from Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet,

Few, if any, teams in the NHL will be more fascinating to monitor this season than the Winnipeg Jets. Note the word choice of "monitor" there versus "watch." It’s not that the Jets figure to be unwatchable by any means. In fact, there are still very good players dotted throughout this lineup. It’s just that the real drama figures to play out away from the ice, as the futures of two pending UFAs — Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck — come into focus.

Winnipeg snatched the final playoff berth in the Western Conference last year and was scolded by coach Rick Bowness heading out the door for its uninspired showing during a five-game, first-round loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights.

The off-season brought about an end to a couple of lingering subplots, as centre Pierre-Luc Dubois — long destined for a ticket out of town — was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, while Blake Wheeler — stripped of his captaincy at last season’s training camp — was bought out by the team.

Truthfully, the grumbling and snipping surrounding this squad can sometimes obscure the fact there’s still a playoff-worthy roster representing this hockey-crazed city. Of course, if the team is tracking something other than a post-season appearance three months into the season, the off-ice noise is only going to get louder.

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