During the offseasons, the Winnipeg Jets were at a crossroads. They ended last season getting dominated in five games by the Golden Knights. Not just that but cornerstone pieces like Mark Scheiflie, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Connor Hellebuck all demanded trades. It seemed like the Jets playoff window had slammed shut and this roster would have to be overhauled. These thoughts were escalated after Dubois was traded to the Kings.
However, at the halfway mark in the season, the Jets look like the best team in the NHL. They have a record of 29-8-4 good for 60 points. This places them in first place in the central division as well as gives them the most points in the NHL. All of this hype came to a head on Thursday night. In front of a sellout crowd, the Jets rallied for a 2-1 win over the Blackhawks for their franchise-record eighth straight win. Something special is happening in Winnipeg, but what is the reason for it and how far can this team go?
Why Are the Jets So Good This Season?
To start with the biggest thing people will point out for the Jets’ success is their strength of schedule. They currently have the 25th hardest schedule in the NHL. This means they have one of the easiest schedules in the league. Regardless of the talent on your roster, the weaker the schedule is the better your team is going to do. It’s a phenomenon we have seen across all sports. However, the Jets’ success is more than them taking advantage of a weak schedule.
The biggest reason for the Jets’ success this season is the play of their defense. Currently, the Jets have gone 27 straight games without giving up more than three goals. Most of this can be credited to Hellebuck. This season he’s reminding us all why he was one of the best goaltenders in the league. He has a .923 save percentage with a 2.20 goals-against average. He’s top five in both of those categories. He’s an early favorite for the Vezna and will be extremely important for the Jets down the stretch.
Hellebuck shouldn’t get all the credit for the defense though. Defensemen Dylan DeMelo and Brenden Dillon have been leading the defense core. All season they have been asked to shut down other team offensives, and these core have done a great job at it. Their forward core has also taken a step forward in terms of defense. Striking the perfect balance is something every team hopes for.
Can This Stretch Continue?
Now things are only going to get harder for the Jets down the stretch. They have the 19th hardest remaining schedule in the league. Sure that doesn’t sound like a major jump because it’s still in the bottom half. In terms of the best talent, they have to face over this last part of the season. It’s going to be the true test of how good this team is.
One of the areas the Jets have to look to upgrade is their special team. Both their power play and their penalty kill. In terms of numbers, The Jets rank 24th in power play percentage and 27th in penalty kill. Those are horrible numbers, especially for a team that has had so much success. If there is one thing that can derail this Jets team is this special team play. This should be the main thing the Jets try to address when the deadline comes around.
Despite this special teams issue, there is a lot to be excited about if you’re a Jets fan. They’re almost a lock for the playoffs at this point and could be the number-one seed in the west when all is said and done. If there able to get the special teams to play to a respectable level, it’s going to be hard to see a world where this team is not in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Thanks for reading! Credit for my feature image goes to Jonathan Kozub. You can find more NHL content at Belly Up Sports and follow me on Twitter/X.
