Jets' latest hot stretch quietly reviving playoff hopes

Last spring, the Winnipeg Jets created the “Manitoba Miracle” in just over 90 seconds of play. One year later, could the Jets use the entire stretch run of the NHL season to provide another surprise ending?

The Jets got a late, game-tying power-play goal from Gabe Vilardi on Saturday, then used a Josh Morrissey overtime strike to beat the visiting Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in overtime.

Downing the worst team in the league by the narrowest of margins is hardly what you’d call inspiring stuff, and it certainly pales in comparison to what the Jets did last spring, tying Game 7 of their first-round series with the St. Louis Blues by scoring with 1:56 left in the third and again with just three seconds remaining. Once Adam Lowry scored in overtime, the party was officially on.

The Jets dug themselves a hole of a different kind this season and certainly looked dead and buried around the halfway point of the year when they were literally the worst club in the league. It’s still optimism-infused thinking to believe the team could — in a very different way — snatch back its season in spectacular fashion for a second straight year, but when you look at the general limp nature of the Western Conference, the reality is you don’t have to be the 1977 Montreal Canadiens to rise above the middle of the field. 

Winnipeg is presently three wins into an eight-game homestand. The Jets — now an even 26-26-10 on the year — have picked up at least a point in every contest since play resumed after the Olympic break. Overall, they’re 11-4-5 since Jan. 9, when they woke up with a league-worst .417 save percentage.

Right now, the eighth-best points percentage in the West belongs to the San Jose Sharks, who are on pace for 89 points. To get to 90 points, Winnipeg would have to go 12-4-4 or better in its final 20 outings.

Doable? It’s hard to say no when, as we just noted, that’s basically the exact record the Jets just posted in their previous 20 games.

Of course, welcoming Morrissey back for his first contest since he went to Italy and played a period-and-a-half with Canada before hitting the shelf was a huge boon on Saturday (Morrissey finished with two points). And while the Jets defence corps took a hit on Friday when they dealt both Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley at the trade deadline — to say nothing of steady Neal Pionk’s ongoing absence due to injury — don’t overlook the contributions of 21-year-old righty Elias Salomonsson, who’s been playing nearly 20 minutes per night on the blueline since being called up — presumably for good — from the AHL in mid-January. 

Winnipeg’s issue all year has been being too reliant on a top line of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Gabe Vilardi. While the Jets are going to remain top-heavy anyway you slice it, they have been able to spread things out a bit with Alex Iafallo on the top unit, while Vilardi slides down to play with Adam Lowry and Cole Perfetti. Iafallo has four points in six games since the break, while Perfetti has an encouraging 2-2-4 line. 

Scheifele, meanwhile, is sixth in NHL scoring after scoring the Jets’ first goal on Saturday and drawing assists on their two others for a three-point night.

Of course, the foundation for any Winnipeg success will be Connor Hellebuyck’s play in the crease. In his past four outings, Hellebuyck — who, don’t forget, missed about a month of play in the second quarter of the season — has a stellar .931 save percentage.

When you look at the way they’re going, and the lay of the Western Conference land, the Jets don’t actually need a miracle to make the playoffs; they just need to keep doing what they’re doing. 

Weekend Takeaways

• The Buffalo Sabres are fast becoming one of the stories of the season and, boy oh boy, they are not giving “just happy to be here” vibes. When Buffalo’s 8-7, fight-filled win over Tampa Bay — immediately hailed as “game of the year” all over social media — ended on Sunday night, the Sabres were two points up on Tampa (which holds two games in hand) for the Atlantic lead. According to the NHL, this is the latest point Buffalo has held first place in the division since 2010, when it won a group that no longer exists in the Northeast Division. 

• It didn’t take long for Nazem Kadri to get re-acquainted with his Denver surroundings on Sunday. In his Avalanche, Part II debut, “Dreamer” made a great play to jump on an errant pass by Minnesota’s Quinn Hughes and swipe it to Nathan MacKinnon for the opening goal in what turned into a 3-2 shootout win for Colorado. If they ever lost this status, there’s no doubt the Avs have regained the title of “team to beat.” 

• Just as was the case last season when he finished with 16 goals in his final 26 games, Adam Fantilli is heating up in the stretch run for Columbus. The third-year centre has goals in five of his past six outings after finding the net during the Jackets’ 5-4 extra-time loss on Saturday to Utah. Obviously, Columbus is going to need Fantilli to put it together for an entire season soon, but — as they try to chase down an Eastern Conference playoff spot — CJB will certainly take this production from the guy still pegged to be a franchise centre.  

Red and White Power Rankings

1. Montreal Canadiens (34-18-10) The Canadiens pulled out a 4-3 win in L.A. on Saturday, but their shoddy defensive play is making it seem like there’s a low ceiling on what this club can do. The Habs are allowing 3.29 goals per game — worse than all but eight teams in the league — and have a minus-10.39 expected goal differential (according to Money Puck) at five-on-five, also worse than all but eight clubs. Throw in an .881 team save percentage — you guessed it, better than just eight teams — and it’s clear Montreal must tighten up the rest of the way. 

2. Ottawa Senators (31-22-9) The Ottawa offence has been firing of late. After lighting up the Kraken for a 7-4 win in Seattle on Saturday, the Sens have scored 20 goals in their past four outings for a nice, even five per game in that run. Dylan Cozens, on a four-game heater after scoring against the Kraken, has five goals since play resumed after the Olympics. 

3. Edmonton Oilers (31-25-8) The Oilers began a tough four-game roadie the right way with a 4-2 win in Vegas Sunday night. Things don’t get any easier this week for Edmonton, as the squad visits Colorado on Tuesday and Dallas on Thursday.

4. Winnipeg Jets (26-26-10) In a game that lasted 61:49 on Saturday, the Jets’ two busiest skaters were forwards Kyle Connor (25:09) and Mark Scheifele (25:07). You just can’t overstate what that pair means to Winnipeg.  

5. Toronto Maple Leafs (27-26-11) Buds backers are all rooting for losses now in the hopes Toronto can actually get into the top 5 of the draft and retain its 2026 pick. Working in the Leafs’ favour; they have the fifth-toughest remaining schedule in the league according to the site Power Rankings Guru. 

6. Calgary Flames (25-30-7) Blake Coleman did not get moved before Friday’s deadline, but could still fetch a nice return in the off-season. Calgary will have two salary retention slots open for next season — the final year of Coleman’s deal — and if it is willing to eat some of his remaining cap it, teams will still be very interested. 

7. Vancouver Canucks (19-36-8) The Canucks, who got their first win since Jan. 29 on Friday in Chicago, kick off an eight-game homestand versus Ottawa on Monday. 

The Week Ahead

• Tuesday brings the rare weekday clash between Toronto and Montreal as the Leafs visit the Habs, trying to end a seven-game losing skid. That same night, the soaring Sabres will be gunning for their eighth straight victory at home versus the San Jose Sharks. The Leafs and Sabres could meet Saturday night in Buffalo with the home team looking to put together its second 10-game winning streak of the year. 

• It seems like Sidney Crosby may be returning to the Penguins a little ahead of schedule. Could we see him Tuesday night in Carolina or Thursday in Vegas as the Penguins — with Evgeni Malkin two games into a five-game suspension — kick off a difficult five-game trip? 

• Jared Spurgeon is set to play his 1,000^th NHL game on Saturday when the Wild host the Rangers. Surgeon was drafted by the Islanders in 2008, but never signed with the club. The undersized D-man inked a free agent pact with the Wild in 2010 and has been captain of the club since 2021. Major stick tap to the Alberta boy.