The shine has worn off the Presidents’ Trophy. While the 2024-25 season’s 116-point campaign was a historic regular-season achievement for the Winnipeg Jets, it was ultimately overshadowed by a premature second-round playoff exit at the hands of the Dallas Stars. In the NHL, regular-season banners are nice, but they’re not the goal. As the Jets prepare to open their 2025-26 training camp, the overriding theme isn’t celebration; it’s expectation. The pressure is on.
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This season serves as a referendum on the current Jets core. Was last year’s dominant run an apex, or was it merely a stepping stone to something greater? For a team anchored by a Vezina-calibre goaltender and a roster built to win now, anything less than a legitimate Stanley Cup contention will feel like a step backward. The narrative is set: this is a team with something to prove, not just to the league, but to themselves. With significant roster turnover, a hometown hero returning for a final shot, and the looming contract of a superstar, this promises to be one of the most compelling seasons in franchise history.
The Return of Captain Serious
The single most captivating storyline heading into camp is the return of Jonathan Toews. On a one-year deal, the Winnipeg native is coming home after two full seasons away from the NHL to address long-term health issues. This is a low-risk, high-reward move by management that carries immense emotional and practical weight.
Let’s be clear: no one is expecting the Toews of 2013. The question is what the 37-year-old, three-time Stanley Cup champion has left to offer. His health will be scrutinized from the first bag skate to the final preseason whistle. Can he handle the grind? Can he still be a productive middle-six pivot? His role will be determined by his performance, but his presence is already an asset. With captain Adam Lowry sidelined until November after hip surgery, Toews’s legendary leadership will be an immediate stabilizing force in the locker room. He is the personification of championship pedigree, a quality this team desperately needs to translate regular-season success into playoff fortitude.
Life After Ehlers
For the first time in a decade, the Jets will start a season without the dynamic, zone-entry machine that is Nikolaj Ehlers. His departure to Carolina, along with the loss of utility forward Mason Appleton to Detroit, has created a significant offensive vacuum. To fill it, the Jets brought in veteran winger Gustav Nyquist. The hope is that Nyquist can find the form that saw him post a career-high 75 points with Nashville just two seasons ago. He’ll be joined by fellow veterans Tanner Pearson and Phillip Di Giuseppe to round out the forward depth.
However, the most critical answer to the Ehlers void must come from within. This is Cole Perfetti’s moment. After a strong breakout season and a solid playoff showing, the 10th overall pick from 2020 has a golden opportunity to permanently seize a top-six role and become a primary offensive driver. The training wheels are off. Perfetti’s high-end skill and vision are well-established; now he must translate that potential into consistent, game-breaking production. His ascent from promising youngster to core offensive piece is paramount to the team’s success this season.
The Next Wave
While veterans will steady the ship, the franchise’s long-term vitality depends on its prospect pipeline. A handful of young players are on the cusp of making the leap, and their ability to push for NHL jobs will create a healthy internal competition throughout camp.
At the forefront are skilled forwards Nikita Chibrikov and Brad Lambert. Chibrikov has the offensive toolkit to be an impact player and will be hungry to earn a full-time spot after a taste of the NHL. Lambert’s elite speed is his calling card, and after an ankle injury prevented a potential playoff debut last season, he’ll be looking to force management’s hand with a dominant camp. They’re joined by players like Parker Ford, who impressed in a late-season call-up, and surprising pickup Cole Koepke, a depth forward coming off a career year in Boston. On the back end, defenders like Elias Salomonsson and forwards like Brayden Yager are also looking to take the next step, while Haydn Fleury aims to build on a solid season and lock down a more significant role on the blue line.
The Hellebuyck Equation
Connor Hellebuyck is the engine of the Winnipeg Jets. His name is synonymous with elite goaltending, and he is the single biggest reason for the team’s back-to-back Jennings Trophies. However, his heavy workload—often exceeding 60 games—remains a concern. The central question for the coaching staff is whether to continue riding their superstar workhorse or to trust their depth to provide him with more rest, keeping him fresh for the playoff grind.
The backup situation is fluid. Veteran Eric Comrie is the incumbent, but if he falters, the Jets could be forced to accelerate the development of their prospects. Thomas Milic, Domenic DiVincentiis, and Isaac Poulter are all waiting in the wings. While throwing them into the fire isn’t the primary plan, the need to manage Hellebuyck’s minutes could provide an earlier-than-expected opportunity for the team’s goalie of the future.
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The Business of Hockey
The on-ice drama will be matched by off-ice intrigue, as several crucial contract situations loom over the season. The most significant is that of star winger Kyle Connor. He is entering the final year of his deal and is on track to become an unrestricted free agent. Connor is the team’s most lethal goal-scorer, and with projections placing him firmly in the eight-figure salary bracket, his contract negotiation will be the dominant storyline all year.
Beyond Connor, captain Adam Lowry is also a pending UFA, while key young players like Perfetti and Chibrikov are due for new deals as restricted free agents. How the front office navigates these negotiations will define the team’s financial flexibility and competitive window for years to come.
This all unfolds under the guidance of head coach Scott Arniel, who must now evolve the team’s identity. Can they maintain their staunch defensive structure while generating more offense to compensate for the loss of Ehlers? Finding that balance, especially in the brutally tough Central Division, will determine their fate. The stage is set for a season of consequence in Winnipeg, where the only acceptable outcome is a long, meaningful run deep into the spring.
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