Winnipeg Jets Are Off to a Great Start, But Can It Last?

I'll admit it. I was a little worried about the Winnipeg Jets before the season started. How could you not be? Connor Hellebuyck, one of the best goaltenders in the world, asked for a trade and then failed to report to training camp. The Jets suspended him, and suddenly a season that hadn't even started was in danger of becoming a gong show.

Four games in, though, Winnipeg is 3-0-1 and looking pretty good. That's a pleasant surprise. And the story isn't just that the Jets are winning. It's how they're doing it without the goaltender the team has been built around for years.

Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson Are Getting the Job Done.

Stuart Skinner has given Winnipeg a reason to feel comfortable in goal. He stopped 33 of 35 shots in a 3-2 win over Detroit, then made another strong start against Colorado, stopping 32 shots in another 3-2 victory. Clay Stevenson also made an impressive first impression, stopping 30 shots in a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh.

That's three straight wins, with both goaltenders contributing. Not bad for a team that entered the season with a pretty big question mark in net.

Let's not get carried away. Four games aren't enough to tell us whether Skinner can be a dependable No. 1 over an entire season or whether Stevenson can keep providing this kind of support. The underlying numbers still need to improve, too. But the Jets aren't sitting around waiting for the Hellebuyck situation to resolve itself. They're playing hockey and collecting points.

The Jets Are Finding Ways to Win.

Winnipeg still has plenty of talent up front. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor can score, and the team has enough defensive experience to give its goaltenders a chance. The encouraging part is that different players are contributing when the team needs them.

Against Colorado, Connor scored twice, including the winning goal with a minute remaining. Cole Perfetti also scored, while Scheifele contributed two assists. The Jets were outshot 39-19, yet Skinner helped them find a way to win. That's where this gets interesting. A team doesn't have to dominate every game to build confidence. Sometimes, it learns to trust its goaltender, capitalize on opportunities and find a way through a difficult night.

What's Next for the Winnipeg Jets?

Can this last? I think it's possible, but the goaltending will tell us plenty. Skinner and Stevenson don't need to replace Hellebuyck's reputation. They need to give Winnipeg a chance to win consistently. The Hellebuyck situation remains unresolved, and nobody knows how it will end. But the Jets have bought themselves something valuable: time.

Instead of letting the uncertainty define their season, they're giving themselves a chance to build one. For now, that's good news in Winnipeg. And after the way this season began, I'll take it.