In the midst of the 2025-2026 NHL season, the Winnipeg Jets find themselves in uncharted territory, dangerously close to creating a historic anomaly. As of now, they are on the verge of making an unprecedented mark — becoming the first reigning Presidents’ Trophy-winning team to finish the subsequent season with the league’s worst record. The Jets are currently enduring a torrid losing streak, having lost 10 consecutive games (0-6-4) and 13 of their last 14 contests (1-9-4). If they don’t reverse this trend swiftly, they risk not only missing the playoffs but also rewriting NHL history. Winnipeg’s situation exemplifies a dramatic fall from grace, raising serious questions about their internal struggles and potential solutions moving forward.
Assessing the Jets’ Slide and Historic implications
The Winnipeg Jets’ downturn this season is striking in its severity and momentum. Historically, no team that secured the Presidents’ Trophy — awarded to the team with the best regular-season record — has finished the following year at the bottom of the standings. Their current predicament positions them to break that pattern, with the possibility of becoming just the fifth team in NHL history to miss the playoffs after winning the trophy. This potential outcome underscores not only the Jets’ struggles but also highlights how unpredictable hockey can be, even for the league’s elite teams.
For the Jets, the stakes are high. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff acknowledged the gravity of their situation, saying, “I think everyone would feel like there’s a level of responsibility here that we need to find a way to be better. Your record is your record, and all you can do is control what’s in front of you.” The emphasis on accountability resonates across the franchise, which is now under intense scrutiny as they attempt to salvage what remains of their season.
Key Challenges Behind the Decline
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The Jets’ decline can be largely traced back to issues on offense, particularly their scoring depth — or lack thereof. This season, just four players are averaging at least 0.5 points per game: Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, Gabriel Vilardi, and Josh Morrissey. For comparison, last season, the team had seven players reaching that mark, with only one departure, Nikolaj Ehlers, in the offseason. The decline in secondary scoring has made it increasingly difficult for Winnipeg to generate offense when their top players are not on the ice.
Connor and Scheifele have been the primary drivers of the Jets’ offense, often outscoring opponents when sharing the ice. Their combined efforts have resulted in a positive outscoring margin of 42-33 at five-on-five play. However, when either of these stars is off the ice, the team struggles significantly — being outscored 51-39, which reveals how dependent Winnipeg has become on their best two forwards.
Despite the clear need to diversify their scoring options, the coaching staff has been hesitant to break up the Connor-Scheifele partnership. Head coach Scott Arniel has expressed reluctance, citing their chemistry and the difficulty of breaking up a successful line. “It’s hard when you have that chemistry and they have the puck the whole time,” Arniel explained. “I don’t know if we’re in a position to split them up and (hope that) they create chemistry with the next guys they’re playing with.” This approach, however, might be limiting the team’s offensive potential, especially as their current system has failed to produce enough secondary scoring.
Line Strategies and Player Performance
In recent weeks, the Jets have experimented with line combinations in an effort to spark scoring and improve their overall play. Notably, Arniel made a notable move on Tuesday, swapping Gabriel Vilardi for Alex Iafallo on the top line and shifting Vilardi to the second unit alongside Jonathan Toews and Cole Perfetti. Although that second line managed to get Winnipeg’s first goal against the Vegas Golden Knights, overall offensive production remained inconsistent.
Particularly underwhelming has been Winnipeg’s second line, which features Jonathan Toews as a key component. This line has struggled offensively, combining for a minus-nine goal differential and a significant deficit in scoring chances at five-on-five play, with a minus-44 differential. Despite the struggles, Cheveldayoff highlighted Toews’ effort, noting, “He’s one of the hardest workers in the group,” while also acknowledging the challenge of integrating a player returning from a long absence.
Substituting Vilardi for Iafallo was an attempt to invigorate the top six, but results did not substantially improve; the Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo line failed to generate much offense in their last outing and was out-chanced 6-3 at five-on-five. Nevertheless, Arniel intends to stick with the same top six for their upcoming game against the Edmonton Oilers, hoping that consistency will eventually yield better results.
A potential silver lining for Winnipeg lies in their small sample of play when Connor and Scheifele are separated on the ice. Over roughly 110 minutes at five-on-five during their recent losing streak, the team has performed reasonably well — generating 52.2 per cent of the expected goals compared to 52.6 per cent when they play together. Notably, the Jets have outscored opponents 6-2 in these limited instances, suggesting that breaking up their top line could be a strategic move without devastating consequences.
Both Connor and Scheifele are highly skilled players capable of leading their own lines. Scheifele, recognized as one of the best possession-driving forwards in the league, averages 26 plays per game that push the puck up ice — ranking 10th among his peers. Connor isn’t far behind at 17th, with an average of 22.5 possession plays per game. Their individual talents and ability to lead separate lines could provide the Jets with alternative offensive options, should the coaching staff decide to pursue the disruption of the current top-line chemistry.
The Urgency of Change and Future Outlook
The rapid decline of the Jets’ playoff prospects—their chances plummeting from 32.9 percent to a mere 4.2 percent—has heightened urgency for change. While Arniel has been cautious about splitting up Connor and Scheifele, the urgency of their position leaves little room for hesitation. As the season nears its midpoint, and with success increasingly elusive, Winnipeg’s coaching staff and management face tough decisions about line combinations and player deployment moving forward.
Arniel voiced the team’s precarious situation candidly: “We’re getting (really) close to everything (being) on the table.” The statement signals that no options are off the table as the Jets attempt to turn their season around. If their losing streak persists, it will not only be a swift end to their playoff hopes but also a historic chapter in NHL history, marking the first time a Presidents’ Trophy winner has finished last in the standings the following season.
The coming weeks will reveal whether Winnipeg’s leadership is willing to shake up their roster and line chemistry or continue with current strategies in hope of a turnaround. Given the time remaining and the importance of salvaging their season, bold decisions may be inevitable — with significant implications for the team’s future and their place in NHL history.
