Which Winnipeg Jets have something to prove over the final stretch drive of the season and beyond?

The Winnipeg Jets, as a whole, have a lot to prove over the final 26 games and most importantly into the playoffs. After back-to-back seasons being bounced in round one of the playoffs, fans are eager for postseason success. 

As the Jets are set to emerge from the 4 Nations Face-Off break as the top team in the NHL, another first-round exit would be an unacceptable outcome. Here are a few Jets players who have something to prove and stand to gain the most from a successful final stretch of this season.

Cole Perfetti

Cole Perfetti has had his ups and downs so far this season, but heading into the break, he was red-hot. A five-game point streak and nine points in his last seven games going into the break was a great sign for the 22-year-old and could be a sign of success for the rest of the season. 

Last season, Perfetti went on a prolonged goal drought, and the Jets spent assets to acquire Tyler Toffoli at the deadline to fill Perfetti’s role in the top six. 

He was healthy scratched for the first four playoff games, and in a do-or-die Game 5, had just 10:56 of time on ice and only 1:34 in the final period. 

Perfetti was not trusted in a top-six role last year. Having been in a key role so far this season, all signs point to him being a key contributor for the Jets down the stretch and into the postseason. 

With that responsibility in the top-six, he is one of the Jets whose reputation as a player stands to gain the most with a strong final 26 games and beyond. 

Neal Pionk

It’s been well-documented this season that Neal Pionk is in a contract year. As a pending UFA, the 29-year-old defenceman is posting one of the better seasons of his career alongside Dylan Samberg on the second pairing. 

Samberg has broken out this season, but those two have chemistry and have won their minutes this season. According to MoneyPuck, at five-on-five this season, they’ve outscored their opponents 27-18 (60% goal share) and have controlled 58% of the expected goals, as well as 54.5% of the shot attempts. 

Those are incredibly strong numbers. Of all defence pairings that have played at least 450 minutes together at even strength this season, they rank third in expected goals percentage, sixth in goal share, and seventh in shot attempts. 

It’s no secret that Pionk had his fair share of struggles in the past couple of seasons. With Samberg stepping into the role that Brenden Dillon held for three seasons, it’s clear that his game has improved with that. 

Both Samberg (RFA) and Pionk (UFA) are playing for their contracts next season, and while they’ve enjoyed success through the first 56 games, a strong playoff run as the Jets’ second pairing could go a long way to driving up their prices even more. 

Nikolaj Ehlers

It’s hard to undersell how important Nikolaj Ehlers has been to the Jets’ success this season. He’s a point-per-game player with 48 points in 47 games and has been an integral part of the league’s best power play. 

Like Pionk, Ehlers is a pending UFA who may or may not be back next season. The biggest knock on Ehlers at this point in his career is his four career playoff goals in 37 career games. 

Whether or not that is a fair assessment of his playoff impact as a whole, a playoff run consisting of production from Ehlers in key moments would give Kevin Cheveldayoff and GMs across the NHL no hesitation in handing him a large extension in the offseason. 

Ehlers is a part of this core, having been with the Jets since the 2015-16 season. A strong final 26 games and a solid playoff run would go a long way to killing the narrative that he’s not a playoff performer. 

Connor Hellebuyck

Speaking of killing playoff narratives… 

Let me be clear with this one. I fall into the camp that believes Connor Hellebuyck was overmatched in last year’s playoff series against the Avalanche, and he was hung out to dry night after night. 

However, if you listen to any national media member discuss the Winnipeg Jets and whether or not they are Stanley Cup contenders, Hellebuyck’s .870 save percentage from last year’s playoffs gets brought up. 

Connor Hellebuyck’s legacy as one of the greatest goaltenders of this generation could take a massive turn for the better this season. He’s on track to win his third Vezina Trophy and potentially even the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player, and yet, another playoff outing like last year’s and everyone will write him off as a non-playoff performer. 

A strong final 26 games will bring Hellebuyck some regular-season hardware that is well-earned. A long playoff run with him posting his usual stellar numbers, and he can do a lot of good for his career-long legacy and reputation. 

If you’ve been in this market long enough, you’ll know it is unwise to bet against Connor Hellebuyck when he’s at his best, and he very well may be at his best this season.