The Winnipeg Jets are likely happy to be home after a disappointing 6 game road trip that ended with a 2-4-0 record due to too many defensive coverage errors. However, if you want to look at things more positively, then I’ll tell you that the True Northers have won 2 of their last 3 contests.
Regardless of your point of view, I think all the fans will be happy that our hockey team is pretty much fully healthy for the first time in the 2025-26 NHL campaign. Yes, extra defenseman Haydn Fleury is still unavailable, but all the projected starters will be available to head coach Scott Arniel when the Columbus Blue Jackets visit the Canada Life Centre. Center Morgan Barron will return to the 4th line after missing the last 6 games, giving that unit a big boost. So finally we should get to see what this year’s version of the Jets can be over the next few matches. Hopefully there will be a massive reduction in the coverage mistakes Winnipeg’s players have been making to date.
The CLC will feature a pair of clubs tied with 8 other franchises for the 16th best record in the NHL, with the Winnipeg Jets entering with a 11-7-0 record and the Columbus Blue Jackets coming in with a 10-7-2 stat line. The similarities between the two teams continues in the goal scoring category, with the Jackets pocketing 1 more marker than the Jets so far (both middle of pack in NHL). The clubs do separate somewhat when it comes to goals against, with Winnipeg being in a tie for 5th least with 50 GAs and Columbus allowing 60 GAs to sit in a tie for 17th.
Tonight’s opposition appears to have been playing well lately, winning 3 of their last 4 contests that included some quality adversaries like the Seattle Kraken and Montreal Canadiens, who both have the 9th best records in the league. The Jackets are staying in games lately, with their last 6 games ending with a 1 goal difference, as well as 8 of their last 9.
Let’s continue our look at Winnipeg & Columbus by checking out ESPN‘s team & goaltender comparison numbers for tonight’s late night game (yet another 9:00 pm Central start):
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Looking at the stats, Winnipeg and Columbus have been receiving similar levels of play in a lot of the categories, including goaltending. The Jets do have a bit of an edge in the special teams’ numbers at this point, plus will have the advantage of the Blue Jackets playing the second half of a back-to-back.
A pair of Russians have been leading the way for Columbus in the early part of 2025-26, with Kirill Marchenko (22 pts) and Dmitri Voronkov (16) at the top of their charts. The Ohioans have also been receiving strong play from defenseman Zach Werenski (15), off-season acquisition Charlie Coyle (13), and young superstar Adam Fantilli (13).
The True Northers top scorers this season include the expected names like Mark Scheifele (24 pts), Kyle Connor (22), Josh Morrissey (19), and Gabriel Vilardi (14). Perhaps the 5th highest point getter is a bit of a surprise, as Nino Niederreiter’s 11 pts puts him on a pace for the 50 pt mark, a plateau the Swiss winger hasn’t reached since the 2018-19 season.
Time to check out how PuckPedia is predicting the clubs to line up tonight (7 PM Central):
WINNIPEG JETS LINE UP
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COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS LINE UP
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Thankfully the end of 9 pm Central starts for the Jets is over for a bit and am guessing we will all enjoy the final horn blowing well before midnight. It also might be nice for some fans to see the return of center Sean Monahan to the Peg, though others will feel less excitement about that since he did opt to spurn our team’s advances when he reached free agency. I’ll admit that at the time, I felt spending that kind of money to bring him back would have been a mistake….yet with the massive increases in the salary cap ceiling over the past couple of seasons, his $5.5M/yr salary isn’t looking bad at all.
**one late change has seen the Jets opt to go with backup Eric Comrie in net tonight, so PuckPedia’s line up above won’t be entirely accurate.**
Go Winnipeg!!!!!
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POST-GAME INFO
Scoring Summary: (courtesy of ESPN)
FINAL SCORE: Winnipeg Jets 5 Columbus Blue Jackets 2
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Game Stats: (courtesy of MoneyPuck)
Expected Goals (all): WPG 2.72 CBJ 2.09
Expected Goals (5on5): WPG 2.28 CBJ 1.96
Tonight’s forward advanced stats show the difference between “expected” and “actual” goals, as Mark Scheifele’s trio was the only Jets line to lose the xG battle, yet they won the actual one 3 GF to 1 GA. Best game of the season from Adam Lowry & his 3rd line, only allowing 1 shot against in just under 10 minutes of 5 on 5 play (1GF/0GA). Morgan Barron’s return helped the 4th line as expected, and Jonathan Toews’ line had plenty of looks but were shutout while allowing 1 GA.
Winnipeg’s top defensive duo lost the xG battle, yet they were on the ice for 2 GF & 1 GA at even strength. Dylan Samberg continued to make the Jets’ 2nd pairing tough to play against, with his club getting over 60% of the scoring chances when he isn’t on the bench. Undeniably the best outing for the duo of Logan Stanley & Luke Schenn, getting almost 80% of the xG’s while being deployed for over 15 minutes of 5 on 5 play.
I like MoneyPuck a lot, but it seems wrong somehow that the Blue Jackets only ended with 2 expected goals…cause it certainly seemed like Eric Comrie made a couple huge stops to limit the opposition to only 2 goals. There are often adjustments, so I will check back tomorrow morning to see if Comrie’s GSAE rating went higher than +0.09.
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BOJA’S Post-Game Thoughts:
Watching the Winnipeg Jets almost cruise to a victory after the hard to watch 6 game road trip was a pleasant surprise. This was possibly our club’s best defensive performance of the season, though MoneyPuck has the expected goals as the 2nd lowest of the campaign. That isn’t saying the True Northers didn’t make mistakes, because Eric Comrie had to make some big saves on shots from the slot in the opening frame. The back up tender also made a 10 bell stop against the Blue Jackets’ powerplay in the 3rd period….which might just bring the masked man to the attention of the Winnipeg Police Department’s Robbery Division.
Mark Scheifele marked his setting the franchise record for most games played (898) by getting 3 primary assists against the Columbus Blue Jackets. That gives the top pivot 27 points in 19 games so far this season (on pace for 116 pts). One of those dishes set up a fantastic snipe by Kyle Connor, where a hole the size of an ATM cash slot above the goalie’s shoulder was enough for him to move into a tie for the Jets’ goal scoring lead with his center & good pal Scheif (11).
Logan Stanley scored his 3rd goal of the year on an absolutely booming slap shot, which is pretty remarkable considering the giant defenseman only scored 5 combined goals in his first FIVE seasons. Big Stan is on pace for a 38 pt campaign, which would come close to the 40 pts he had in his first 5 years.
That is about all that is coming to me right now. Next up is a real test….with former Jet Nikolaj Ehlers and the 13-5-1 Carolina Hurricanes visiting the Canada Life Centre on Friday night.
