Hellebuyck returns, igniting the surging Jets against a struggling Senators squad. Secondary scoring and defensive solidity fuel Winnipeg's playoff push.
The Winnipeg Jets enter the week riding momentum from a dominant 5–1 win over Washington and welcoming back star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck a week ahead of schedule. His return has stabilized the Jets after a rough stretch without him and immediately sparked improved play throughout the lineup.
Alex Iafallo and Morgan Barron have rediscovered their scoring touch, while Gabe Vilardi continues a torrid run with 15 points in his last 12 games. With secondary scoring emerging and lineup adjustments paying off, Winnipeg looks far more balanced and confident as it pushes toward a playoff spot.
Ottawa, meanwhile, is trying to stop a slide that has seen it lose six of eight games and fall out of the Eastern Conference wild-card race. Captain Brady Tkachuk’s recent return has provided a boost, but the Senators continue to struggle defensively despite showing better offensive output on the road.
They now face a Jets team that has controlled the recent head-to-head series, backed by Hellebuyck’s strong history against Ottawa. While scorers like Vilardi and Tim Stützle add intrigue to a matchup that once trended high-scoring, Winnipeg’s renewed defensive stability may once again prove decisive.
Winnipeg Jets Expected Line Combinations vs. Ottawa (Monday):
Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi
Perfetti-Namestnikov-Niederreiter
Barron-Lowry-Iafallo
Koepke-Toews-Nyquist
Morrissey-DeMelo
Samberg-Pionk
Stanley-Schenn
Hellebuyck
Injured: Fleury
Healthy Scratches: Miller, Salomonsson
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM central time. The game can be viewed live on TSN.
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