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Winnipeg's Playoff Chances Down to Single Digits Amid Nine-Game Skid
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- Winnipeg's Playoff Chances Down to Single Digits Amid Nine-Game Skid
On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Jets enter a massive matchup against the Montreal Canadiens that could prove pivotal to their chances of making it back to the Stanley Cup playoffs. After losing nine straight games, their playoff odds have plummeted like few teams have seen.
Winnipeg missed the playoffs last season, so sources like MoneyPuck never gave the Jets the highest hopes, and after the trade of superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, coupled with the nine-game losing skid, their chances have fallen below ten percent. At 6.6 percent, they are currently fourth-worst in the NHL. The only teams with worse odds are the Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks.
That doesn't mean the season is essentially over, as many teams have seen their stock swing dramatically. Last season, the Detroit Red Wings were near the top of the Atlantic Division, with odds of making the playoffs above 90 percent and a chance to end their lengthy postseason drought.
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They then suffered a massive late-season fall-off, going 9-15-5 over their final 29 games, the fourth-worst record in the NHL, and missing the playoffs, which extended their drought to a full decade.
Despite their lengthy losing streak, the Jets are still just four points out of a playoff spot and are nowhere near out of the fight. They have also just come through one of the hardest stretches of their season, facing the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and, twice, the Canadiens, with the second meeting coming Tuesday.
So it makes sense that Winnipeg struggled and after Tuesday, the schedule gets far more favorable, with easier competition in the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders over the coming weeks. The Jets will hopefully be able to start stacking wins and making gains in the standings while building up some momentum.
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