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The final Winnipeg Jets regular season game of the 2024 calendar year is happening tonight. It’s a busy 13 game schedule around the NHL on this New Year’s Eve, including the Jets who are on the road in Colorado for a Central division matchup against the Avalanche. Fresh off a 3-0 win last night in Winnipeg against the Nashville Predators, the Jets look to improve on their current 4 game win streak. Apart from tonight being the final Jets game of 2024, this game will mark the final game before the Jets begin a season long 8 game home stand to begin the 2025 portion of this NHL season.
Taking one last peak at the NHL league standings before the final night of games in 2024, the Jets remain at the top of the league with 55 points. The race for 1st place continues to heat up, as the red hot Golden Knights are just 2 points back with 2 games in hand on the Jets. The Devils, Capitals, Wild and Panthers are 4 other teams within reach of that 1st spot in the NHL standings, and each team has impressed this season in their own ways. The Avalanche are 11th overall in the league standings, but are trending upwards after a batch of trades and roster moves to help ignite their average beginning to the season.
Tonight’s matchup features Central division rivals who must still remember their 1st round matchup from the 2024 playoffs. The Jets are 5-5-0 in their last 10 games (including that playoff series) against the Avalanche. The two teams most recent matchup, on November 7th, 2024, saw the Jets win 1-0 thanks to a goal from Gabe Vilardi and a 35 save shutout from Connor Hellebuyck. Games against the Avalanche always seem to have an extra “spark” to them, and that will be no different tonight as both teams look to conclude 2024 with a win.
As for the Jets, they’ve been back on their winning ways as of late with their current 4 game win streak. Last night’s 3-0 win was a game that looked closer on paper than it really was, as the Jets controlled the play and got more high danger chances than the Predators. Connor Hellebuyck earned his 5th shutout of the season (only needing to make 22 saves), and the team did all they could to limit Nashville’s attack. Yesterday the Jets announced that Mason Appleton will be “week-to-week” with a lower-body injury, while Dylan Samberg is “not there yet” according to head coach Scott Arniel. Haydn Fleury continues to be out “week-to-week” with a lower body injury, leaving the Jets defence in a “next man up” mentality.
Tonight’s projected starting goalies are Eric Comrie and Mackenzie Blackwood. While Hellebuyck picked up the shutout last night, it’s expected that Comrie plays the 2nd half of this back to back. It’s been a while since Comrie has started in goal, so you know he’ll be ready to help the Jets go for the win tonight in Denver.
Blackwood should be in goal for the Avalanche, fresh off signing a 5 year, 26+ million dollar extension with the Avalanche. The signing came as a bit of a surprise to some, as Blackwood only appeared in 3 games with the Avalanche before signing this new deal. The Avalanche must be confident that the Blackwood – Wedgewood duo in net will successfully replace the old Georgiev – Annunen tandem that started the season. One final lineup addition to note for the Avalanche will be the return of forward Johnathan Drouin, who has missed the last 16 games because of an upper-body injury.
Tonight’s New Year’s Eve game will be on TSN 3/4, as well on ESPN+ (regionally exclusive), with puck drop at 7:00 pm CT. The Jets will be looking to end a very successful 2024 calendar year in the regular season with their 28th win of the year, looking to hold down that top spot in the NHL standings. Happy New Year 2025 from all of us at Jets Nation!
Jets Projected Lineup:
Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Gabriel Vilardi
Cole Perfetti- Vladislav Namestnikov – Nikolaj Ehlers
Nino Niederreiter – Adam Lowry – Alex Iafallo
Morgan Barron – Rasmus Kupari – David Gustafsson
Josh Morrissey – Dylan DeMelo
Logan Stanley- Neal Pionk
Colin Miller – Dylan Coghlan
Eric Comrie
Connor Hellebuyck
