Jets Look to Ground Red-Hot Red Wings in Final Home Game Before Road Swing
It’s another Heritage Blue night in Winnipeg - the last one until mid-March - and the Jets are hoping the familiar threads can bring some energy to a team that’s been grinding through a tough stretch. After dropping a tight 2-1 shootout to the Panthers on Thursday, the Jets return to Canada Life Centre tonight for one final home stand before heading out on a four-game road trip.
The opponent? A surging Red Wings team that’s been one of the league’s hottest squads over the last few weeks.
Let’s set the stage: Winnipeg enters the night sitting 29th overall at 20-23-7, while Detroit rolls in with a 31-16-5 mark, good for fourth in the NHL standings. The Red Wings are riding a 7-2-1 run in their last 10 and are starting to look like a team that’s not just playoff-bound, but ready to make some noise when they get there. For the Jets, this is about more than just two points - it’s about keeping pace, building confidence, and proving they can hang with one of the league’s top teams.
A Tight Series with a Familiar Feel
This is the second and final meeting between these two teams this season. The first came on New Year’s Eve in Detroit, where the Red Wings edged out a 2-1 win in what was, again, a low-scoring, defensive battle.
That’s been the theme lately for Winnipeg - close games, few shots, and even fewer goals. In fact, the Jets haven’t cracked the 20-shot mark in either of their last two contests.
But here’s the thing: despite the standings gap, these two teams have been neck-and-neck in recent matchups. Over their last 10 meetings, it’s an even 5-5 split. So if history’s any indication, we should be in for another tight one tonight.
Injury Updates: Jets Still Dealing with Key Absences
Winnipeg’s injury list remains at three. Defenseman Haydn Fleury is still out with an upper-body injury and remains week-to-week.
Neal Pionk is also sidelined with a lower-body issue, and Colin Miller continues to recover from recent knee surgery. That’s three regulars on the blue line missing - not ideal when you’re facing one of the NHL’s most balanced forward groups.
Detroit, meanwhile, is relatively healthy. The only name on their injury report is Simon Edvinsson, who’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Jets Projected Lineup
Forwards:
- Connor - Scheifele - Iafallo
- Perfetti - Toews - Vilardi
- Niederreiter - Lowry - Namestnikov
- Koepke - Barron - Pearson
Defense:
- Morrissey - DeMelo
- Samberg - Salomonsson
- Stanley - Schenn
Goaltenders:
- Hellebuyck (projected starter)
- Comrie
Expect minimal lineup changes from Thursday’s game. Cole Koepke is back on the fourth line, Elias Salomonsson returns to the second pairing, and Luke Schenn slots in alongside Logan Stanley on the third pair. Connor Hellebuyck is the likely starter, and while his record sits at 12-13-6, his 2.65 goals-against average and .903 save percentage tell the story of a goaltender still doing his job - even when the offense isn’t always there to support him.
Red Wings Projected Lineup
Forwards:
- Kasper - Larkin - Raymond
- DeBrincat - Copp - Kane
- Finnie - Compher - Van Riemsdyk
- Soderblom - Rasmussen - Appleton
Defense:
- Bernard-Docker - Seider
- Sandin-Pellikka - Chiarot
- Johansson - Hamonic
Goaltenders:
- Talbot (projected starter)
- Gibson
Detroit’s lineup is a blend of youth and veteran experience, and it’s working. Lucas Raymond continues to lead the charge offensively with 56 points in 50 games, while Cam Talbot and John Gibson have been splitting duties in net.
Talbot is expected to get the nod tonight. His numbers - 11-7-4, 2.99 GAA, .892 SV% - aren’t eye-popping, but he’s been steady enough to keep Detroit in games and let their offense do the rest.
Players to Watch
Mark Scheifele (Jets)
Scheifele is the heartbeat of Winnipeg’s offense.
With 25 goals and 36 assists in 50 games, he’s been the one constant in a lineup that’s struggled to find consistent secondary scoring. If the Jets are going to steal two points tonight, it likely starts with No. 55 making things happen in the offensive zone.
Lucas Raymond (Red Wings)
The 2020 fourth-overall pick is having a breakout season, and he’s doing it with style.
Raymond has 17 goals and 39 assists so far, and his chemistry with Alex DeBrincat on the power play has been lethal. DeBrincat already has 11 power-play goals this season, many of them set up by Raymond’s vision and passing touch.
Winnipeg’s penalty kill will need to be sharp.
What’s at Stake
For the Jets, this is their last home game until February 4th - and after that, they won’t play again until February 25th. That’s a long stretch without game action, and they’ll want to head into the break on a high note. A win tonight wouldn’t just split the season series with Detroit - it would also be a statement that this team isn’t ready to fade quietly into the bottom five of the standings.
Puck drops just after 6:00 p.m. CST.
The Red Wings are rolling, but the Jets have a chance to punch back in front of their home crowd. Let’s see if they can rise to the occasion.