We are getting closer and closer to the start of the Winnipeg Jets season and we are starting to see folks getting excited for the 2024/25 season.  with that excitement comes bold predictions Connor and I will go through some of our favorite predictions and where we sit on them.

Angus- Brad Lambert winning the Calder Cup is a real possibility. The Jets are looking for someone to step up and be the second line center. That’s where he thrived while being a pro.

Lambert spent his draft year playing against men in Finland and spent the last two years refining his skills will guys his age and size. The potential is there all he has to do is show up and be consistent and if he can consistently play in the top nine, there is a real chance he could be a finalist.

Connor– I’d have to say it’s a bit of a reach for Brad Lambert to win the Calder trophy in the 2024-25 season. Is it possible? Sure, if the Jets have a franchise best year and Lambert somehow ends up on the top line with a version of prime Mark Scheifele and a career-best year from Kyle Connor. I just think that this year’s crop of players that are eligible for the Calder is too stacked. You got Matvei Michkov, the potential next great Russian forward in the NHL, the number 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini, and Logan Stankoven (yes he’s still eligible), who made an instant impact for the Dallas Stars at the end of last season.

That’s only a few of the top rookies going into the 2024-25 season. Going back to Lambert, I still find it tough to believe that he will even be able to make the Jets starting lineup for opening night. It would be ideal for the Jets to include Lambert if he proves that he deserves a spot during training camp, but I just think there’s too many spots “filled” in the Jets forward group, with not many openings at the start of the year. Lambert is still someone that you should be excited to watch early into next season, and while I don’t think he’s winning the Calder, I would be fairly confident in saying that he reaches the 30-40 point mark if he plays in the Jets top 6.

THE TIME IS NOW FOR NIKOLAJ EHLERS TO BE A TOP LINER IN THE NHL. Kyle Connor is a stud but we all know the magic of Ehlers, Mark Scheifele and Gabe Vilardi on the top line. That line makes magic happen and if new head coach Scott Arniel is a man of his word and wants Ehlers to stay in Winnipeg he will make sure that line is together.

5-on-5 that line that top line could pump out 90 goals if they are healthy and get to play together on a regular basis, Scheifele and Ehlers could learn each others habits and be a pairing unmatched in the NHL.

Connor Now this one right here is capital B-O-L-D. Out of these 3 bold predictions, this one is easily the boldest of the bunch. I’m a big fan of Nikolaj Ehlers, he’s probably my second favourite player on the Jets behind Mark Scheifele, but I see absolutely no way this one happens. Could Ehlers hit the 30 goal mark for the first time in his career this season? Absolutely, and I think that could very well happen finally, especially with the upcoming motivation of playing for his next contract.

The only way I could see Ehlers getting top line honours is if Gabriel Vilardi struggles or knock on wood, gets injured. Even then, playing on the top line with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele wouldn’t allow Ehlers to be the main goal scorer on that line because of his more “all-around” playstyle.

I think Ehlers is going to surprise some people this season, but not to the point where he scores 50 goals or remains on the top line for an extended period of time. The Great Dane will likely be on the second line with an improved Cole Perfetti and one of Vladislav Namestnikov / Adam Lowry / Brad Lambert, so Ehlers could be the one driving the majority of the scoring on that line.

Angus- Connor Hellebuyck winning his third Vezina would lock him up in the hockey hall of fame even without a cup. That being said winning back-to-back Vezina’s probably isn’t going to happen unless he going on another run of not allowing three or more goals against. We haven’t seen a back-to-back Vezina winner since Martin Brodeur did it in 2007 and 2008.

I want to believe that Hellebuyck can do it but will his defence be good enough to get him there? Probably not.

Are seven shutouts possible for the Jets starter? Yes. He had six in the shortened Covid season and had five last year. I want to think it could happen like the Vezina trophy but it depends more on his defenders.

Connor- I like this prediction here. It’s bold for sure, but in a good way. Connor Hellebuyck will be hungry this upcoming season after a less than ideal playoffs. A third Vezina and 7 shutouts is not out of the question for Hellebuyck, but he’ll need some help from his team along the way. The Jets defense will need some ironing out to figure out who works best with who (besides the top pair of Morrissey and DeMelo) so it may take Hellebuyck a little while to really lock in this season.

The top competitors for Hellebuyck are Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin, Jeremy Swayman and Thatcher Demko. If the Rangers are as good in the regular season as they were last year, I think this year’s Vezina goes to Shesterkin, who some are now calling the best goalie in the league. That being said, never sleep on Hellebuyck, who has his ways of surprising people as the season goes on with his consistent great play. The tougher part of this prediction might just be the 7 shutouts, but if Hellebuyck does reach that number that’ll certainly give him a strong chance at winning that Vezina once again.