ANALYSIS: November could determine whether Jets are truly elite

These are heady times if you’re a instrumentality of the Winnipeg Jets. As November begins, Winnipeg sits atop the standings — not the Central Division, not the Western Conference, but the full NHL — with that 9-1 record.

And it comes astatine a clip erstwhile it’s hard to place the elite teams successful the NHL. Remember past season, the speech astir the league that 10 oregon 12 antithetic teams could triumph the Cup. Well, I don’t deliberation that’s the lawsuit close now. The database of teams that person sprinted to the apical of the standings — the 1 the Jets pb — is small.

Dallas is there, the Devils too, possibly Florida and Tampa. But that mightiness beryllium it. More teams person struggled than thrived. Call it parity, mediocrity; I take to telephone it the “mushy middle” wherever teams with precocious anticipation similar Colorado, Toronto, Vancouver and much person migrated.

The reasons are beauteous simple. If you person goaltending and peculiar teams, you volition thrive successful this league. Connor Hellebuyck and the powerfulness play are astatine the apical of the game, and that’s wherefore the Jets had specified an awesome October.

People astir the NHL are noticing, and this squad volition person a people of its back. Teams volition beryllium checking Kyle Connor a small person and pressing the squad defence a small harder. That’s the world of being astatine the apical of the array successful the NHL.

Heady times indeed. But this is simply a cautionary tale. This squad has a ton of roadworthy games coming up: 1 agelong aboriginal this period and into December with 13 of 15 distant from home. That mightiness specify whether oregon not this squad truly is elite.