The 2024-2025 season for the Winnipeg Jets has gotten off to an unforeseen 11-1 record, with their most recent victory coming Friday, Nov. 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightening. After a disappointing end to their 2023-2024 season with their elimination in the first round of the playoffs by the Colorado Avalanche, the Winnipeg Jets are gaining attention and raising questions about their quick ascension to the best record in the National Hockey League (NHL).
One of the keys to the success of the Jets has been their ability to make small, meaningful changes to their coaching staff and retain many key players. Last year, despite being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, the Jets had a solid regular season, winning 52 games, which tied with 2017-2018 for the franchise record winningest season. Jets’ ownership therefore did not attempt to make sweeping changes to their coaching personnel. The key change that did occur during this offseason, however, was the replacement of former head coach Rick Bowness after his retirement announcement with Scott Arniel, former Jets player and Bowness’ assistant coach.
“It’s not like we fired a coach and needed to switch the pendulum from one side to the other,” said Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff. “With [Bowness] retiring, it was a great natural progression for Arniel.”
In addition to the conservative Arniel hiring, the Jets also retained some of their key starters, such as center Mark Scheifele, forwards Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers and defensive players Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk.
“We have a core of players that have developed together,” Cheveldayoff said. “And one thing that is abundantly clear is they want to win together and that’s a good thing.”
Another key to the Jets’ success has been their ability to win on the road. So far, the majority of the Jets’ games this season have been at their opponents’ stadiums, including their season opener against the Edmonton Oilers. Despite being favored to lose, the Jets routed the Oilers 6-0. This trend has continued throughout their first 12 games of the season, with the Jets ranking first in the NHL in goals scored with 59, ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights, all while remaining perfect on the road. The Jets’ only loss this season was a home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 28.
The Jets can also attribute some of their success to their demonstrated ability to rely on multiple different players to carry their offense. In the first 12 games, the Jets have had six different point leaders including Connor (versus Detroit Red Wings, Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames), Mason Appleton (versus Calgary, Pittsburgh Penguins and Oilers), Cole Perfetti (versus St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay), Vladislav Namestnikov (versus San Jose Sharks), Mark Scheifele (versus Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild) and Ehlers (versus Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay). Connor was also named the NHL Star of the Month for October, a move that hockey analyst Bruce Boudreau commented on during Domino’s That’s Hockey segment.
“I don’t know if [Connor] is the most underrated player in hockey, but he certainly is the most underrated superstar in hockey,” Boudreau said. “I mean, his numbers are not only out there, he is the guy that’s driving that bus right now in Winnipeg […]. If he keeps it up it’s going to be a special, special year in Winnipeg.”
As of Nov. 5, the Winnipeg Jets have the best record in the NHL and are in prime position to be able to redeem themselves this postseason. However, the Jets still have the majority of the season remaining, including 34 away games. With this difficult schedule the Jets’ mark of legitimacy as a Stanley Cup contender may lie still ahead.
“These are heady times if you’re a fan of the Winnipeg Jets,” wrote John Shannon, a Canadian sportscaster, hockey analyst and former panelist on Rogers Sportnet’s Hockey Central. “But this is a cautionary tale. This team has a ton of road games coming up: one stretch later this month and into December with 13 of 15 away from home. That might define whether or not this team really is elite.”
