NHL.com’s fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats.
Today, we identify the top 10 advanced stats highlights for the Winnipeg Jets, who had the best start in NHL history with 15 wins in their first 16 games.
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NOTE: The Jets had a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday to fall to 15-2-0. The 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres (15-1-1) and 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks (14-0-3) are the only teams in NHL history with more points than Winnipeg (30; tied for third) through 17 games in a season. The advanced metrics below are through Winnipeg's first 16 games.
1. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, led the NHL in goal differential (plus-26) through 16 games. But it has been far from easy for Hellebuyck; the Jets ranked 20th in shot attempts percentage (48.7 percent), so Hellebuyck has had to make the fourth-most high-danger saves (77) in the NHL behind Lukas Dostal of the Anaheim Ducks (111), Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators (90) and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers (78).
2. Top-line forwards Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi each scored seven high-danger goals through 16 games, tied for second in the NHL behind Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers (eight). Their other linemate, left wing Kyle Connor, was tied with Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers for the most midrange goals (six) in the League. This line has reached new heights in its chemistry after Vilardi was limited to 47 games because of injury last season.
3. Connor was also a standout in other EDGE categories through 16 games, ranging from speed bursts over 20 miles per hour (43; 93rd percentile) to total skating distance (54.28 miles; 96th percentile) and average shot speed (63.36 mph; 88th percentile), showing that he’s one of the League's most complete forwards -- in addition to being an elite goal scorer.
4. Forward Nikolaj Ehlers ranked in the 93rd percentile in top skating speed (22.98 mph) and 22-plus mph speed bursts (four) through 16 games. As a team, the Jets were tied for eighth in 22-plus mph speed bursts (20). Ehlers also ranked in the 83rd percentile in top shot speed (88.12 mph).
5. Forward depth, even beyond the top six, has been crucial for Winnipeg. Wing Nino Niederreiter, who mostly plays on the third line, has been highly productive in high-danger areas, ranking in the 93rd percentile in high-danger shots on goal (18) and 88th percentile in high-danger goals (four) through 16 games.
