{"id":363079,"date":"2025-12-18T21:32:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T21:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/363079\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T21:32:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T21:32:12","slug":"friedman-on-the-winnipeg-jets-they-miss-nik-ehlers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/363079\/","title":{"rendered":"Friedman on the Winnipeg Jets? They Miss Nik Ehlers"},"content":{"rendered":"

On a recent edition of the FAN Hockey Show<\/a>, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman broke down what he believes is going wrong with the Winnipeg Jets this season. The conversation zeroed in on the team\u2019s struggles in a fast-paced league and the significant gap left by Nikolaj Ehlers<\/a>\u2018s absence from their lineup. As Jets\u2019 fans know all too well, one of their favourites moved on to the Carolina Hurricanes during the offseason<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Secondary Scoring Is Missing, and That Hits the Jets Hard<\/p>\n

Friedman\u2019s primary concern is the lack of secondary scoring. The Jets were already in a tough division\u2014what he calls \u201cDeath Valley\u201d\u2014facing teams like the Colorado Avalanche, the Dallas Stars, and the Minnesota Wild. Sadly, Friedman says the Jets are digging themselves into holes that are hard to climb out of. The simple fact is that, beyond players in the team\u2019s top line, no one else is stepping up.<\/p>\n

Ehlers\u2019 absence has hit the Jets hard. Friedman admitted he was cautious about making early projections about who would step up. The numbers now show the team misses his scoring spark. Messing around with line changes hasn\u2019t helped, and the top scorers are carrying too much of the load, which isn\u2019t sustainable.<\/p>\n

Friedman also points out that the Jets look slow. When they face teams like the Bruins or the Capitals, it\u2019s obvious. In today\u2019s NHL, where speed and fast transitions matter so much, being behind the play like this makes winning even harder.<\/p>\n

\"NikolajNikolaj Ehlers has left the Winnipeg Jets, and the team hasn\u2019t filled the hole.<\/p>\n

The Jets Aren\u2019t the Only Team Learning How to Adapt Without Key Players<\/p>\n

Both the Jets and the Toronto Maple Leafs are feeling the impact of missing some of their past contributors this season. Winnipeg is missing Ehlers, and the secondary scoring just isn\u2019t there. And, as noted, others have yet to step in and fill the gap. The Maple Leafs have had their own challenges now that Mitch Marner<\/a> has left for Las Vegas, and other key players are out with injuries. Even strong teams have to learn to adapt, and right now the Jets aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n

How they do it over the remainder of the 2025-26 regular season will say a lot about their depth and pushback.<\/p>\n

The Bottom Line for the Jets<\/p>\n

For Friedman, the Jets\u2019 struggles go beyond just missing one player. It\u2019s about the team moving too slowly and not having enough scoring depth. As the season goes on, he says, the supporting cast will need to step up. If they don\u2019t, Winnipeg won\u2019t keep up in such a tough division.<\/p>\n

Related: Hurricanes Could Clear Goalie Logjam, 2 Canadian Teams Make Sense<\/a><\/p>\n

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