You can see it on their faces, and hear it in their voices. The reigning President’s Trophy winners have no explanation of what has happened to them. They have gone from No. 1 to No, 32.
If I had told you in October that the Winnipeg Jets would be last in the NHL, you would have laughed me out of the city.
Quite simply, it is inexplicable.
No better example of the team’s fate occurred on back-to-back nights, on the last day of 2025 and the first of 2026. One night, they play strong defensively and don’t score enough and lose. And the next night, they score five and blow a three-goal lead and lose — again. If you score five goals, you should win.
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In Detroit, it was a strong last 30 minutes that gave the team a chance to win. In Toronto, it was a porous last 30 minutes that allowed the Maple Leafs to claim victory.
Quite simply, we have seen very few complete games from this hockey club. That Saturday night versus Washington, a 5-1 win at home, is a distant memory. That was 20 days ago. It was their last victory, and only one of two in the month of December.
What made this team so good last season — solid team defence, depth scoring, a tenacious forecheck — those things don’t exist right now. The most noticeable part of their game is that they have been consistently inconsistent. And now they appear unable to dig themselves out of this hole.
And while the players won’t say it, you can see it with every unpredictable shift. This eight-game losing streak is a cry for help. The players can’t correct the problem. And it’s not the coaching. This team is as well-prepared for battle as any in this league.
But that said, this team is too good to wave the white flag. Too proud to just give up. Too professional to turn on each other.
But they do need some help.
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