The Winnipeg Jets ended November with a 5-7-0 record, falling out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Connor Hellebuyck's injury has exposed defensive weaknesses and inconsistent offense. Several adjustments are essential to salvage their season.
The Winnipeg Jets' season has taken a downturn after a challenging November, marked by a 5-7-0 record and a 1-4-0 finish in their final five games. This slump has removed them from playoff contention in a competitive Western Conference, where every point counts in the wild card race.
Defensive issues have become prominent without Hellebuyck in net. The team has struggled with inconsistent slot coverage, allowing opposing forwards to exploit seams on second chances and thinning net-front presence. Josh Morrissey has shouldered heavy minutes across all situations, but with Neal Pionk day-to-day and shifting pairings, the blue line is stretched. The Jets must simplify their approach, reducing risky pinches, making quicker outlets, and focusing on containing east-west attacks to limit high-danger chances.
Offensively, the top-six forwards—including Kyle Connor, Gabriel Vilardi, Cole Perfetti, and Mark Scheifele—have lost consistency. Play has shifted to perimeter shots and dump-and-chase tactics, replacing controlled entries and cycle shifts. To regain control, they need to attack the middle, improve zone entries with support, and create net-front traffic for better scoring opportunities.
The power play has faltered, with slow zone entries, forced passes, and excessive point shots lacking net-front presence. This has allowed opponents to neutralize advantages and shift momentum. Special teams overall require discipline to avoid penalties that exacerbate defensive struggles without elite goaltending.
The bottom six—Adam Lowry, Nino Niederreiter, Vladislav Namestnikov, Alex Iafallo, and Morgan Barron—must contribute more scoring depth beyond energy and penalty killing. A mindset shift toward structured defense in the neutral and defensive zones is crucial, emphasizing puck control and gap closure to prevent controlled entries by opponents.
Leadership will determine the response, with urgency needed in backchecking, shorter shifts, and simple plays. The tight standings leave no margin for error, as teams above strengthen while middling squads risk fading by the trade deadline.