For the last 23 years (13 with The Hockey News) DobberHockey has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 24th annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are what we take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart.

Enjoy!

Pick up the DobberHockey Fantasy Guide here – always updated

Gone – Jonathan Toews, Gustav Nyquist, Jacob Bryson, Colin Miller, Eric Comrie, Ville Heinola

Incoming – Stuart Skinner, Noah Gregor, Mario Ferraro, Henry Thrun, Jack St. Ivany, Viggo Bjorck

Impact of changes

The July 1 signing of Skinner raised some eyebrows, as it appeared that the Jets were preparing for life without Connor Hellebuyck. However, as of the time of writing, Hellebuyck has not been traded. Assuming Hellebuyck is on the Jets' opening-night roster, he may be in line for a slightly reduced workload with the presence of Skinner, which would keep the 33-year-old Hellebuyck fresh more often. Skinner is the likely starter if Hellebuyck is traded unless the Jets receive another goalie in return.

The Jets did not make a ton of offseason moves after missing the playoffs, but one addition that could help the goalies is Ferraro. Improving the third defense pair was a priority, and Ferraro has proven that he can handle big minutes and play on either side. Elias Salomonsson, who was called up for good at the end of February, could join Ferraro on the third pair once he returns from offseason shoulder surgery.

Ready for Full Time

Isak Rosen arrived in Winnipeg after being acquired from Buffalo in the trade deadline deal that sent Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn the other way, a move driven by the Sabres' surplus of young forwards that kept him from cracking their NHL lineup full-time. Rosen's AHL production has steadily improved over four seasons, but his early stint with the Jets offered only a small glimpse of his potential—three goals in 21 games while averaging just 10 minutes per night. He should see more ice time this season, and an opportunity is there for the taking given the Jets' lack of scoring beyond the top line (more on that shortly).

Bjorck will try to make the Jets' roster in his draft year. Normally an 18-year-old center would be better off developing in a league lower than the NHL. However, the Jets have an immediate need for a second-line center, and Bjorck could make the team if he appears to be the best option right away. Bjorck processes the game quickly, brings the energy, and has an effective shot. A downside is lack of size (5-10, 172 lbs.), so he will need to stand out at training camp. He is the Jets' top prospect, so he will be in the NHL in a matter of time. 

Nikita Chibrikov made the Jets' roster out of the 2025 training camp but failed to record a point before being sent down to the AHL Moose, where his season never really got on track. He managed just 16 points in 53 games and ultimately missed the playoffs after undergoing core‑muscle surgery. This year he'll be on a one‑way contract, meaning Winnipeg would have to expose him to waivers if they choose to send him back to the AHL. Chibrikov still has offensive upside, but fantasy managers should take a wait‑and‑see approach. It's a pivotal season for him as he tries to re-establish his trajectory.

Fantasy Outlook

The scoring in Winnipeg mainly goes through one line: Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Gabriel Vilardi. To give you an idea, all three of these players scored at least 30 goals in 2025-26. No one else on the Jets' roster even got to 15 goals, which could be the price of losing Nikolaj Ehlers. That's why one or more of the aforementioned young players has a golden opportunity to jump into the lineup, maybe even in a scoring role. Brayden Yager and Brad Lambert are two more young players to keep an eye on, although their odds of making the Jets are lower than that of Rosen, Bjorck, or Chibrikov.

Connor, Scheifele, Vilardi, Cole Perfetti, and Josh Morrissey should form the Jets' top power play. Morrissey's production has declined for three consecutive seasons after his breakout 76-point campaign in 2022-23. More recently, Morrissey finished the season with just 13 points in his last 28 games, so be careful not to overvalue him. Meanwhile, Perfetti may have gotten to 15 goals had he not missed the first month of the season due to injury. Perfetti had 12 goals in 68 games, but he could push 20 goals this season having already reached 18 and 19 the two seasons before.

Fantasy Grade: B (Last year: A-)

Check out the rest of the Dobber team previews here.