The Winnipeg Jets may have pulled off an insane comeback last night, but that doesn’t change the bigger picture: this team is 5-8-3, stuck in a bad stretch, and staring at a season that could get away from them fast. That kind of slide puts real pressure on ownership, and it has pushed the Jets to a point where the next move could shape the franchise for a while.
The debate around what comes next is already out in the open. Some still believe Winnipeg can straighten things out this season, and there is still plenty of runway left.
Others are starting to wonder whether the answer is a retool or a rebuild. That’s not a simple call for a team carrying long-term, big-money commitments to several veterans, especially with the reality that a rebuilding club might not draw a packed house.
What makes this mess harder to sort through is that the Jets are not some stripped-down roster with no upside. Two years ago, they won the Presidents’ Trophy, and a lot of that talent is still there.
But the group that helped drive that success has changed. Nikolaj Ehlers and Connor Hellebuyck are gone, and the questions about whether this team has enough depth to chase another playoff spot after missing the postseason last year are getting louder.
The numbers tell the story of how rough this start has been. Winnipeg has scored just 39 goals in 16 games, which sits near the bottom of the league, and it has allowed 58 at the other end. Losing Hellebuyck through trade obviously plays into that defensive damage, but the issues go well beyond one move.
Josh Morrissey’s injury has also been a major blow to the team’s ability to suppress chances, and the rest of the blue line hasn’t been able to cover for his absence or the drop in goaltending quality. That’s a difficult burden, though not an impossible one, for a defense group that still has veteran talent.
Up front, the loss of Ehlers took away one of Winnipeg’s best offensive weapons. Even so, the Jets still have plenty of punch in their top six with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor driving the attack, while Gabriel Vilardi and Cole Perfetti add youthful skill.
Brad Lambert and Isak Rosen were also supposed to be on the rise, but neither has taken that step this season. The bigger issue may be what comes after that top group, because the bottom six has left a lot to be desired.
So where does that leave the Jets? As currently built, they probably can’t compete in the Western Conference.
Even with one or two additions, the answer still looks like no. And blowing the whole thing up?
That doesn’t seem like the path either. That’s the bind.
For now, the smartest play is to buy time and let the next few months do the sorting. The NHL Trade Deadline should give Winnipeg a much clearer read on what this team actually is.
If the club slips out of the race, the Jets can move expiring pieces and revisit the direction in the summer. If they hang around the playoff picture, then conservative additions make more sense.
If Winnipeg does tumble and miss the playoffs, a deadline sell-off followed by a summer retool feels like the most realistic route. The Jets have too many good players to tear it all down, and probably too much invested for that to be a viable option anyway.
They would have useful trade chips, including UFAs Nino Niederreiter, Vladislav Namestnikov and Morgan Barron. Alex Iafallo could also draw interest, since he has one year left on his deal after this season and would be a useful forward for plenty of teams.
A full rebuild would bring back a bigger haul of young talent, but it would also be far harder to execute and far tougher on the fanbase. Scheifele, Connor and Morrissey would all bring significant returns in a trade, yet the contract realities and the optics make that kind of teardown feel unlikely, even if there are arguments for it.
For a small Canadian market, rebuilding would be a massive gamble. Trading away stars like Connor and Scheifele would mean hoping the organization can find and develop more of them later, and that is never guaranteed. If the Jets do fall out of the race, a summer retool looks like the cleanest answer - one that could make the team younger, quicker and maybe, eventually, relevant again.
In Other News...
Jets Try To Build Momentum As Prospect Questions Keep Growing
The Jets got back to work after a day off following their comeback win in Montreal, and the timing matters with Vancouver next on the schedule. Winnipeg has been trying to stack good days together, and the organizations prospect pipeline is part of that bigger picture, especially with several young players continuing to make their case in different leagues.
Brad Lambert is among the names drawing attention after a recent roster move, while defense prospect Garrett Brown is also working his way back with the Manitoba Moose after his prospect-tournament injury. Add in Connor Hellebuycks letter to fans after his trade to New Jersey, and it has been a busy stretch around the organization, even as the Jets try to keep their focus on the ice and build on the momentum they brought home from Montreal. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Turn To Brayden Yager As Their Offense Searches For A Spark
The Jets have turned to Brayden Yager for a little more punch, recalling the young forward from the Manitoba Moose as they look to jolt an offense that has been searching for rhythm. Yager, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a prospect-for-prospect deal, has been one of Manitobas more productive players this season and already got a taste of the NHL with Winnipeg in April.
For the Jets, the move is as much about opportunity as it is about need. Yager has shown he can create offense in the AHL, and with Winnipeg trying to find more finishing touch, his arrival gives the coaching staff another option to mix into the lineup and see whether his scoring touch can carry over at the next level. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Face One Big Roster Test As Momentum Starts Building
The Jets are starting to feel a little better about themselves after a comeback win over Montreal, one that carried them into a meeting with a Vancouver team still searching for traction this season. There is some fresh energy around the group, too, with projected lineups already taking shape as Winnipeg tries to build on the momentum from its overtime victory.
Brayden Yager is back in the picture after a recall from the Manitoba Moose, giving the Jets another look at a young forward while the roster remains in flux. The bigger concern is still on the blue line, where Josh Morrissey is not yet ready to rejoin the group, leaving Winnipeg to manage its next stretch without one of its most important pieces. [Read more 🡒]