This is our final entry for this second NHL Saturday miniseries, as we wrap it all up with the second incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets. The first left the capital of Manitoba in 1996 for the warmer climates of Phoenix, and the second came to the Gateway to the West from Atlanta. Originally the Thrashers from 1999-2011, the second Jets—overall—have just 7 playoff appearances in 23 seasons as an expansion team.

No. 5: 2019-20 Winnipeg Jets

During the Covid-interrupted season, this team posted a 37-28-6 record for 80 points and a fourth-place finish in the Central Division. With the No. 16 offense and the No. 12 defense, the Jets finished No. 10 in the overall SRS rankings. The team was good enough to make it into the adjusted postseason format in the safety bubble, but Winnipeg ended up losing a best-of-five series matchup against the Calgary Flames.

Two skaters topped a point a game: left wing Kyle Connor (38G, 35A, 34 PIMs) and center Mark Scheifele (29G, 44A, 45 PIMs). Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (31-21-5, 6 shutouts) held down the crease superbly. However, the Jets scored just six times in the four playoff games against Calgary, and that put a lot of pressure on Hellebuyck—our choice for the Vezina this season—to be perfect. He obviously wasn’t.

No. 4: 2020-21 Winnipeg Jets

In an abbreviated season during the Covid recovery, the Jets took third place in the North Division with a 30-23-3 record for 63 points. Winnipeg sported the No. 12 offense and the No. 9 offense, but the team was ranked just 14th in the overall SRS rankings. That did not stop the Jets, though, from sweeping the Edmonton Oilers in the playoff’s first round. However, Montréal returned the favor in the second round.

Scheifele (21G, 42A) and Connor (26G, 24A) were the top scoring dogs again, and Hellebuyck (24-17-3, 4 SOs) was strong as well. He helped Winnipeg win three straight one-goal games against the Oilers, all of them in overtime—including the triple-overtime clincher in Game 4. Against the Canadiens, however, who would reach the Stanley Cup Finals, the offense once again disappeared, scoring just 6 times overall.

No. 3: 2014-15 Winnipeg Jets

How a team with 99 points finishes fifth in its division is beyond us, but that’s what happened here. A 43-26-13 mark was only good enough for fifth in the Central, despite the No. 9 overall ranking in the SRS. The No. 15 offense and the No. 9 defense was not enough, however, to get the Jets past the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the postseason—Winnipeg lost two one-goal games, including Game 3 at home in overtime.

LW Andrew Ladd (24G, 38A, 72 PIMs) and right wing Blake Wheeler (26G, 35A, 73 PIMs) led an underwhelming scoring corps, while Gs Ondřej Pavelec (22-16-8, 5 SOs) and Michael Hutchinson (21-10-5, 2 SOs) formed a strong duo in net. After losing the first two games in Anaheim, though, that Game 3 was a must-win situation for the Jets, and it didn’t happen. Game 4 was a 5-2 waltz for the Ducks in the sweep.

No. 2: 2018-19 Winnipeg Jets

Funny how 99 points in a different season gets you second place in the Central. With a 47-30-5 record, Winnipeg finished No. 8 in the overall SRS rankings, as the Jets had the N0. 7 offense and the No. 15 defense this time. In the first round, Winnipeg had home ice against the St. Louis Blues—but the road team won each of the first five games in the matchup, until the Blues managed to clinch the series at home in Game 6.

Wheeler (20G, 71A, 60 PIMs) and Scheifele (38G, 46A) each managed to top a point a game during the regular season to lead the skaters; Hellebuyck (34-23-3, 2 SOs) made a whopping 62 starts in net, which may have worn him down a bit. Five of the six games against St. Louis were one-goal games, with the Blues winning four of those close ones on their way to winning their first Stanley Cup title in team history.

No. 1: 2017-18 Winnipeg Jets

The best team in franchise history, by far—for wins, points, and sabermetrics—posted a 52-20-10 record for 114 points while finishing second still in the Central. But the Jets actually were the No. 1 team in the SRS rankings, thanks to the No. 2 offense and the No. 5 defense. After beating the Minnesota Wild in five games and the Nashville Predators in seven games, Winnipeg lost in the conference finals to expansion Vegas.

Wheeler (23G, 68A, 52 PIMs) was the top scorer on a team that had nine skaters finish with at least 36 points. Hellebuyck had a stunning season, delivering a 44-11-9 record with 6 SOs to boot. He posted two shutouts against the Wild in the opening round before delivering a Game 7 win on the road in Nashville. The Jets then won Game 1 at home against the Golden Knights, before losing four straight to fickle fate.