Management Disappointed by Jets' Playoff Absence

The Winnipeg Jets concluded their season with a disappointing 6-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, missing the playoffs with a record of 35-35-12, totaling 82 points, the second fewest in franchise history since 2015-16.

Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo expressed feelings of disappointment, stating, 'I think we let the fans down, we let ourselves down, just a real bad showing to end it off.' Head coach Scott Arniel echoed this sentiment, noting the team failed to maintain their intensity after initially scoring, saying, 'We kind of disrespected our opponent and came with a little bit of pond hockey.' The team finished the season on a four-game losing streak and had high hopes for the playoffs after a strong previous season where they collected 116 points.

Captain Adam Lowry added, 'We came well short of that. It's tough to see things come to an end.' The Jets' regulation loss ensured they finished 26th overall, giving them a 6.5 percent chance of landing the first overall pick in the NHL Draft lottery on May 5.

Notably, Jonathan Toews, who played his first season back in the NHL after a two-and-a-half-year absence, may have played his final game, finishing with 11 goals and 29 points in 82 games. The Jets also saw promising performances from Cole Koepke, who scored his eighth goal of the season and tied his career points.

The report also highlighted the addition of defenceman Garrett Brown on a two-year, two-way entry-level contract, joining the Manitoba Moose on an amateur tryout offer. Overall, the Jets management is set to undertake a thorough evaluation of the season to address where things went wrong as they look to improve for next year.