The Winnipeg Jets have not had much luck on the road this season.
After owning the league’s very best road record last year (26-15-0), the Jets have fallen to .500 this season as the visitor. Now officially 7-7-1 through 15 road contests, the Jets have played more as the visitor than the host, but not by much.
Only one game above .500 at home, Winnipeg really hasn’t shown up much no matter what colour sweater its players are wearing.
The Jets have had two lengthy road trips thus far, with the season-long, six-game trip through the Western Conference kicking off the month of November rather disastrously, the Jets returned home from that 15-day stretch with just two wins in those six outings.
Now, the Jets come back from their second-longest road trip with just three points of a possible 10 up for grabs. These long stretches certainly have not been pleasant for the boys in polar night blue.
With just two more four-game road trips and a few three-game stretches left this season, the hope for Winnipeg is a better rebound through home dates and no more game-over-game stretches of poor play on the road.
Sure, there will be losing streaks, but extended stretches on the road will be no more.
If there ever was a time for the Jets to turn things around, it would be in the month of December. Five of their next six games will come at Canada Life Centre, while another two games will be played at home before year’s end.
January is also a busy month for home Jets games, as the team will suit up nine times in front of its home fans prior to breaking for the Olympics.
Right now, Winnipeg sits at 13-12-1 and is sixth in the Central, 11th in the West and 24th in the league – not ideal, considering its place atop the standings in a wire-to-wire run in 2024-25 and its fourth-place finish, league-wide in 2023-24.
The loss of Connor Hellebuyck has been felt deep within the organization, and the Jets have suffered drastically on the ice. His relevance has been amplified greatly due to his absence. The four-to-six week window of his return from knee surgery has reached its mid-point, and head coach Scott Arniel has indicated that he is nearing his return to the ice.
The reigning Hart and back-to-back Vezina Trophy winner’s return could not come soon enough for a desperate club trying oh so hard to remain relevant after most pegged them as a postseason fixture, or better yet a Cup contender.
With roughly one third of the 2025-26 season now completed, the Jets will turn their focus to the 56 games remaining. Finding wins at home and on the road will be critical to the long-term outlook of this team.