After a rough stretch that had fans wondering if the wheels were coming off, the Winnipeg Jets have strung together four straight wins - and with that, the temperature around the team has cooled just enough to breathe again.
Wins over the Kings, Devils, Islanders, and most recently, the Wild, have brought a bit of swagger back to Winnipeg’s dressing room. The team that looked like it was fading into the background of the Central Division race suddenly has a pulse again. Maybe, just maybe, the Jets aren’t ready to fade quietly into the night.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves - calling Thursday night’s gritty win in St. Paul a turning point might be jumping the gun.
But there’s no denying the signs are trending in the right direction. There’s still a long road ahead, and the math is far from friendly.
With 43 points through 46 games, Winnipeg has just 36 games left to make up serious ground. Most projections have the wild-card cutoff around 92 points, which means the Jets need to rack up 49 more.
That’s 25 wins in their final 36 games - a .694 pace - and they’ll need to leapfrog five teams to get there.
It’s possible. But it’s going to take everything they’ve got.
The encouraging part? The pieces that made this team dangerous last season are starting to show up again.
The depth scoring that vanished during the slump has resurfaced. The special teams have steadied.
The Jets are playing a more complete, 200-foot game, and the effort is coming from all corners of the lineup.
And then there’s Connor Hellebuyck. When he’s locked in - and right now, he is - he gives Winnipeg a chance against anyone. He’s looked every bit the Vezina-caliber netminder this team needs him to be if they’re going to pull off a second-half surge.
Logan Stanley’s surprising season continues to be a bright spot. He’s playing with confidence and edge, giving Winnipeg a physical presence on the blue line that they’ve leaned on during this mini-resurgence.
And don’t overlook Jonathan Toews. After a rocky return to the NHL, he’s starting to settle into the role many envisioned - a reliable, experienced second-line center who can anchor matchups and contribute at both ends. His presence down the middle has brought some much-needed stability.
But here’s the reality: four wins can’t be the story. The Jets need to turn that into eight.
Then 12. Then 16.
There’s no margin for error left. Every game from here on out is a playoff game, and if they want to be playing real ones in April, they can’t afford another skid.
The good news? They’ve shown they can win. The challenge now is to keep doing it - night after night, shift after shift.
The clock is ticking, but the Jets aren’t dead yet.