Kyle Connor wasted no time picking up where he left off.
On Sunday, the Winnipeg Jets winger scored twice on the power play and added an assist in a 3-2 win over Detroit, finishing with five shots on goal. Through two games, he already has five points. That’s a strong start by any standard - and for Connor, it feels almost routine.
That’s the part worth noticing. Connor had 92 points last season, with 39 goals and 53 assists, and it was his second straight year finishing above 90 points.
He’s 29 now, firmly established as the player he is, not the player he might become someday. The real question is whether there’s still another gear left.
Could he reach 100 points this season? Sure.
Hockey doesn’t make predictions easy, and plenty can derail a big year - a slump, an injury, a teammate going down, or a power play that doesn’t hum the same way. But at this point, 100 points for Connor doesn’t sound far-fetched.
What stands out is how little noise he makes while producing like this. Connor keeps stacking up elite seasons without always getting the attention that usually follows numbers like these.
Maybe it’s because he plays in Winnipeg. Maybe it’s because the league has so many high-end wingers.
Maybe it’s just his style - efficient, dangerous, and low-key.
Either way, he’s easy to overlook if you’re not paying close attention.
But the production keeps forcing the conversation back to him. Two straight 90-point seasons.
Another hot start. A major role on Winnipeg’s power play.
And the sense that he’s still capable of more.
Kyle Connor doesn’t need the spotlight. He’s already doing the work.
Still, fans should probably pay closer attention. He’s one of the NHL’s most underappreciated stars, and he keeps proving it every time he steps on the ice.
In Other News...
Red Wings Already Face Pressure To Give Fans Something To Believe In
The Jets are dealing with their own early-season tension after dropping their opener in overtime, but the backdrop around Detroit offers a reminder of how quickly a fan base can turn when the season starts with frustration. The Red Wings opened amid a turbulent offseason that already had supporters on edge, and the first night only deepened the unease around a team trying to convince people it is moving forward.
For Winnipeg, the parallel is hard to miss. Connor Hellebuycks situation has already cast a long shadow over the group, and losing the opener did little to calm things down. With both teams trying to steady themselves before the schedule gets away from them, the next stretch feels less like an early test and more like a search for something fans can actually trust. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkins Red Wings Future Suddenly Feels Far Less Secure
Several familiar names from the 2026 U.S. Olympic hockey team are now tied to messy situations back home, and one of the most notable for Winnipeg fans is Connor Hellebuyck. Around the league, Brady Tkachuk, Dylan Larkin, Zach Werenski and Quinn Hughes have also been linked to trade requests or unsettled contract talks, giving the post-Olympic fallout a strangely unsettled feel even if no direct connection to the gold-medal run has been confirmed.
For the Jets, the Hellebuyck piece matters most because he has been such a central figure in their plans, and any hint of movement around a player of his stature naturally ripples far beyond one roster. The broader story is still taking shape, with some of these situations tied to family considerations or a search for better opportunities, but the fact that several high-profile teammates from that Olympic team are now dealing with uncertainty keeps the league watching for the next shoe to drop. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Finally Have Something To Build On After Opening Night Sting
After an opening-night loss at home to Boston in overtime, the Jets at least gave themselves something sturdier to carry into the rest of the season with their first road trip. Winnipeg went into Detroit and left with a win, showing the kind of response teams hope to see early, especially when the schedule is still young and the tone for the fall is still being set.
Kyle Connor and Cole Perfetti were both involved in the offense over the first two games, which is encouraging for a club looking to settle in before a home stretch begins. The next test comes against Pittsburgh, and then Winnipeg will return to a run of games at home, where the Jets should have a better sense of whether the first week was a wobble or the start of something more stable. [Read more 🡒]