Jets' Mark Schefiele, Kyle Connor Deserve Place As NHL's Best Duo
Winnipeg's overlooked forwards are factoring in on more goals than any other NHL duo, quietly outshining league stars.
While NHL conversations often center around iconic offensive pairings like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, or Nikita Kucherov alongside Brayden Point, one of the league’s most productive duos continues to operate with far less attention in Winnipeg. For much of the season, the offensive chemistry between Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor has quietly matched, and in some cases surpassed, the headline combinations that dominate league-wide discussion. Yet outside of Winnipeg, the pairing still rarely receives the same spotlight.
That lack of recognition persisted even after the Winnipeg Jets delivered the best regular season in franchise history, capturing their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy after finishing atop the NHL standings. Winnipeg’s consistency throughout the year made them one of the league’s most complete teams, but much of the attention still landed elsewhere. Now, Scheifele and Connor are once again making a strong case for greater recognition.
The longtime linemates have factored in on 60 goals together this season, the highest total by any duo in the NHL. Package deal 📦 pic. twitter.
com/ptavJH3UBK — Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) April 5, 2026 That number reflects not only individual talent, but also a connection built through years of playing together and understanding each other’s tendencies in all areas of the offensive zone. Their chemistry has become one of Winnipeg’s defining strengths. Connor remains one of the NHL’s most reliable finishers, while Scheifele continues to drive play with his vision and ability to create scoring chances under pressure.