This is the final file in THN’s series looking at important issues facing each NHL team.
In this edition, we’re examining three issues facing the Winnipeg Jets.
1. Will Nikolaj Ehlers be with the Jets in 2025?
Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff locked up star center Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck to contract extensions last summer, making most of their players long-term Jets. But one veteran will be a UFA at the end of this coming season – 28-year-old winger Ehlers, who currently is working on a contract that pays him $6-million per season.
Ehlers posted 25 goals and 61 points in 82 games last season – the fifth time he’s generated 25 goals or more in his nine-year NHL career. He’ll be playing on the Jets’ second line this season, but Winnipeg has approximately $47.7 million committed to players in 2025-26 – and the Jets have youngsters including Cole Perfetti and Gabriel Vilardi to sign to new deals either this summer or next summer, so there may not be enough cap space to retain Ehlers beyond this season.
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The Jets could get an exceptional haul if they do choose to trade Ehlers, and depending on the way the 2024-25 campaign goes, Winnipeg brass may want to extensively change the lineup. If that’s the case, Ehlers could be dealt at the trade deadline. But it’s also possible Cheveldayoff doubles down on his roster and finds a way to keep Ehlers around. If we had to guess, we’d say this is Ehlers’ final season as a Jet, but there’s still time for Ehlers to author his own destiny.
2. Can the Jets meet expectations after last season’s fourth-place finish in the standings?
We’re going to be honest – we don’t have a lot of faith in this Jets core to take the next competitive step and evolve into a first-rate Stanley Cup contender. This isn’t to say Winnipeg can’t win more regular-season games than they lose, but rather, we’re arguing the type of generational talents that power their team to Cup glory aren’t to be found on the Jets’ roster.
The exception is Hellebuyck, but even then, Hellebuyck failed to steal games for Winnipeg in the playoffs, posting a .886 save percentage in the 2023 post-season, and an .870 save percentage in the 2024 playoffs. The Jets’ defense corps also took a hit this summer with the departure of veteran blueliner Brenden Dillon, and although Winnipeg still has capable defenders, their depth on ‘D’, and on all positions really, has taken a notable hit.
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In the improved Central Division, the Jets could wind up fighting for a wild-card berth. There’s no guarantee they’ll make the playoffs, and if they don’t make it, major changes should be in order. If we had to guess, we’d say Winnipeg just barely makes it into the post-season and gets drubbed in the first round for the third straight year. We could be wrong, but the Jets look like a seriously flawed group, and that should be reflected in their results.
3. Will Winnipeg have a point-per-game player this season?
The Jets came close to having a point-per-game player last season, as Scheifele put up 72 points in 74 games. And star winger Kyle Connor posted 61 points in 65 games last year, and the season prior, he had 80 points in 82 games. But other than that, Winnipeg’s roster doesn’t have the high-end talent that can regularly produce one point per night.
That may change when youngsters including Perfetti reach their peak years, but at the moment, the Jets don’t have nearly enough elite point producers who can generate at least a point per game. They win the majority of their games via defense – the Jets finished the past season tied with Florida for the lowest goals-allowed-per-game average (2.41) – but their offense was simply mediocre, finishing 15th overall with a 3.16 goals-for-per-game average.
Winnipeg’s defense-first approach should, in theory, serve them well, but if they can develop point-per-game players, they could finally unlock the door to playoff success. If not, they’re going to have a disappointing season yet again. It can’t be all about the ‘D’, but if they can improve their all-around game, they might be able to surprise people this year.
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News Summary:
- NHL's Top Issues Facing Winnipeg Jets: Ehlers, Playoffs And Point-Per-Game Players On Radar
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.