Jets Aim to Extend Hot Start as Flames Seek Turnaround in High-Stakes Canadian Clash

The Winnipeg Jets hit the road for an all-Canadian showdown that might even attract more viewers than the Toronto Blue Jays’ Game 7 on Monday. They’ll face off against the struggling Calgary Flames, who are enduring a rough start to their season with a 1-5-0 record, the league's worst goal differential at -14 and the second-most goals allowed in the league at 25 through just six games. 

The Flames are desperately looking for a rebound spot in their return home after losses in both legs of their two-game road stint. The Jets on the other hand, are looking to build off their 4-1-0 hot streak to start the season with top players in Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor dominating competition early. The dynamic duo have a combined nine goals through five games and will almost certainly be a main focus for the Calgary defense. 

The Flames will try to muster up a response with the help of their top player in center Nazem Kadri, who has four assists to start the season but no goals. Calgary also got back former 115-point player Jonathan Huberdeau on Saturday, who scored in his return and will look to help his team regain some footing in what some would call a must-win game for the team's culture. 

Lineup Storylines

The Jets have their top players rolling early but their depth is also showing signs of making an impact. Forward Morgan Barron has started off hot despite playing on the team's fourth line with three goals and two assists for a point-per-game average through five games. Vladislav Namestnikov and Tanner Pearson have also helped lift the offensive load with a pair of goals each to make up for the sluggish starts to the season but veterans like Jonathan Toews and Gustav Nyquist.

The veteran duo have started to pick up points as of late after starting the season with a combined three assists and no goals through the first four games. They are both still looking for their first goal as a Winnipeg Jet and will hope to do so on Monday against a struggling team like the Flames. It will also provide an opportunity for rookie Brad Lambert to get on the scoresheet and make an impact when dressing for his season debut and the seventh game of his NHL career.

Jets Recall Former First Round Pick Ahead Of Road Stretch Talented prospect Brad Lambert returns to the Jets lineup, bringing his playmaking skills as the team gears up for a crucial road trip.

Calgary has seen their culture questioned in recent days following their slow start with many questioning how much effort the team is putting in to prevent piling losses. Top-end prospect Zayne Parekh was expected to make an early impact like we've seen from other top defense prospects like New York's Matthew Schaefer and Minnesota's Zeev Buium.

However, Parekh hasn't been able to do much with no points through four games with a -3 rating in a limited bottom pairing role with 17:36 of average ice-time per game so far this season. The hope is that he can still grow from his NHL experience but not many have been able to show him the ropes. 

Calgary’s top defensemen, MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson, have both stumbled out of the gate this season. Weegar has had a difficult start to the season, with only two points and a -8 rating, tied for the second worst in the NHL, along with 20 penalty minutes, the second most in the league through six games. Andersson hasn’t struggled quite as much, sitting at -2, but the Flames badly need one of them to step up, set the tone, and provide leadership for the younger players on the blue line. 

Monday's matchup offers the Flames a chance to catch a spark before the season quickly slips away while the Jets will look for their veterans to rise to the occasion and take advantage of what has been a easier matchup for some teams.

Scheifele Sets Franchise Mark as Jets Beat Predators 4-1 Mark Scheifele etched his name in Jets history with a franchise-record point. Connor Hellebuyck starred as Winnipeg took down Nashville, extending its win streak to four games.

Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)

WPG ML (-150) | CGY ML (+125)

WPG -1.5 (+165) | CGY +1.5 (-200)

O/U 5.5 Goals

Winnipeg has bested Calgary in three of their last four matchups but prior to that, the Flames held the upper hand with wins in five of the prior seven matchups. Now that both teams are trending in very different directions with the Jets still looking to contend for a Stanley Cup while the Flames may be competing for the top pick in draft lottery, one trend we can rely on in this one is offense. 

These two Canadian clubs have totaled not just six but seven or more goals in five of their last six matchups with each of the last three matchups in Calgary totaling eight or more goals. We can expect total fireworks in this one despite both sides possessing elite goaltending. Winnipeg has the back-to-back Vezina trophy winner and reigning league MVP in Connor Hellebuyck while Calgary has star netminder Dustin Wolf, who is coming off a breakout rookie campaign in which he finished as a Calder trophy finalist. 

If any player is reliable for point production, it's the just top duo of Scheifele and Connor with the player standing out in this matchup being Connor by far. The Michigan native has a solid 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points over his last 21 games versus the Flames including a recent run of 11 points over their last eight matchups. For Calgary to keep up, they will need a big night out of Nazem Kadri, who has torched Winnipeg in the past with four goals and an assist for a point-per-game average over his last five matchups against the Jets, including a three-point performance in matchup back in February of 2024. 

Goalie Matchup

Winnipeg: Connor Hellebuyck (VS CGY: 14-8-1 record, 2.20 GAA, .927 SV% in 25 Games)

Calgary: Dustin Wolf (VS WPG: 1-2-0 record, 3.06 GAA, .923 SV% in Three Games)

The Winnipeg Jets are the Oldest Team in the League - And it Isn't All That Close Winnipeg's veteran roster boasts some serious NHL experience, aiming for a Stanley Cup with the league's oldest team. Will age bring glory?