Friedman on the Winnipeg Jets?: They Miss Nikolaj Ehlers

On a recent edition of the FAN Hockey Show, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman broke down what he believes is going wrong with the Winnipeg Jets this season. The conversation zeroed in on the team’s struggles in a fast-paced league and the significant gap left by Nikolaj Ehlers‘s absence from their lineup. As Jets’ fans know all too well, one of their favourites moved on to the Carolina Hurricanes during the offseason.

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Secondary Scoring Is Missing, and That Hits the Jets Hard

Friedman’s primary concern is the lack of secondary scoring. The Jets were already in a tough division—what he calls “Death Valley”—facing teams like the Colorado Avalanche, the Dallas Stars, and the Minnesota Wild. Sadly, Friedman says the Jets are digging themselves into holes that are hard to climb out of. The simple fact is that, beyond players in the team’s top line, no one else is stepping up.

Ehlers’ absence has hit the Jets hard. Friedman admitted he was cautious about making early projections about who would step up. The numbers now show the team misses his scoring spark. Messing around with line changes hasn’t helped, and the top scorers are carrying too much of the load, which isn’t sustainable.

Friedman also points out that the Jets look slow. When they face teams like the Bruins or the Capitals, it’s obvious. In today’s NHL, where speed and fast transitions matter so much, being behind the play like this makes winning even harder.

The Jets Aren’t the Only Team Learning How to Adapt Without Key Players

Both the Jets and the Toronto Maple Leafs are feeling the impact of missing some of their past contributors this season. Winnipeg is missing Ehlers, and the secondary scoring just isn’t there. And, as noted, others have yet to step in and fill the gap. The Maple Leafs have had their own challenges now that Mitch Marner has left for Las Vegas, and other key players are out with injuries. Even strong teams have to learn to adapt, and right now the Jets aren’t.

How they do it over the remainder of the 2025-26 regular season will say a lot about their depth and pushback.

The Bottom Line for the Jets

For Friedman, the Jets’ struggles go beyond just missing one player. It’s about the team moving too slowly and not having enough scoring depth. As the season goes on, he says, the supporting cast will need to step up. If they don’t, Winnipeg won’t keep up in such a tough division.

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