A crucial offseason mistake that quietly wrecked the Winnipeg Jets' season

Jan 25, 2026 (12:23)

Photo credit: Terrence Lee-Imagn Images

Nikolaj Ehlers signing with the Carolina Hurricanes didn't just sting the Winnipeg Jets, it yanked out a top-six driver, and the slump has gotten real fast.

The Jets wake up Sunday at 20-24-7.

That is not "one bad week," that is a season with a leak.

Winnipeg still has NHL shooters, but the attack feels slower getting set.

Ehlers was the guy who turned messy exits into clean entries.

He stretched teams back, even when he didn't touch the puck.

That pressure created space for everyone else to breathe.

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That post calling him underrated lands harder now, because Winnipeg looks like a team that lost its release valve.

Carolina, meanwhile, is getting the exact brand of chaos Ehlers brings.

He's at 14-25-39 this season, and it's not even always pretty when it's working.

Jets fans hate hearing it, but this room misses him more than it misses a random 60 points.

When you lose that one winger who can win races and force defenders to pivot, you lose time.

Less time means fewer clean looks, fewer drawn penalties, and more shifts spent defending the counter.

That trickles into the blue line too, because defensemen start forcing plays that used to be easy outs.

Carolina just watched him pop a hat trick in a 9-1 game, and that kind of burst is exactly what Winnipeg can't fake right now.

The Jets still have runway, but the next stretch has to prove they can manufacture speed without the guy who used to supply it.

Previously on HockeyLatest

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JANVIER 25\|259 ANSWERS A crucial offseason mistake that quietly wrecked the Winnipeg Jets' season Is Nikolaj Ehlers' departure the biggest reason the Winnipeg Jets are struggling?
Yes	140	54.1 %
No	119	45.9 %
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