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Goals and expectations for the Jets elite goal scorer Mr. KFC aka Kyle Connor

Connor Baldwin — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 04:15:29 GMT

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The Winnipeg Jets are now 31 days away from opening their 2026-27 NHL season at home against the Boston Bruins. The Jets are also 55 days away from hosting the Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium for the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic, with tickets for the Alumni game on October 24th on sale now. The long days of the NHL off-season are almost over, as tomorrow the calendar turns to September, a month with pre-season hockey.

Today marks yet another continuation of a series that I’ve covered the past two off-seasons known as the “goals and expectations” series. This series quickly previews what to expect (and what to hope for) from Jets players in the 2026-27 season. Tonight’s player is someone who we all know as the Jets elite goal scorer and the guy who got a KFC meal named after him in 2026: Kyle Connor.

Connor is yet another example of a handful of Jets players who has been with the organization since being drafted by them back in 2015. After a fantastic season with the University of Michigan, Connor made his NHL debut in the 2016-17 season, where he scored 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in 20 games. Connor spent most of the 20216-17 season in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, but after just a few games with the Moose in the 2017-18 season Connor was a full time NHLer. Connor scored 31 goals in his first full NHL season, and the Jets knew they had themselves an elite goal scorer on the rise in their organization.

Connor’s “breakout” season happened back in the 2021-22 season, where he appeared in 79 games, scoring a still career high 47 goals and 46 assists for 93 points. Connor then set a record for points (97) in a season by a Jets 2.0 player in the 2024-25 season, before Scheifele broke that record last season with 103 points. Aside from the goals and points, Connor’s skating skills have really grown over his career, becoming a threat to break away from his defenders. Like many other top offensive producers, Connor reads the ice real well. A big “bonus point” about Connor’s game is that he plays with a high level of sportsmanship, not taking many penalties at all, highlighted by his Lady Byng Memorial Trophy win in 2022 where he only had 4 penalty minutes in 79 games.

The 29-year old top line left winger will be entering the 1st year of his new eight year contract at a cap hit of $12 million. Connor’s upcoming (at the time) contract extension was a big talking point heading into the 2025-26 season, and the Jets were able to secure a new deal on October 8th, 2025 before the season began. Connor won’t be an unrestricted free agent until after the 2033-34 season, and although Jets fans just saw Hellebuyck request a trade with plenty of years left on his deal, Jets fans shouldn’t have to worry one bit about Connor wanting to go anywhere else other than his home in Winnipeg. Connor’s cap hit is pretty reasonable given his scoring consistency, and with the increasing cap and recent record breaking deals, Connor just needs to keep doing what he’s been doing to make his contract look good.

So what should be the goals and expectations for Kyle Connor next season? The Jets struggled as a team to find depth scoring, but the Jets 1st line (with Kyle Connor on it) continued to carry the offence. Connor scored 39 goals with a shooting percentage of 14.2%, only slightly below his career average of around 14.7%. I believe Connor can hit the 40 goal mark for the 3rd time in his career in the 2026-27 season, and playing with Scheifele and Vilardi will make it fairly easy for him to get around 50 assists. Perhaps it’s Connor’s turn to hit 100 points in a season following Scheifele’s record breaking 2025-26 season, but I think Connor will once again fall in the 90-95 point range.

I’ve mentioned before that when Connor has success, so do the Winnipeg Jets. While Scheifele is generally seen more as the “playmaker” on the top line, Connor is the Jets number one pure scorer, and he’s always there when the team needs a big goal. The Jets powerplay wasn’t as effective as it was in the 2024-25 season, but with some tweaks it has the potential to be among the best again with Connor ready to strike wherever he is on the ice. Connor is going to continue to climb the Jets 2.0 all-time leaderboards this season, including likely milestones of 750 games played, 350 goals, 400 assists and 750 points. Jets fans should be ready for another A+ season from one of the top left wingers in the NHL.

Up Next

The 2026 NHL off-season is quickly wrapping up as we hit September tomorrow, and teams will start hitting the ice for training camps beginning this week or next week. Stay tuned for more “goals and expectations” articles throughout the early half of September, as I’ll look at what to expect from 2026-27 Jets players throughout the lineup. Let us know on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials if there’s a certain player you’d like us to cover next!

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Which teams make the most sense for the Jets in a Connor Hellebuyck trade?

Connor Baldwin — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:35:00 GMT

Follow us on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials! X/Twitter: @dfo_winnipeg and on Instagram: @dfowinnipeg

The Winnipeg Jets are now 35 days away from opening their 2026-27 NHL season at home against the Boston Bruins. The Jets are also 58 days away from hosting the Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium for the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic, with tickets for that game and the rest of the regular season on sale now. The long days of the NHL off-season are almost over, as we are about to enter the month of September with NHL pre-season hockey.

Tonight we take a quick break from the “goals and expectations” series, as the biggest news of the Jets off-season happened yesterday afternoon. After months of speculation and trade rumours, Connor Hellebuyck publicly confirmed that he has requested a trade from the Winnipeg Jets. With training camp approaching, Hellebuyck felt that he should make his position public after privately requesting a trade several months ago.

The Jets are now faced with one of the biggest decisions they’ve ever needed to make in their 2.0 history. After Hellebuyck’s statement was released, the Jets responded by promising that “we will continue to work through the situation”, despite their not being an update at this time. Hellebuyck agreed to a long term extension with the Winnipeg Jets back in 2023, and now he still has five years left on his deal at a cap hit of $8.5 million. The 33-year old three-time Vezina Trophy winner will now be headed to a new team for the first time in his career, so which teams make the most sense for him to waive his no trade clause for a deal?

One team that reportedly tried to make a strong offer for Hellebuyck at the 2025 NHL trade deadline was the Buffalo Sabres. After returning to the playoffs for the first time since the 2010-11 season, the Sabres were determined to add a new starting goalie before the playoffs. Although the proposed rejected trade offer is not confirmed, it reportedly included the 4th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, along with a goalie and a few prospects. The Jets reportedly rejected this trade because the Sabres wanted the 8th overall pick with Hellebuyck in this trade. The Sabres remain a strong contender to land Hellebuyck, as they have a good prospect pool with several young players that could step into the Jets lineup right away.

Two teams that might just be the “next best options” for a Hellebuyck trade are the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights. The Panthers lost their starting goalie Sergei Bobrovsky this off-season, and even though they acquired Jacob Markstrom, there would be a possibility of him serving as a back up to Hellebuyck. Unlike the Sabres, the Panthers don’t have a good prospect pool, but they would be able to make an offer to the Jets which includes one or two experienced players that could enter the Jets lineup right away.

The Vegas Golden Knights are another intriguing option that the Jets should listen to offers from if they’re interested in Hellebuyck. The Golden Knights used a few different goalies last season before settling with Carter Hart for their long playoff run, but they could be looking for more stability in this role as to look to remain a Stanley Cup contender. The Golden Knights always seem to trade away their top prospects for immediate NHL talent, and the Jets could make a deal that boosts their chances of returning to the playoffs as soon as possible.

Outside of the Sabres, Panthers and Golden Knights, there will likely be a handful of other teams that will attempt to acquire Hellebuyck’s talents in goal. The Edmonton Oilers have been needing a “proper” starting goalie for multiple years now, so there would be no better option for them to go out and acquire than Hellebuyck. The New Jersey Devils are without a starting goalie after trading away Jacob Markstrom, and they have the right pieces available to put together a strong offer for Hellebuyck, which would greatly improve their chances of making the playoffs. A final “wildcard” team that could look to acquire Hellebuyck is the San Jose Sharks, a team that is quickly getting out of a rebuild, with plenty of young talent throughout their roster and prospect pool.

In terms of what makes the most sense for the Jets, I believe that they need to try and acquire a starting goalie in return for Hellebuyck. Stuart Skinner has playoff experience from his time with the Oilers, but he might not be who the Jets would like to have as a starter in the long term after Hellebuyck. The Jets organization has said that it would like to get back in the playoffs as soon as possible rather than begin a rebuild, so the Hellebuyck trade needs to be a move that gives the Jets some players that will improve their roster both in the short and longer term. It may still take a while before the Jets complete and honour Hellebuyck’s trade request (likely before the season starts), but stayed tuned to the latest Jets news to be ready for when this important move happens.

Up Next

The 2026 NHL off-season is coming to a close as we hit very late August, and teams will start hitting the ice for training camps beginning in just a few weeks. Stay tuned for more “goals and expectations” articles leading up to training camp, as I’ll look at what to expect from 2026-27 Jets players throughout the lineup. Let us know on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials if there’s a certain player you’d like us to cover next!

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Connor Hellebuyck publicly confirms trade request from Winnipeg Jets

Nation World HQ — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 19:00:21 GMT

On Thursday afternoon, Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has publicly confirmed that he requested a trade from the Winnipeg Jets, releasing a statement through Alpha Hockey on Wednesday afternoon.

The Jets goaltender said the request was made privately several months ago, but with training camp approaching, he felt it was necessary to make his position public.

“Winnipeg has been my home for my entire NHL career, and I will always be grateful for my time there,” Hellebuyck said in the statement. I have never forgotten June 23, 2012. That’s the day Winnipeg took a chance on a goalie playing in Odessa, TX. I gave everything I had from that moment to prove that the Jets made the right decision.”

Hellebuyck was selected by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft, has spent his entire NHL career with the organization, and is currently in the third year of a seven-year extension. Over that time, he has become one of the league’s top goaltenders and one of the most important players in the Jets’ modern history.

The 33-year-old made it clear in his statement that his position has not changed since the original request was made.

“Several months ago, I privately requested a trade. I have tried to handle the situation quietly and respectfully while giving the organization time to explore its options. With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request. My position has not changed, and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family.”

The public confirmation puts the Jets in a tricky position as the off-season draws closer to training camp. Hellebuyck has been a major part of Winnipeg’s identity for more than a decade, and moving a goaltender of his calibre would represent one of the biggest decisions the organization has made in years.

The statement does not name any preferred destinations or provide details about what led to the request, but Hellebuyck closed by thanking Jets fans for their support throughout his career.

“I appreciate everything Winnipeg Jets fans have meant to me throughout my career and hope a resolution can be reached soon.”

For now, the Jets are left with a clear trade request from one of the best goaltenders in the NHL and a timeline that is becoming harder to ignore with camp on the way.

An updated look at the Jets roster for the October 24th Alumni Game against the Canadiens

Connor Baldwin — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 04:00:08 GMT

Follow us on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials! X/Twitter: @dfo_winnipeg and on Instagram: @dfowinnipeg

The Winnipeg Jets are now 37 days away from opening their 2026-27 NHL season at home against the Boston Bruins. The Jets are also 60 days away from hosting the Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium for the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic, with tickets for the Alumni game on October 24th going on sale for the general public tomorrow at noon central time. The long days of the NHL off-season are almost over, as we get closer and closer to the start of the 2026-27 season.

Tonight we take a quick break from the “goals and expectations” series, as we learned about a roster update for the Jets and Canadiens Alumni Game on October 24th. This game will take place at Canada Life Centre at 6:30 pm CT on the eve of the NHL Heritage Classic game on October 25th at Princess Auto Stadium. Earlier today, the Jets posted the updated alumni rosters for the Jets and Canadiens, with both teams still subject to change in the next two months.

Jets fans already knew about some of the most anticipated alumni that will be playing in this game, such as fan-favourite defenceman Dustin Byfuglien and former captain Blake Wheeler. Another former captain, Andrew Ladd, will be back in a Jets jersey, joined by several of his teammates from the early years of the Winnipeg Jets 2.0. The next most notable alumni forward that will be on the ice at Canada Life Centre is Bryan Little, a player who was with the Thrashers and Jets organization for his whole career.

Dustin Byfuglien “headlines” the defence group, and the crowd will for sure be loud when his name is called during introductions. Tobias Enstrom and Ron Hainsey are a few of the more notable defenceman that will playing, as fans will remember them from the early years of the Jets 2.0. Only one goalie is confirmed so far for the Jets alumni, and that is the right handed catching Michael Hutchinson. If there’s a way for the Jets to get Ondrej Pavelec back for this game that would be great, but it’ll be interesting to see which other goalie will get some time in the crease.

Two forwards that were featured on an earlier roster for this game which are not on this updated list are Nik Antropov and Drew Stafford. Fan favourite Chris Thorburn is back on the roster, reuniting with his old linemates Tanner Glass and Jim Slater. Behind the bench for this game will be the Jets first head coach (from the 2.0 era) Claude Noel.

The Canadiens alumni roster also was updated today, and there’s some intriguing names that will be on the ice at Canada Life Centre. Of course there won’t be any of the older Canadiens from the “golden age” of the Canadiens where they won plenty of Stanley Cups, but there’s still several very notable alumni who Canadiens fans will remember from the 2000s and 2010s.

Some of the notable forwards for the Canadiens are Mike Cammalleri, Maxim Lapierre and Mike Keane. The blue line features several former big names including Andrei Markov and Marc-Andre Bergeron. In net for the Canadiens will be Yann Danis and Jaroslav Halak, a goalie that Jets fans will remember well from when he was on the St. Louis Blues. Behind the bench for the Canadiens will be Chris Nilan and Lucien Deblois. This game is shaping up to be an exciting event that will be one part of the festivities leading up to the big Heritage Classic game at Princess Auto Stadium the following night, so make sure to grab your tickets for this alumni game starting tomorrow!

Up Next

The 2026 NHL off-season is coming to a close as we hit late August, and teams will start hitting the ice for training camps beginning in early to mid September. Stay tuned for more “goals and expectations” articles leading up to training camp, as I’ll look at what to expect from 2026-27 Jets players throughout the lineup. Let us know on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials if there’s a certain player you’d like us to cover next!

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Goals and expectations for the reliable shutdown defender Dylan Samberg

Connor Baldwin — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 20:10:32 GMT

Follow us on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials! X/Twitter: @dfo_winnipeg and on Instagram: @dfowinnipeg

The Winnipeg Jets are now 40 days away from opening their 2026-27 NHL season at home against the Boston Bruins. The Jets are also 63 days away from hosting the Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium for the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic, with tickets for the Alumni game on October 24th going on sale to the general public this upcoming Thursday. The long days of the NHL off-season are almost over, as we get closer and closer to the start of the 2026-27 season.

Today marks yet another continuation of a series that I’ve covered the past two off-seasons known as the “goals and expectations” series. This series quickly previews what to expect (and what to hope for) from Jets players in the 2026-27 season. This afternoon’s player is a defender who dealt with a few injuries last season but did what he could to contribute on a nightly basis: Dylan Samberg.

Samberg is one of the handful of Jets players who has been with the organization since being drafted by them back in 2017. Although it took a few seasons for Samberg to make his NHL debut after playing for the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the Manitoba Moose, Samberg made a solid impact in his first NHL action. Samberg’s emergence from a 2nd round draft pick to a top four defender was much welcomed around a time where the Jets were looking from within their organization for impactful defenders.

Samberg’s “breakout” season happened back in the 2023-24 season, where he appeared in 78 games and tallied 18 points. Aside from the points, Samberg’s defensive skills were noticeably better. The Jets promoted Samberg onto the second defense pairing around this season, and he’s stayed in this role pretty much ever since. The past two seasons Samberg has dealt with some injuries, appearing in just 60 and 66 games.

The 27-year old defender will be entering the 2nd year of his current three year contract at a cap hit of $5.75 million. Samberg will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2027-28 season, but the Jets could look to extend him as early as next season if they continue to see positive progression in his game. Samberg’s cap hit is very reasonable given his role on the Jets, and his next deal could have a little more term as he enters the middle stages of his career.

So what should be the goals and expectations for Samberg next season? Being a more defensive defenceman, Samberg doesn’t need to focus much on his points, but it would be nice to see around 5 goals and 15 assists from him this season. The chemistry with Neal Pionk needs to continue to grow this season, as Samberg and Pionk will both be looking to have bounce back seasons given where they are in their careers and with their current contract situations.

I’ve mentioned before the Samberg plays a similar role to the other Dylan on the Jets, Dylan DeMelo, as the more defensive defenceman on his pairing. Samberg excels in blocking shots, being positionally aware, and shutting down opponents with his physical play. If Samberg does what he does best, it allows his defence partner, Neal Pionk, to play more of an “offensive” defenceman role, creating plays with his puck moving abilities and getting shots on goal whenever possible. Samberg will get the ice time he deserves in this role, and his success will go a long way in the Jets lowering their scoring chances against (and getting more wins) in the 2026-27 season.

Up Next

The 2026 NHL off-season is quickly wrapping up as we hit late August, and teams will starting hitting the ice for training camps beginning in early September. Stay tuned for more “goals and expectations” articles throughout the rest of August (and early September) as I’ll look at what to expect from 2026-27 Jets players throughout the lineup. Let us know on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials if there’s a certain player you’d like us to cover next!

PRESENTED BY PRAIRIE TOYOTA DEALERS

Goals and expectations for the newly acquired Swedish forward Isak Rosen

Connor Baldwin — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:05:07 GMT

Follow us on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials! X/Twitter: @dfo_winnipeg and on Instagram: @dfowinnipeg

The Winnipeg Jets are now 42 days away from opening their 2026-27 NHL season at home against the Boston Bruins. The Jets are also 65 days away from hosting the Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium for the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic (I already got my ticket). The long days of the NHL off-season are almost over, as we can soon start looking ahead to the 2026-27 season.

Today marks yet another continuation of a series that I’ve covered the past two off-seasons known as the “goals and expectations” series. This series quickly previews what to expect (and what to hope for) from Jets players in the 2026-27 season. This afternoon’s player is one of the main pieces the Jets acquired at the 2025 NHL trade deadline in the Logan Stanley trade: the Swedish forward Isak Rosen.

Isak Rosen is one of the newest members of the Winnipeg Jets roster after spending the first four seasons of his NHL career in the Buffalo Sabres organization. Drafted 14th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Rosen came over to the Rochester Americans (the Sabres AHL team) a year later to begin his pro career after playing in Sweden. Rosen’s first AHL season was quite the success, scoring 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points in 66 games.

After that first season, Rosen’s AHL production has only gotten better, with brief stints in the NHL which didn’t result in any scoring. After collecting 43 points in 37 games in the AHL last season, Rosen finally got his opportunity to get a bit more regular playing time in the NHL. After scoring the first 3 goals of his career and 4 assists for 7 points in 16 games with the Sabres, Rosen was one of the pieces dealt to the Winnipeg Jets in the Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn trade.

Rosen’s first batch of games with the Jets was spent on a bottom-six role. Rosen started getting a little more ice time once the Jets playoff hopes faded away, and Rosen finished his first 21 games with the Jets with 3 goals and 0 assists. Despite the limited production, Rosen showed flashes of his potential, and with just a little more experience Rosen could start getting on the right track to producing at a somewhat similar level to what he was doing in the AHL.

The 23-year forward is by all means still considered a “prospect”, as he’s only appeared in 52 NHL games. Rosen will enter the 2026-27 NHL season looking to play his first full season in the league, and Jets appear to have a roster spot with his name on it. Rosen will likely start the season in a bottom six role (perhaps on the 4th line with Cole Koepke and Morgan Barron), but if Rosen continues to develop positively, there’s a chance Rosen moves up into more of a “scoring” role on the Jets 3rd line.

In the off-season, the Jets gave Rosen a new two-year contract at a near minimum cap hit of $925,000. This move signifies that the Jets organization believes in Rosen’s potential, and he’ll become a restricted free agent at age 25 after the 2027-28 NHL season. I’ve mentioned before that Rosen might be the biggest “wildcard” within the Jets forward group, as it’s difficult to predict his point totals without a full NHL season but with plenty of success in the AHL.

A good season for Rosen would be one that sees Rosen remain in the NHL for the full season as a productive middle to bottom six forward. I’m not sure if it’s bold or not to expect a 25-30 point season from Rosen, but I think with the right linemates and development, Rosen will be an important depth scorer on the Jets in the upcoming 2026-27 NHL season. Rosen is a player that Jets fans should closely watch as the season plays out, as he still has all of the potential of become a creative and skilled scoring winger in the NHL.

Up Next

The 2026 NHL off-season is slowly wrapping up as we hit late August, and teams will starting hitting the ice for training camps beginning in September. Stay tuned for more “goals and expectations” articles throughout the rest of August (and early September) as I’ll look at what to expect from 2026-27 Jets players throughout the lineup. Let us know on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials if there’s a certain player you’d like us to cover next!

PRESENTED BY PRAIRIE TOYOTA DEALERS

Mark Scheifele is the highest rated Winnipeg Jets forward in NHL 27 at 93 overall as ratings begin to be revealed

Connor Baldwin — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 04:30:33 GMT

Follow us on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials! X/Twitter: @dfo_winnipeg and on Instagram: @dfowinnipeg

The Winnipeg Jets are now Cole Koepke (45) days away from opening their 2026-27 NHL season at home against the Boston Bruins. The Jets are also 68 days away from hosting the Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium for the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic (I got my ticket already). The long days of the NHL off-season are almost over, as we can soon start looking ahead to the 2026-27 season.

Today we take a break from the “goals and expectations” series for some hockey video game news. EA Sports NHL has released the top 10 overall ratings for centres, left wingers, and right wingers in NHL 27. This article will be updated twice later this week when they post top 10 left and right side defencemen and goalies, as Josh Morrissey and Connor Hellebuyck will surely be featured on those lists.

Mark Scheifele was a 91 overall in NHL 26, and after his 103 point season he earned a bump to 93 overall in NHL 27. This rating ranks Scheifele as the 10th highest rated centre in the game, a very reasonable spot for Scheifele after an incredible season. Kyle Connor was rated a 92 overall in NHL 26, and once again in NHL 27 Connor has a rating of 92 overall. Connor has the 3rd highest overall rating among left wingers, tied with Jason Robertson and just behind Kirill Kaprizov, who is rated 94 overall.

The only other Jets forward featured within the top 300 rated forwards (who are all at least 84 overall) is Gabriel Vilardi. Although Vilardi has played on the wing almost all of the time with the Jets, EA Sports still has Vilardi listed as a centre. Vilardi is the 104th highest rated forward in NHL 27 with a 87 overall. Vilardi’s highest individually rated stats are his balance (for skating) and slap shot accuracy, both of which are 91.

Taking a closer look at Scheifele and Connor’s in-detail stats listed on EA Sports’ NHL 27 Ratings Database, EA did well at rating the two Jets star forwards. Scheifele’s best attributes are his offensive awareness, puck control, and passing, and his shooting stats have been bumped up slightly in most categories from last season. Connor’s skating ability remains notable at 91 speed, while his best attributes are of course related to his shot, namely his slap shot accuracy and deking.

Make sure to keep a close eye on EA Sports’ social media accounts in the next few days, as they’ll be revealing the top 10 left defencemen, top 10 right defencemen, and top 10 goalies. Josh Morrissey will likely be included somewhere in the middle of the top 10 left defencemen list, while Hellebuyck (despite a not so great season), should be ranked as the 2nd or 3rd best goalie in NHL 27. This article will be updated on the day that these ratings get revealed.

Update: On Wednesday, EA Sports decided to reveal the remaining top tens. Josh Morrissey will have an overall rating of 90 overall which places him 9th among left defencemen. There’s a few new names in the top 10 left defencemen (such as Matthew Schaefer), but Morrissey being ranked 9th is very reasonable given his production over the last few seasons.

As for Connor Hellebuyck, he ends up not being the highest rated overall Winnipeg Jet. Mark Scheifele is a 93 overall, and Connor Hellebuyck is a 92 overall in NHL 27. In NHL 26 Hellebuyck was a 94 overall, and after a not so great season Hellebuyck is now bumped down to the 3rd highest rated goalie in the game. Andrei Vasilevskiy is a 94 overall, followed closely by Islanders starting goalie Ilya Sorokin at 93 overall.

The latest edition of the EA Sports NHL franchise is set to release worldwide on September 11th. If you pre-order the deluxe edition, you can get access to the game on September 4th. Hearing EA Sports NHL news (and ratings) means that we’re all one step close to the return of hockey season. It’ll be interesting to see how the complete Winnipeg Jets roster stacks up against other teams in NHL 27, and I’m hoping to see plenty of usable Scheifele, Vilardi, and Connor cards in the popular “Hockey Ultimate Team” mode.

Up Next

The 2026 NHL off-season continues on as we’ve reached late August, as teams are still enjoying their last two weeks off before training camps begin in September. Stay tuned for more “goals and expectations” articles throughout the month of August (and early September) as I’ll look at what to expect from 2026-27 Jets players throughout the lineup. Let us know on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials if there’s a certain player you’d like us to cover next!

PRESENTED BY PRAIRIE TOYOTA DEALERS

Goals and expectations for Captain Adam Lowry

Connor Baldwin — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 19:35:13 GMT

Follow us on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials! X/Twitter: @dfo_winnipeg and on Instagram: @dfowinnipeg

The Winnipeg Jets are now 48 days away from opening their 2026-27 NHL season at home against the Boston Bruins. The Jets are also 71 days away from hosting the Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium for the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic (I got my ticket). The long days of the NHL off-season are almost over, as we can soon start looking ahead to the 2026-27 season.

Today marks another continuation of a series that I’ve covered the past two off-seasons known as the “goals and expectations” series. This series quickly previews what to expect (and what to hope for) from Jets players in the 2026-27 season. Before switching to other Jets news and topics next week, this afternoon’s player in the spotlight is none other than the Jets Captain Adam Lowry.

Adam Lowry is an example of a handful of players on the Jets 2026-27 roster that have been with the organization since they were drafted by the Jets. Lowry was drafted in the 3rd round (67th overall) back in the 2011 NHL Draft. After a season in the juniors and two seasons in the AHL, Lowry made his debut with the Jets in the 2014-15 season. Lowry continued to grow his game into a shutdown bottom six role player, and his leadership earned him the honour of being named the Jets Captain on September 12th, 2023.

Lowry’s point total has never been the “main focus” in his career, but last season was a step back for Lowry’s production. Early in Lowry’s career he averaged around 25 points a season, but the last three seasons Lowry stepped up his game by averaging 35 points a season. Last season, in 70 games, Lowry only scored 5 goals and 16 assists for 21 points. The 5 goals really stands out, as Lowry only had a 7% shooting percentage. The lack of depth scoring was a big talking point for the Jets this off-season, and Lowry finishing tied in 9th for points on the Jets is just one example of the overall decline in offence from this team.

The ideal spot for Adam Lowry in the Jets lineup in the 2026-27 season is the 3rd line centre. This should be where Lowry slots into the forward group, but this could get complicated by the pre-season performances of several other Jets forwards. The likely outcome remains that Lowry is the Jets 3rd line centre, but Lowry could be thrown into the 2nd line centre role if needed, something that would be less than ideal for Lowry’s play style at this point in his career. Lowry will also be a lock to be featured on one of the Jets penalty kill units.

Off the ice, last season (November 19th, 2025) Adam Lowry signed a new five-year, $25 million contract extension with the Jets. Lowry’s new contract begins this season, and this summer Lowry got married, giving him two positive milestones that will hopefully motivate him going into the new season. Lowry’s leadership as the Captain of the Jets continues to be exactly what the organization needs, and now Lowry prepares for his next year of hockey looking to re-gain his form from the previous three seasons.

Just like the rest of the Jets forward lineup (apart from the 1st line), it’s somewhat tricky to predict who Lowry’s linemates will be as of today. Like I mentioned with Alex Iafallo, if Lowry gets the right linemates he could bounce back with a 30 point season. Lowry should have a very reasonable goal of reaching 10+ goals and 15+ assists for at least a 25 point season as a depth scorer in the Jets forward group. Captain Lowry is ready to begin his new five-year contract which should take him close to the end of his career with the Jets, so you can expect a motivated Adam Lowry going into the 2026-27 NHL season.

Up Next

The 2026 NHL off-season continues on as we’ve reached mid-August, as teams are still enjoying their last two or three weeks off before training camps begin in September. Stay tuned for more “goals and expectations” articles throughout the month of August (and early September) as I’ll look at what to expect from 2026-27 Jets players throughout the lineup. Let us know on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials if there’s a certain player you’d like us to cover next!

PRESENTED BY PRAIRIE TOYOTA DEALERS

Goals and expectations for the versatile winger Alex Iafallo

Connor Baldwin — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:25:37 GMT

Follow us on our Daily Faceoff Winnipeg socials! X/Twitter: @dfo_winnipeg and on Instagram: @dfowinnipeg

The Winnipeg Jets are now 51 days away from opening their 2026-27 NHL season at home against the Boston Bruins. The Jets are also 74 days away from hosting the Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium for the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic. The long days of the NHL off-season are almost over, as we can soon start looking ahead to the 2026-27 season.

Today marks the continuation of a series that I’ve covered the past two off-seasons known as the “goals and expectations” series. This series quickly previews what to expect (and what to hope for) from Jets players in the 2026-27 season. Tonight’s player is a versatile forward who played up and down the lineup last season while providing important special teams minutes: Alex Iafallo.

The Jets acquired Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and Gabriel Vilardi plus a second round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft for Pierre-Luc Dubois back on June 27th, 2023. At the time of the trade, Iafallo was seen as the “2nd or 3rd best” piece to this trade, and now Iafallo continues to be an important member of the middle of the Jets lineup. Iafallo went undrafted after his junior career, but after playing four seasons with the University or Minnesota-Duluth, Iafallo joined the Los Angeles Kings in the 2017-18 season.

Iafallo’s career high in points occured back in the 2019-20 NHL season, where he recorded 43 points in 70 games. Iafallo has averaged around 30-35 points a season throughout his career, and last season Iafallo scored 13 goals and added 16 assists for 29 points. Although the point total may seem a little low, Iafallo was 6th on the Jets for points, a sign that the team lacked quite a lot of depth scoring throughout the lineup in a season where they missed the playoffs. Due to injuries from various forwards, Iafallo spent time on pretty much every line at some point in the season. Iafallo is versatile enough to have this not “hurt his game”, and the 2026-27 NHL season will hopefully be one where Iafallo can settle into one line for the majority of the season.

Iafallo’s spot in the Jets lineup depends on what happens with several players in the pre-season. Viggo Bjork and Brad Lambert both have opportunities to earn 2nd line minutes alongside Cole Perfetti, but they’ll both need to prove they’re ready to be in a top six role. Iafallo could serve as a 2nd line winger (either on the left or right side) if one or both of them aren’t in that spot on opening night. The second option is for Iafallo to be an every game player on the Jets 3rd line, providing a little more of a “defensive” role with linemates that will be less focused on their scoring and more focused on shutting down their opponents.

In terms of special teams, Iafallo will likely see some playing time on the Jets 2nd powerplay unit and 2nd penalty kill unit. Iafallo continues to develop his skills on the special teams, something which adds to his versatility in the Jets lineup. Iafallo has a very reasonable cap hit of $3.66 million for the next two seasons, and the Jets will get full value out of Iafallo if he continues to be a reliable and versatile winger that can be a regular depth scoring and penalty killing forward.

With everything that Iafallo has to offer in mind, I could see Iafallo (with the right linemates) setting a new career high of 18 goals in the 2026-27 season, surpassing his previous career high of 17 goals in two different seasons. Depending on the quality of his linemates, Iafallo could reach 20 assists this upcoming season for a 38 point season, which would be the 2nd highest total of his career. Fans continue to view Iafallo as a hard working forward who accepts whatever challenges come his way, and the trust the Jets organization has for Iafallo with his skillset makes him a player to keep an eye on in the 2026-27 NHL season.

Up Next

The 2026 NHL off-season continues into the rest of August, as teams are still enjoying their last two or three weeks off before training camps begin in September. Stay tuned for more “goals and expectations” articles throughout the month of August (and early September) as I’ll look at what to expect from 2026-27 Jets players throughout the lineup. Let us know on our socials if there’s a certain player you’d like us to cover next, as we want to make sure this series covers the players you want to know more about!

PRESENTED BY PRAIRIE TOYOTA DEALERS

Goals and expectations for the newly signed defensive defenceman Mario Ferraro

Connor Baldwin — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 19:10:10 GMT

Follow us on our Jets Nation socials! X/Twitter: @NHLJetsNation and on Instagram: @JetsNationDotCa

The Winnipeg Jets are now Dylan Samberg (54) days away from opening their 2026-27 NHL season at home against the Boston Bruins. The long days of the NHL off-season are getting closer to completion, as we can almost start looking ahead to the season ahead.

Today marks the beginning of a series that I’ve covered the past two off-seasons known as the “goals and expectations” series. It’s a series that will preview what to expect (and predict) from Jets players in the 2026-27 season, starting with a player that I’ve hardly talked about this off-season since the Jets signed him: Mario Ferraro.

The Jets most notable free agent signing that will get regular playing time is Ferraro, a 27-year old left-handed defenceman from Toronto. Ferraro was drafted 49th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks. After playing two seasons of University hockey, Ferraro made his NHL debut with the Sharks in the 2019-20 season, and has been in the NHL with the Sharks ever since. Ferraro recorded a career high 23 points (7 goals and 16 assists) in 82 games in the 2025-26 season.

On July 1st, Ferraro was an unrestricted free agent, and the Jets signed the defensive defenceman to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $4 million. Not only did Ferraro set a career high in points last season, he also recorded 150 blocked shots, and averaged 21 minutes of ice-time, which was third on the Sharks. Ferraro played over 277 minutes on the ice shorthanded, which led the Sharks. Ferraro had 137 hits in the 2025-26 season, and you can consistently see him trying to get into those “tough” areas behind the net.

With all of those stats and numbers in mind, what should Jets fans expect from Ferraro in the 2026-27 season? He’s a player that I haven’t mentioned nearly enough since the Jets signed him, but I believe he’ll be a great fit on the Jets blue line. Ferraro is projected to play on the left side of the Jets third pairing, and his defence partner at the beginning of the season could be a few different players until Elias Salomonsson returns from injury. Ferraro should have another 20 point season while being a regular member of the Jets penalty kill, whether that be on the 1st or 2nd unit.

One thing that is certain, Jets fans will get to see a new hard-working, physical, and energetic defenceman in the 2026-27 season. Ferraro also has some leadership qualities, having spent some time as the Sharks alternate captain. Despite being just 5’11” and 200 lbs, Ferraro plays a physical game, collecting high totals in hits, shot blocks, and other defensive stats. Ferraro is a workhorse and one of those “glue guys” to any team he’s on, and Jets fans should be excited about this new addition for the upcoming 2026-27 NHL season.

Up Next

The 2026 NHL off-season continues into the rest of August, as teams are still enjoying their last few weeks off before training camps begin in September. Stay tuned for more “goals and expectations” articles throughout the month as I’ll look at what to expect from 2026-27 Jets players throughout the lineup. Let us know on our socials if there’s a certain player you’d like us to cover next, as we want to make sure this series covers the players you want to know more about!