A nine-game slide has left Winnipeg hanging by a thread, but Tuesday’s meeting with the Montreal Canadiens gives the Jets a chance to start changing the story.
The playoff picture has turned ugly fast. After that losing streak, Winnipeg’s odds of getting back to the Stanley Cup playoffs have dropped below 10 percent, and MoneyPuck now has them at 6.6 percent. That puts the Jets fourth-worst in the NHL, ahead of only the Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks.
Still, the season is not dead yet. Winnipeg is only four points back of a playoff spot, and the upcoming schedule opens the door a little wider. The Jets have already survived one of the toughest runs on their calendar, with games against the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and two meetings with the Canadiens, including Tuesday’s rematch.
That stretch helps explain why the results have gone sideways. The real question now is whether Winnipeg can take advantage of what comes next.
The next few weeks look far friendlier, with matchups against the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders on the horizon. If the Jets are going to climb back into the race, this is the part of the schedule where they need to start banking wins and building momentum.
There is precedent for a dramatic late collapse, too. Last season, the Detroit Red Wings sat near the top of the Atlantic Division with playoff odds above 90 percent and a chance to end a long postseason drought, only to fade badly down the stretch. Detroit went 9-15-5 over its final 29 games, finished with the fourth-worst record in the NHL and missed the playoffs, stretching that drought to a full decade.
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Jets Try To Build Momentum As Prospect Questions Keep Growing
The Jets got back to work after a day off following their comeback win in Montreal, and the timing matters with Vancouver next on the schedule. Winnipeg has been trying to stack good days together, and the organizations prospect pipeline is part of that bigger picture, especially with several young players continuing to make their case in different leagues.
Brad Lambert is among the names drawing attention after a recent roster move, while defense prospect Garrett Brown is also working his way back with the Manitoba Moose after his prospect-tournament injury. Add in Connor Hellebuycks letter to fans after his trade to New Jersey, and it has been a busy stretch around the organization, even as the Jets try to keep their focus on the ice and build on the momentum they brought home from Montreal. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Turn To Brayden Yager As Their Offense Searches For A Spark
The Jets have turned to Brayden Yager for a little more punch, recalling the young forward from the Manitoba Moose as they look to jolt an offense that has been searching for rhythm. Yager, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a prospect-for-prospect deal, has been one of Manitobas more productive players this season and already got a taste of the NHL with Winnipeg in April.
For the Jets, the move is as much about opportunity as it is about need. Yager has shown he can create offense in the AHL, and with Winnipeg trying to find more finishing touch, his arrival gives the coaching staff another option to mix into the lineup and see whether his scoring touch can carry over at the next level. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Face One Big Roster Test As Momentum Starts Building
The Jets are starting to feel a little better about themselves after a comeback win over Montreal, one that carried them into a meeting with a Vancouver team still searching for traction this season. There is some fresh energy around the group, too, with projected lineups already taking shape as Winnipeg tries to build on the momentum from its overtime victory.
Brayden Yager is back in the picture after a recall from the Manitoba Moose, giving the Jets another look at a young forward while the roster remains in flux. The bigger concern is still on the blue line, where Josh Morrissey is not yet ready to rejoin the group, leaving Winnipeg to manage its next stretch without one of its most important pieces. [Read more 🡒]