The Chicago Blackhawks have done well this offseason, the Winnipeg Jets not so much

The Chicago Blackhawks have had a great season as they look to improve on last season

The NHL Network: Bruce Boudreau really likes what the Chicago Blackhawks have done this offseason.

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Erika Wachter: “But the other team you’re really trying to decide between, Chicago has been impressive this season. Why?

Boudreau: “Yes, because they got eight players who are NHL players. I mean they improved their defense. They, you know, they got (Teuvo) Teravainen, who was there with the Cup team, and (Tyler) Bertuzzi. And you know, you get veterans in Patrick Maroon, and Alec Martinez. Craig Smith has been there. These guys are seasoned hockey players.

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I really think the guy who could be realistic, he might not look good on paper because he didn’t have a good year last year was (Ilya) Mikheyev. If his leg is back (from the injury) and sometimes it takes two years with an ACL injury to come back and he came back a little bit faster last year and showed while playing in Vancouver. But if he can play, that’s the same. So I’m all about fitting and putting those pieces in the puzzle.

I think Chicago is not going to be the team that everyone has been talking about for the past few years and I think they are going to be very strong. And I think before the season starts they’re going to look and say, ‘Hey guys, we have a chance to do something this year,’ and they’re going to be a very determined team.

Wachter: “Yes. We know they already have that young player in Conor Bedard.

The Winnipeg Jets have not had a great season

The NHL Network: Bruce Boudreau on the Winnipeg Jets as a team in the Central Division that may not have had a great offseason.

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Erika Wachter: “Let’s talk about someone who probably has a lot of work to do. Who skips a page there and a paragraph?

Boudreau: “Well, you know what, I believe in Winnipeg. It seems to me, like I mean they, you know, they lost some good players and in Sean Monahan. I mean, Tyler Toffoli was only around after the trade deadline, he didn’t really impress.

But Brenden Dillon, Nate Schmidt in that defense. Laurent Brossoit was a good backup for them. And I think what they got was a lot of fifth, fifth, sixth and seventh defensive players in their signings. So I mean, I think if they run into any kind of injury problem, they could have a problem.

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I don’t think they are a 110 point team at least starting this year. And I mean, if you look at that team right there, it’s just not going to be as strong as it was in the past.

Wachter: “Yeah, and that’s something we tend to see there with Winnipeg. Yes, and a change behind the bench. “