Winnipeg Jets fantasy projections for 2023-24
Connor ranked among top 30 overall in redraft leagues; Vilardi, Perfetti breakout candidates
© Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images
As part of NHL.com’s 32 in 32 series, the fantasy hockey staff has ranked the top 5 players on the Winnipeg Jets and identified other preseason draft targets with point and win projections for the 2024-25 season.
1. Kyle Connor, F
NHL.com point projection: 84
Connor led the Jets with 34 goals last season, his sixth season of at least 30 goals since 2017-18; he ranks ninth in the League in goals over that span (241). Connor had the 12th-most goals per game (0.52; minimum 60 games) last season. He is among NHL.com’s top 30 overall fantasy rankings in redraft leagues.
WPG@NSH: Connor fires home OT winner on the rush
2. Connor Hellebuyck, G
NHL.com win projection: 35
Hellebuyck won his second Vezina Trophy with 37 wins in 60 games (second behind Alexandar Georgiev‘s 38), a 2.39 goals-against average (third), .921 save percentage (led League; minimum 30 games) and five shutouts (tied for fifth) and was one of three goalies to play at least 60 games (Juuse Saros, 64; Georgiev 63). Even with coach Scott Arniel replacing the retired Rick Bowness, Hellebuyck remains among the top five goalies in NHL.com’s rankings.
Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck ranked as 2nd best goalie
3. Josh Morrissey, D
NHL.com point projection: 75
He followed up his breakout 2022-23 season (76 points in 78 games) with 69 points (10 goals, 59 assists) in 81 games. Morrissey was a multicategory standout with 90 hits, 103 blocks, a plus-34 rating (tied for eighth) and an NHL career-high 196 shots on goal. He remains a top 10 fantasy defenseman option.
WPG@COL: Morrissey blasts slap shot from the point for PPG
4. Mark Scheifele, F
NHL.com point projection: 78
He led the Jets with 72 points (25 goals, 47 assists) in 74 games, his fifth 70-point season in the NHL. Scheifele is a fixture as the No. 1 center at even strength and on the power play, where he skates with Connor, Morrissey and forward Gabriel Vilardi. A full season playing with Vilardi, who scored 22 goals in 47 games last season, could help push Scheifele over 80 points for the first time since he had 84 in 2018-19.
WPG@NSH: Scheifele makes great move and lifts in a backhand shot
5. Nikolaj Ehlers, F
NHL.com point projection: 70
After a slow start to last season (11 points in 22 games), Ehlers finished strong with 50 points (19 goals, 31 assists) over his final 60 games. A potential unrestricted free agent after the season, Ehlers is worth reaching for in fantasy around the top 75 overall and could benefit from a power-play spark under Arniel.
WPG@CHI: Ehlers goes end-to-end and scores his second goal of game
Other WPG players on preseason draft lists:
Breakout candidates: Gabriel Vilardi, F (NHL.com point projection: 62); Cole Perfetti, F (NHL.com point projection: 55)
Deep sleeper candidates: Neal Pionk, D (NHL.com point projection: 43); Kaapo Kahkonen, G (NHL.com win projection: 12)
