Winnipeg Jets

Three Things to Watch From the Winnipeg Jets This Season

The Jets have plenty of talent, but three big questions could decide whether Winnipeg gets back into the playoff picture in 2026-27.

by
Old Prof
August 21, 2026

The Winnipeg Jets are coming off a season they’d probably like to put behind them. Just one year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy, they finished in the NHL’s bottom 10 and were barely part of the playoff conversation. There’s still plenty of talent on this team, but Winnipeg has some big questions to answer this season.

Luca Pampena projects the Jets to finish fifth in the Central Division with 90 points. He has Winnipeg’s forwards ranked sixth, the defence fifth, and the goaltending first. And honestly, that pretty much sums up the team. There’s still some high-end talent here, but a few things are going to have to go right if the Jets want to get back into the playoffs.

Here are three things worth watching about the Jets.

1. Can the Jets’ young forwards add some secondary scoring?

The Jets’ top line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Gabriel Vilardi is excellent. Scheifele is coming off a career-high 103 points, Connor has scored more than 90 points in each of the last two seasons, and Vilardi has been a strong player whenever he’s been healthy.

The bigger question is what the Jets get from the rest of the lineup. They’ll need better seasons from Cole Perfetti, Brad Lambert, and Isak Rosen. Perfetti struggled last year, while Lambert and Rosen are still trying to prove they can be regular NHL players. Viggo Bjorck could also be an interesting part of the picture. His hockey sense and all-around game should help him adjust, and playing with him could give Perfetti a chance to get his game back on track.

If even two of those young forwards take a real step forward, Winnipeg suddenly looks a lot deeper. If they don’t, the Jets could once again find themselves asking their top line to do way too much.

Mark Scheifele Jets furious — Mark Scheifele Jets

2. Can Winnipeg get back to defending well?

Winnipeg’s biggest problem last season was its defensive decline. The Jets went from 5th in expected goals against to 19th, and from 3rd to 31st in high-danger shots against. That’s not a small problem.

Connor Hellebuyck wasn’t perfect, especially while dealing with injuries, but the problems in front of him went well beyond the goaltending. Josh Morrissey is still a major strength, and the addition of Mario Ferraro should give the defence some extra mobility and toughness. Winnipeg will also need good seasons from Dylan Samberg, Neal Pionk, and Elias Salomonsson.

The Jets don’t need to suddenly become the best defensive team in the NHL. They just need to stop giving opponents so many dangerous chances.

3. Can Hellebuyck get back to his best?

Hellebuyck is still the biggest reason to believe in this team. He remains one of the NHL’s best goalies, and his strong Olympic performance should give Winnipeg some confidence heading into the season.

If Hellebuyck stays healthy and gets back to playing like himself, the Jets should have a good shot at staying in the wild-card mix. Stuart Skinner gives them a capable backup, but Winnipeg is at its best when Hellebuyck is playing like one of the league’s top goalies.

The Bottom Line for the Jets in 2026-27

The Jets still have some issues to clean up, as Pampena points out. They need to get quicker, generate more offence, and create better chances, which won’t be easy with an aging lineup. Still, if the younger players contribute, the defence gets back on track, and Hellebuyck stays healthy, Winnipeg could find itself back in the playoff conversation.