On a current version of the FAN Hockey Show, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman broke down what he believes goes flawed with the Winnipeg Jets this season. The dialog zeroed in on the staff’s struggles in a fast-paced league and the numerous hole left by Nikolaj Ehlers‘s absence from their lineup. As Jets’ followers know all too properly, one in all their favourites moved on to the Carolina Hurricanes during the offseason.
Secondary Scoring Is Lacking, and That Hits the Jets Onerous
Friedman’s major concern is the dearth of secondary scoring. The Jets had been already in a troublesome division—what he calls “Dying Valley”—dealing with groups just like the Colorado Avalanche, the Dallas Stars, and the Minnesota Wild. Sadly, Friedman says the Jets are digging themselves into holes which are laborious to climb out of. The straightforward reality is that, past gamers within the staff’s prime line, nobody else is stepping up.
Ehlers’ absence has hit the Jets laborious. Friedman admitted he was cautious about making early projections about who would step up. The numbers now present the staff misses his scoring spark. Messing round with line modifications hasn’t helped, and the highest scorers are carrying an excessive amount of of the load, which isn’t sustainable.
Friedman additionally factors out that the Jets look sluggish. Once they face groups just like the Bruins or the Capitals, it’s apparent. In immediately’s NHL, the place velocity and quick transitions matter a lot, being behind the play like this makes successful even more durable.
The Jets Aren’t the Solely Staff Studying Learn how to Adapt With out Key Gamers
Each the Jets and the Toronto Maple Leafs are feeling the influence of lacking a few of their previous contributors this season. Winnipeg is lacking Ehlers, and the secondary scoring simply isn’t there. And, as famous, others have but to step in and fill the hole. The Maple Leafs have had their very own challenges now that Mitch Marner has left for Las Vegas, and different key gamers are out with accidents. Even robust groups must study to adapt, and proper now the Jets aren’t.
How they do it over the rest of the 2025-26 common season will say loads about their depth and pushback.
The Backside Line for the Jets
For Friedman, the Jets’ struggles transcend simply lacking one participant. It’s in regards to the staff shifting too slowly and never having sufficient scoring depth. Because the season goes on, he says, the supporting forged might want to step up. In the event that they don’t, Winnipeg received’t sustain in such a troublesome division.
Associated: Hurricanes Might Clear Goalie Logjam, 2 Canadian Groups Make Sense
