The 6 Jets who need to step up the most against the Blues in Game 5

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Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel made a public challenge to his top players after Game 4: Outplay the St. Louis Blues’ top players.

It applied to stars like Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, who are driving Winnipeg’s offence but whose lapses helped St. Louis walk away with Game 4. It included Josh Morrissey, who has been outplayed by Cam Fowler and Colton Parayko. And it applied to goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, whose .817 save percentage, 15 goals against and back-to-back pulls have turned into the focal point of Winnipeg’s struggles.

On Monday in Winnipeg, Arniel expanded the field.

“Our top offensive players, they’ve got to be better than the opposition’s top offensive players. Our grinders, our meat-and-potato guys have got to be better than their meat-and-potato guys.”

Arniel didn’t name names. Neither did Hellebuyck, who told reporters, “We’re a team in here, we’re not pointing fingers at anyone.”

But this is a series wherein the Jets are supposed to be the favourites with superior depth and top-end talent at all positions. Scheifele and Connor are supposed to be able to outduel Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. Adam Lowry is supposed to be a better shutdown centre than Brayden Schenn. Hellebuyck is … we’ll let him speak for himself in a moment.

The point is, a lot of Jets need to be better than they were on the road in St. Louis.

And while Arniel and his players won’t name names, we will. These are the Jets players who need to step up their game for Winnipeg to regain the series lead against the Blues on Wednesday night.

1. Connor Hellebuyck

Whether you believe in his playoff resume or not, Hellebuyck has been the story of this series — and not for the right reasons. Some of his misery has resulted from brilliant deflections or bad bounces off of his defencemen, but Hellebuyck is responsible for enough of his problems to earn the unwanted attention.

Hellebuyck was asked to evaluate his performance in Winnipeg on Monday.

“You don’t love giving up that many goals, but we’re 2-2 in the series. That’s all that matters. Win the next one. Am I going to be better? I am going to be better. I’ve studied goaltending extremely hard. I’ve probably studied the most out of anyone in this world, so I know what to do and how to get my best game. So that’s what I’m looking forward to (doing). I’ve got two days here. Time to bring it in Game 5.”

Connor Hellebuyck was adamant to reporters in Winnipeg that he will be better in Game 5.

“I’m not going to go and make huge changes. That being said, I’m going to be better. That’s my job, and that’s the foot that I’m putting forward. I can’t be giving up this many goals.”

— Murat Ates (@WPGMurat) April 28, 2025

He was also asked about his surprisingly poor playoff results.

“Honestly, it’s a surprise in my world, too. When I’m watching my game, there’s a certain way I need it to look and want it to look,” Hellebuyck said. “And it would be crazy to go that many regular-season games and then all of a sudden switch something up in the playoffs. You don’t win 47 games and then come the playoffs (and) switch everything up.

“I know how it needs to look. I like a lot of things. I’m not going to go and make huge changes. That being said, I’m going to be better. That’s my job, and that’s the foot that I’m putting forward. I can’t be giving up this many goals.”

He’s right. He can’t. And he is the No. 1 player on the list of Jets who could make a huge difference for Winnipeg in this series. He doesn’t have to reinvent himself. He doesn’t have to put each game on his shoulders.

He has to stop more pucks.

2. Josh Morrissey

Morrissey is supposed to be the best defenceman in this series. Instead, he’s been on the ice for five Blues goals at even strength, tying Luke Schenn for the most on that front, and we’re still waiting for Morrissey’s moment. This is not the norm for a player known for quick retrievals, smooth transition play and dominant shifts in the offensive zone — and it’s costing him at both ends of the ice.

Fowler, Parayko and Justin Faulk have outscored the Jets’ top defenceman, while the Blues have 15 hits on him through four games.

As it turns out, all of Winnipeg’s defencemen are taking a pounding: Dylan Samberg is the only minutes-eater who has absorbed fewer than three hits a game so far. Credit the Blues’ forecheck. Criticize Hellebuyck’s puckhandling, with an eye on how Jordan Binnington keys breakouts at the other end of the ice. Either way, the bruises are adding up.

Morrissey’s placement on this list is a testament to the high expectations he’s created for himself. He is arguably the Jets’ second most important player (after Hellebuyck), and we’re still waiting for him to put his stamp on the series.

3. Adam Lowry

Lowry took responsibility on Monday for his ill-timed penalty, hauling down Tyler Tucker during Tucker’s battle with Morgan Barron. The Blues didn’t score on their power play — not officially, anyway — but Schenn scored soon after Lowry’s penalty had ended. The Blues’ goal took a combination of poor backtracking, a Samberg fall and Hellebuyck’s one-handed paddle attempt. But the needless penalty kill sapped the Jets’ second-period momentum all the same.

Lowry has two minor penalties, 14 penalty minutes and seven shots in the series, but his only point is an empty net goal. Lowry’s line is supposed to be one of Winnipeg’s biggest strengths: The heart of a middle-six forward group that can go head-to-head with any team in the league and win its minutes. His 56 percent share of on-ice shot attempts offers encouragement, but Lowry needs to find a better way to help.

4. Vladislav Namestnikov

When a good, two-way player is a poor finisher, it’s easy to remember them for the scoring chances they don’t convert. Namestnikov is such a player, making smart decisions in his zone and playing a tenacious brand of hockey in all three zones. Winnipeg’s offence also has died on his stick far too often for a No. 2 centreman. He has only five shot attempts all series — three of which forced a save — and zero points in the playoffs. Extend his scoring drought to the regular season, and Namestnikov has only one goal and 12 assists in his last 33 games.

Namestnikov is versatile and hardworking, and the only way the Jets will go far in the playoffs is if he produces points alongside all of the effort. It’s a good reminder of why Winnipeg tried so hard to acquire a No. 2 centre at the trade deadline.

5. Nino Niederreiter

Another veteran, another stat line that includes zero points. Niederreiter played parts of Game 1 like he was shot out of a cannon. He’s good along the walls and makes hard plays that keep the puck in the offensive zone: Winnipeg has over 50 percent of the shots and expected goals with Niederreiter on the ice, just like Namestnikov, Lowry and other Jets forwards who have failed to produce thus far. Niederreiter is one of the best play-driving forwards in either team’s middle-six, but 16 Blues have more points than he does this series.

6. Luke Schenn

Schenn is supposed to be the ideal third-pairing defenceman: calm, steady and so sheltered from top competition that the other team doesn’t get a sniff while he’s on the ice. Instead, he’s looked slow, he’s made giveaways that lead directly to goals against, and Winnipeg has been outscored 5-3 with him on the ice during five-on-five play. He was never meant to be an offensive defenceman, but Schenn also has stood out for a lack of incisive decision making at the offensive blue line, especially when the Jets are chasing the game.

Schenn is usually good at clearing the net front. His physicality is welcome on the boards and the PK. He’s also unique on the roster in that he’s a Stanley Cup champion and a veteran of over 1,000 games. Despite those qualities, no one in any series has put his team short-handed more often than Schenn (5) has in Round 1.

Finally, some good news

The Jets are getting Gabriel Vilardi back for Game 5. He’s going to play on the top line with Connor and Scheifele, and it’s going to cause a positive ripple effect throughout the lineup.

I’m expecting Alex Iafallo to take Niederreiter’s spot on the second line. This creates a slightly different look for Namestnikov and Cole Perfetti, and returns Niedereiter to the third line where he’s had most of his success. These lines are much closer to Arniel’s ideal than what we’ve seen for much of the series.

Nikolaj Ehlers will not return soon. Expect him toward the end of Round 2 or the start of Round 3 if the Jets make it that far.

If this lineup gets it done, glory. If they lose, the greatest season in franchise history ends in disappointment.

“We’re in a good spot,” Hellebuyck said. “It’s a best of three. I like our odds, and we’ve got home ice advantage. That’s where our mindset is going forward. That’s all we can do.”

(Photo of Connor Hellebuyck: Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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