The Winnipeg Jets continue their road trip Tuesday with a return to Canada after a three-game stretch in California where they lost all three contests. They now face the Vancouver Canucks, who hold a 4-6-1 record over their last 11 games. 

This will be the Jets’ second game with nearly their full roster back, as captain Adam Lowry returned at the start of the trip and top-six winger Cole Perfetti rejoined the lineup during Winnipeg’s 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.

Both teams are looking to get back on track, with Tuesday marking the 54th all-time meeting between them. The Jets aim to snap a three-game losing streak and build on their 31-18-1-3 record against Vancouver.

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Lineup Storylines

The Jets have made several lineup adjustments, including moving Perfetti onto the second line alongside Vladislav Namestnikov, who had goals in four of five games before the road trip, and Jonathan Toews, who is hoping to regain his scoring touch after going without a point in five of his last seven outings.

Alex Iafallo will drop to the third line after a seven-game goalless drought in which he recorded just one assist. He will skate with Lowry and Nino Niederreiter, who once formed one of the league’s most effective third lines before Mason Appleton departed in free agency for the Detroit Red Wings.

The young fourth line of Parker Ford and Nikita Chibrikov will look to generate some offense. Fans will recall Ford’s setup of rookie Brad Lambert’s first NHL goal in Winnipeg’s 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this month, a play reminiscent of their time together with the Manitoba Moose in the AHL. Chibrikov scored his first career goal against the Canucks and will look to replicate the magic on Tuesday. 

Overall, the Jets’ biggest focus heading into Tuesday is depth scoring. The question remains whether the supporting cast can provide enough offense to relieve the top line, which has accounted for 23 of the team’s 47 goals this season.

For Vancouver, the search for consistency continues as they rank among the league’s bottom seven in defense and bottom 12 in offense. The Canucks have been hit hard by injuries, losing several key players including Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, Derek Forbort, Teddy Blueger, Nils Höglander, and starting goaltender Thatcher Demko, who is currently listed as day-to-day.

This wave of absences has opened the door for some unexpected NHL call-ups, giving younger players a chance to prove themselves. One of those players is 22-year-old Aatu Räty, a former second-round pick who has stepped into a full-time role as the team’s third-line center. He’s made the most of the opportunity so far, posting a goal and five assists for six points in 15 games, pacing him for 32 points over a full season, easily a career high.

The Canucks are hoping for a similar spark from recently acquired Lukas Reichel, who came over from Chicago looking for a fresh start after limited ice time with the Blackhawks.

Now centering Vancouver’s second line, Reichel has yet to find his footing, managing just one assist and no goals in nine games with his new club. He’s among several Canucks eager to ignite their offense and will look to do so on Tuesday.

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Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)

WPG ML (-125) | VAN ML (+105)

WPG -1.5 (+190) | VAN +1.5 (-238)

O/U 6.0 Goals 

The Jets have won seven of their last nine matchups versus the Canucks with superstar winger Kyle Connor leading the way. The Michigan native has dominated Vancouver over his career with 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points over his last 24 matchups against them. We may also see a breakout game for Cole Perfetti after going without a point in his season debut.

He also has a solid history in this matchup with three goals and two assists for five points over his last four games versus Vancouver. If Winnipeg wants to receive some depth scoring, it may come from their blue line as defenseman Neal Pionk.

The 30-year-old has just two points in 15 games this season, meaning he's due for a big showing and that could come in this game as Pionk has three goals and 11 assists for 14 points over his 22 career games versus the Canucks. 

On Vancouver's side, their defense will need to step up in this matchup, as their losses to Winnipeg have all been decisive. The Jets have outscored the Canucks 35 to 24 over the last nine meetings, highlighting the need for more defensive stops.

When Vancouver made the playoffs in recent seasons, they were known for their strong defensive play, led by Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek. If they can find a way to contain a Jets offense that has been slumping lately, they could pull off a win with some timely scoring.

That scoring will need to come from their franchise cornerstone, Elias Pettersson, who has struggled to find his rhythm since signing his long-term extension. Since inking his deal on March 2, 2024, Pettersson has recorded 23 goals and 47 assists for 70 points in 101 games.

Before that, he was producing at an above point-per-game pace with 102 points in 80 games during the 2022–23 season. He has shown mild improvement this year with 11 points in 17 games but still hasn’t reached the level expected of him. The hope is that he can regain his form, and a matchup against Winnipeg could be the spark he needs, as he has six goals and eight assists for 14 points in his last 15 games against the Jets.

Goalie Matchup

Winnipeg: Connor Hellebuyck Expected (Season: 6-5-0 record, 2.30 GAA, .922 SV% | VS VAN: 16-6-0 record, 1.96 GAA, .932 SV% in 22 games)

Vancouver: Kevin Lankinen Expected (Season: 3-4-1 record, 3.71 GAA, .879 SV% | VS WPG: 1-1-0 record, 4.02 GAA, .855 SV% in two starts)

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