Overall, it was a good season for the Jets, even making it to the second round for the first time since the 2021 post-season. In the end, they fell short in a stacked Central Division, but there were plenty of positives to take away from the season.

Let’s take a look at how the Jets’ 2024-25 season went, as well as what they’ve done so far this off-season, and how their team looks heading into the 2025-26 season.

How the season went

It was a year of streaks for the Jets. They won their first eight games, lost a high-scoring game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, before kicking off a seven-game winning streak to start the season 15-1. Neither win streak was the longest of the season for the Jets.

Starting on Jan. 22, the Jets embarked on an 11-game winning streak, lasting until they lost 2-1 to the Nashville Predators on Feb. 27. These three winning streaks, on top of solid play in between them, were a huge reason they won their first Presidents’ Trophy.

Although they dominated the regular season, the Jets ran into some trouble against the eighth-seeded St. Louis Blues. With just two minutes left, the Blues had a 3-1 lead in Game 7, but the Jets managed to score twice, including a goal with just three seconds left in their season, to force overtime. Their captain, Adam Lowry, finished it off.

The Jets weren’t so lucky against the Dallas Stars in the second round, as their season was ended in overtime thanks to an early goal from Thomas Harley.

Netminder Connor Hellebuyck won his second consecutive Vezina Trophy, as well as the Hart Trophy, but he struggled in the post-season with an .866 save percentage. Kyle Connor, who is a free agent at the end of the season, scored 41 goals and 97 points, while Mark Scheifele scored 39 goals and 87 points.

On the backend, Josh Morrissey scored 14 goals and 62 points, becoming one of the best defencemen in the league. Their supporting cast of Gabriel Vilardi, Cole Perfetti, Neal Pionk, Vladislav Namestnikov, Lowry, Nino Niederreiter, and others gives the reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners some depth heading into 2025-26.

That said, who are some potential future Jets that they selected in the draft?

Drafted players

With their first-round pick, the 28th overall selection, the Jets selected defenceman Sascha Boumedienne. Last season with Boston University, the Swede scored three goals and 13 points in 40 games.

Owen Martin of the Spokane Chiefs was selected with the 92nd overall pick in the third round. Without a fourth-rounder, the Jets’ next pick was in the fifth round, where they selected Viktor Klingsell. In the sixth round, they drafted defenceman Edison Engle, and in the seventh round, the Jets drafted Zayne Parekh’s teammate with the Saginaw Spirit, Jacob Cloutier.

Trades

It’s been a quiet season for the Jets on the trade front, as their most recent trade came before the deadline, sending a 2027 second-rounder to the Seattle Kraken for Brandon Tanev. More on him later.

Free agent signings

The Jets were far busier on the free agent front. On the opening day of free agency, the Jets agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal with Manitoba-native Jonathan Toews. Moreover, the Jets signed Tanner Pearson to a one-year deal worth $1 million and Gustav Nyquist to a one-year deal worth $3.25 million.

Some depth signings include Phillip Di Giuseppe, Walker Duehr, and Morgan Shaw. As for extensions, Vilardi signed a six-year deal worth $7.5 million annually, Morgan Barron signed a two-year deal worth $1.85 million annually, and Haydn Fleury to a two-year deal worth $950,000 annually.

Departures

It’s hard to say the Jets got better this off-season, as long-time Jet Nikolaj Ehlers departed the team, signing with the Carolina Hurricanes. Last season, the 29-year-old winger scored 24 goals and 63 points in just 69 games, ranking fourth in goals and third in points. In the post-season, Ehlers scored five goals and seven points in eight games.

Also departing the Jets is bottom-six centre Mason Appleton. Last season, the speedy winger scored 10 goals and 22 points in 71 games, after scoring 14 goals and 36 points in 2023-24. In the post-season, Appleton picked up seven assists in 13 games.

Lastly, Tanev departed the Jets for the second time in his career. He signed a three-year deal with the Utah Mammoth.

What the team looks like heading into 2025-26

So, how does the Jets lineup look next season? Scheifele is their first-line centre, while Toews, Lowry, and Barron follow him. It’s worth noting that Lowry will miss the start of the season, making an already weak centre core even weaker.

On the wings, the Jets have Connor, Nyquist, Niederreiter, and Iafallo on the left side, and Vilardi, Perfetti, Namestnikov, and Pearson on the right side. Their biggest strength, aside from the crease, is their wingers.

Their defence-core is comprised of Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Dylan Samberg, Pionk, Fleury, and Luke Schenn, not the strongest back end. In the net, Hellebuyck leads the way as their best player once again.

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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