Winnipeg Jets: 2 Breakout Candidates For Next Season

With each season that passes, it seems as though every team has players who improve significantly. They often turn out to be prospects naturally, but players who have some experience in the league also can. In this segment, we will be looking at two potential breakout candidates from each team. We will also be setting a max age limit of 26 years old, so older players are not eligible for discussion.

In this piece, we complete this segment with the Winnipeg Jets. These two players are former first-round picks made by the Jets. One is a defenseman who just finished his first full season in the league, while the other is trying to cement himself a spot in Winnipeg's lineup. Before beginning, there is one important thing to note. Cole Perfetti and Ville Heinola are two potential breakout candidates, but due to the fact that they were discussed in our recent prospect piece, it felt necessary to put these two other players in the limelight.

Kristian Vesalainen LW: Will this be the year that Kristian Vesalainen takes that next step? The 22-year-old winger was taken 24th overall during the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, but has yet to play a full season with Winnipeg. He suited up in 12 games with the team this season, but only had an assist. With the Manitoba Moose, he scored a goal and recorded five points in six games. He also played with HPK of Liiga as well. In 10 games, he scored four goals and had eight points. The potential to become a solid NHLer is there for him, so perhaps this will be the season he breaks through.

Logan Stanley D: Logan Stanley just finished his rookie season and did well. In 37 games, he scored a goal and had four points, but more importantly, he was very reliable on the backend. He also was one of the best players on the Jets during the postseason. In eight games, he scored two goals and added an assist. At 23 years old, it is fair to state that Stanley can get better from here. The 6'7" defenseman could become a real force on their blueline, even if he's limited to bottom-pair minutes. The way he ended the season should provide optimism for Winnipeg fans.