Jets’ Power Play Back on Track Heading into the Holidays

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The Winnipeg Jets’ power play is cruising again after hitting a skid earlier this month.

It got off to a scorching start this season as the club set a new NHL record by winning 15 of their first 16 games by operating at a near-40 per cent clip. New assistant coach Davis Payne, tasked with improving a regime that finished in the bottom third last season and was often too passive and static, had both units doing dynamic new things and looking consistently dangerous.

Kyle Connor’s shot, Nikolaj Ehlers’ speed, Josh Morrissey’s quarterbacking ability from the point, Mark Scheifele’s awareness, and Gabriel Vilardi’s ridiculous net-front hands were just among the assets they were using to make life miserable for opponents’ penalty kills.

The ludicrous conversion rate through late-November, though, screamed that regression was coming at some point. The point it reached about a month ago appeared to be a brick wall.

Power Play Struggled During Losing Streak

After scoring 22 goals in its first 65 opportunities through 23 games, the power play converted on just one of 10 opportunities during a four-game losing streak. Both units struggled to gain the zone, their puck movement wasn’t crisp like had become expected, and being without Ehlers — who Payne has trusted with increased power-play responsibilities — due to a lower-body injury suffered Nov. 29 against the Vegas Golden Knights obviously didn’t help matters.

Related: 4 Reasons for Jets’ 4-Game Losing Streak

They fell to a 30.67 per cent efficiency and were surpassed by the New Jersey Devils for first in the league.

Power Play Back on Track Heading into Holidays

However, the Jets managed to maneuver around that wall before too long. The four-game stretch of struggles was thankfully not the beginning of a precipitous tumble down the charts.

The power play has gone 12-for-29 over the past eight games, a stretch where the Jets have posted a 5-2-1 record to improve to a league-leading 25-10-1 heading into the holiday break.

They scored multiple power-play markers against the Boston Bruins Dec. 10 (three in an 8-1 win,) against the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 14 (two in a 4-2 win,) and against the Minnesota Wild (two in a 5-0 win.) Ehlers has returned to the lineup and scored one of the power play goals against the Wild.

The power play now owns a 32.14 per cent efficiency (36/112) and has regained its status as tops in the league. Considering the Jets are reaching the halfway point of the season, a percentage around 30 seems sustainable.

Connor leads the way with nine power-play goals, Vilardi is in second with six, and Ehlers, Scheifele, and Alex Iafallo are in a three-way tie for third with four each. 10 players have at least one power-play goal, while 11 have at least one power-play point.

Arniel Speaks on Power Play’s Improvement

After defeating the Wild, head coach Scott Arniel touched on the improvements under Payne.

“They’re extremely confident going out on the ice. That started at the very beginning of the year and it’s built,” he said. “Our work ethic and our ability to get pucks back if we happen to not have it on our stick. Our movement and our attack mindset, all of those things have been pretty consistent.”

“There have been nights where our power play has had to get us into a game or win us a hockey game and really, that’s what the best power plays do around the league,” he continued.

Kyle Connor Mark Scheifele Gabriel Vilardi Winnipeg Jets
Josh Morrissey, Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi of the Winnipeg Jets celebrate a goal (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Jets aren’t quite as good at five on five as they were last season, but to see the power play winning them games instead of losing them has been one of the most overdue and welcome developments of 2024-25.

Related: Scheifele’s Hat Trick Powers Jets to 5-2 Win Over Maple Leafs

The Jet will try to keep their power play hot when they return from the holiday break on Dec. 28 for a matchup against the Ottawa Senators. That contest will be just the first in a busy five-game in eight-day stretch through Jan. 4.