Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov will need to adjust with new role now that newcomer Jonathan Toews will be taking over the second line center position.
The Winnipeg Jets made a notable add during the off-season by bringing home a local native in three-time Stanley Cup Champion Jonathan Toews. The former longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain will be finally returning to his hometown of Winnipeg and is slated to be in a prominent second line center role. The add certainly makes up for the loss of top six winger Nikolaj Ehlers but the Jets already had a productive player at Toews new position with Vladislav Namestnikov.
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The 32-year-old Russian import had a strong season, finishing just shy of 40 points. His line was one of the most effective in the league among those that played at least 550 minutes together, scoring 24 goals and allowing 14, resulting in a +10 goal differential. Namestnikov will now slide down the order into the third line center position and will temporarily fill the role while captain Adam Lowry is recovering from a lower-body injury.
After a month or two into the season, Lowry should return and this will again leave Namestnikov in a different position, which makes him valuable as he can also play the left wing. The lineup will likely see juggling of all sorts throughout the season as they also added former 75-point scorer just two seasons ago in Gustav Nyquist. To fit in so many key players will be tricky for Jets bench boss Scott Arniel and presents the question of where a player like Namestnikov will fit in?
He is expected to take on a middle-six role, likely on the third line, with adjustments likely to happen throughout the season. Despite being a near 40-point producer over the past two years with the Jets, he’s better suited for a third-line role where he can take advantage of more favorable matchups against teams with weaker depth, something he didn’t consistently get while playing on the second line more often against other team's top-six forward units.
Last season, Winnipeg often ran a 2A/2B system, with Namestnikov logging minutes similar to a third-liner anyway, thanks to the team's highly effective third line. Now, playing alongside Lowry and Alex Iafallo, who both finished the season strong, he could be in a better position to contribute offensively. If the chemistry clicks, Namestnikov could push past the 40-point mark for the first time since his 2017-18 campaign with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Namestnikov is also expected to continue playing on the second power play unit as the right defenseman, a role where he’s found success generating points. In short, this new role lower in the lineup could set him up to thrive. With softer matchups and a solid supporting cast, Namestnikov has a real chance to outperform expectations and quietly have one of his most productive seasons yet.
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