The Winnipeg Jets (23-26-9) came out of the Olympic break with a heartbreaking 5-4 overtime road loss to the Anaheim Ducks (32-23-3). The Jets had a 3-1 lead in the third period but let up three unanswered goals to put themselves in a 4-3 hole. Kyle Connor sent the game to overtime on a goal with 1:22 left to go in the period, but Ducks winger Chris Kreider scored a goal to win the game 5-4.
Reality Check for Connor Hellebuyck
Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck had an incredible performance for Team USA, especially during their gold medal game. In the tournament, he had a .956 save percentage (SV%) and just a 1.18 goals-against average (GAA). He had multiple highlight-reel saves, especially in Team USA’s gold medal game.
However, this game against the Ducks was a brutal reality check. With Team USA, he had an outstanding penalty kill and defensive system in front of him. With the Jets, he now has a defenceman core that no longer has Josh Morrissey for a while (he suffered an injury during the Olympics).
The Ducks shot 40 pucks on goal against Hellebuyck, and he let five in, but he saved 35, which is a lot. Hellebuyck did let in a couple of soft shots, but there were many breakaways where he was helpless against Anaheim. It’s a brutal way to get back to Winnipeg for Hellebuyck.
No Rust for Kyle Connor
People were worried about Connor’s potential rust coming into this game. He didn’t take any shots for Team USA, and he was scratched from the lineup after the second game. He even missed the trip to the White House to rest up for the Jets (according to US Magazine, ‘Team USA’s Kyle Connor Addresses Skipping President Trump’s State of the Union Address‘), but there’s still reason to believe he could be a little rusty heading back to the NHL.
Related: Team USA’s 3 Most Disappointing Players From the 2026 Olympics
He quickly put this game to bed. He had a killer assist on the power play to Gabe Vilardi at 2:25 in the second period, and when the Jets looked down and out at 18:38 in the third period, Cole Perfetti found Connor for a scoring opportunity. He cashed in to send the game to overtime.
Say what you will about Connor’s performance for Team USA in the Olympics, but he is still one of the best American-born forwards in the league. It’s nice to see that he is still himself after a bizarre situation in the Olympics.
Josh Morrissey Injury Leaves Big Hole in Defence
While Connor and Hellebuyck flashed some of their excellence in the Jets’ first game back from the Olympics, Morrissey wasn’t able to. He is currently on injured reserve with an upper-body injury he sustained in Canada’s first preliminary game in Milan.
With his absence, the Jets’ defence showed its warts. Luke Schenn and Dylan DeMelo each had a minus-1 plus/minus, and while Logan Stanley had two assists, he was unable to keep up with Ducks forward Ryan Poehling on the go-ahead goal at 16:50 in the third.
Meanwhile, former Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba contributed to the Ducks’ rally, with Trouba knocking in a wicked shot from the blue line to start the scoring for the Anaheim Ducks.
The Jets have been missing Neal Pionk since Jan. 13’s contest against the New York Islanders, and now, with Morrissey potentially out long-term, the defensive lineup is hurting.
Schedule and Standings
The Jets get a point from this match, but at just 55 points on the season (23-26-9), they are sixth in the Central Division and eight points from a wild-card spot in the Western Conference (the Seattle Kraken hold that spot with 63 points).
They have an outside shot at the Stanley Cup Playoffs, so that could indicate a sell-off at the NHL trade deadline on March 6. Before the trade deadline, they have a road game against the San Jose Sharks (March 1) and home games against the Chicago Blackhawks (March 3) and Tampa Bay Lightning (March 5). After those games, the team could look vastly different for the rest of the season.
