With just a week remaining in the season, the Winnipeg Jets are tied for the final wild card spot, but are on the outside looking in.
Courtesy of suspension, one of their better players in Dustin Byfuglien will not be available to them for the next three games.
In today's hotstove we predict whether or not the Jets will out-duel the Flames, Kings (or both) and earn a playoff spot without Byfuglien for most of the ride.
Todd Cordell I think the Jets will make the playoffs.
Obviously Byfuglien is an important piece for them, but the Jets have a lot of good offensive players, and don't rely on just one or two guys to produce.
They still have Blake Wheeler, Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little and Mark Scheifele, among others, and have the likes of Tobias Enstrom, Tyler Myers and co. to chip in from the back end, so I think they'll be just fine.
Their playoff hopes could very well come down to their game against Calgary next Saturday, and I think they'd get it done on home ice.
James Tanner I don't think they will. I think the Jets will hurt by missing their (possible) best player. Frankly, I hope they don't make it, since the NHL botched the suspension of Byfuglien so badly, it would look good on him if his stupidity cost the team a Playoff birth.
Byfuglien might look at joining the WWF where his heel reputation might actually do him some good.
I was cheering for WPG to make it, now I hope they don't and I don't think they will.
Tim Chiasson It's going to be tough for the Jets to head into Minnesota and St Louis and escape with a win. If they lose the next two games they're digging themselves a pretty big hole.
Byfgulien's bonehead play is making their road to the playoffs pretty difficult. If LA can take care of Calgary, the Jets might get to decide their own fate in the final regular season game - when Byfgulien returns - against Calgary if things go well but when all is said and done I think his suspension is going to cost them a playoff spot.
Adam French No.
This has little to do with the Jets themselves and more to do with their opponents. Early on in the season I was a Calgary doubter. A lot of things were just going too correctly for them. It had to stop right? When Giordano went down, it seemed again that another hurdle to end this ridiculous season was too insurmountable...but it hasn't been. Wideman is having a year to remember, Brodie is still a top-pairing guy and Russell has stepped his game to a level nobody expected. I watched the Battle (or lopsided spanking) of Alberta and though I haven't watched a lot of the Flames, when I do I come away with the same feeling. This team has "it." What is "it?" I don't really know. Desperation? Drive? Heart? Effort? All of the above and more? I hedged my bets earlier in the season watching rookie after rookie step in and step up just in time.
Same goes with the Kings. It's crunch time and they are still playing that inconsistent brand that has become synonymous with the Kings regular seasons. However...I can't bet against them. This is the reigning Cup winner. This is the team that came down from 3-0 in a series. This is the team that became the first Cup winning 8th seed. They just limited the Avs to 10 shots. I can't bet against them.
Winnipeg plays the Wild, the Blues, the Avs and the Flames in their final four and I only expect them to win one.
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