The St. Louis Blues and Montreal Canadiens face off Tuesday with two of the NHL’s most valuable players since the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

Blues center Robert Thomas and Canadiens center Nick Suzuki are largely responsible for their teams' rise in the standings to a wild-card spot in the past month. Both players are among the NHL’s top 10 scorers since the 4 Nations tournament, but their contributions, in particular, have led to some massive results.

The Blues occupy the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a three-point lead on the Vancouver Canucks. St. Louis was eight points behind Vancouver during the 4 Nations Face-Off. 

While it’s unfair to the team to say only Thomas carried them to where they are today, he has done much of the heavy lifting. Since Feb. 20, Thomas posted 14 assists and 19 points in 16 games. He got at least one point in 13 of those games, and he posted two or more points in four of them. The 25-year-old now has 42 assists and 60 points in 60 games this season. 

A Blues team that’s 16th in the league in goals-for per game (2.97) would be well out of a playoff spot were it not for Thomas’ contributions on offense. His point-per-game average is well above any other Blues player, considering he missed some time due to an injury this season.

While he’s still somewhat of a hidden gem outside of St. Louis, Thomas is doing everything asked of him. He’s a high-value performer at an average salary of $8.125 million per season.

In the Eastern Conference, the eighth-place Canadiens also are getting terrific contributions from captain Suzuki. Since Feb. 20, he has six goals and 14 assists for 20 points in 13 games. The 25-year-old has also put up at least one point in 10 of those games, and six of them are multi-point nights. 

The Habs are 13th in goals-for per game, so Suzuki’s point production is necessary to where they are today. And his salary of $7.875 million also makes him a great bang-for-his-bucks type of player. 

The Blues and the Canadiens aren’t anywhere close to locking up a playoff spot. That means they’re almost certainly going to need more out of Thomas and Suzuki. But the good news for Montreal and St. Louis fans is that both players are ready, willing and able to drive offensive production and take the heat off the rest of the lineup.

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For most of the last four decades, the Philadelphia Flyers have been the poster child for mediocre-to-poor goaltending.

This year is no exception.

In their first full season without goalie Carter Hart since 2018-19, the Flyers are again near the bottom of the standings and again getting mostly subpar goaltending. Hart, who left the team about 14 months ago, is awaiting trial next month for an alleged sexual assault in 2018, and his lawyers say he will plead not guilty. The Flyers did not give Hart a qualifying offer last summer, and he became a UFA.

Samuel Ersson, 25, and Ivan Fedotov, 28, have had some spurts of impressive play, but for the most part, they and their defense have contributed to another disappointing season. The Flyers (28-35-9) will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight season, matching a franchise record for futility.

To point fingers solely at the goaltending and defense would be unfair.  The offense has been awful: 25th out of 32 teams in goals scored (2.71 per game) and 30th on the power play (13.8-percent success rate).

The goaltending has been even worse. Flyers goalies are last in the NHL in save percentage (.880) and 28th in goals against (3.39 per game).

'Heartbeat' Of The Team

Flyers coach John Tortorella wasn’t using hyperbole when he said goaltenders are the “heartbeat” of a team’s success.

“It’s the water in Philly or something happens that everything gets screwed up,” Tortorella said earlier this season. “No one expected Carter leaving and forcing 'Ers' into this situation. Then it’s just a domino effect with these other guys… I’m not sure where it all goes, but it is what it is. We have to deal with it.”

So what in the name of Bernard Marcel Parent is the reason the Flyers have been a goalie graveyard for so long?

For every Bernie Parent, Pelle Lindbergh (whose career was cut short by his tragic death) or Ron Hextall, there were dozens of flops. And when they did find a goalie with elite potential – hello, Sergei Bobrovsky – they traded him in arguably the worst deal in franchise history.

The goalie carousel looked like it had finally stopped when Hart arrived in 2018-19. He brought stability and confidence to the team. As a rookie, he equalled an NHL record for most consecutive wins (eight) while under 21. He had a 2.83 GAA and .917 save percentage that season. In his first six years, he was mostly solid despite having a weak team in front of him.

Despite Appearances, Tortorella Loves Coaching Flyers Rookie StandoutIf you’ve watched the Philadelphia Flyers this season, you wouldn’t be faulted for believing that John Tortorella has had a miserable time coaching rookie Matvei Michkov.

The Issue Begins

When Hart left the team midway through last season – he was 25 at the time – goaltending became an issue for the Flyers.

Ersson, thrust into the No. 1 goalie spot, played gallantly in 2023-24 before being worn down by his extensive use. This year, he has been extremely inconsistent (3.00 GAA, .886 save percentage), looking more like a No. 2 goaltender than a reliable No. 1.

Fedotov, a 6-foot-7, 214-pounder, has been given a chance to show his Olympic success – he led Russia to a silver medal in 2022 – and strong KHL play would translate to the NHL. He hasn’t taken advantage of the opportunity, however. Witness his 3.21 GAA and .877 save percentage in 24 games this season.

So the Flyers’ rebuild has taken a significant step backward.

Oh, there are some promising goaltender prospects in the system, but they aren’t ready, and the fans are getting restless. That might cause GM Danny Briere to add a veteran goaltender in free agency, someone who can steady the ship as the team tries to become relevant.

Jake Allen, Frederik Andersen, Anton Forsberg, Ilya Samsonov, David Rittich, and Matt Murray are some of the veterans that are expected to be UFAs this summer.

Maybe Briere goes that route. Or maybe he stays with his unproven goaltenders and tries to spend money on free-agent centers, such as Sam Bennett or Ryan Donato, who also plays wing.

Whatever the Flyers do, they must soon find a goaltender – at some point – who is capable of avoiding the long losing streaks that have plagued them during their playoff-drought years.

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Welcome to a new week of The Hockey News Big Show, where we explore some of the biggest NHL and hockey topics.

Here’s what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed in this episode:

Who Is The NHL’s MVP Since The 4 Nations? by The Big Showundefined

0:59: The battle for first in the Atlantic Division is tight. Which team needs first place the most? 

3:19: Would Matthew Tkachuk actually want to play against his brother, Brady Tkachuk, if the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators meet in the first round?

4:19: Which team do you think will ultimately earn the top spot in the Atlantic division?

6:43: The Blue Jackets announced Monday they activated Sean Monahan and Erik Gubranson off injured reserve. How will their returns affec the Blue Jackets’ playoff push?

9:16: The New York Islanders’ potential game-winning goal was disallowed because of goaltender interference. Was there interference or not?

11:29: Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, the top scorers are Roope Hintz, Sidney Crosby, Nick Suzuki, Robert Thomas and Connor McDavid. Who has been the MVP for their team most during this run?

14:01: McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are unlikely to play in any of the Edmonton Oilers’ three games this week. Can the Oilers prove they are more than a two-man team?

16:43: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle is travelling with the team on their four-game road trip. If Guhle comes in, who should the Canadiens take out?

19:20: The Pittsburgh Penguins' latest hot streak has kept them out of a guaranteed top-five draft pick. Has this "hot streak" actually done more harm than good for the Penguins?

21:56: Which team needs to change coaches?

25:25: Speculation has circulated for a while connecting Gavin McKenna - the consensus No. 1 pick for the 2026 NHL draft - to the University of Michigan. The rumor on the street is that Michigan could be offering something upwards of $100,000 annually for him to join them. How would McKenna making this move reshape the future of junior and college hockey?

30:21: The NCAA men’s hockey tournament begins on Thursday. The top four teams are No. 1 Boston College, No. 2 Michigan State, No. 3 Maine and No. 4 Western Michigan. Is the national champion in this top four? Who is your pick? 

32:51: The Washington Capitals re-signed D-man Jakob Chychrun to an eight-year extension worth $9 million per season. Good or bad deal?

34:31: Gavin McKenna closed out his draft-minus-1 season with 129 points in 56 games. Sidney Crosby is the only CHL player to score more in a D-minus-1 season. Could McKenna be the best prospect since Sidney Crosby? 

36:42: ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that billionaire Dan Friedkin has gotten into the mix as an ownership option focused on bringing the NHL to Houston. Yay or nay to an NHL team in Houston? 

38:53: The referees robbed us all of a goalie fight between Darcy Kuemper and Jeremy Swayman on Sunday. Yes or no: should refs try to stop goalie fights to prevent injuries?

 Watch the full episode here.   

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The Washington Capitals re-signed Jakob Chychrun to an eight-year contract at $9 million per season, the team announced on Tuesday.

Chychrun, 26, nearly doubles his current $4.6-million cap hit with what will be the longest contract of his career. The extension and his improvement on the scoresheet come almost nine months after the Capitals acquired him from the Ottawa Senators.

"Jakob is a proven, dynamic defenseman in the prime of his career who has established himself as one of the premier blueliners in the NHL," Capitals GM Chris Patrick said in a press release. “He is a perfect fit with our culture and vision for the future, and we couldn't be more thrilled that he will continue to be part of our organization for the next eight years." 

Washington traded defenseman Nick Jensen and a 2026 third-round pick to the Senators for Chychrun last July 1. 

Jensen is more defensive-minded than Chychrun, although he also has fast puck-moving ability as a right-hand shot for the Senators. The 34-year-old has 19 points in 60 games.

Chychrun, however, almost has as many goals as Jensen does points.

In 65 games for Washington, Chychrun has 18 goals and a career-high 43 points this campaign. He’s third in the NHL in goals among D-men, sitting behind the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski (20) and Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar (26).

While the plus-minus rating never tells the full story, Chychrun’s plus-24 rating is by far the highest of his career, and he has a 52.15-percent Corsi-for percentage at 5-on-5, meaning the Capitals generate more chances-for than against when he’s on the ice. Only John Carlson’s 53.72-percent share is higher among Capitals defensemen.

Washington’s coaching staff has allowed Chychrun to focus more on the offensive side of his game rather than defense by pairing him with defensive defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk – and it’s worked for the team overall, considering its 2.54 goals against per game is the third-lowest in the NHL. Chychrun has started almost 61 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone at 5-on-5, compared to 49.84 percent with the Senators last season and 50.20 percent in 2022-23 between the Sens and Arizona Coyotes, according to naturalstattrick.com.

Jakob Chychrun On What Went Wrong For Him With The Ottawa Senators Last Year: 'I Don't Know, I Didn't Trade Myself'Chychrun returned to Ottawa this week as the top-scoring defenceman on the top team in the NHL and reflected on his time with the Senators.

The blueliner was one of the many new faces the Capitals added in the off-season, including Matt Roy on defense, Logan Thompson in net and Pierre-Luc Dubois at center. With their help, Washington leads the NHL by two points and has a game in hand over the second-place Winnipeg Jets.

Chychrun has 532 NHL games under his belt and is now under contract through the 2032-33 campaign. The Capitals were the first NHL team this season to clinch a playoff berth last Friday, which means Chychrun could appear in the post-season for just the second time in his career. He played nine games between a play-in round and the Western Conference quarterfinal with the Coyotes in the 2019-20 bubble playoffs, recording a goal in nine games.

- Jonathan Tovell contributed to this report.

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More NHL expansion could be on the way. If it happens, the playoffs should expand as well.

American billionaire Dan Friedkin of The Friedkin Group, which owns soccer clubs AS Roma and a majority share of Everton, reportedly met with the NHL multiple times about a potential Houston franchise, according to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. This comes after past news about the interest in bringing a team back to the Atlanta area as well. That could bring the NHL up to 34 teams, with 17 in each conference, if interested owners in each city get their wish.

An offshoot of potential NHL expansion should be the Stanley Cup playoff format.

As it stands, half the NHL’s 32 teams make the playoffs. But if the NHL kept its 16-team structure after bringing on another expansion squad or two, that number would drop below the 50-percent mark. 

So, how could the league address its post-season in a 34-team setup?

From our perspective, there are a couple of options. The first would be along the lines of what the NBA does, which is assuring the top six teams in each conference of a playoff spot, with the top four teams in the wild-card race squaring off in a play-in tournament to decide the final two spots in the Eastern and Western Conferences. Another option could be a best-of-three series between the second- and third-place teams in the wild-card race for the second wild-card berth.

With the best-of-three-series option, 18 teams advance to the post-season – just over half – but only two teams in the East and West battle for the final spot in each conference’s quarterfinals. You’d have four teams fighting for two playoff spots in each conference with the NBA system. From this writer’s preference, an expanded NHL playoffs using the NBA format would be the right way to go, as there’s the potential for more upsets while keeping a thrilling end to the regular season.

The first and second teams in the wild-card race get two chances to advance anyway. They would face off, with the winner clinching the first wild-card spot. The loser takes on whoever wins in the No. 3 vs. No. 4 game for the second wild-card place.

If this wild-card play-in format happened this season, the potential matchups could have been full of drama. Ahead of Monday night’s games, the standings would have had the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens facing off in the East’s No. 1 vs. No. 2 game and the New York Rangers taking on the New York Islanders in the No. 3 vs. No. 4 match. In the West, the Minnesota Wild would battle the St. Louis Blues for the first wild-card spot, while the loser would take on the winner of a Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks contest for the second wild-card spot.

The NHL only introduced wild-card berths in 2013-14 as the league continued to evolve. If the league grows, it makes sense to continue to grow the playoff pool like what happened 45 years ago.

The NHL expanded to a 16-team playoff format in the 1979-80 season, when there were only 21 teams in the league. So this notion that there can’t be a majority of the league’s teams involved in the post-season flies in the face of the NHL’s history.

It's Clear NHL Expansion Isn't Ending Anytime Soon: 'I Don't Think We're Necessarily At That Ceiling'Unexplored markets — not a return to Canada — remain a focus when considering NHL expansion after Vegas and Seattle's successes spurred interest in other cities.

Ultimately, an expanded NHL playoffs is all about increasing the value of regular-season games, which would be true if the NHL adopted an NBA-style play-in system. In fact, all the teams that were in the wild-card race for most of the season but are running out of time would still have everything to fight for.

As of March 24, four teams trail the 10th-place Islanders by fewer than five points. In the West, the Utah Hockey Club is only one point behind the 10th-place Canucks, and the Minnesota Wild are only four points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the third spot in the Central Division – which would hypothetically make them safe from a play-in round. That means more teams are playing important games deeper into the regular season, and that’s what it’s all about.

If more NHL expansion ever happens, which would come with sky-high expansion fees, a revamped playoff system should come with it. Teams with the most regular-season success wouldn’t be affected by an increased playoff field, but games would matter more for more teams, and any way you look at it, that would be a success.

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Kick off a new week with rapid-fire NHL and hockey topics on The Wraparound.

Will Quinn Hughes Be The Best Vancouver Canucks Player Ever? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan and Michael Augello discussed in this episode:

0:00: With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl hurt, could the Edmonton Oilers be overtaken by the Los Angeles Kings?

4:16: Is Houston the next best destination for NHL expansion?

9:11: Could Dalibor Dvorsky be an NHL regular with the St. Louis Blues next season?

11:40: Did Doug Armstrong make the right decision to keep this Blues team together?

15:22: How will Patrick Maroon be remembered in the NHL?

17:50: As Quinn Hughes continues to break records, will he go down as the best Vancouver Canucks player ever?

19:55: Will Rick Tocchet end up staying with the Canucks beyond this season?

23:10: Could Josh Leivo get a shot to return to the NHL?

25:33: Is Michael Misa guaranteed to be a top-three pick in this year’s NHL draft?

28:07: What’s the biggest reason why the Columbus Blue Jackets have been in a slump?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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The first round of the playoffs is not going to be a spring walk in the park for anyone in the NHL, regardless of where they finish in the regular season.

But you have to wonder how badly the top three teams in the Atlantic Division – the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning – actually want to finish first, given their recent play.

It's not that they've been terrible, but anytime they've had an opportunity to separate from the other two, they come up short. All three are projected to finish with at least 100 points, and the Atlantic could very well have five playoff participants, but unless somebody among the Panthers, Leafs or Lightning decides to go on a run, it will come down to the last day of the season.

Today's video column has more.

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Saturday’s busy 14-game NHL slate started off with a bang as the New York Rangers snapped a three-game losing skid with a 5-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks at Madison Square Garden.

Both teams came in just below the playoff cut-line, and the matchup carried extra weight because it was J.T. Miller’s first game against his old team since he was traded back to the club that drafted him on Jan. 31.

After logging seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 20 games with the Rangers, Miller was all over the action on Saturday. The Rangers were badly outplayed during the first two periods, outshot 24-6. But after the Canucks opened the scoring on a first-period goal by Dakota Joshua, Miller helped his team draw even midway through the second, on the ice when Adam Fox tipped a point shot by Braden Schneider past Kevin Lankinen. 

Then, early in the third, he dug out the puck from the end boards and fed Jonny Brodzinski, putting the home side ahead for the first time in the game and sparking a frenetic third period that saw the Blueshirts outscore the Canucks 4-2. After Brodzinski broke a 3-3 tie with less than five minutes remaining, the dagger came off Miller’s stick, 176 feet into the empty net, with 17 seconds left on the clock.

Who else but JT Miller to ice the game against the Canucks! pic.twitter.com/DUDqs3DHVb

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) March 22, 2025

Shesterkin Shines

Miller earned third-star honors for the day, and Brodzinski’s two goals gave him the first-star award. But the Rangers wouldn’t have been in a position to mount their comeback without Igor Shesterkin. He held steady while under siege through the first 40 minutes, stopping 1.96 goals saved above expected in all situations according to Natural Stat Trick as Vancouver outshot New York 24-6.

The final shots were 39-12 for the Canucks, Vancouver’s highest shot total of the year. By himself, Quinn Hughes challenged the output of the entire Rangers team, with nine shots on goal to go along with four misses and two blocks. He finished with one assist, breaking the ankles of Matt Rempe before setting up Joshua’s opening goal.

Quinn Hughes putting Matt Rempe in the spin cycle will never get old 😆

🎥: Sportsnet | NHL#Canucks#NYRpic.twitter.com/kdH3BXqE5S

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) March 22, 2025

Pettersson, Hoglander Injured

The Canucks didn’t just lose the game on Saturday. They also lost two of their hottest offensive players — both Swedes, no less, on the first-ever ‘Hockey Day in Sweden.’

Elias Pettersson appeared to suffer an injury on a second-period face-off play against Vincent Trocheck. 

Bad news for the Canucks as Elias Pettersson has gone to the dressing room after an awkward play in the faceoff circle.

🎥: Sportsnet | NHL#Canucks#NYRpic.twitter.com/kRwrsXW9Pi

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) March 22, 2025

He returned for two short shifts but was ruled out for the third period. Hoglander’s last shift came late in the second.

Both players had been piling up the points of late. Pettersson had three goals and six assists in his last six games, and Hoglander had six points in his last five games. 

Canucks coach Rick Tocchet did not have an update on either player after the game but mentioned that a center may need to be recalled from AHL Abbotsford — which doesn’t bode well for Pettersson. 

After the Canucks opened their six-game road trip on Thursday with an overtime loss to one of the teams they’re battling for a playoff spot, the St. Louis Blues, they’ll continue on the road for another eight days — visiting New Jersey, Long Island and Columbus before finishing off in Winnipeg. 

Soucy, Mancini Tally Against Old Teams

Miller wasn’t the only traded player to chip in offensively on Saturday.

The Canucks also dealt defenseman Carson Soucy to the Rangers just before the trade deadline. He played 16:22 and finished at plus-one, with the second assist on Brodzinski’s game winner. 

On the Vancouver side, former Ranger Victor Mancini picked up the second assist on Drew O’Connor’s third-period goal, which tied the score 2-2. O’Connor was also an indirect acquisition from the Miller trade, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for the first-round draft pick that Vancouver received from New York.

Defenseman Marcus Pettersson also came to Vancouver as part of that deal. He had a quiet game, finishing at minus-1 in 20:10 of ice time. 

Filip Chytil, another former Ranger, did not play on Saturday. After putting up six points in his first 15 games with Vancouver, the 25-year-old missed his fourth game after suffering a concussion from a hit by Jason Dickinson of the Chicago Blackhawks one week ago.

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The NHL’s coaching carousel is spinning faster than ever, with multiple teams changing coaches – including the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues – during the current regular season. But the way things are shaping up, there are going to be more changes we should expect to see once this season is over. 

With that in mind, here are four coaches likely to part ways with their team this summer. In alphabetical order:

1. Andrew Brunette, Nashville Predators

The Predators have been one of the biggest disappointments this season, posting a 25-35-8 record that puts them in 14th place in the Western Conference. Consequently, the spotlight is squarely on Brunette, who has been on the job in Nashville since May of 2023. That may not sound like a long time for a coach to leave their mark, but if Preds GM Barry Trotz isn’t going to make material changes to his team’s roster, the thing he can change is his coach.

It’s certainly not solely Brunette’s fault that Nashville is where they are in the standings. However, the Predators may opt for a new voice behind the bench. And that would leave Brunette looking for work after this season concludes.

2. Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres

Many eyebrows were raised when greybeard veteran Ruff was hired for his second tour of coaching duty in Buffalo last April. But the Sabres have been unable to improve in Ruff’s latest tenure, generating the Eastern Conference’s worst record at 27-35-6. The 65-year-old Ruff may see his tenure come to an end this coming off-season – especially if the Sabres dismiss GM Kevyn Adams at season’s end. A new GM will want their own coach in place, so Buffalo could be looking for a new bench boss very soon.

Ruff’s near-lifelong connection to the Sabres hasn’t translated into many wins this year, and in the zero-sum business of NHL coaching, that’s all that really matters. Buffalo has to chart a different course as soon as possible, and that’s why we believe Ruff will be sent packing in favor of a younger coach with a different vision for this constantly-changing Sabres roster.

3. Joe Sacco, Boston Bruins

The Bruins were accustomed to performing well in recent years, which is why their sub-par performance this season is such a downer for Boston fans. Jim Montgomery was fired in mid-November, and Sacco was inserted as an interim replacement for him. But that hasn’t done much good at all, and we don’t see Sacco staying on the job once this year comes to an end.

Who will replace Sacco? Well, we see another coach currently employed by another Eastern Conference team – Penguins bench boss Mike Sullivan, who we’ll discuss below – being the choice in Beantown as the Bruins attempt to retool on the fly. Hiring Sullivan for his second stint as Boston’s coach would give the Bs the structure and discipline they’re in dire need of. Sometimes a return to a familiar face makes sense for a team, and that’s where we think the Bruins will be at with Sullivan if and when he becomes a coaching free agent.

4. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins

Sullivan has been Pittsburgh’s coach since December 2015, and he’s led them to two Stanley Cup championships, giving him a lot of leeway in the nine years he’s been on the job with the Penguins. But every coach eventually reaches his "best before" date, and considering that Sullivan’s Pens have failed to make the playoffs for this season and the previous two seasons, the Penguins need a change behind the bench.

Only Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper – another multi-time Cup winner – has more current tenure than Sullivan, and we expect Sullivan would quickly be picked up by another team once the Penguins let him go. But the Penguins need a different voice now, and it’s time for both Sullivan and the Pens to mutually agree to part ways. All good things eventually come to an end, and it’s high time for the Penguins to move on from Sullivan.

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The Winnipeg Jets have been one of the most impressive NHL teams in the 2024-25 regular season. Currently, they’re the Western Conference’s best team – and the second-best team in the league – with a record of 48-18-4. But there’s a nagging element to the Jets – and that’s their sub-par Stanley Cup playoff performances in recent memory. Since 2018-19,  Winnipeg has won exactly one playoff round, and they have yet to win a single second-round series game in that span.

It should be clear, then, that there are skeptics with legitimate cause for concern that the Jets will be able to change that in the upcoming playoffs. Winnipeg is probably going to get a showdown against the second and final wild-card team in Round One, but they haven’t been perfect against any of their likely first-round opponents.

For instance: the Jets are 2-1-0 against St. Louis this season, with one of their two wins coming in a shootout. Winnipeg is 1-1-0 against the Vancouver Canucks this year, 2-1-0 against the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg is 2-1-0 against Utah. Clearly, the Jets have been a mortal group, and that could spell doom for them in the opening round.

But here’s the bigger problem with Winnipeg’s playoff aspirations this spring – in the second round, they’re almost certainly going to be pitted against the mighty Dallas Stars or Colorado Avalanche. The Jets are 2-1-0 against Dallas this season, and they’re 3-1-0 against the Avalanche – although one of those wins against the Avs was a 1-0 shutout on Nov. 7, and another win against Colorado came in a 3-2 overtime win.

But forget about the Jets’ regular-season record against Central Division teams. Instead, just bear in mind the fact that both Dallas and Colorado have made major roster improvements since their early-season games against Winnipeg. If the playoff series against the Stars or Avalanche began right now, do you think the Jets would be a heavy favorite to win it? Or any kind of favorite, for that matter? No, we’re betting Winnipeg would be an underdog against Dallas or Colorado. And that’s because their performance in the post-season with their same core of talent simply hasn’t been up to snuff. 

This isn’t to say the Jets absolutely aren’t going to shake off the demons of the past and figure out a way to go on a deep playoff run. Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff doubled down on his roster last summer, and at this year’s NHL trade deadline, he added only a bottom-six forward in Brandon Tanev and a third-pairing defenseman in Luke Schenn. And we agreed with Cheveldayoff’s minor tinkering; the Jets have been so dominant that they didn’t need drastic changes to the lineup.

Still, that nagging element is going to be there with Winnipeg until they show they’re a different group than the disappointing team that was flushed out with ease in recent years. Remember, in the past two post-seasons, the Jets couldn’t even put up an admirable fight in the first round, winning just one game against Vegas two years ago, and winning only a single game last year against Colorado. Winnipeg’s defeats were quick and painful, and we’re still unsure whether anything is going to be different in that regard this time around.

Being an excellent regular-season team has its benefits. The Jets are going to have home-ice advantage as long as they’re alive in the Western Conference playoffs. And Winnipeg’s 25–5-4 home record will be something to draw on as the Jets try to get at least as far as the Western Conference final. Nevertheless, Winnipeg could once again falter early on in this year’s playoffs. And if they do, Cheveldayoff will no longer have any reason to keep coming back with the same core year after year. And massive changes will be in order if they let down their fans yet again.

It’s the Western Conference final or bust for this Jets team. They’re either going to make people forget about their sub-par past or underscore it as they fizzle out and the biggest fears of their fan base and management become reality.

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