The Winnipeg Jets are approaching an inflection point as a franchise. Even the most optimistic view of the team’s core players — Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Kyle Connor — must acknowledge the age of those players and the lack of elite youth chasing down their jobs.This gives us the opportunity to discuss the Jets’ future through so many oft-contrasting lenses. We can discuss kick-starting a rebuild, moving on from the Jets’ veteran elite “too early” as opposed to too late. We can plan massive draft-day deals, whether looking to add Jason Robertson as an homage to the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens’ acquisitions of K’Andre Miller and Noah Dobson or using the No. 8 pick to move up even higher in the draft. By summer’s end, I’ll make good on reader Fred S.’ recent request: What would I do if lightning struck, the skies parted open and I woke up as Winnipeg’s general manager?Today, we’re charting Winnipeg’s course back to the playoffs — a feat I sincerely believe the Jets can accomplish — and we’re doing it because I think it’s the Jets’ No. 1 goal. This isn’t a thought experiment — it’s showing how and why I think the Jets can get it done.A 2027 return to the whiteout is entirely within Winnipeg’s reach. Here’s the Jets’ most realistic route to get there.1. Keep HellebuyckHellebuyck is a passionate, emotional competitor who arrived at his media exit interview soon after what I imagine was an intense conversation with Jets brass. Even before Hellebuyck spoke, it felt like things were about to get interesting, and my instinct was vindicated when Hellebuyck deep-dived his response to an early question about Winnipeg’s roster.“It’s hard. Can you get the pieces that you need? Will the players come?” Hellebuyck said. “These are always questions that you have in Winnipeg. I’ve made it my home and I like it here, but the majority of the league doesn’t feel the same way.”The rest of Hellebuyck’s comments struck me as a challenge to Jets management — something like, “Find a way for us to be better. A Cup is all I want, so I might not be here forever.” But Hellebuyck’s opening remarks did not convey a goaltender with one foot out the door. The image was more like Hellebuyck holding open a giant wooden gate, gazing across frozen prairie, wondering who else might join him in the place he calls home.If I’m right about Hellebuyck’s short-term challenge and his commitment to Winnipeg, then there is only one route forward.Winnipeg must fulfill Hellebuyck’s call to arms or prepare to trade him, and Hellebuyck must return to form, lest a mid-30s fall from Hart Trophy-caliber excellence take the weight from his words.We’ve established the Jets’ lack of interest in a rebuild. I don’t believe they’re in a hurry to trade him for a “win now” package, either. The option they’re left with is to shoot one more shot this summer, making at least one tangible and obvious upgrade to their roster. Winnipeg can save follow-ups for the trade deadline if need be — the cap space will be there and there’s sense in letting the season play out — but I can’t see the Jets keeping Hellebuyck content by failing to make upgrades and then explaining it away.“It’s hard to get players to come to Winnipeg,” management might say, but Hellebuyck turns 34 next May.An honest articulation of Winnipeg’s challenges wouldn’t have been too satisfying during exit interviews. It’s hard to imagine it sounding sweeter in September or after another playoff miss. Meanwhile, Hellebuyck can articulate his own concerns — Winnipeg’s poor efforts in clearing rebounds or preventing screens — and they’ll likely feel all the more pertinent after winning gold behind Team USA at the Olympics.What he can’t do is deliver another .895 save percentage for the Jets. Team effects do influence goaltending results, but Hellebuyck would have stopped 32 more goals from going in had he produced a .916 save percentage — his own career average.But what of those upgrades?2. The No. 8 pickConsider the Jets’ best players and how those players became Jets.The draft is Winnipeg’s best route to acquiring top-end talent that stays in Winnipeg. A top draft pick is not a guaranteed outcome — Patrik Laine was traded and Nikolaj Ehlers departed as a UFA — but a higher percentage of Winnipeg’s top-drafted players remain with the club than its top trade acquisitions.If the Jets want help now, though, as I believe they do, then the No. 8 pick is going to be in play whether I think it “should” be or not. Look at the Jets roster as it stands today, including some of its AHL depth:LWCRWKyle ConnorMark ScheifeleGabriel VilardiCole PerfettiMorgan BarronBrad LambertNino NiederreiterAdam LowryIsak RosenCole KoepkeVladislav NamestnikovAlex IafalloJaret Anderson-DolanDavid GustafssonNikita ChibrikovColby BarlowBrayden YagerParker FordLDRDJosh MorrisseyDylan DeMeloDylan SambergNeal PionkHaydn FleuryElias SalomonssonAlfons FreijGarrett BrownIsaak PhillipsTyrel BauerGConnor HellebuyckThomas MilicDom DiVincentiisWinnipeg’s top line is the subject of much conversation and substantial sample size. Scott Arniel says he hopes not to split Connor and Scheifele next season, which means Winnipeg’s average first-line results in 2024-25 and average first-line results in 2025-26 are likely to repeat themselves. Lo and behold: an average starting point. Behind them, I see a second line with Morgan Barron and Brad Lambert each asked to play higher in the lineup than they’ve done to date and a third line that desperately needs good health and an ensuing return to form.I’m not beyond approaching Adam Lowry’s partnership with Nino Niederreiter with some optimism. The competing factors are their run of success prior to Lowry’s hip surgery and Niederreiter’s knee ailment vs. their 33-year-old bodies and the hard miles they’ve put on with a physically demanding brand of hockey. On defence, Winnipeg initially signed Haydn Fleury to be a depth defenceman. He’s performed well in key moments, including Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues, but he has not been a lock to win his minutes as an everyday roster player.Add it all up and a playoff-bound Jets team needs a middle-six forward — ideally a great one — and I think they’re going to try to add one.These are the top UFA forwards on The Athletic‘s early free agency big board: