Jets Aim to End Struggles Against Islanders in Thanksgiving Clash

The Jets look to build on Saturday’s victory in tough matchup against Islanders on Canadian Thanksgiving, while preparing to counter the impact of rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

The Winnipeg Jets look to build on their first victory of the season as they visit the New York Islanders for an afternoon matinee matchup at UBS Arena on Canadian Thanksgiving. Winnipeg held off a late push from Los Angeles in Saturday’s 4–2 win, powered by a perfect performance on the penalty kill and a strong defensive stand in the final minutes.

Scheifele Scores Twice as Jets Take Down Kings 3-2
The Winnipeg Jets are back in the win column.

The Jets’ penalty kill has been the standout story of their first week. Winnipeg opened the season in impressive fashion, scoring two shorthanded goals against Dallas, then following it up with a flawless 5-for-5 effort on the kill versus Los Angeles.

Offensively, center Mark Scheifele has been the driving force, notching two goals on Saturday and adding three assists for a total of five points in the team’s first two games. His linemate Kyle Connor, fresh off signing the largest contract in franchise history, made an immediate impact with a hat trick in the season opener and an assist on one of Scheifele’s goals against the Kings. With several key players still sidelined by injuries, the Scheifele–Connor duo will aim to carry the load once again as Winnipeg faces an Islanders team showcasing a new wave of emerging talent.

Lineup Storylines

The Islanders dropped their home opener 4–2 to Washington on Saturday, despite outshooting the Capitals 20–6 in the third period. The biggest headline out of the game was 2025 top pick defenseman Matthew Schaefer, scored his first career goal in the loss. Not something normal for a defenseman, but the Hamilton native has proven to be a difference maker in early action with several stunning defensive efforts like multiple chasedown stops on breakaways.

The Jets will need to sharpen their focus on figuring out how to break through the 18-year-old sensation, as there’s limited footage or scouting information on his game. The rookie has already led his team in ice time through the first two contests and will look to add to the scoresheet again on Monday.

Winnipeg’s expected starter Connor Hellebuyck will need to elevate their play as the back-to-back Vezina Trophy winner has struggled against the Islanders, holding a 5-7-0 record with a 3.20 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage in 12 appearances, one of his toughest matchups statistically against any team in the league.

The Jets will need to generate some offense of their own, but that will be a tall order as they’re missing four key players in captain Adam Lowry, top-six winger Cole Perfetti, and defensemen Dylan Samberg and Haydn Fleury. With lineup changes in place, winger Nikita Chibrikov stepping in for Perfetti and veteran defenseman Colin Miller replacing Fleury will both need standout performances if the Jets hope to stay competitive in this matchup.

Jets Bring Up Kale Clague as Insurance Following Injury to Haydn Fleury
Jets Bring Up Kale Clague as Insurance Following Injury to Haydn Fleury
On Saturday afternoon, Winnipeg Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury suffered a lower body injury after blocking a shot from Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe.

Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)

NYI ML (+105) | WPG ML (-125)

NYI +1.5 (-238) | WPG -1.5 (+190)

O/U 5.5 Goals

While the Jets rarely face the Islanders due to being in separate conferences, New York has consistently had the upper hand in this matchup, boasting a 9-2-0 record over the last 11 meetings since 2019. Despite Winnipeg’s rise to Stanley Cup contender status in recent seasons, the Islanders have continued to be a thorn in their side, winning two of the past three head-to-head games over the last two years.

For the Jets to stand a chance, they’ll need the offense to have a big performance and that starts with points coming out of cold sources like veteran center Jonathan Toews. Winnipeg’s big free agent add has yet to find the scoresheet and will need to start contributing soon. His history in this matchup is fairly decent with seven goals and ten assists for 17 points over his last 24 matchups against the Islanders.

Former Jets First-Rounder Signs with Edmonton Oilers
Winnipeg Jets’ 2015 first round pick in Jack Roslovic signed with the Edmonton mid-game on Wednesday as they Oilers were playing in the Battle of Alberta with the Calgary Flames.