It’s pretty incredible that it’s roughly a quarter of the way through the season and the Winnipeg Jets have only lost five times. The team is seemingly coming back down to earth a little bit following their historic start, but their success is no small feat. Here are a few thoughts and stats for each of their five losses.
1. Three of Five Losses Came at the Hands of Atlantic Division Teams
It’s an odd stat, but three of the five Winnipeg Jets’ losses were against teams from the Atlantic Division. The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated them first, then Winnipeg lost back-to-back games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. Their only losses against non-Atlantic Division teams have been against the Los Angeles Kings and the Central Division’s last-place Nashville Predators.
Is there something about Atlantic Division teams that the Jets can’t crack? Or is it simply that those three teams are particularly good? The Leafs, Panthers, and Lightning are three of the best teams in that division, so they’re not easy opponents to beat. However, the Jets split the season series with both Florida teams and beat the Detroit Red Wings earlier in the season. While it’s likely not an indicator of anything major, it’s an interesting little tidbit to think about.
2. Mark Scheifele Is Seemingly Dealing With an Injury
Mark Scheifele hasn’t taken many faceoffs in his last few games. Gabriel Vilardi stepped in to take faceoffs in his place starting during the win over the Panthers, and he’s been jumping in the circle ever since. (For anyone wondering, Vilardi’s faceoff percentage is currently hovering around 60.)
Scheifele only took two faceoffs against the Predators and didn’t take a single one against the Kings or Minnesota Wild. It’s looking more likely that he has an injury, but it’s apparently not severe enough to keep him out of games. He went into the boards awkwardly during the game in Sunrise against the Panthers, and the timeline for when he stopped taking faceoffs lines up with a possible injury around then. Right now, it’s all speculation, but it’s something to keep an eye on going forward.
3. The Jets Have Won Seven-Straight Games Against the Minnesota Wild
The rivalry between the Jets and the Wild is feeling a bit one-sided these days. Winnipeg has won their last seven games against Minnesota, dating all the way back to April 11, 2023. That statistic spans three seasons!
In those last seven wins, the Jets have outscored the Wild 26-12, and in six of those seven games, the Jets have scored three or more goals. The Wild have yet to score more than three goals in all seven of their losses. The two will play each other again on Dec. 21 where Winnipeg will attempt to maintain their win streak.
4. Connor Hellebuyck Leads the League in Wins
Following the Jets’ win over the Wild on Monday, Connor Hellebuyck reached 15 wins in 17 games, becoming only the fourth goalie in NHL history to do so. He made an astounding 43 saves that game, only allowing one goal during the first period. He currently leads the league in wins. The next-closest goalie is Jake Oettinger from the Dallas Stars with 11.
This achievement comes shortly after Hellebuyck was voted the early leader for the Vezina Trophy by NHL.com writers. He currently has a 15-3-0 record with a goals against average of 2.11, a save percentage of .928, and three shutouts.
5. Dylan Coghlan Hasn’t Seen NHL Time and May Not with Ville Heinola’s Return
Jets head coach Scott Arniel originally said he would rotate players in and out of the lineup to see what works and get everyone playing time, but that doesn’t appear to be the case for every player on the bench. Dylan Coghlan, who joined the Jets during the offseason, has yet to play an NHL game for the team. He signed a two-way contract, so he was added as more of a depth piece, but it looks like, barring another injury, he won’t be rotated into the lineup any time soon.
Related: Jets’ Scott Arniel & New Coaching Staff Taking Team to Historic Heights
There was almost an opening when Ville Heinola, Logan Stanley, and Dylan Samberg all wound up on the injured reserve, but there wasn’t enough overlap to give Coghlan an opportunity. Around the time Stanley and Samberg both got hurt, Heinola was activated, and now he has the chance to make a big impact on the blue line. Should Stanley come back soon, Coghlan will likely go down to the Manitoba Moose, but that may be what’s best for him to get professional playing time.
Jets Having Ups and Downs, Continue Road Trip Friday
While the Jets’ historic run is starting to wind down, what the team has accomplished so far is still incredible. Even with five losses, the team is still at the top of the league and continues to dominate over opponents. Every good team has its ups and downs; how the Jets manage their losing skids will determine their strength as a team going forward.
The Winnipeg Jets’ next game is on Friday, Nov. 29, against the Vegas Golden Knights.
