Jets' Scott Arniel on Hot Seat After Recent Skid

It is crazy to think that the Winnipeg Jets went from one of the NHL's top teams a season ago to one of the league's worst teams today. The Jets finished last season with a record of 56-22-4 and got bounced in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 6 games by the Dallas Stars.

Currently, their record sits at 15-21-4 and they are dead last in the NHL's Central Division. That is so unlike the Jets to be so bad this year after they were so good last year and really not a lot changed with their roster.

They still have stars Kyle Connor, Mark Schiefele and Connor Hellebuyck, among others, and they are still not playing well. It does not help them that in their recent losing streak, they have lost to current playoff teams in the Detroit Red Wings, the Colorado Avalanche, the Minnesota Wild and most recently the Ottawa Senators.

Final.https://t.co/ZQ5ldRppsL | #GoJetsGo pic.twitter.com/dmanouMnj3
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 4, 2026

If Arniel wants to keep his job, he is going to want to do whatever he can to beat some good teams and get his squad back on track. But for the time being, he is on the hot seat as going from the top team in the league to one of the bottom teams in the league is eye-opening.

As of late Hellebuyck has not been helping Arniel's case

The superstar goaltender who did everything he could to carry his team to the President's Trophy last season has not been a huge help this year. His stats are not particularly bad this year, but in a few of his most recent games, he has not been playing well.

Jan 3, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck (37) makes a save in the third period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images | Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

In four of his past five games, his save percentages have been as low as .818, .789, .895 and .852. Those save percentages are not like the star goaltender and how he usually plays. He is usually putting up numbers like .925 or .930 or .950 every game because he is that good.

But in general, this year has been a weird one for the whole Jets team and especially Hellebuyck. There is no way that the Jets are going to be able to climb out of this hole and get themselves climbing to the top of the Central Division again if Hellebuyck does not play better.

The Jets usually play well when their goaltender does, as it goes hand-in-hand, but lately that has not been the case. But Arniel needs to get his team back in it and figure out how to get his team out of this slump, or else, he could be out the door sooner rather than later.

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