WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets have been inconsistent over their five years back in the NHL . With only one playoff appearance, the hungry hockey faithful have been
teased with spurts of greatness and spurts of bottom feeding.
Patience is very thin these days and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff knows he will be under the microscope this season , the time is now for this fast-paced, young, skilled Jets squad.
The team is loaded with young talent as well as some very good vets who have installed a culture in the Jets room but are missing playoff appearances.
With the likes of Patrik Laine , Nikolaij Ehlers , Mark Scheifele , Bryan Little , and Blake Wheeler this team has a very good group of forwards .
They also have two very skilled prospects waiting in the wings with the AHL Manitoba Moose in Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic the time for picking up skilled forwards is not now.
The need for this team is a solid veteran goalie who can mentor the young back stoppers in the system. With Connor Hellebuyck having a full season under his belt, he has shown he is capable but still needs some time . Eric Comrie has been a top stopper in the AHL and is a couple years away from NHL duty . The team needs to make a move or go after a goalie in free agency.
Another glaring need is on the back end and this is something they can address through the draft.
Some defensive help and depth is always a plus for any team.
Winnipeg has Josh Morrissey who was thrust into big time minutes and showed he is going to be a stud on the blue line for years to come; one question mark is where does Jacob Trouba fit as he was a hold out and only signed a two-year deal with the club so his future is up the air . Dustin Byfuglien is also a big time player but sometimes lacks that d-zone mentality.
With a thin cupboard on the back end, having a project in last year’s first rounder Logan Stanley a few years away, the team would be wise to go out and get some solid big defencemen.
One player who fits the bill is Callan Foote from the Western Hockey League Kelowna Rockets, the son of former NHLer Adam Foote.
Foote has the skill set to be a top six d-man and also has a bit of size being 6’3″ 213 lbs he can be a physical force. He finished the season with six goals and 51 assists so he can play on the power play .
He is known for his hockey IQ and his passing skills are something every team can use getting the puck moved up ice.
With the 13th pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, the Winnipeg Jets select Callan Foote from the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL.

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