Winning in the NHL isn't just about having stars. It’s about who is actually healthy and skating on a random Tuesday night in January. If you’ve been tracking the roster for Winnipeg Jets lately, you know exactly what I’m talking about. This team is a bit of a walking infirmary on the blue line right now, yet they’ve managed to pull off some gutsy wins that nobody saw coming.
Honestly, the narrative around the Jets this season has been all over the place. One week they look like a lock for the playoffs, and the next, they’re scrambling to find six healthy defensemen. It’s chaotic. But that’s hockey in the North.
The Defensive Crisis and the New Kids
Let’s get into the messy part first. The Jets’ defensive depth is being tested in a way that would make most GMs sweat. Right now, the roster for Winnipeg Jets is missing some massive pieces. Neal Pionk is on IR. Colin Miller just had surgery. Haydn Fleury had that terrifying incident where he went head-first into the boards.
It’s thin. Scary thin.
But you know what’s cool? We’re seeing what the future looks like. Elias Salomonsson and Isaak Phillips are getting minutes they probably didn’t expect to see until next year. Salomonsson, especially, has been thrown into the deep end, skating on the second pairing with Dylan Samberg. He’s 21. He’s raw. But he’s also exactly the kind of mobile, right-shot defenseman the Jets have been craving for years.
Scott Arniel, the head coach, basically said it best: "Look to the kids." They don't have a choice.
Current Blue Line Reality
- Josh Morrissey: Carrying the world on his shoulders. He’s a +14 right now and playing nearly 25 minutes a night.
- Dylan DeMelo: The steadying force. Without him, the top pair would crumble.
- Dylan Samberg: He’s moved up the depth chart and is proving he can handle top-four minutes.
- Logan Stanley: Still 6’7”, still physical, and currently leading the team in penalty minutes (91 PIMs). He’s also been known to fire the puck at nearly 98 MPH, which is... terrifying for anyone in the way.
- The Call-ups: Salomonsson and Phillips are the "X-factors" right now. If they can just tread water while Pionk and Miller recover, the Jets might survive this stretch.
That Forward Group is Weirdly Loaded
While the defense is a patchwork quilt, the forward lines are actually looking pretty scary. Mark Scheifele is playing some of the best hockey of his career. He’s leading the team with 58 points. Kyle Connor is right there with him, also sitting on 23 goals.
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But the real story is Jonathan Toews. Yeah, that Jonathan Toews.
Seeing him in a Jets jersey still feels a bit like a fever dream for some fans, but he’s been centering the second line between Cole Perfetti and Gabe Vilardi. It’s a veteran-heavy group that’s basically built for the postseason. If they get there.
You’ve also got the "Swiss Army Knife" Vladislav Namestnikov. This guy plays everywhere. Center, wing, power play, penalty kill—it doesn't matter. He’s the glue. And then there’s Adam Lowry, the captain. He just signed a five-year extension back in November, which tells you everything you need to know about how the organization views his leadership. He’s the heartbeat of the bottom six.
The Hellebuyck Factor
You can't talk about the roster for Winnipeg Jets without mentioning the guy in the mask. Connor Hellebuyck is the reason this team isn't bottom-feeding. He had a scare earlier this year with knee surgery—the same "sort of" procedure Colin Miller just had—but he’s back.
His stats aren't "Vezina-trophy-run" perfect (a 2.73 GAA and .889 SV% sounds lower than usual), but if you watch the games, he’s making 10-bell saves every night because the defense is, well, experimental.
Eric Comrie has been a solid backup, picking up seven wins, but this team lives and dies by Hellebuyck. If he’s healthy, they have a chance. If he’s not, it’s going to be a long winter in Manitoba.
The Salary Cap Tightrope
Kevin Cheveldayoff is playing a dangerous game with the cap. The Jets are sitting with about $1.3 million in space. That’s not much.
They have a bunch of big contracts coming up. Cole Perfetti is going to need a massive raise. He’s an RFA next summer, and after a 50-point season, he won't be cheap. Then you have the veterans like Gustav Nyquist and Tanner Pearson on one-year deals. They’re contributing, but are they part of the long-term plan? Probably not.
The roster for Winnipeg Jets is built to win now, but "now" is currently hampered by the injury bug.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you’re looking at this roster and wondering what to watch for over the next month, here is the breakdown:
- Watch the Salomonsson/Samberg pairing. If these two can find chemistry, the Jets might not need to overpay for a defenseman at the trade deadline.
- Keep an eye on the power play. With Pionk out, Josh Morrissey is the only true quarterback left. If he gets tired or hurt, the man-advantage will stall.
- Monitor the schedule. The Jets are currently 8th in the Central. They have games coming up against Chicago and St. Louis—teams they must beat to stay in the wild-card hunt.
- The "Toews Factor." Check his faceoff percentages. If he’s winning draws in the defensive zone, it takes a massive load off the young guys like Perfetti.
The Jets aren't a perfect team. Far from it. They’re a veteran core supported by a group of rookies who were forced to grow up way too fast. It's high-stakes, it's messy, and it's exactly why Winnipeg is one of the most interesting teams to follow in the league right now.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep a close watch on the Manitoba Moose transactions. The next big piece of the Jets' blue line is likely sitting in a bus in the AHL right now, just waiting for the phone to ring. That’s the reality of the 2026 season. Get used to the new names, because they’re going to be around for a while.