Hellebuyck Trade Reshapes the Jets as Special Teams Stall

Connor Hellebuyck is no longer a Winnipeg Jet. His trade to the New Jersey Devils ends a long stretch of speculation for a fan base that had been bracing for this news for some time, and it changes the shape of the Jets' plans in net. Whatever the return ends up looking like, the team now has to find its identity without the goaltender who has been the face of its crease.

The details of what Winnipeg received weren't part of what's been reported here, so it's too early to grade the deal. My read is that the real verdict arrives in a season or two, when the players coming back are either contributing or they aren't. Teams that move a franchise goalie usually have to rebuild around the position, and that work tends to show up over time rather than in the first week.

A rough week and a standings picture that's slipped

The Jets played three games last week and came away with just one point, going 0-2-1. That leaves them at 4-4-3 and 11 points, a noticeable drop from where they were at the same point a year ago.

The comparison is worth laying out. Last season, through the same stretch, Winnipeg was 8-3-0 with 16 points, 40 goals for and 28 against. This year the club sits at 27 goals for and 31 against. The offence has dried up and the goals against have crept up, which is the kind of split that turns a healthy record into a grind.

Special teams are pulling in opposite directions

The Jets' power play has gone from strength to problem. It sits 19th in the league at 19.40%, down sharply from third at 30.00%. The penalty kill has moved the other way, climbing to 14th at 80.40% from 20th at 78.90%. That improvement is real, but it isn't enough to offset what's happening with the man advantage.

Here's the thing: a common rule of thumb is that a team's power play and penalty kill percentages should add to at least 100%. Winnipeg's combined mark is 99.80%, which is just short of that threshold. It's a small gap on paper, but it reflects a team that's giving up too many chances and not converting enough of its own.

Faceoffs are the other problem area. The Jets rank 30th at 45.40%, slipping from 29th at 45.90%. Losing draws leads to lost possession, and in a season where the offence is already thin, that matters more than the raw number suggests.

Goaltending: Skinner keeps the Jets in games

Stuart Skinner has been the steadier of the two netminders. He's 3-2-3 with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. Clay Stevenson is 1-2-0 with a 3.08 GAA and a .893 save percentage. Stevenson's numbers aren't disastrous, but the gap between the two is the difference between a team that can hang around in close games and one that spends the third period chasing.

Skinner's work in the Heritage Classic was the clear highlight of the week. The game drew 32,342 fans, and the goaltending was a big reason the Jets were in it at all. Good goaltending in a loss doesn't pay the bills, but it does give a coach a reason to believe the structure in front of him is still working.

The good, the bad and the ugly

The good: Skinner's performance and the atmosphere of the Heritage Classic. Both gave Winnipeg something to build on.

The bad: The power play has gone quiet again, scoring on none of its last twelve chances. Losing veteran defenceman Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot in the offseason already thinned the blue line, and the team's depth has been tested since. The writer also admits to wanting to be more positive about a veteran's weekend, but the frustration over how that player's situation has unfolded is still there.

The ugly: Faceoffs again. In a 3-2 overtime loss, the Jets won just 38.5% of their draws. A team that's already struggling to generate offence can't afford to start so many possessions on the wrong foot.

Roster moves and the Moose

The trade forced some housekeeping. Walker Duehr cleared waivers and was assigned to the Manitoba Moose. Elias Salomonsson was recalled by the Jets. To open up room after the big trade, Jack St. Ivany was placed on waivers and Vlad Namestnikov went on injured reserve. St. Ivany was then claimed off waivers by Washington.

Salomonsson's return drew a mixed but encouraging review. His start was shaky, but he settled in and played well in his first game back after a lengthy rehab. For a young defenceman coming off a long layoff, that's the kind of progression that matters more than the box score.

Down in the American Hockey League, the Moose have started 7-2, with 38 goals for and 20 against. Brayden Yager has been the standout early, with 11 points in seven games. If the Jets need reinforcements through the rest of the season, that's the group to watch.

What to watch next

The immediate test is simple. Winnipeg needs its power play to find a rhythm, its faceoffs to stop handing away possession, and its goaltending to keep the margins close while the roster sorts itself out. Hellebuyck's departure makes all of that more pressing. The Jets don't need to be perfect, but they do need to stop giving games away in the small areas that have cost them this month. That's where the season will be decided over the next few weeks.