The Winnipeg Jets are hosted by the Leafs tonight in Toronto on HNIC. IT’s a game that should have a playoff feel to it- much like the one on Tuesday in Winnipeg.
The Leafs are on a 4 game skid and Jets are now building their own streak with 2 solid wins, 5-2 over the Leafs and 3-1 over the Rangers. With the most consistent play seen this season from the Jets it might be time to put where they are this season with where they were last season.
Lat year after 27 games the Winnipeg Jets sat 12th in the east with 28 points. Currently they are 8th with 30 points. Coincidentally the Leafs after 28 games had 33 points last year and sat in 6th place. Looking forward for both teams is more than important now as after tonight the Jets have only 20 games left in the shortened season while the Leafs have 19.
In the next 20 games the Jets went 9-9-2 for 20 points. Should the Jets pull off a win tonight that would give them 32 points and making the assumption they earn 20 points in 20 games they could conceivably hold onto 7th or 8th with 52 points.
But that means they have to play at this pace the rest of they way. Is it likely they can play at a .750 pace as they have the last 10? First off 12 of the final 20 games for Winnipeg are at home, but their schedule is ugly.
Take a look here at the remaining schedule as ranked by Fenwick-Close from HB’s own Travis Yost
HERE
The quality of opposition by this ranking is the toughest for any team in the east and now they Jets have to fight for .500 hockey for the remaining games. It won’t be easy.
Game Notes:
Lupul is in as Winnipegger Fraser McLaren sits to allow the Leafs forward to slot in for the first time this season.
Burmistrov is a scratch again. It’s now fair to talk about trade rumours with him I would say.
Scrivens and Pavelec are the starting goalies.
How soon do Orr and Thorburn drop the gloves?
In the Leafs 19 games from games 29 to 48 last season they went 8-9-2 for 18 points.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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