 or 40 seconds,” Arniel said on his power play units. “You have to have the confidence to throw that second unit out and start the power play off correctly.”

The second unit in Monday’s special teams practice consisted of Cole Perfetti, Nino Niederreiter, Vladislav Namestnikov, Neal Pionk, and Colin Miller. 

Could injuries be opening the door for Elias Salomonsson? 

With the ankle injury suffered by Ville Heinola and the knee injury suffered by Logan Stanley, the Jets’ defensive depth has taken a massive hit throughout training camp. 

One player that seemed destined for the Manitoba Moose but now is sliding up the depth chart, is Elias Salomonsson. As Scott Arniel alluded to on Tuesday, we may get a chance to see the 20-year-old defender on the left side of a pairing in the final home preseason game on Wednesday. 

“We put him on the left side today because we don’t have an abundance of left-handed defencemen,” Arniel said on Tuesday. “May get a chance to see him tomorrow on the left side, so that’ll be another test for him. I’ve liked a lot of how he’s grown through this camp. I saw him last year, but this year there’s a different player there. A more experienced player. I thought the very first game he looked nervous, looked like he was feeling things out, and I thought the last game in Minneapolis, he was really good. There’s a lot of real good things he’s done.”

The Jets and Arniel have been incredibly pleased with Salomonsson’s development, and whether he begins the season with the Jets or Moose, he will be a prospect worth keeping an eye on in 2024-25. 

Between running a top-nine of three balanced, skilled lines, and potentially giving a 20-year-old defenceman a shot on the opening night roster, Arniel has a chance to change the philosophy of the way the Jets deploy their team this season. The final two preseason games, both against the Calgary Flames, will play a massive role in deciding how the Jets roster looks for opening night on October 9th against the Edmonton Oilers.