The Winnipeg Jets have spent the first stretch of the NHL season turning heads, and now they’ve forced a bigger question: can they actually finish in the Central Division’s top three?
At 3-0-1, Winnipeg has opened faster than most people expected, especially after being pegged for the bottom half of the division. That skepticism made sense on paper.
The Jets were well outside the playoff picture last season, and they’ve been doing it without Connor Hellebuyck, who remains out after requesting a trade. On top of that, the Central was projected to be loaded again, with Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota all expected to sit near the top in 2025-26.
But early results have changed the tone around this group. Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson have given Winnipeg solid work in goal, and Kyle Connor has been one of the league’s most dangerous forwards so far. The Jets already had a 2-0-1 start in hand, but Wednesday night gave them something more meaningful: a regulation win over the Avalanche, sealed by a late game-winner from Connor.
That hot start became the topic on Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, where host Tyler Yaremchuk, co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton, and former NHL defenseman Colby Cohen weighed in on whether Winnipeg’s ceiling might be higher than expected.
Yaremchuk didn’t hide his belief that the Jets can keep pushing this run into something bigger. He pointed to the team’s early buy-in and the edge that comes with feeling overlooked. He then raised the bar even further, saying: “The Winnipeg Jets will be a top three team in the Central Division.”
Hutton said he thinks that outcome is possible, but not likely enough to call it confidently. He gave the idea a 4, citing the division’s depth and Winnipeg’s overall makeup.
He also praised Connor’s scoring pace, saying the winger has “potential to get 50 this year; he’s had 47 before.” Hutton also said the Jets may have underestimated value in net with Skinner, noting his time in Edmonton, the pressure he faced there, and the fact that he has “been to Stanley Cup Finals.”
Cohen came down much harder on the idea, calling it a 1 and saying, “I think it’s insane. I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
He did credit Winnipeg for the win over Colorado, pointing out that Skinner made key stops when the Avalanche created plenty of Grade-A chances. Cohen also said the situation can motivate a player when a team turns on him, but added that unless Winnipeg can add more offensive depth and “real pieces in a Connor Hellebuyck trade,” he still doesn’t see the Jets breaking into the top three.
To him, the biggest obstacle is the strength of the rest of the division.
In Other News...
Jets' First Regulation Loss Puts One Early Concern In Focus
The first regulation loss of the season arrived in a lopsided way for Winnipeg, as the Jets fell 5-1 to the Anaheim Ducks and saw a three-game winning streak come to an end. Kyle Connor supplied the lone goal for the Jets in his 700th NHL game, but the night belonged to a Ducks group that got an early lift from Judd Caulfield, who scored his first NHL goal.
For Winnipeg, the bigger concern was how little traction the offense found when the game tilted against it. The Jets could not capitalize on their chances with the extra skater, and when a night like this turns into chasing the game, the margin for error gets thin in a hurry. It was only one loss in a long season, but it did put an early pressure point in view. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Desperation Just Put Connor Hellebuyck Back In The Spotlight
The Rangers goaltending situation has pushed them into the kind of desperation that naturally pulls another teams star into the conversation, and this time its Connor Hellebuyck back in the spotlight. With Igor Shesterkin out for the season and Joonas Korpisalo unavailable for several weeks, New Yorks need in net has become impossible to ignore, which is why the idea of a blockbuster swing at Winnipegs Vezina-caliber starter is making the rounds as a theoretical fix.
It is still only a proposal, not a real negotiation, but the concept shows how far the Rangers might have to go if they wanted to chase a true answer between the pipes. Any such move would come with major obstacles on Winnipegs side, starting with the fact that Hellebuyck controls his fate, and ending with the sort of draft-and-player package it would take to even get the Jets to listen. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Get Encouraging OEL Update But One Wait Remains
Oliver Ekman-Larsson was back on the ice for practice after the head injury he took in a game, a small but meaningful step for the Maple Leafs as they try to sort through their blue-line health. It does not guarantee he is ready for the next game, but it at least gives Toronto something more encouraging than a blank injury update, especially at a point in the schedule when every available defenseman matters.
For Winnipeg, the broader lesson is familiar: availability can shape the entire conversation around a team, whether it is a veteran defenseman easing back into practice or Connor Hellebuyck still sitting out and leaving fans watching the situation closely. The Jets keep waiting for clarity on his status, and one supporter has even turned that wait into a running online tally, a sign of just how much the uncertainty around their star goaltender has taken hold. [Read more 🡒]