Top 10 NHL EDGE stats of Jets’ record-breaking start

NHL.com’s fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats.

Today, we identify the top 10 advanced stats highlights for the Winnipeg Jets, who are off to the best start in NHL history with 15 wins in their first 16 games.

1. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, leads the NHL in goal differential (plus-26). But it has been far from easy for Hellebuyck; the Jets rank 20th in shot attempts percentage (48.7 percent), so Hellebuyck has had to make the fourth-most high-danger saves (77) in the NHL behind Lukas Dostal of the Anaheim Ducks (111), Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators (90) and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers (78).

2. Top-line forwards Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi have each scored seven high-danger goals, tied for second in the NHL behind Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers (eight). Their other linemate, left wing Kyle Connor, is tied with Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers for the most midrange goals (six) in the League. This line has reached new heights in its chemistry after Vilardi was limited to 47 games because of injury last season.

3. Connor also is a standout in other EDGE categories, ranging from speed bursts over 20 miles per hour (43; 93rd percentile) to total skating distance (54.28 miles; 96th percentile) and average shot speed (63.36 mph; 88th percentile), showing that he’s one of the League's most complete forwards -- in addition to being an elite goal scorer.

4. Forward Nikolaj Ehlers ranks in the 93rd percentile in top skating speed (22.98 mph) and 22-plus mph speed bursts (four). As a team, the Jets are tied for eighth in 22-plus mph speed bursts (20). Ehlers also ranks in the 83rd percentile in top shot speed (88.12 mph).

5. Forward depth, even beyond the top six, has been crucial for Winnipeg. Wing Nino Niederreiter, who mostly plays on the third line, has been highly productive in high-danger areas, ranking in the 93rd percentile in high-danger shots on goal (18) and 88th percentile in high-danger goals (four).

6. Defenseman Josh Morrissey ranks among the leaders in total skating distance (57.84 miles; 96th percentile) and is fourth at his position in even-strength skating distance (49.44 miles) this season. That includes 1.62 miles skated in the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 11, the second-highest total by a defenseman in a single period this season, behind Brandon Montour of the Seattle Kraken (1.65 miles in third period against Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 22).

7. Morrissey plays on the first power play with Connor, Scheifele, Ehlers and Vilardi, and Winnipeg leads the NHL in conversion percentage (42.2; 19 for 45). The focus on player movement under new coach Scott Arniel has made a huge impact: using four forwards on each of the top two power-play units, the Jets average 8.90 miles per 60 minutes with the man advantage, the fourth-highest mark in the League.

8. The Jets lead the NHL in total goals this season (73), a franchise record through their first 16 games. They rank in the top five of each EDGE goal location category: first in long-range goals (12), tied for second in midrange goals (22) and fifth in high-danger goals (29). Defenseman Dylan Samberg, who mostly plays on the second pair with Neal Pionk, has scored all three of his goals from long range, which is tied for the NHL lead.

9. Forward Cole Perfetti, who has been playing on the second line with Ehlers and Vladislav Namestnikov, ranks among the League’s best in average skating distance per 60 minutes (10.34 miles; 93rd percentile).

10. Forwards Rasmus Kupari and Morgan Barron, who mostly play on the fourth line with Alex Iafallo, have excelled in terms of 20-plus mph speed bursts. Kupari (44; 95th percentile) and Barron (42; 93rd percentile) are each near the top of the League in the category.

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