Winnipeg Jets fantasy projections for 2026-27

As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, the fantasy hockey staff ranks the top five Winnipeg Jets players for standard leagues and provides skater points and goalie wins projections for the 2026-27 season.

1. Connor Hellebuyck, G

NHL.com fantasy rank: 27

Hellebuyck’s 23 wins in 57 games last season were the fewest he’s had in a season since his rookie campaign (13-11-1) in 2015-16. He had a career-low .895 save percentage last season and zero shutouts for the first time in his career. Hellebuyck won the Hart Memorial Trophy and Vezina Trophy in 2024-25 after posting NHL career highs in wins (47-12-3), goals-against average (2.00), save percentage (.925) and shutouts (eight). Among goalies with 125 games played since 2022-23, Hellebuyck leads the League in wins (144 in 244 games played), save percentage (.916) and GAA (2.43) and ranks second in both shutouts (17) and saves (6,387). Hellebuyck, who has made public his desire to be traded by the Jets, is a three-time Vezina winner with bounce-back potential and a ceiling of finishing as the top fantasy goalie this season.

NHL.com win projection: 32

2. Kyle Connor, F

NHL.com fantasy rank: 30

Connor had 92 points (39 goals, 53 assists) in 82 games last season and has had at least 90 points in three of his past five seasons. Connor, who had a career-high 97 points (41 goals, 56 assists) in 2024-25, has scored 40 goals in two of his past five seasons and 30 goals in eight of his past nine seasons. Since 2019-20, Connor ranks seventh in the NHL in both goals (256 in 517 games) and shots on goal (1,757). The 29-year-old, who ranks third in the League in game-winning goals (40) over the past five seasons combined, was tied for eighth in wrist shot goals (19) and tied for seventh among forwards in slap shot goals (six) last season. Connor is a fringe top 30 overall player in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings this season due to his consistent goal-scoring and shot volume.

NHL.com point projection: 93

3. Mark Scheifele, F

NHL.com fantasy rank: 32

Scheifele set NHL career highs in points (103; fifth in NHL) and assists (67; ninth) in 82 games last season. He scored 36 goals last season and is tied for 12th in the League in goals (75 in 164 games) over the past two seasons. Scheifele has seen an increase in points in his past three seasons and has scored at least 35 goals in three of his past four seasons. The 11-time 20-goal scorer is one of two players to have at least 75 goals, 100 blocked shots (107) and 100 hits (105) over the past two seasons (Wyatt Johnston). Scheifele and Connor factored on the same goal 65 times last season, the most among teammate duos. Both are fringe top 20 forwards in NHL.com’s fantasy rankings at the position for this season.

NHL.com point projection: 92

4. Gabriel Vilardi, F

NHL.com fantasy rank: 127

Vilardi had career highs in points (69), goals (30), assists (39), power-play goals (13), and shots on goal (150) in 82 games last season. Vilardi, who has had at least 20 goals in four straight seasons, has seen an increase in goals, assists, power-play goals, ice time per game and shots on goal in his past two seasons with the Jets. The 27-year-old is tied for 10th in the NHL in power-play goals (25) since 2024-25 and brings exposure to Connor and Scheifele at 5-on-5 and on the power play.

NHL.com point projection: 71

5. Josh Morrissey, D

NHL.com fantasy rank: 147

Morrissey had 55 points (14 goals, 41 assists) in 77 games last season and has had at least 55 points in four straight seasons and double-digit goals in five consecutive seasons. Morrissey, who has also had at least 100 blocked shots in five straight seasons, has seen a decline in hits over the past few seasons but averaged a career-high 24:43 of ice time per game last season. The 31-year-old is one of three defensemen to have at least 25 goals (28), 225 blocked shots (231) and 80 hits (85) over the past two seasons (Cale Makar, Mikhail Sergachev) and one of two defensemen to have at least 50 goals (66), 400 hits (414) and 500 blocked shots (557) since 2021-22 (Rasmus Dahlin). Morrissey is a bounce-back candidate and a fringe top 25 fantasy defenseman in NHL.com’s rankings with upside to finish inside the top 20 at his position.

NHL.com point projection: 59

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Other WPG players on preseason fantasy draft lists:

Breakout candidate: Cole Perfetti, F (point projection: 55)

Bounce-back candidate: Vladislav Namestnikov, F (point projection: 40)

Hit and block specialist: Neal Pionk, D (point projection: 35)