Winnipeg Jets 2025-26 NHL Season Preview

Winnipeg Jets 2025-26 NHL Season Preview

Hello everybody and welcome into another season preview show here at the Hockey Raiders YouTube channel. I’m your host Matthew Zour and we are up to the Winnipeg Jets as we continue previewing the seasons and all the teams. We’re up to uh 30 now and we got a couple more teams to go before the season starts. But I got got Mark here who uh helps cover the Jets here at the site as well as the Stars. Uh Mark, how’s it going? It’s going great, Maddie. Thank you once again for having me. Just like the playoffs, I got to see you multiple times and in the season preview I get to see you multiple times. So, I don’t know who’s luckier, me or you. But, uh, it’s good to be here, man. Thank you. For sure. Yeah, we’re I mean, hockeyy’s just around the corner. I mean, as we’re recording this, training camps are on. We got preseason hockey just around the corner. Tomorrow, in fact, we got some going on. So, yeah, hockeyy’s finally here. and this off season is nearing an end. The longest off seasonason I’ve ever experienced, at least in my uh writing career. So, I mean, yeah, it’s great to have uh hockey back. So, we’re going to talk about the Winnipeg Jets, of course, coming off the season where they won the President’s Trophy. I unfortunately got kicked by your Dallas Stars. Oh, so that uh that’s kind of interesting. You’re both you’re covering both teams here. Um, so yeah, it’s it’s going to be interesting to see what they do this season. Uh, I mean, they’re they did make some changes in the offseason, mostly to the forward group. Lots of new additions there. So, let’s let’s begin there and talking with I mean, I’d put down a bunch of these guys. I Jonathan Tavage is probably the biggest addition. We got a few other veterans in there. You can pick pick and choose which guys you want to talk about the most. Um, or you can talk about them all, whatever you want to do. Yeah, I mean obviously Taves is the big number one and Nyquist is a very distant second, right? Like Taves is the whole conversation right now and rightfully so. Um I’ll start with uh Nyquist just because I think Taves is the longer conversation. Nyquist two years ago career season he’s had 20 plus goals one other time in his career. very very down year last year with the Predators and then even more down when he was traded to the Wild. I think his time with the Wild including playoffs like uh 4% shooting percentage. They’re going to really need him to step it up. Obviously, you’re going to talk about the departures and there was one big key one that they’re going to have to replace some goals. So, they’re going to want Nyquis to have at least 20 plus. Um, and we’ll see if if he still has that. I’m assuming him and um I follow will probably bounce kind of back and forth second, third line. Maybe not, but that just feels how this is probably going to go. Taves is obviously the big one. Yeah. First of all, this doesn’t have to be said. Huge story. Like super awesome. Really happy for him to be back. Obviously from Winnipeg. Um, but he hasn’t played hawk in two years. One of the best captains that the game seen pretty much at like whether it’s team Canada, I don’t know if he was captain team Canada, probably not with Crosby there, but was a leader there and obviously what he did with the Blackhawks. Awesome to see him back. So that out of the way, really good story. Feelood story. As far as on the ice goes, Mattie, like your guess is as good as mine, right? Like he’s currently second line um center. I think ideally he’s never been like a huge goal scorer. I think his career high is 35 I believe. Um, but in a perfect world, he can facilitate for Perfetti and for Nyquist and can be that winning face off, moving the puck. That’s that’s But I mean, he said it that his legs aren’t quite back yet. And of course, they’re not right. They’re two years not playing hockey at at the professional level. So, in a perfect world, it’s a perfect fit. If he doesn’t work out, they’re super thin down the middle. And so, that that is a concern. Um, but obviously, we’re all rooting for the best. Um, and as of right now, everyone loves him. His hands are great apparently and his legs are picking up. Um, but that is the riskreward is if he hits, he hits, but if not, they don’t have a lot of big help down the middle. It’s true. I mean, it’s great sign. He’s coming into training camp and looks great. I mean, all signs look like that. I mean, he seems like he hasn’t been out for that long, but yeah. Yeah. I mean, he’s up there in age. He’s I mean it’d be great for him to look even semi even I’d say even a a 50% Taves is that is better than no Taves the way he’s playing right the way he’s played in his career. So I mean I I really like I really like that that he’s looking good so far. So we’ll see once the you know the of course the pressure ramps up in preeason and then of course the regular season like practice is practice right. It’s it’s it’s interesting to see. Yes, they they may look good there, but then once they get into the physical, you know, regular games, it it changes. So, we’ll see how it goes there. I mean, all these guys coming in like, you know, Tanner Pearson’s not the Tanner Pearson of old either. I mean, he’s not that 20 goal scorer he used to be. So, I mean, a lot of these guys are looking for we’re going to talk about bounceback seasons and stuff and Nyquist of course falls into that. So, yeah, lots of maybe question marks in this a lot of these additions. So, it’s going to be interesting to see how all them kind of mesh with the team. Yeah. All right. What I mean, the obvious one for big storylines in the forward group is Nikolai Eers is no longer a Jet and they’re going to have to replace his goals and his speed, which I mean, he brought a lot of. Um, is that the biggest story line heading into the season here? I think so. I mean, if you’re not talking about the ice, Kyle Connor’s contract like that. Sorry. Kyle Connor, his contract is a hot topic right now. So, if you’re not talking about the game itself, that’s going to be around until it’s not, if you know what I mean, right? So, that might be something to talk about later. I think for sure, man. I think the Winnipeg Jets are so funny, dude. Like, they they’re just this team that it doesn’t matter how much success they have, there’s always these questions of are they really that good? Like, are they really going to do this again? Now he was like what I loved about him obviously scored goals like you said was fast but he was clutch like a minute 90 seconds left you want him with the puck who’s going to be that guy right Pphetti showed that especially game seven last year against the Blues who’s going to be that guy I do think that’s the big storyline the other one for me and we talked about Taves if Taves hits then this whole roster is slotted perfectly. I think Pearson on the fourth line’s a really good pickup. Like you said, he’s not the guy he was, but still good on that uh fourth line. I’m going to butcher this name. My brain’s escaping me. the third line center. Um, name Sikov. I’m butchering that name. I’m already butchering. I knew I was butchering it. Sometimes my brain just falls out of my head. Um, he was a very borderline second line center last year. And so if Taves hit, he plays third center until Lowry comes back, goes down to the fourth. that is perfectly slotted for him. Um, so it’s not what we were talking about just now about Taves personally, what will he do, but if he hits the whole roster benefit. So like I think those two things are the big ones. Um, I don’t think it’s a big one, but the overunder on Connor Hellbuck starts, that’s going to be a hot topic of conversation, too. Uh but to me, who can replace the um goal scoring and if Taves hits that whole roster is just perfectly slotted where they need to be. It’s true. I mean, Nomesticov’s done a great job in that second Nomesticov. I need to get that into my head. Thank you. He He’s done a great job in the second line center role. We’ve talked about it in the past on preview shows, playoff previews, I believe we talked about it, too. is that they don’t have a traditional second line center where you’re like, “Yeah, he’s in the lead, you know, top of, you know, top second line center. They he’s done it. I mean, and they’ve been successful. They won a President’s Trophy with him as a second line center.” So, I mean, it works. And you add Taves and he is good. Then, Domestic obviously, like you say, slotted down the lineup and he’s facing lesser, you know, lesser defenders. He might even be better. So, I mean, yeah, that’s gonna be an interesting thing to watch because yeah, Messikov’s done whatever he can, even though he’s not looked at around the league as a second line center. He’s more like, yeah, more third line on most teams, but this is a great Jets team and he was a second line center. So, that’s pretty good. Yep. No, you’re right. All right. Looking at the defense, which I mean, not really any major changes. They added a couple like lesser names, but nothing that really moves the needle. So, they’re pretty much bringing back the the veteran core, the guys that were there last season led by Josh Moresy. What do you see as storylines uh question marks if any in the defense group this season? Yeah, I mean the question mark for me, the big one is they have a lot of depth of like um third pair defenseman, lots of third pair defenseman. If one of those top four guys goes out, depending who it is, Luke Shen can probably go up Flurry if he has to. But beyond that and even that like they don’t have like really solid defensive depth other than a ton of guys who could play the fifth spot, the sixth spot. So that’s the one thing for me. Can they like be healthy? I think Pian had a phenomenal year last year. What’s next for him? Samberg like listening to like um Jets radio, Jets podcast, they love this Samberg guy and he played terrific last year, especially playoffs, right? So, and I believe five Yeah, 5.75 like um new deal, right? So, what’s next for him? Josh Moresy for me, I just love watching this guy play, man. Like this might be off of your question. I just got to say like Josh Morsy, watching him play, I think maybe it’s because he’s the Jets. I don’t know. But when you talk about the best defenseman, like his name comes up like way down the list. Yeah. And I just think that like the way he defends, the way he shoots the puck, um um it’s just like phenomenal. they just don’t have anybody beyond that like that top four to replace somebody like him or even like Samberg pian what have you. So that’s my big storyline is like this decor they have to stay healthy. Um, they’re also kind of old, like if we’re if we’re talking about it that way. And I know this sounds kind of negative, but they were the best defensive team last year, right? And I think that’s what I mean about the Jets team, dude, is they I think they allowed was it like 170 goals or something stupid like they like really good. Yeah. And I I know they have a hella buck, but that defensive core is really good. But this is what I mean is that they they played so well, but you can’t help but ask the question like Josh Morrisy’s 30 years old, Dlo 32, Pian 30, Flurry 29, Shen 35. Like are any of these guys wheels going to fall off anytime soon here? Like that is something fair to ask. So those would be um yeah, some of the questions that I’m keeping my eye on as we move forward here. Yeah, I mean Hayden Flurry, he came into the lineup when Josh Morrisy got was hurt in the playoffs, right? And he looked really good. So, he might take a bigger role this season, maybe. I mean, we’ll see how that goes. But, yeah, I do agree with that. I mean, it’s it’s something that injury to a key guy, all of a sudden they’re scrambling for guys to kind of fill in. So, that’s going to be an interesting thing if they maybe address that to get another defender. We’ll see. But I think I think that is definitely a burning question to watch for during the season as well. Right. The goalending, no question marks there. Uh Connor Habib and Eric Comry are the duo again, the tandem coming into the season. Helabuk and Trophy winner. We don’t have to talk a lot about his playoff performance because that won’t be a question until the playoffs. We all know he’s great in the regular season. I is this tandem? I mean, are they I’m not gonna say they good enough because they probably are. I Do you have any thoughts on the goalending going into the season? Um, I mean, with Connor Halbuck, like we all know what the guy’s going to do during the regular season and we all know it’s the same conversation with him as it is for the, you know, Toronto Maple Leafs, as it is for the Dallas Stars, as it is for whatever really good team in the regular season you want to talk about, whatever the sport is. is what about the playoffs? We know during the regular season this guy’s going to start 60 games minimum. He’s going to win most of them. He probably going to be at least top three Vzna candidate. Um and by February is like will he backtoback heart trophy like this is I think we can just kind of pen that in. Yeah. Like comry last year nine wins 10 losses. I mean, 2.39 goals against 914 save percentage. Like when you look at the wins lost, you’re like, “Oh, whenever like Connor’s not in the net, the Jet like they’re going to lose.” He played really well. He just didn’t really get like the run support that he needed when he played. So, I had no problem with Comry coming back. Um, and yeah, that’s really all there is to be said. I think we know what Connor Hellbeck’s going to be. And I actually like Comry last year. I just think he had some bad luck uh where his team was like I don’t know maybe before the game started they’re like oh well boys chop this one up to an L we’ll be back on Monday I don’t know um but his stats were actually pretty good for the games that he played that’s true and you mentioned earlier with the workload of seeing you know Hella Buck maybe playing less and but that’s showing that you know Comry should be playing a bit more games then and being confident that he can do that. So, because Hellob might have that fatigue might have come into play in the playoffs. We don’t know. So, and like it would be good for him to get some less less games. Yeah. And and I mean like last year was the Four Nations, this year. Right. Right. So, but it’s just so funny like with goalies, Maddie, and I’m curious like your thought like he like he’ll tell you, I want to play more like I’ll play 70 games and the Olympics. I don’t care. I’m fascinated by this. Like, why can’t goalies play like more game? Anyway, that’s a different podcast. But, um there’s no doubt he should probably play less. But if you ask him, bro, he wants them all. Like, he wants them all. So, so we’ll see what happens. He’s one of the only goalies that that teams really rely on. Hell, Basilki is probably the other one. Yeah. Um I mean, maybe Jay Goter maybe falls in that category, too. They, you know, the stars kind of rely on him a lot. So, I mean, there’s not a lot of goalenders that that can do it too, right? and and a team that’s confident enough to play them that many games, right? All right. Looking at the division, which of course they won uh last season because they won the whole league. Um what are you looking at? Are they still the top or I mean they’re probably going to be fighting again with those two the three powers in the central division. There are other teams coming up though that you know doing all these previews. Utah is always talked is being talked about as maybe taking a jump not into that top three but kind of challenging it. So is that what you see him as the Jets still that class of the division or are they going to get a bit of competition? Yeah, you know they were so good in every category last year whether it’s scoring goals, goals against power play. I think they were 13th in the penalty kill, which isn’t great, but still top 15. Like, they were just so good all across the board all year long. Like, we talked about the Dallas Stars a couple weeks ago. The Dallas Stars were really good from January on, but they had to work their way to get there. Winnipeg just dropped the puck and they were just dominant the whole season. So, you would expect that to to not be that way, you right? You would expect it to not be quite that simple. Um, I just think that with like Dallas, I don’t think that their roster necessarily got better, but like the new coach, new philosophy, they have a lot of really young good players who just keep getting better. So, they didn’t really add better players, but their roster got better just based on the youth. Colorado got a lot like um deeper. their goalending, while it is better than it was, is still kind of a question mark for me. I don’t see the Jets um and listen, I I I like this Jets team. I just don’t think they did enough to keep up to to being the like the top. If anything, if the Jets were like the standard last year, they’re probably like um uh blending more in with the three maybe the wild card spot. That’s my personal opinion. I also think that you’re talking about um who’ you mention Utah. Yeah. And don’t get me wrong, I really like Utah. They’re still the Coyotes kind of. So, I’ll see it when I see it, right? But the Blues, like the Blues, the Blues puked on themselves. Like, they should have won that series last year, right? We can praise Winnipeg all we want. And rightfully so, man. That was an incredible game. I’ll never forget that game. One of the best games of the whole playoffs that game seven. But the like the Blues, two and a half hours before that game ended, the Blues should have been on a plane. Yeah. And right. So the Blues I think are going to be a lot better. So I think they’ll be good. I just don’t think that they did much to really keep that position as the Kings. Like like the Kings of the Central, not the Kings. Yeah. Yeah. No, I I agree with that. I think like the question marks of you know is Taves a second line center or is he more a you know Nomesticov type where yeah you know more yeah I don’t know um or Nasticov is the second line center and Taves Slatson is the third line center which I mean I guess it’ be fine but it it is yeah it’s going to be something I I don’t think they did enough either. I I mean to be the winners and to be the presence trophy winners again that’s a pretty tall order especially when you didn’t really add anyone to replace Eers and because the guys they did add none of them are speeders I mean none of them have that speed so they’ve lost a lot in that department and that’s a I think that’s a big deal yeah in this division 100% just one more thing I also think like if I’m the Jets I don’t really want what I had last year. I don’t really want to dominate the whole year. I don’t want to be peasants. I don’t want because like the Dallas Stars and I cover the Stars. I like the Stars. I want the Stars to do well. The Stars were in no position to beat the Jets in six games, like let alone win the series. like the Jet like like the Dallas Stars were getting by series after series by the skin of their teeth based on their talent. The Jets probably should have won that series, but by the middle of that second round, they just didn’t have anything left. And so, personally, I’m just like, okay, we’ll take 10 less points and be like, you know, a little more rested, a little more healthy come the second round. So, that’s my my personal opinion on that. Yeah, it’s true. I mean, the President’s Trophy, how many teams have won the cup after winning the President’s Trophy? There’s not many. So, yeah, it’s not something that that dictates success in the playoffs. Ask the Florida Panthers. They they don’t even win divisions and they win cups. So, yeah, they don’t care. Yeah. All right. Uh let’s do our quick fire round now and uh all the quick questions. So, let’s uh start with the biggest story line going to this season. It’s probably something we’ve talked about. What do you got for this one? Yeah, I mean, yeah, it has to be in my opinion. I think so. There’s three things I think. Number one is even though it’s not the regular season, I do think like the biggest question is what is a success for this team? Like it second round again? Is it cut? because there’s some people that’ll tell you it’s cup or bust and I don’t agree with that. I think Western Conference final is like where this team has to go. Um, so I think that’s a really big question for this team going into it. I I know we already talked about it a couple times here, but it has to be Jonathan Taves, right? And I think we’re going to know like I feel like by like US Thanksgiving, we’re probably going to know, okay, what is this guy? Do they need to go out and find some a different solution? And like I said, I think if he’s scoring 15 goals or 13 goals, but like Cole Perfetti is scoring 25 to 35 like people think he can, right? If uh Nyquis scores 26 27 goals because Taves is just feeding them the puck and giving them the like like that’s what they want. So that’s has to be another question. And to me, like I once again I already mentioned and it’s a really hot topic right now is this Kyle Connor contract. Like like it it’s it’s not on the ice. But there’s a real feeling right now in Winnipeg that if a contract is not done by the deadline that they should trade him, that they should move him. Um because if you lose him for nothing, it’s that would be not a great situation for the Jets clearly. So, even though that’s not on the ice, I do think that’s going to be now, uh, shovel deafs come out and apparently everyone thinks now that they’re going to get this deal done, but that is something that I can think it’ll get done, which means nothing. And they’ll think, they might think it’ll get done, but until it’s done, you’re going to hear it on talk radio every single day. So, that might not be on the ice, but it’s important. It’s something I’ll hang over the team, right? It’s always being asked about it. It can become a distraction and that’s what I’m worried about in Vancouver, too. Just for Quinn Hughes, not this year, next year. It’s already been talked about, but whatever. But it’s true. And then the Oilers, of course, we all know it’s Conor McDavid stuff. Yeah. It can be a distraction even though they say, “No, it’s not going to be. We’re going to focus on the ice.” Well, that’s easier said than done when the media keeps asking you about it. So, yeah, they won’t let it let it alone. That’s for sure. All right. Uh, what do you got for a breakout star this season? Breakout star. I think um he has been breaking out. I don’t think he’s a star quite yet. I’m really curious to see. And whenever you ask me these questions, I always pick the lowhanging fruit. I don’t go out like, you know, swinging for a home run. But like Cole Perfetti didn’t get a ton of opportunity when uh um uh Bonis was there. Yeah. Last year was clearly his best season since coming in. Now again with Taves, this is a real opportunity for him to like really break out and I think he’s capable of between 25 and 35 goals. What I was so impressed with about him last season, especially the last half of the season, but during the playoffs, like he played really well, especially that first round. I’m curious to see with him. Um the other name that that I’m curious of. And it like Lowry will be coming back, he says late October, early November. It was supposed to be around December. So, we’ll see kind of where that falls, but um Morgan Baron is given a really good opportunity here and I think he uh he’s currently slotted fourth line center and I think he can be a really really good depth piece for this team. My again my tip to Baron, whatever that’s worth to him in the first four weeks, play your butt off because when Lowry comes back, you’re going to be maybe one of the first to go if you can keep up the good work, keep it up, and make them keep you there. Um, I think that’ll be huge for this team. Um, and so those would be the two for me. Other than that, I think they pretty much have like their pieces. like there’s no real wiggle room. I think Valardi terrific year last year. Can he keep that going? So, there’s no real breakout like I I I just think that they have their guys, but Perfetti needs to continue to keep making that next step. And I think Morgan Baron with Lowry being out for at least one month, this is a huge opportunity for him to continue to to prove that he belongs there. Yeah, those are two good names, especially Perfetti being um you know, playing with a guy like Taves. I mean, Taves might not be the Taves of old, but he’s still very skilled guy that can, you know, maybe teach him a few things, too, which is which is always good as well. All right. Who do you have for someone that needs to bounce back? We mentioned Nyquist. Of course, he wasn’t on the team uh last season, but definitely had a bad season compared to what he did the previous one where he had I think over 80 points or close to that. They would love if he get come back to being that. Is he the big guy or do you have someone else there too? I think I think that would have to be him. I think that the other guys like Nether Writer is a like very good depth piece, but you kind of know what you’re getting from him. I don’t think you’re really looking at him. He got 17 goals last year. You’re not really looking at him to to do I mean, obviously 20 would be nice, but you’re not kind of looking to me it it it has to be Nyquist. And I think I think because he wasn’t there last year, I think that you’re right. Like normally it would be somebody who was on the team. Yeah. But because of what they lost, that kind of heightens what they need from him. Yeah. More than Right. Cuz that’s what this is is you lost this guy to Carolina. He’s gonna go and probably score 35 to 40 goals and this is who you have. Yeah. To replace him. Like no disrespect to Nyquist, but that’s the general feeling right now. So like despite the fact that he wasn’t there last year, I think it has to be him, man. cuz they’re like not just seeing 24 plus goals walk out the door, but like you said, his speed, the way he passed the puck, his clutch gene, like the final 90 seconds of a game, like you’re losing a lot with him and he was there for a long time. Yeah. So, unfortunately for Nyquist, it’s pretty big shoes to fill. Um but and and he’s not going to completely fill those shoes by himself. No. But he has to have some resemblance of the Nyquist from a couple years ago that helped the Predators go on that magical run. And quite frankly, they should have beat your team. But like your team found a way just like the Jets found a way last season. Your team, what was it like down three nothing? You guys raised from the dead and just figured it out. Um Byquist was a huge part of that Predator’s team. Yeah. and he has to find some resemblance of that for this team. Like I think they’ll be okay if he doesn’t, but if you want any resemblance of that dominant team that we saw last year, especially like we didn’t really talk about it too much, but that but that power play last year was incredible. Um, and he’s going to be a part of that u just by necessity. Mhm. So, it’ll be curious to see how that happens. Uh yeah, moving forward. Yeah, Nyquist, I mean, he’s gonna be playing with a similar type center as well. He played with Ryan O’Reilly, very good two-way veteran center. Now he played with Taves. Might be able to have that same connection. So, we’ll see how that kind of goes. And the other wing perfetti, I mean, he’s no Philip Forsber, but I mean, the comparisons could be set there, too, right? It’s it could be another kind of reincarnation of that type of line. So, we’ll see how that kind of looks. All right. X factors. What do you have for her potential potential X factors this season? Potential X factors. [Music] I mean, Connor Hellbut gets hurt and comry wins the FZNA. That would be a that would be an X, right? Yeah. Um, yeah. I mean, I again like if this is the criteria for an X factor or not, I I’m curious. I I really feel like that second line really really needs to and again with with with names like Jonathan Taves and you know is that X factor, but in reality this guy hasn’t played hockey in two years. Um if you know Gus Nyquis, we just talked about Perfetti really big year last year. Um but he has to take that next step. I just think that they were so dominant last year and they had so much depth scoring that if that second line doesn’t produce at a decent clip because like like don’t forget man like there were moments last year Connor and Shiffley literally had two points each every night. Yeah. Every night. And again, you talk about like negative regression, positive regression, like that’s a conversation in these different sports, right? And to me, like I’m not saying Kyle Connor and Mark Schiffley aren’t going to be dominant this year, but you don’t want them to have to put up two, three points each every single night. So, to me, the X factor is that uh second line. Yeah. Um, and yeah, I was going to say something else, but I think that’s good. That’s good enough. Yeah. Yeah. No, the second line’s definitely an X factor. We’ve talked about it multiple times already through the show here, so definitely a key this season to see probably a key to success for this season because that’s that’s a pretty big and two newcomers, too. That’s a lot of pressure to put on two new guys, but big time, right? So, they could they’ve shown in the past, so it’s not like they can’t do it. All right. The Jets, I mean, their lineup’s pretty stacked, but do you see any prospects potentially surprising and maybe throwing a wrench into things and I mean, training camp’s already started. You might see some signs of that. Um, but do you see anyone at this point? So, Salammanson, he which I probably butchered that name too, he is somebody that everyone’s raving about right now is that if he doesn’t break camp as the like like sixth guy, which Flurry just signed, Shen’s there, probably won’t. He will go back down to the miners just because he needs to play. But everyone that that I like listen to Reed, everyone’s raving about that guy. What will he do during training camp that will make the team say the first guy that gets hurt? Like this guy is coming up. Yeah. For the Manitoba Moose, like they’ve been raving about him. Um, so, so that’s like the one name in everything that I listen to. I hear that guy’s name all the time. I can’t sit here and tell you that I’ve watched every single, you know, shift that that he’s played. But, but, but that’s the big question right now is during training camp, can he tell the team basically with his play that first guy that gets hurt like I’m your first call. Yeah. So, I there there’s some probably uh some different ones, but that’s probably the one big one for me that I’ve heard people talking about the most. Yeah. Yeah. I I’ve heard his name, too. So, that’s that’s someone that definitely could I mean, maybe not surprise make the team out of camp, but definitely the first call up for sure. But, you never know. I mean, some teams that are like, “Well, this guy’s too good. We got to we got to get get some room in for the in the lineup for him. So, uh you never know what could happen there. The Jets um prospects in general, they’re they’re farm system isn’t kind of fallen off uh from being one of the top ones, but there are some really good prospects still. Who should everyone be watching uh this season? Yeah. So, I like I I’ll be just completely honest. that one name. That’s that’s the name that I got for you. I haven’t done a ton of deep diving. Our guy uh Declan at the Hawin Writers, he writes about prospects all the time. So, go check out his work. He he knows what’s up. Um, what I will say though is like Manitoba, like they were awful last year and the whole summer they’ve worked really hard to make that team much much better. So overall from again what I’ve been hearing is the Manitoba Moose are going to be a much better product this year. So watch the team overall. Um, and I hate to make myself look like an idiot, Maddie, but Declan at the Hockey Writers, check out his work. He will help you with the prospects. Um, but I can tell you, just watch the Manitoba Moose and yeah, you’ll be good enough. Yeah, definitely watch the Moose this season. They they did have done a lot in the offseason to kind of shore up that team and they are I mean, and one guy I’ll say to keep watching is Brad Lambert. He’s still a guy that I think is going to end up being a really good NHL player. His development hasn’t gone is hasn’t been linear. It hasn’t been something that’s, you know, everyone thought he everyone knows he started as being a potential for top five pick and kind of fallen off and then, you know, hasn’t really been the best for the for the Moose and for the Jets yet. But I still think he’s got a great future. So, watch his development this season. We’ll see if he kind of take another step in his, you know, his rise, but yeah, Brad Lambert, I’ve always liked him, so keep an eye on him this season, too. All right. Um, this might be an easy one. Probably is. Uh, there are two guys that are going to probably in this conversation. Who do you think leads the team on forwards? Defense would be Josh Morrisy. We don’t really need to unless Pian maybe. So, who who do you have for leading? Yeah, maybe Pian maybe. Um really for that defense it just depends who’s on the first power play unit which will be Moresy, right? Like if that power play is as dominant as it was last year then yeah like Morsy running away. Um so I mean goalc scoring Kyle Connor everyone talks about Kyle Connor and rightfully so. The guy had 97 points last year so probably him. But Mark Schiffley, the guy scored 39. Yeah. Like it’s not like, you know, it’s Kyle Connor and everyone else is down here. Like Mark, so if you want me to give you some like bold prediction for who lead the scoring, I mean, don’t count out Mark Shley, man. The guy can score goals. Um, but yeah, dude, it has to be you have to say Kyle Connor. And if I get proved wrong, then I’m wrong. But yeah, um, I would have to say Kyle Connor. But I’m just saying, don’t forget about Mark Shley, man. This guy’s a dominant dominant player in this league. Yeah. And the problem is though is whatever points he gets, Connor’s usually. That’s true. That’s true. That’s true. It’s my favorite. Like it’s my favorite. If you like dabble in like the Vegas markets, it’s just just bet like each player two points each and you know, if you lose, you lose. But that’s probably a safe a safe bet. If they score four goals, those guys probably have two points. That’s probably how it goes. True. All right, final thing. You mentioned bold predictions there. Do you have a big bold prediction for the Jets this season? Oh, well, if I have to give a negative bold prediction that I don’t necessarily believe, but I think it’s on the table is I I this Western Conference last year, and people are going to hear this and look at it as like, oh, how could they? The Calgary Flames missed the playoffs with 96 points last year. Like this West, especially the Central, like they’re coming. Like you talked about Utah. I personally, I know it’s in the the the different division, but I personally think Calgary is gonna be pretty good again this year. Um, we’ll see. I mean, your boys have the potential to be good. We’ll see what happens. Uh, Vancouver is just a your guess is as good as mine. Um, but a negative bold prediction that I don’t necessarily believe, but I can see happening is that the Jets missed the playoffs because I I do think that they had 118 point or 116 points last year. How realistically, how many fewer points will they really have? I mean, to say they’re going to get 96, that’s a lot worse than last year. But I just think everybody got like better, Maddie. And I just I still think they’re gonna be good. Um but it’s not off the table for them to take just a little bit step back and everyone else just kind of steps forward. Um but if I’m going to give a positive bold prediction, I say they don’t win the division, but they make it to the Stanley Cup finals. I do think that if they um in the right situation last year, in my opinion, they should have beat Dallas in that second round. I thought Dallas and I mean the Oilers, and I know the Oilers have these two players that are really good or whatever, but like the Oilers exposed the Stars in every level of the game. like every facet of that game, the Oilers just dismantled Dallas. And I really think that the Jets, if they can tap like like into what they did last year, I really do think and I mean, who knows, man. We’re talking about the players that they missed, the players that they added. But what if rather than just flying out of the gate 14 and one, it they take three, four, five months to become this like juggernaut team. It’s a weird margin with the Jets, man. There is this world where I can see them going to the finals. And there’s also this world where I can see just everyone else being that little bit better. So yeah. No, it’s true. Look at what the happened to the New York Rangers. I mean, won the President’s Trophy, missed the playoffs next season. So, it’s not out of the question that could happen. Um, and definitely I mean, the parody in this league is ridiculous. I mean, you’re looking at teams that just there are a lot of questions. Like, I’ve done now 30 previews and all of them, every team has question marks. I mean, it it’s even, you know, the teams that you’re thinking are the best teams in the league that there’s no one that really that you can say has no flaws. I mean, there’s not never a team that has no flaws, but I think this this season is going to be very interesting to see how all the teams kind of go because even the Oilers, especially with this McDavid thing hanging around, you don’t know how that’s going to affect them. And they’ve all they still have the question marks in goal. I mean, that that’s still something. So, I Every team has something and we’ll see how it all plays out because it’s gonna be an interesting season to watch, I think, as is every season. Oh, yeah. All right. Well, thanks Mark for coming on talking the Jets as we head into the regular season happening in a couple weeks finally. Um, actually, it’s three. It’s about three weeks away. Um, but we got preseason to start watching. So, that’s always a good uh what is it? Appetizer. appetizer for the regular season. It’s going to be less next season. Thankfully, we’re gonna have the 84 game season starting next season. But I got a very short preseason next year year. I got to ask you, Matt, and I know that we both cover the league and we got to say I love watching all eight preseason games, but I got to ask you how many preseason games because we all can’t wait for that first one, right? Yeah. We got like one weekend this weekend. I think like uh Dallas and St. Louis play Saturday. Got a bunch of games Sunday. How many preseason games till you’re like I’m ready? I I’m honestly done after like I want to say like three or four. I mean, I’ll watch that and then it’s like I’m ready to go. Let’s just get this going. I hate the Yeah. That’s why I’m happy next season that’s what they’re doing. there. I think it’s four preseason games or something. Yeah, three or four, something like that. Three or four. And that I’m like, perfect. Because that’s right in the sweet spot because you’re going to have teams then going into it going, we’re going to put most of our lineup in. And it’s like maybe the guys that were like maybe we’ll have they have a chance. Yeah. But right now when you have like 60 or 70 people in camp, half of them don’t have a chance. So why are they playing? Like I mean nothing against the players. No, you’re right. I’m sorry. They’re not they don’t have a chance making the team. Why are they here? Well, and like you asked me about the pro um prospects and I had to defer to to our guy Declan. I’m watching this, you know, second or third game and I’m like, listen, I feel dumb because I don’t know who that is. I just want to watch I just want to watch NHL’s play. But anyway, Maddie, thank you for having me. That’s it, right? So, but thanks for coming on and make sure you’re checking out everything at the hockey.com. We got crazy amounts of preview stuff, not just the season previews. We got training camps going on. We got takeaways from lots of teams covering that. So, make sure you’re checking out. There’s tons of stuff to read. If you say there’s nothing, uh, go check again. So, there’s lots of stuff to take a look at. So, make sure you’re doing all that. Take a look at our substacks to keep you up to date and all of our other preview videos. Like I say, this is the 30th one out. Um, take a look at them all if you want to. Um, or just the teams. But until our next preview, we will see you next time.

Host Matthew Zator welcomes Winnipeg Jets writer Marc Sautter
to the show to preview the upcoming 2025-26 NHL season.

They go through everything from the new additions and burning questions/storylines surrounding the forwards, defence and goaltending to where the Jets stack up in the Central Division. They also highlight some potential breakout stars, players that need to bounce back from last season, prospects to watch, X factors, bold predictions, and more.

Follow Marc’s work – https://thehockeywriters.com/author/msautter/

Check out THW’s Winnipeg Jets Substack newsletter for all the latest from the Jets writing team – https://thehockeywriters.substack.com/s/winnipeg-jets

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