The Winnipeg Jets looked like a legitimate Stanley Cup front-runner last year.

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But what a difference a year makes for the 2024-25 Presidents' Trophy champions, who are now eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2021-22. 

The Jets won nine of their first 12 games this season, but after that, they went 6-19-5 to hurt their playoff hopes.

The death knell for Winnipeg's year essentially came when the Jets went 1-10-4 from early December through early January, sinking to the bottom of the Central Division and Western Conference standings.

Although Winnipeg did stage a valiant attempt at a comeback in the second half of the season – going 20-11-7 in that span – it wasn't nearly good enough for them to squeeze into the final wild-card berth in the West.

The Los Angeles Kings' win on Monday eliminated the Jets from contention.

What Went Wrong For The Jets?

The Jets' puny offense has averaged 2.81 goals-for this season, which ranks tied for 24th in the NHL.

Last season, the Jets ranked tied for third with 3.35 goals per game. That's quite the difference.

Winnipeg's defense – which was the NHL's very best last season at 2.32 goals against per game – also suffered a precipitous drop, falling to 18th at 3.06.

Few teams that have that type of drop-off in play can be a playoff squad.

Finally – and perhaps, most importantly – Winnipeg's best player, star goalie Connor Hellebuyck, had a down season by his standard. Of course, we're not including his outstanding Olympic performance, winning gold with Team USA.

The 32-year-old's save percentage went from a stellar .925 SP last season to a career-worst .895 SP. His goals-against average went from 2.00 to 2.86. 

An injury kept him out from mid-November to mid-December as well, and the squad struggled without the 2024-25 Hart Trophy winner.

It all adds up to the Jets' most disappointing season in many years.

What Comes Next For The Jets?

If you're a Winnipeg fan, the good news is that the Jets should have a bounce-back season in 2026-27. 

Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff will have $21.6 million in salary cap space.

Given that Winnipeg will only have a couple of notable players who will be UFAs this summer, Cheveldayoff should be a major player in trades and free agency.

The Jets could use high-end help at forward and on 'D,' and with Hellebuyck's backup, Eric Comrie, slated to be a UFA, they might use some of that cap space to give Hellebuyck more support.

In any case, Winnipeg has shown in the second half of this season that they're a better team than their record suggests.

But things won't get easier for them in the highly competitive Central Division.

The Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild are some of the best teams in the league this year. And with the up-and-coming Utah Mammoth only getting better, the Jets will find it extremely difficult to get back to the top of their division.

That said, it's not impossible for Winnipeg to be a playoff team next season. The Pacific Division is the weakest in the league, so it's very possible the Central sends five teams into the post-season next year. And the Jets have no valid excuse for not being one of those playoff teams.

The bad news about Winnipeg's late-season surge is that it turned them into a mushy middle team – too bad to make the playoffs, and too good to earn the best chance at winning a top draft pick.

But really, at this stage, the Jets should be trading some of their draft picks; they're clearly in win-now mode, and that's not going to change next season. Cheveldayoff has all three of his first-round picks in the next three drafts, so he could use one of those picks to improve his team immediately.

The Jets aren't going to embark on a rebuild based on one letdown season. But if they're at this same place in the standings this time next season, there could be a crossroads moment coming for the team.

For now, though, Winnipeg is going to have every opportunity to redeem themselves in 2026-27. With the right tweaks to the roster and a key signing and/or trade acquisition or two, the Jets could rebound in a major way. 

If that's what happens, this season's woes will quickly be forgotten as a blip on the franchise's radar.

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