Jets Forward Quietly Becoming Challenger for Scoring Title

A Winnipeg Jets forward is quietly challenging for the NHL's scoring title.

Dec 10, 2024; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor (81) skates into the Boston Bruins zone during the second period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: Terrence Lee-Imagn Images / Terrence Lee-Imagn Images

The Winnipeg Jets are one of the best teams in the NHL this season, and their offense is being led by scoring winger Kyle Connor. In a league dominated by superstar talent like Edmonton Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl as well as reigning MVP Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche, the Jets' forward has managed to quietly climb up the league' scoring race.

Entering the second half of the season, the Jets are on top of the Central Division and Kyle Connor is the least talked about contender in this year's scoring race. With 22 goals and 32 assists for 52 points in 40 games, he ranks sixth in the NHL leaderboard, trailing none other than MacKinnon, Draisaitl, Rantanen, McDavid, and Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov. MacKinnon has a seven point lead over the entire field as well.

But when the conversation shifts to who could challenge the Avs' superstar down the stretch, the Jets' leader hasn't been mentioned. If anyone can unseat him, Connor has as much a shot as anyone.

One area that Kyle Connor has always excelled is putting the puck in the net. He's a natural sniper and has impressive playmaking skills and utilizes it frequently to create his own chances. This season, a vast majority of Winnipeg's offense is flowing through him. He's leading the team in shots on goal by 40+ shots. According to NHL EDGE statistics, his 134 shots ranks in the 99th percentile of all NHL players this season.

He's also one of the most explosive skaters in the league, and he's relying on a combination of smarts and speed to score at this elevated pace. NHL EDGE recorded 109 bursts of 20 MPH (32 kilometers per hour) or faster from Connor this season, putting him in the 96th percentile of all skaters. His top speed at 22.64 MPH isn't the fastest in the league, but his ability to get to his top speed so easily is a huge piece of him manipulating defenders and getting open scoring chances.

Admittedly, the hill Connor would have to climb in order to pass the five players in front of him is a steep one. But with the amount of Jets offense funneling through him and with no clear signs of that changing, he has a legitimate chance to hang around and maybe even sneakily emerger at the top of the NHL scoring race this year.

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