from Scott Burnside of ESPN,

Last season might have been a seminal one for the Winnipeg Jets -- who returned to the playoffs for the first time since moving back to the prairies from Atlanta at the end of the 2011 season -- but a first-round sweep at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks revealed just how much work is ahead for the hard-luck franchise.

That’s where Jacob Trouba comes in. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has painstakingly built a big, fast, physical team, and Trouba is a cornerstone member of a young defensive corps that has a chance to be among the league’s best.

Last season, the Jets finished tied for 10th in goals against per game after years of being a league doormat in that defensive category. Trouba was the ninth overall pick in the 2012 draft and joined the Jets after a stellar freshman season at the University of Michigan. He made the jump from college hockey almost seamlessly, leading all rookie skaters in average ice time per game in 2013-14 and earning serious consideration for the Calder Trophy despite missing almost a month because of injury. Trouba's absence from the lineup was a factor in the Jets' missing the playoffs that spring.

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