Winnipeg Jets News

Last season's Vezina trophy winner picked up where he left off, saving all 30 shots he faced for a shutout in a dominant 6-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. The 31-year-old Hellebuyck has led the league in appearances amongst goalies in four of the last seven seasons and is expected to be amongst the leaders again this season. Hellebuyck will likely return to the crease on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Jets enter action as sizeable -266 home favorites against a Blackhawks team that was defeated 5-2 in their season-opening matchup against the Utah Hockey Club.

With Wyatt Kaiser returning from illness, Phillips has been sent down to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. Last season, Phillips split time between Rockford and Chicago. The 23-year-old defenseman set a career-high in games played last season, scoring six points (0G / 6A) in 33 games with the Blackhawks.

For the first time in his young career, Skinner enters the 2024-25 campaign as the undisputed starting goalie for the Edmonton Oilers. The 25-year-old Skinner had an up-and-down 2023-24 season, posting a 2.62 GAA and .905 SV% in 59 games (36-16-5), but had a 17-game stretch to end the season (11-2-3) where he allowed three or fewer goals in all but one game, posting a .922 SV% before leading his club to the Stanley Cup finals. Skinner and the Oilers will open the season against a Winnipeg Jets club he posted a 2-0-1 record against along with a 2.27 GAA and .910 SV%.

Hellebuyck has been away from the team for two days due to a personal family issue but will be ready to start in goal for the Jets' season opener against the Edmonton Oilers. The 31-year-old American netminder was tremendous last season, winning his second Vezina trophy with a 2.39 GAA and .921 SV% in 60 games (37-19-4). That said, Hellebuyck and the Jets will be put to the test in their first game of the season against the high-flying offense of the Stanley Cup runner-ups.

Hellebuyck is away from the team due to a personal family issue but is expected to play in the Jets' season opener on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 31-year-old American netminder was tremendous last season, winning his second Vezina trophy with a 2.39 GAA and .921 SV% in 60 games (37-19-4).

Lambert was the 30th overall pick of the Jets in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and was speculated to be an option for the team on their opening-night roster but will begin the season with the Manitoba Moose (AHL). The 20-year-old Lambert scored 55 points (21G / 34A) in 64 games with Manitoba last season.

After a long drawn-out summer of negotiations, Cole Perfetti and Winnipeg have agreed to a two-year, $6.5 million contract extension ($3.250,000 AAV) on Monday. The 22-year-old was Winnipeg's 2020 1st-round pick (10th overall) and is entering his fourth season with the team. In 2023-24, he had career highs in goals (19), points (38), games played (71), powerplay points (11) and SOG (142).

When Rutger McGroarty announced he would be returning to Michigan (NCAA) this upcoming April he handcuffed Winnipeg which has led to them trading his rights to Pittsburgh for Brayden Yager. Yager was Pittsburgh's 2023 1st round pick (14th overall) and has already signed his three-year, entry-level contract. The 19-year-old is expected to return to Moose Jaw for the 2024-25 season where he had 35 goals and 95 points in 57 games played in 2023-24.

Phillips set career highs in both games played (33) and assists (6) in 2023-24 and has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract to remain with Chicago. The 22-year-old mobile defensemen has struggled defensively in his three NHL seasons with a collective -37 plus/minus in just 53 career games played but will look to improve that ugly number when he takes on an expected bigger role in 2024-25.

Yager was Pittsburgh's 2023 1st round pick (14th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Penguins on Thursday. The 19-year-old forward has spent the last four seasons in Moose Jaw (WHL) and had 35 goals and 95 points in 57 games played in 2023-24.

Thrun appeared in 51 games for San Jose picking up three goals, 11 points and a -22 plus/minus and has earned himself a two-year, $2 million contract extension. The 23-year-old was drafted by Anaheim in the 4th round of the 2019 NHL Draft and is expected to take a big leap forward in 2024-25 in San Jose's top defensive pairings.

Winnipeg strengthened up its defensive unit once more on Wednesday as it signed 28-year-old defenseman Haydn Fleury to a one-year, two-way contract. Fleury was drafted seventh overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft and has 10 goals and 37 points in 268 career games across seven seasons. In 2023-24, he had a goal, five points and a +5 plus/minus in 24 games played.

Boston added to its offensive depth on Monday by signing Cole Koepke to a one-year, two-way contract through the 2024-25 season. The 26-year-old has appeared in 26 games between the last two seasons with Tampa Bay but had no goals, two assists, and nine SOG in nine games with the Lightning in 2023-24.

Gregor will leave the Maple Leafs but stay in Ontario after signing a one-year, $850,000 deal with Ottawa on Monday. The 25-year-old will join his third team in three seasons after putting up six goals, 12 points, and 110 SOG in 63 games played with Toronto in 2023-24.

In his fourth full season with the Jets, DeMelo finished with a career-high 31 points (3G / 28A) in 82 games. The 31-year-old has now posted 100-plus hits and blocked shots in three consecutive years and is a key part of the Jets' penalty kill.

Skinner allowed one goal on 21 shots in the Oilers' Game 6 win over the Panthers. After dropping the first three games of the series, Skinner has gone 3-0 while only giving up five goals on 86 shots (.942 SV%) in the last three games. He's now 14-8 with a .901 SV% in 22 playoff games.

Skinner got the Oilers back in the win column in Game 4, stopping 32 of 33 shots (.970 SV%) and will look to have some similar fortunes as Edmonton heads to Florida on Tuesday. The 25-year-old Edmonton native has had an up-and-down postseason so far, with his 12-8-0 record, 2.51 GAA and .898 SV%. He heads to Florida on Tuesday, where Edmonton will be looking to extend the series to six games and keep the Panthers from winning their first-ever Stanley Cup.