Jets Stumble in Third Straight Loss, Need Answers Before Upcoming Seven-Game Gauntlet versus Cup Contenders

On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Jets were handed their third straight loss, falling 2-1 to the St. Louis Blues. After a red-hot start that saw them win three of their first four games, the Jets have struggled since, with issues coming from across the roster.

Winnipeg remains without Connor Hellebuyck and is now missing Josh Morrissey as well, who has been labeled week-to-week with an upper-body injury and the impact has been felt on both ends of the ice during the skid.

Over the recent five-game stretch, the Jets have scored just 12 goals, a 2.40 goals-per-game average that ties the Dallas Stars for eighth-worst in the league during that span. Their 16 goals against, a 3.20 average, lands roughly in the middle of the pack, so neither unit has been excelling or severely damaging the results. 

Several Jets have still been strong like star center Mark Scheifele has six points over the five games, while Neal Pionk, filling in for Morrissey, has a goal and four assists for a point-per-game average. They are the only two Jets at or above a point per game in that span as Kyle Connor and Cole Perfetti have four and three points, respectively. 

Others have been cold to start like Gabe Vilardi has no goals and four assists through nine games, and six other Winnipeg forwards are also without a goal this season, including recent top-eight pick Viggo Björck, Nino Niederreiter and others.

The forward group was a concern last season, when the Jets finished bottom eight in the league at 2.79 goals per game, a total largely held up by the team's star talent. That storyline hasn't changed, which is likely why Winnipeg called up the red-hot Brayden Yager, hoping to give the group a spark when the team travels to Dallas to face the Stars on Thursday.

In goal, Stuart Skinner is in line for a well-deserved rest after securing a 2.65 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage through six starts this season. The 27-year-old has been reliable, allowing two or fewer goals in four of his six starts, showing he can still be trusted to deliver.

The Jets will need Skinner to be sharp as they enter one of the toughest stretches of their season, with games ahead against Stanley Cup contenders like the Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes, along with two games each against the Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers. 

Winnipeg will have to find quick solutions to the issues that have cost them games early this season, including Tuesday’s loss, if they hope to avoid digging a deeper hole over their next seven games.

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