2. Will they improve defensively?
The Jets have long struggled in defensive metrics and the concerning trend continued in 2021-22. They allowed the 13th-most goals (253) in the NHL, seventh-most shots (33.2 per game) and were 29th in penalty-kill percentage (75.0%).
Bowness has had success implementing solid defensive schemes throughout his 33-year coaching career in the NHL. The Dallas Stars ranked in the top-half of the League in shots allowed (13th; 31.0 shots allowed per game) and goals against (tied for 14th; 2.98 goals against per game) with Bowness as coach last season. In 2019-20, when he began the season as an assistant before being promoted to coach, the Stars had the second-best goals-against average (2.52) in the NHL.
"In talking to Rick and listening, this isn't a 'I think he can implement these things.' I know he can," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. "I've seen it. I've seen his teams play. I've seen the structure. I've seen the hardness. I've seen the different times. You don't take a team to the [2020] Stanley Cup Final just by luck."
3. Can the Jets take advantage of their window to win?
The Jets have an impressive core of players. Connor Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy as the top goalie in the NHL in 2019-20 and remains one of the best at his position. The top-six forward group includes Kyle Connor, who set NHL career highs in goals (47) and points (93) last season, Mark Scheifele (70 points in 2021-22), Pierre-Luc Dubois (28 goals), captain Blake Wheeler (60 points) and Nikolaj Ehlers (28 goals).
Add in a talented defense corps led by Josh Morrissey, Nate Schmidt, Neal Pionk, and Brenden Dillon, and the Jets should contend for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season after finishing eight points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card in the Western Conference in 2021-22. But can they make a run at a championship?
With 12 player contracts set to expire in either 2023 or 2024, including Hellebuyck, Wheeler, Scheifele and Dubois, the window for Winnipeg to win is still open.
"Whatever happens in the future, we're focusing on the present here now," Cheveldayoff said. "If you're trying to, in this game, look too far ahead, you're going to fall off the deep end, so to speak. We're focused on right now. Rick is here. He's in with both feet and I think it's going to be good for our organization."