Despite their solid start to the season, the Winnipeg Jets have completely collapsed. Winnipeg is missing the scorer who made them successful, and their window of opportunity could be closed after winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season and falling in Round 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
There’s only so much Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele can do without help. The loss of Nikolaj Ehlers to the Carolina Hurricanes last season was a blow. Imagine if they still had Ehlers on the top line with those two. Winnipeg still lacks a second-line centre. Adam Lowry is a great 3C and Jonathan Toews is a great depth center, but his skating is far behind the pack.
Now Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman says on Saturday Headlines on Hockey Night in Canada that the Winnipeg Jets are looking for goals. Perhaps not mismanaging Ehlers over the years could have kept the player in Winnipeg. Now the Jets are regretting that decision and are looking for help.
NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and some bold predictions
As Jim Biringer of NHLRumors.com, Full Press NHL and RG Media explained on TSN Radio in Montreal when asked why the Winnipeg Jets are in free fall.
NHLRumors.com Transcripts
Host: “So Jim, how are these Jets going to handle this? Losers of four in a row, 2-5-3 (1-6-3 over their last 10). I understand they don’t have their starting goalie (Hellebuyck back in the lineup now), and maybe I think we all need to see a little more of Hellebuyck in the postseason. But when it comes to game 81 to game 82, the last few years there’s been no one in the world better in goaltending than him.
But like this free fall, it seems a bit much, right? For example, I thought they would have a hard time. Obviously you lose your goalkeeper, but I didn’t think that would be the case. What are they here? Just leave the Chicago Blackhawks’ only point clear for the bottom of the Western Conference (now in last place in the West). And if I’m correct, they won the Western Conference last year.”
Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper had to be on Team Canada
Jim Biringer: “Yeah, they won the Western Conference last year. I don’t think anyone expected them to be a President’s Trophy team again because a lot of last year felt right for them. But again, it’s a mismanagement of assets. When you look at it, Nikolaj Ehlers, isn’t it? A guy who really helped their power play. Really helped their scoring depth. He went to Carolina and they never really replaced his production.”
Jonathan Toews is great. It’s a great feel-good story. The Winnipeg Boy is coming home, but I think he’s playing above his weight class right now because they deployed him as a third-line center and not as a consistent 2C right now. And he’s played well, but to be at that 2c level and not really that good. He wants to be a deep forward, depth center for them.
And yes, Hellebuyck not being in the lineup doesn’t help them. (Eric) Comrie, I thought it was well played. But again, it’s playing defense. It’s about scoring goals. Kyle Connor isn’t producing as quickly as he has in the past. Cole Perfetti has been in and out of the lineup due to injury. Mark Scheifele has great games, and he doesn’t have great games.
This team is again sensibly built at the back, it has always been a weakness for me. Yes, Neal Pionk is great, but Josh Morrissey, you have another great defenseman there. But they need more. They lack the depth that has made them so good in recent years. And maybe last year was their chance, and you just hope that Hellebuyck having the surgery now allows him to find his game, and then he gets to work in the playoffs, because let’s face it, that’s why he gets paid what he gets to be a playoff goalie.
Ultimately, something has to happen for the Winnipeg Jets. Does it make sense to make a coaching change there to stimulate the team? What will GM Kevin Cheveldayoff do to make his team better? Although the Jets would not win the Presidents’ Trophy again, no one saw this coming. Many felt like they were a playoff team.
NHL Rumors: Winnipeg Jets and the Philadelphia Flyers
Needing a miraculous 2019 St. Louis Blues run to get in, Winnipeg could now focus on a top-five pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. This is just so strange to see considering the talent on the team. But as we’ve seen, two or three players can’t carry a team to a championship.
In the space of a year, the Winnipeg Jets have simply gone from Stanley Cup contenders to a possible rebuilding team.
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