Mark Scheifele is heading into NHL 27 as the Winnipeg Jets’ highest-rated forward, and EA Sports’ early reveal gives him a 93 overall after a 103-point season.
That mark puts Scheifele 10th among the game’s centres, which lines up neatly with the kind of year he just put together. He was a 91 overall in NHL 26, so the jump to 93 is a clear reward for the production.
Kyle Connor’s number stays exactly where it was a year ago. He checks in at 92 overall again in NHL 27, which makes him the third-highest rated left winger in the game, tied with Jason Robertson and trailing only Kirill Kaprizov at 94.
The Jets have one more forward inside EA Sports’ top 300, at least for now. Gabriel Vilardi comes in at 87 overall and sits 104th among forwards, even though he’s been used on the wing almost all the time in Winnipeg.
EA still has him listed as a centre. His top individual ratings are balance and slap shot accuracy, both at 91.
Scheifele and Connor also look strong in the deeper ratings breakdown on EA Sports’ NHL 27 database. Scheifele’s best numbers are his offensive awareness, puck control, and passing, and his shooting ratings have been nudged up in most categories from last season. Connor still stands out for his speed, which is rated at 91, and his best attributes remain tied to his shot, especially slap shot accuracy and deking.
There should be more Jets names coming once EA Sports rolls out the rest of its top-10 lists later this week. Josh Morrissey is expected to show up on the left defencemen rankings, while Connor Hellebuyck should land as the 2nd or 3rd best goalie in NHL 27, even after what the source describes as a not so great season.
NHL 27 is set to release worldwide on September 11th, with early access available on September 4th for anyone who pre-orders the deluxe edition. For Jets fans, it’s another small sign that hockey season is getting closer, and it will be worth watching how the full Winnipeg roster is rated once the rest of the game’s player lists are revealed.
In Other News...
Connor Hellebuyck Uncertainty Just Became The Jets' Biggest Camp Story
Connor Hellebuycks standing around the league is still elite, even if the NHL Networks annual goaltender list nudged him down to second behind Andrei Vasilevskiy. For Winnipeg, though, the bigger storyline is not where he lands on a rankings list. It is the uncertainty hanging over camp as the Jets try to sort out what their crease looks like and whether the long-time starter is still the guy they are preparing to ride.
The speculation has not gone away, and the Jets have already built in some protection by adding Stuart Skinner as insurance in goal. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has also made clear the club is open to trade offers, even though no formal request from Hellebuyck has been confirmed. For a team that has leaned on him for so long, the questions now are as much about timing and leverage as they are about talent. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Core Could Make 2026 27 Feel Bigger Than A Fresh Start
The 2026-27 season could carry a little more meaning for Winnipeg than the usual reset or retool talk, because so much of the Jets core is lining up for milestone chases at the same time. Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Nino Niederreiter are all creeping toward meaningful offensive benchmarks, while Neal Pionk and Josh Morrissey sit on the doorstep of key career markers on the blue line. Even Connor Hellebuyck, whose game has long been defined by steadiness rather than pageantry, is approaching personal goals in wins and shutouts.
For a team that still has bigger ambitions than any individual achievement, those milestones only add another layer to a season that already figures to matter. Winnipeg has built its identity around that core group, and if the Jets are still in the hunt when the calendar flips to 2026-27, the chase for career points, games and victories could unfold alongside the real prize. The champagne moment the franchise wants most remains the Stanley Cup, but the path there may come with a few notable stops along the way. [Read more 🡒]
