Jets' start among best in NHL history thanks to Hellebuyck, team chemistry

NEW YORK -- Nikolaj Ehlers went back to the end of last season when he was asked about why the Winnipeg Jets have been historically good at the start of this season.

"The end of last year was a big wakeup call," Ehlers told NHL.com at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. "With the season that we had to then lose in the playoffs like we did was frustrating.

“I think we all knew we needed to change some things, and it wasn't players. It was our mentality, the way we go to work every single day. That has paid off."

The Jets (15-1-0) became the fastest in NHL history to 15 wins after a 6-3 victory against the New York Rangers. They were the first to win 14 of their first 15 games in a season. They won their first eight and currently have a seven-game winning streak.

To Ehlers’ point, Winnipeg finished last season with 110 points (52-24-6), second in the Central Division behind the Dallas Stars' 113 and fourth in the NHL.

However, they were wiped out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in five games, losing four in a row to the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference First Round after winning Game 1.

"You forget that we were fourth in the League overall in the regular season in points," forward Kyle Connor said. "I think our commitment to consistency and showing up and grabbing the guy next to you and making sure they have their best tonight is just at another level this year."

Bouncing back from last season's finish and being committed are obviously part of the Jets' success story through the first month-plus of this season. But there's more, a lot more.

Here are four reasons why the Jets are alone atop the NHL standings, and first in several statistical categories, including goals per game (4.56), goals against per game (2.13), power play (42.2 percent), comeback wins (seven) and goal differential (plus-39, 73-34):

1. Connor Hellebuyck

The Jets have had one of the best goalies in the world in their net for 13 of their 16 games.

Hellebuyck, who will start against the Rangers, leads the NHL with 12 wins and three shutouts. His 1.92 goals-against average and .934 save percentage is first among goalies with six or more appearances.

He set a Jets record for longest shutout streak, going 191:47 without giving up a goal before Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz scored at 18:38 of the third period in Winnipeg’s 4-1 win Saturday. Hellebuyck made 96 saves during the streak and the Jets scored 11 consecutive goals.

"We have so much confidence in him and when you have a goalie like that it makes it easier," Jets forward Mark Scheifele said. "Obviously, he's been fantastic. Some nights we play great in front of him and make it an easier night, and some nights we need him to pick us up and he does that. It's the sign of a good team."

2. Continuity

Ehlers bringing up the end of last season makes a lot of sense because 20 of the 22 players who have played at least one game this season were with Winnipeg in 2023-24.

Only defenseman Haydn Fleury and goalie Eric Comrie are new to the roster.

"We're familiar with this group and everybody has identified their roles and takes pride in what they do," Connor said. "I don't think there's anybody pouting around that they're not in a certain spot. Everybody has taken their roles and done the best they can. That's a huge part of it."

Even Scott Arniel, in his first season as Jets coach, spent the previous two seasons as an associate under Rick Bowness. Marty Johnston is in his third season as an assistant. Wade Flaherty, also an assistant, has been in Winnipeg for 13 seasons.

Davis Payne and Dean Chynoweth, both assistants, are new to the team.

"When you have to go through big changes, there's a growing period," Arniel said. "I think we've been through that already over the last couple of years. Whether that's players playing amongst each other, whether it's partners or whether it's line combinations, they've had the ability to do it for the last few years. We've won in different ways, and that is built from familiarity."

3. Depth

Arniel identified this as the No. 1 thing that he gets asked about from visiting media.

The Jets have an NHL-high 11 players with at least 10 points, with Connor leading the way with 22.

Scheifele has 21 points. Ehlers has 20. Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk each has 17. Gabriel Vilardi has 14. Cole Perfetti has 13. Nino Niederreiter and Vladislav Namestnikov each has 12. Adam Lowry has 11, and Mason Appleton has 10.

"It's everyone playing the same without the puck, going to the right areas," Scheifele said. "Whether it's a gritty goal in front of the net or it's a nice play off the rush, every line can do the same thing and every line has guys who can finish. It all stems from playing good in the D-zone and letting offense take over."

The Jets have nine forwards who are averaging at least 14 minutes of ice time per game, led by Scheifele's 20:20, and four defensemen skating at least 20 minutes per game, led by Morrissey's 24:13.

The fourth line of Alex Iafallo (11:31 in 16 games), Morgan Barron (11:13 in 16 games) and Rasmus Kupari (10:02 in 15 games) is getting ample ice time. So too are defensemen Fleury (14:42 in five games), Logan Stanley (15:13 in 11 games) and Colin Miller (13:38 in 16 games).

That depth has allowed them to be arguably at their best late in games. The Jets have outscored opponents 28-10 in the third period for an NHL-best plus-18 goal differential.

4. Resiliency

Winnipeg has allowed the first goal in eight of 16 games, including being down at least 2-0 three times. But it is 7-1-0 in those games.

"I think there's a calmness," Ehlers said. "We get down one, we don't panic. We don't start to chase the game. We don't play different. We have our plan. We have our structure. We know we've got the players in here to score goals so we don't panic when that first goal goes against us. That's been a huge strength this year -- we just keep on playing."

Connor added, "I think that starts with the leadership here, the coaching staff and a little bit of a maturity, too, in this group over the years and realizing that we're a pretty good hockey team when we play the right way. We know what it looks like. We feel it when it's off."

Arniel said the Jets have been particularly good at moving on from the previous game to focus on the next opponent.

"It's a mindset that has been building for us," Connor said. "Even the one game we lost, it's ‘Take what we can learn and don't dwell on it.’ Same thing after the wins. ‘How can we improve?’"

And, arguably above all else, the Jets have been fairly healthy, with 16 skaters playing all 16 games, including 11 forwards.

Stanley did not play Tuesday and will miss at least two more games with what Arniel called a "mid-body" injury, but defenseman Ville Heinola is now skating in regular contact drills for the first time since the start of training camp and is likely to make his season debut shortly.

"There's been times when you're rolling and the team is feeling good, but I just love the mentality of this group," Scheifele said. "We know we haven't done anything yet. We've had a good start, but it doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme. There's tough hockey ahead."