Jets Look To Reignite Offense, Extend Dominance Over Wild In Divisional Clash

On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Jets look to bounce back after a tough loss at the hands of the first place Utah Mammoth in a clash against a familiar divisional rival. After making the postseason in 11 of the last 13 years, the Minnesota Wild find themselves on the outside looking in with a 3-4-1 record to start the season. 

Winnipeg squared off against Minnesota twice in the preseason with the Wild taking home both games. The Jets will look to respond as they've won eight straight in this matchup, including four straight wins in Minnesota. It'll set up for an epic clash both teams are looking to bounce back with only one being able to do so. 

Milestone Watch: Multiple Jets Closing In On Major Career Marks Beyond Scheifele's record, several Jets approach significant career milestones in points, goals, and games played this season.

Lineup Storylines

Over the past four games, Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey has emerged as a driving force, racking up six assists and leading the team in scoring. The 30-year-old Calgary native has been instrumental in bridging the gap during stretches of limited depth production. Meanwhile, the top line of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Gabe Vilardi continues to anchor Winnipeg’s offense, accounting for four of the team’s nine goals during that span.

Secondary scoring has shown flickers of life, with Jonathan Toews finally breaking through for a pair of goals and Alex Iafallo adding one of his own. Outside of single tallies from Vladislav Namestnikov and blueliner Dylan DeMelo, however, the Jets have managed just two goals from their depth options over the last four contests.

To stay competitive, especially against a hungry Wild team capable of catching fire, Winnipeg will need more consistent contributions beyond its top centers. A resurgence from fourth-line pivot Morgan Barron would be welcomed as he opened the season with five points in four games but has since gone cold, held off the scoresheet in five straight. The same goes for Nino Niederreiter, who’s just 22 games shy of the 1,000 mark in his career but has been held pointless in his last three outings. If the Jets hope to keep pace, they’ll need a more balanced offensive effort across the lineup.

For Minnesota, few rookies across the league have been better than Zeev Buium as the Wild’s 19-year-old defender has a near point-per-game average with eight points through ten games. It’ll be the first time Winnipeg will see the former Denver Pioneer as he joined Minnesota last season in the playoffs. He will be on the Jets’ radar as well as one of the deadliest forwards in the league with Kirill Kaprizov, who has four points over his last two games entering Tuesday. 

Moose Drop Fifth Straight In Heartbreaker As Wolves Rally For Overtime Win Duehr's two goals weren't enough. Chicago's Fensore snatched victory with a late surge and overtime heroics, extending the Moose's losing streak.

Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)

WPG ML (-115) | MIN ML (-105)

WPG -1.5 (+200) | MIN +1.5 (-250)

O/U 6.0 Goals 

The Jets have consistently had the upper hand against the Minnesota Wild in recent years, outscoring them 15–4 over their last four meetings. Their defense has also held firm in this matchup, keeping the Wild under six goals in each of the last three contests. Surprisingly, this dominance hasn’t stemmed from center Mark Scheifele, who’s managed just four points across his last 11 games against Minnesota. Instead, it's winger Kyle Connor leading the charge, torching the Wild for eight goals and 13 assists, totaling 21 points in his last 19 matchups.

However, the Jets’ defensive wall may be starting to crack. They’ve allowed three goals in each of their last three games, raising concerns about the sustainability of a unit that’s been among the league’s best over the past two seasons. That vulnerability could be just the opening Minnesota’s stars need. Kirill Kaprizov, who’s been held pointless in three straight against Winnipeg, previously lit them up for 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in 11 games. His linemate Matt Boldy has struggled against the Jets with only one point in his last nine meetings, but he’s thriving this season alongside Kaprizov, posting five goals and six assists through ten games. If both teams’ top guns find their rhythm, this matchup could turn into an unexpected shootout.

Goalie Matchup

Winnipeg: Connor Hellebuyck Expected (Season: 4-3-0 record, 2.16 GAA, .928 SV% | VS MIN: 15-10-2 record, 2.49 GAA, .921 SV% in 30 Appearances) 

Minnesota: Filip Gustavsson Expected (Season: 2-5-0 record, 3.34 GAA, .897 SV% | VS WPG: 4-2-1 record, 1.95 GAA, .937 SV% in Seven Games)

Winnipeg Emerging as Top Contender to Host 2026 Heritage Classic Winnipeg is buzzing as the NHL eyes the city for the 2026 Heritage Classic. Get the inside scoop on the potential outdoor hockey showdown.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.