3 Way-Too-Early Jets Predictions for the 2025-26 Season

With Nikolaj Ehlers gone, the Jets’ top line of Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Gabriel Vilardi might be leaned on a little harder than last season, leading to an increase in chances for Connor. If the power play can continue to operate at the elite level it did for much of last season (Connor had 28 points on the man advantage) 100 is within reach as long as he stays healthy.

2: Connor Hellebuyck 3-Peats As Vezina Trophy Winner

Last season, Connor Hellebuyck reached a new level of dominance en route to his second-straight Vezina victory and first Hart Trophy win, posting a 47-12-3 record, 2.00 goals against average, .925 save percentage, eight shutouts, and 41.6 goals saved above expected.

Putting his three-straight subpar postseasons aside, there’s no doubt Hellebuyck is the league’s best regular-season goaltender. While he has stolen countless games for his team since making his NHL debut in 2015-16, he doesn’t have to work as hard as he did earlier in his career to post great numbers. That’s mainly thanks to the team-wide focus on maintaining a stout defensive structure that Rick Bowness implemented and head Scott Arniel continued to stress as paramount in his first year behind the bench.

With last season’s strong blue line featuring the rock-solid Dylan DeMelo, dynamic Josh Morrissey, re-emergent Neal Pionk, and rapidly-rising Dylan Samberg in tact alongside returning veterans Haydn Fleury, Colin Miller, and Luke Schenn, Hellebuyck shouldn’t be shelled that often this season like he was in the Paul Maurice era when the defense in front of him was, to put it charitably, sketchy at times.

If Hellebuyck can maintain a similar standard to last season, there’s no reason he can’t be the first goaltender since Dominik Hasek to three-peat as Vezina winner (“The Dominator” did it from 1997 through 1999 with the Buffalo Sabres). Hellebuyck could still do it even if his numbers dip a bit.

3: Jets Regress, But Still Make Playoffs

The Jets have given themselves a tough act to follow after capturing the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy and winning 56 games last season. They enter this season still a strong and well-balanced team considered by most to be a Stanley Cup contender, but it will be a big challe nge for them to replicate their 116-point 2024-25. Indeed, they could be among the clubs that regress.

General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff didn’t sign anyone flashy in free agency to replace Ehlers, one of the team’s most unique and gamebreaking talents. Instead, he will depend upon veteran free-agent additions Gustav Nyquist and Tanner Pearson, youngster Brad Lambert, and other middle-six players to make up for Ehlers’ 63-points by aggregate. It’s always a risk to rely on known commodities to suddenly do more, bank on bounce-backs from players who struggled last season, or depend on young players to break out big.

The special teams taking a step back, Hellebuyck regressing badly, or long-term injuries to star players are other possibilities that could lead to a dip in success. The Central Division will be as sharp a buzz saw as ever, and if Jets do hit some turbulence, they could find themselves in a fight for a wild-card spot down the stretch with some combination of the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues above them in the Central’s top-three spots.

This author doesn’t believe the Jets are in danger of missing the playoffs. Heck, they could surprise us and be right in the thick of the Presidents’ Trophy race again — remember, most pegged them as bubble playoff team at best entering last season, and they blew all expectations out of the water. The “underestimated” category seems to be where they thrive the most.

The Jets will definitely do all they can to finish in the Central’s top three again this season. Finishing in a wild-card spot would make a deep playoff run pretty tough as they would face either the Western Conference’s or Central’s top team in the first round and would not have home-ice advantage (need we remind you they went 0-6 and were outscored 27-9 on the road in the 2025 playoffs?)

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