The Winnipeg Jets can’t seem to consistently get the best of a hometown opponent when they play against him. Tuesday night was no different.
Credit the Blues‘ defense for putting up a valiant performance when the Jets skated into St. Louis on Tuesday night. Winnipeg struggled offensively throughout the entire contest, and even their formidable power play was uninspiring.
But Winnipeg’s own Joel Hofer should get a lot of credit here. On Tuesday, Hofer kept the Jets in check, stopping 32 of 33 shots. That was good for an eye-popping .970 save percentage. Still, it wasn’t the first time that Hofer torched the Jets.
Per StatMuse, in eight career games against his hometown team, Hofer has a 4-3-1 record, a .939 save percentage, a 1.65 GAA, and two shutouts. Hofer’s first shutout win came on Mar. 19, 2023, when he stopped all 33 shots the Jets threw his way. The game also marked the first time Hofer faced the Jets.
Hofer’s worst game and first loss against Winnipeg came 11 months later on Feb. 27, 2024, when he notched 28 saves but allowed four goals. Hofer also had the worst GAA of his career against the Jets in that contest: 4.27.
Winnipeg Jets Have A Major Joel Hofer Problem
Hofer bounced back in Dec. 2024, saving 22 of 23 shots before he followed up that performance with an overtime loss in Feb. 2025. Hofer stopped 25 of 28 shots in that February loss, notching a 2.77 GAA for his efforts.
Hofer put up an incredible effort on Apr. 7, 2025, stopping 23 of 25 shots. But the Jets took that one in a thriller en route to their Presidents’ Trophy-winning campaign. Winnipeg would later beat the Blues in seven games in the first round of the 2025 NHL Playoffs. Hofer did not play in the postseason as Jordan Binnington manned the net for all seven contests.
On Dec. 17, 2025, Hofer recorded his second shutout vs. the Jets, this one also in St. Louis. He stopped all 24 shots on goal. But he followed that one up with a losing effort in Jan. 2026. Still, Hofer stopped 13 out of 15 shots and allowed two goals. That was his most recent matchup against Winnipeg until Tuesday night.
Hofer’s Numbers Have Been Incredible Against The Jets
Do the math, and Hofer has either shut out or allowed just one goal against the Jets in four of his eight matchups. That said, when he allows two or more goals, the Blues have lost every single game in which he has faced the Jets.
While nothing is guaranteed in sports, it reveals a trend that the Winnipeg Jets should try to capitalize on in the future: score at least two goals, and they will have an incredible chance to get the best of Hofer and the Blues.
Winnipeg will face off with the Blues three more times this season, with the next meeting occurring on Dec. 15. They will also meet up on Feb. 19 and Mar. 23, 2027.
No guarantees that Hofer will face the Jets in any of those three contests. But given the way he plays the Jets, there is a good chance they will face him again moving forward.
Winnipeg Jets Keep Running Into Hometown Problem Against Blues