Winnipeg Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive With Red Hot February
The Winnipeg Jets are doing everything they can to remain in the playoff race, and since returning from the Olympic break the results have been encouraging. If the Jets had been given a clear blueprint for staying in contention, they have followed it closely.
Winnipeg currently sits on a three game winning streak, earning victories over the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks, two teams that rank among the NHL’s bottom three this season. The most impressive result of the stretch came in a decisive 4–1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, who currently hold the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
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The strong play extends beyond the current streak. Since the start of February, Winnipeg has compiled a 4-1-3 record, giving the club renewed life in the standings. The Jets now sit five points behind the Seattle Kraken for the final wild card position in the Western Conference.
Winnipeg also made notable adjustments at the trade deadline in hopes of sparking its lineup. The Jets moved out defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn in a deal with the Buffalo Sabres. In return, the team acquired defenseman Jacob Bryson and promising young forward Isak Rosen.
Bryson is expected to step into a depth role on the blue line, potentially filling the seventh defenseman spot previously held by Schenn. Rosen, meanwhile, represents a more intriguing long term addition.
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The 22-year-old winger was selected 14th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft and has developed into a point-per-game producer with the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League this season, recording 43 points in 37 games.
Both Bryson and Rosen debuted with Winnipeg in bottom of the lineup roles, and it remains to be seen how much of an impact they will have down the stretch. Up front, the Jets’ top line has continued to carry the offensive load. The trio of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Gabriel Vilardi has combined for 11 goals during the team’s recent eight-game surge.
