With veteran anchors Morrissey and DeMelo solidified, Scott Arniel weighs established chemistry against fresh faces like Mario Ferraro to reshape Winnipeg’s blue line for a deep run.
Training camp is underway, and with it comes the annual guessing game over how head coach Scott Arniel will piece together the Winnipeg Jets' blue line once puck drop finally arrives on the 2026-27 season.
It's still early, and plenty can change between now and opening night, but two outlets, Daily Faceoff and PuckPedia, have already put out their early projections for how the Jets' defense could shake out. Interestingly, the two sites line up on several key points.
Using that as a starting point, here's a look at the projected top six defensemen, paired with a dive into MoneyPuck's numbers to see how these units have actually performed together in the past, and whether that history makes them likely to stick once the games start counting.
First Pairing: Josh Morrissey & Dylan DeMelo
After playing nearly 1,036 minutes together over 77 games last season, the duo has now played over 1,000 minutes together in three straight seasons. There's little doubt these two will play together for yet another season. Since the start of the 2021-22 campaign, this top pairing has logged 4,916 minutes together, scoring 218 goals while allowing 167 for a plus 51 rating.
Second Pairing: Dylan Samberg & Neal Pionk
The second pairing also has an extensive history together, with Winnipeg's top four consistently being the strength of the team. The duo played nearly 400 minutes last season and scored an even 12 goals while also allowing 12 against, finishing at an even rating on the season.
Since the 2023-24 campaign, the Samberg-Pionk pairing has played together for 1,260 minutes, totaling 52 goals while allowing 34 against for a plus 18 rating, and should be solid once again this season.
Third Pairing: Mario Ferraro & Jack St. Ivany
While the top four have been a fixture for some time now, the bottom pairing offers a brand new look and could be a solid duo. Ferraro is a strong defensive defenseman who spent his entire NHL career on a rough back end in San Jose and will get a chance to prove his worth in Winnipeg.
St. Ivany is coming off a solid season in Pittsburgh as a depth defenseman, recording seven points and a plus four rating in 20 games with the Penguins, and will look to solidify a full time role while carrying that success over to Winnipeg.
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