As the NHL exits the holiday break, it is a good time to look ahead to what to realistically expect from the Winnipeg Jets for the rest of the season. As it stands, they have 33 points (15-17-3) which is tied for the second fewest in the league and only a single point above the league-low Chicago Blackhawks (32 entering the break).
Although there are still 47 games remaining, I believe the time has come to accept that this is indeed a lost season and an off-season reload/retool is not only in the forecast, but also desperately needed. The current roster as it stands is old and slow. This decision should come as a no-brainer when one is to look at the teams above the Jets in the Central Division.
The teams that are 1 to 3 in the Central Division are the Colorado Avalanche, the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild. Coincidentally, these 3 teams are also first to third in the entire league standings. It’s safe to say, there is no single trade or a couple of trades that will launch this year’s Jets into contention. Let’s take a closer look at the path ahead.
Jets should sell off pending UFAs
Between now and the trade deadline on March 6 , the Jets need to part with all of their pending unrestricted free agents to the highest bidders and restock their draft capital. Players Gustav Nyquist, Tanner Pearson, Cole Koepke, Logan Stanley, Luke Schenn, Colin Miller and Eric Comrie should all be gone by the deadline. With the exception of Logan Stanley, who may actually bring back a first-round pick due to his solid play this year and size (6’7′), all the other players will bring back mid-round picks at best.
Jonathon Toews has a no-movement clause. Therefore I assume he won’t be going anywhere.
Let the kids play
Once the trade deadline has passed, there will be roster spots open. As an audition for roster spots for the 2026-2027 season, prospects such as Brad Lambert (C), Nikita Chibrikov (LW/RW) and Elias Salomonsson (RD) should be injected into the lineup whether they are ready or not.
However, there’s a caveat. Post-deadline games for teams out of playoff contention become almost like glorified exhibition games. There’s no real pressure to perform except self-imposed pressure. How many teams have hockey organizations fooled themselves because of late season surges (either as a team or regarding certain players) after the games ceased to matter in the standings? Take it all with a grain of salt.
Jets need some Draft lottery luck
Since the Jets returned to Winnipeg 15 years ago, they have won the draft lottery on only once (2016). That year, they moved up to second and selected Patrik Laine. Subsequently, Laine was on the opening night line-up a few months later. The team needs a similar result this time around. Even if they don’t win the draft lottery, if the team can stay in the top five of the first round of the 2026 draft, there is a chance they can select a player that can step into the starting line-up in October of 2026.
That said, when it comes to the Draft, what really matters is development. It’s a three-year to five-year projection. Consequently, it’s not really a race to get a draftee to the NHL sooner than other organizations. If a player needs to cook in junior, college or European hockey, so be it. Of course, if the Jets are lucky enough to pick in the top five, the odds increase of getting both a quicker NHL arrival and a long-term impact.
Jets need a strong summer
As the saying goes, you can’t win the Stanley Cup in the summer but you sure can lose it. Coming off the President’s Trophy last season, Winnipeg had key decisions to make. Right now, it sure looks like they pushed the wrong buttons.
Once the 2026 Draft is complete, Kevin Cheveldayoff (assuming he’s still the Winnipeg general manager), will face a do-or-die offseason. The Jets have the summer months to make useful free agent signings and some trades to ice a deeper roster for the 2026-2027 season. All of the core pieces of the team are still, but time is ticking. No one expected the Jets to fall this much in the first half of 2025-26.
Winnipeg can either address the miscalculations that led to the current situation or they can blame injuries or other factors. One path could help right the ship. The other is a recipe to replicate this year’s first-half failure.
