2024-25 Jets Season Preview, Predictions, & Odds

Cue the Scott Arniel era in Winnipeg. 

The Winnipeg Jets’ new bench boss earned his first head coaching job since 2012 after assisting Rick Bowness since 2022. 

He is set to lead a team that finished the 2023-24 season with the second-most points (110) in the Western Conference, just three points behind the Central Division-winning Dallas Stars. 

They have +800 hockey odds to win the Central Division and +1200 NHL odds to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final. 

I don’t like the prospect of either happening, so I’ve set my sights on a more attainable goal. 

Winnipeg Jets Futures Odds

Point Total: 99.5

Central Division: +800 

Western Conference: +1200

Stanley Cup: +2800

Winnipeg Jets Offseason Moves

It was a concerning offseason for the Jets, who saw two of their most consistent offensive threats, Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli, depart.

While they arrived in Winnipeg at different times last season, both had an immediate and notable impact. Toffoli had 11 points (seven goals and four assists), while Monahan notched 24 points (13 goals and 11 assists) in 34 games with Winnipeg. 

The Jets failed to replace either player.

At least they found replacements for backup netminder Laurent Brossoit, who left for Chicago, with Kaapo Kähkönen and Eric Comrie.

Unfortunately, neither newbie has the same pedigree as Brossoit.

Winnipeg Jets Additions

Winnipeg Jets Departures

Winnipeg Jets 2024-25 Betting Prediction

Prediction: Over 95.5 points (-115)

I believe the Jets will regress in 2024-25, but not enough to fall under the 95-point threshold. 

I feel they don’t have enough firepower to challenge the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, or newbie contenders Nashville atop the Central Division. 

However, their defensive core remains largely intact, and Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck will carry the torch for another year.

CONNOR HELLEBUYCK SAID "WE'RE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS, BOYS" 🥶 pic.twitter.com/xj56QMHqh0

— NHL (@NHL) April 12, 2023

While Hellebuyck’s playoff curse is a worry, his consistently elite regular-season play is as assured as a frigid Winnipeg winter. 

Hellebuyck finished the 2023-24 season with 33.1 goals saved above expected, 11.1 better than second-place Thatcher Demko. 

He backstopped the team to the joint-fewest goals allowed per game (2.41) last season and, when the Jets scored first, made it incredibly difficult for opposing teams to come back and win. 

The Jets finished 35-4-2 when scoring the first goal, the league’s best record. They had a .931 win percentage when leading after 20 minutes, another league best. 

But I struggle to find where enough goals will come from for Arniel’s team to contend with the big boys of the Western Conference. 

Only four players, Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, Kyle Connor, and Nikolaj Ehlers, had at least 60 points last season. Scheifele, the team’s leading scorer, had 72 points in 74 games. 

Aside from the lowly Chicago Blackhawks, Scheifele’s point total was the fewest of any Central Division team’s top scorer. 

And the drop-off after Ehlers is equally palpable and concerning. Cole Perfetti, the team’s fifth-leading scorer, had just 38 points in 71 games. 

I have enough confidence in the Jets’ defensive structure and Hellebuyck to lock in my best online sportsbook bet, the Over on 95.5 points.  

Anything beyond that is aspirational.