What’s a Reasonable Expectation for Kyle Connor This Season?

I think we sometimes make things a little too complicated when we talk about Kyle Connor. The Winnipeg Jets winger has already shown us what kind of player he is. He scores goals, puts a lot of pucks on net and has become one of those players you can pretty much pencil in for a big offensive season. So the question heading into 2026-27 probably isn't whether Connor is still a very good player. It’s how much we should reasonably expect from him.

Last season, Connor finished with 39 goals and 92 points in 81 games. That came after a 97-point season the year before, so we're talking about a player who has established himself as a legitimate 90-point threat. He also set a franchise record by reaching 30 goals for the eighth time. Those aren't small accomplishments. If Connor stays healthy, I think somewhere around 35 to 40 goals and 85 to 95 points is a pretty reasonable expectation. Maybe he gets back to 97. Maybe he even sneaks over 100. But I wouldn't make 100 points the standard by which we judge his season.

Connor Doesn't Have to Prove He's a Superstar Anymore.

That's probably the part I find most interesting. Connor has reached the point in his career where we don't need to keep asking whether he can score at an elite level. He has done it. Eight 30-goal seasons tell us plenty. The more useful question is what else he can bring when the goals aren't coming.

We saw some of that late last season. Connor finished strong, putting up 18 points in his final 14 games and showing a little more bite away from the puck. That matters for a Winnipeg team that can't simply ask its best offensive players to score their way out of every problem. If Connor can continue to contribute in the other areas of the game, even when he isn't finding the net, his value becomes much greater.

Can Connor Reach 100 Points This Season?

And that's where I think the Jets should set their expectations. Don't expect Connor to suddenly become a 110-point player. That's probably asking for a little too much. But expect him to be one of Winnipeg's best offensive players every night. Expect 35-plus goals. Expect somewhere around 90 points. And if he stays healthy and catches one of those stretches where everything seems to go in, well, maybe we get another 40-goal, 95-plus-point season.

For a player who has already established that kind of consistency, that's a pretty good expectation to have.