Next-day takeaways: 4 thoughts as the Winnipeg Jets secure their first ever Central Division title

This game ended in a shootout, but the Winnipeg Jets took care of business before that point of the game, securing the top seed in the Central Division and Western Conference by picking up a point. Cole Perfetti gave them another point with a downright filthy shootout winner. And as Dave Minuk pointed out after the game, it was a move he’s used before in a shoootout in his pro career.

There was plenty to take away from the Jets’ 55th win of the 2024-25 season, on a night when they won their first-ever Central Division title. 

Winnipeg Jets secure their first-ever Central Division title

On Saturday night, the Winnipeg Jets picked up their 113th and 114th points of the season, securing their first Central Division title in Franchise history. 

Even when accounting for the 1.0 version of the Jets, this is the first division title for both iterations of the NHL franchise, and what a year it has been. 

The Jets currently sit atop the NHL standings at 55-21-4 with 114 points and a +88 goal differential. They are five points up on the Washington Capitals, with a game in hand on Winnipeg. 

Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)

A win against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, and the Jets would clinch their first-ever President’s Trophy, the first Canadian team to do so since the Vancouver Canucks did it in 2011-1h

“As an organization, as a city, a province, everybody is excited,” Arniel said after the game to reporters on the scene. “And they should be, because we’ve got a hell of a hockey team. We’ve done a lot of good things this year. Hopefully, this lasts a couple more months.”

The Jets being the class of the Central Division ensures that they will face a wildcard opponent in round one, which looks extremely likely to be one of the St. Louis Blues or Minnesota Wild. 

Josh Morrissey delivers once again

Josh Morrissey has posted a handful of games this season where he has clearly been the best skater on the ice. Saturday night was no different, as he scored two goals in the third period, one late in the third, to get the Jets to overtime. 

He made a fantastic play with the Jets down 4-3, jumping behind the Blackhawks defender at the left point, and firing a wrist shot glove side on goaltender Spencer Knight to tie the game at 4. 

Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)

Morrissey’s game has been ascending over the past couple of weeks as he looks primed to have an impactful playoff run playing a large chunk of minutes for Scott Arniel and the Jets coaching staff. 

Nino Niederreiter is heating up

Nino Niederreiter scored his second goal in as many nights, as he got the Jets on the board in this game with a wicked wrist shot past the glove hand of Knight. 

That was his 17th goal of the season. Niederreiter has been a streaky scorer throughout his entire career, and with the playoffs beginning in about a week, what a time it would be for the Winnipeg Jets to have Niederreiter go on a hot streak and continue scoring. 

Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)

He was also denied on a glorious chance in overtime, as he executed a power move across the crease and attempted to slide the puck past Knight, but the Hawks goaltender stuck out the right pad and robbed Niederreiter of the game-winner. 

He was easily one of the Jets’ most effective forwards on Saturday night. A red-hot Nino Niederreiter heading into the playoffs is a good sign for the Winnipeg Jets and their depth scoring. 

Nikolaj Ehlers leaves with an injury

It wasn’t all good news coming out of this game, as Nikolaj Ehlers needed to be helped off of the ice with an injury in the second period. 

He collided with the linesman entering the zone and hit the ice, visibly in pain, before being helped off and not returning for the rest of the night. 

Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)

After the game, Scott Arniel told reporters that they’ll know more about Ehlers on Sunday, and it was a re-aggravation of the same injury that held him out of two games last week. 

With just seven days until the playoffs, this is not what the Jets want to see from their top-six winger. 

With only two games left and not much to play for, don’t be shocked if Ehlers is held out of both games in hopes of being healthy enough to play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Up next

The Jets have two regular season games remaining as they aim to win the Presidents Trophy. Sunday at 6:00 PM they will take on the Oilers, and then Wednesday, April 16 they will take on the Anaheim Ducks in their regular season finale. After the final buzzer sounds between Winnipeg and Edmonton we want you to be part of the conversation on the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show as we discuss and analyze the results of the game starting around 8:40 PM CDT.

Stay tuned to Illegalcurve.com for the latest Jets news through the final week of the regular season.