The Winnipeg Jets have dropped four of their last five games, and people are looking for someone to blame for the skid. One possible culprit is the offense, which has averaged only two goals per game during that stretch. Their once league-best defense has also struggled, giving up 17 goals over the last five games.

Winnipeg is only now getting some of its best defensive players back, and the team should improve once defenseman Dylan Samberg and center Adam Lowry regain their full rhythm. However, those returning players are not the issue. One of the problems is the defensive play from the team’s top forward line. Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Gabe Vilardi shoulder the responsibility of driving the offense every night, but lately they have not been contributing enough in other areas of the game.

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Over the last ten days, Connor and Vilardi are tied for the second worst even-strength goal differential in the NHL at minus eight over five games. Each has scored one even-strength goal and three on the power play, but their defensive numbers remain underwhelming. Connor’s overall goal differential is even worse at minus nine due to four goals against while on the penalty kill.

It is worth noting that this line is not particularly known for defensive play, as all three are offense-first talents. Still, last season one of the biggest keys to the Jets’ success was the improved defensive performance of their top forward unit. Connor finished last season with a plus-19 even-strength goal differential, Scheifele with plus-15, and Vilardi with plus-12. This year the picture is much different. Vilardi sits at minus four, the second worst mark on the team behind Jonathan Toews at minus seven. Connor and Scheifele are barely above water at plus one each.

If the Jets want to turn things around, this group needs to do more than score but they must play responsible defense. They cannot be the forward unit that logs the most minutes and also allows the most goals. Players like Montreal’s Nick Suzuki and Colorado’s Artturi Lehkonen rank near the top of the league in even-strength goal differential not because they score at the pace of stars like Nathan MacKinnon, but because they allow very few goals. 

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Suzuki has allowed only seven, tied for the fewest among forwards who play at least 15 even-strength minutes per game, and Lehkonen has allowed nine. Meanwhile, Connor and Vilardi are tied for the second most goals allowed at even strength this season with 19 and need to improve in this area as they did last year.

This should be a major focus for Jets head coach Scott Arniel moving forward. His most relied-upon unit must rediscover its defensive game, as it has been one of the biggest factors in the team’s recent losses.

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