With just under a week remaining in the 2018–19 NHL regular season, there’s still plenty to be worked out—so much so that the Jets could end up in a round one series against the Nashville Predators, which would be insane, and would definitely have fans and players galore protesting for a change in the playoff format. Again.
But let’s slip back into reality for a moment and focus on the Jets’ play as of late.
On Monday, the team bested the Chicago Blackhawks 4–3 in overtime, more or less putting an end to their playoff hopes while picking up the critical extra point.
The game was Dustin Byfuglien’s second one back after being out for nearly two months. Buff already appears to be morphing himself into playoff-Buff mode. With 12 seconds remaining in the third period, Byfuglien once again added to his highlight reel, manhandling Chicago forward Drake Caggiula. This can only be good news to Jets fans. A well-rested Dustin Byfuglien, who already seems to be back up to game speed,heading into the postseason, spells bad news for the opposition.
With a Josh Morrissey return imminent, this Jets team, which has seen a decent share of poor play at five-on-five in his absence, should be fully equipped heading into the postseason.
Kevin Hayes scored the overtime winner, officially giving him a signature moment as a Jet. Despite getting off to a slow start, he’s turned it on recently. Since the trade deal last month, he’s notched 12 points in 17 games.
Overall, the Jets were 8–7 in March and were particularly bad at the end of the month, losing three straight in regulation on home ice. But thanks to two huge wins against their division rival Preds, the Jets continue to sit atop the Central Division.
Quite frankly, the fact that the Jets remain atop the division, having been without their top two defensemen at such a critical juncture of the schedule, speaks to just how deep the team is. I’d also be remiss not to mention the job Paul Maurice and his staff have done this season, especially considering how well Maurice has utilized his depth throughout the year.
The race for the Central Division crown isn’t the only nail-biter out west: the race for the second wildcard spot is down to its last three contestants, all of which will play the Jets to close out the regular season—the Avalanche, the Wild, and the Coyotes.
In other words, the Jets will play an immense role in determining who they’re going to face in the first round. In this final stretch, winning is going to have to be the goal, since the red-hot Blues (7–2–1 in their last ten games) are right on their tails. If they were to pass the Jets, the aforementioned Preds-Jets first-round series would occur.
If the playoffs were to start today, the Jets would face off against the Dallas Stars. In the four games they’ve played this season, the Jets went 1-3 against the Stars, under rookie head coach Jim Montgomery. They’ve gone from a team that used to only be able to score goals to allowing the second fewest goals in the league.
A matchup against the Stars would be a very entertaining first-round series. Given the way the Jets have played of late, it’s not impossible to envision this going to six games or more—but hopefully ending with a Jets victory. Knock on wood.
It may also be a bonus for Patrik Laine, who was heavily scrutinized for his lack of production during last season’s playoff run. In 13 career games against the Stars, Laine has 15 goals and five assists, including two hat tricks against them in his rookie season.
Nonetheless, it will be important for the Jets to focus down the stretch, close out strong, and head into the playoffs hot, much like they did last season.
Finally, I couldn’t end without pointing out that if Blake Wheeler registers one more assist before the season’s end, it will be his seventieth, making him the franchise leader for assists in a season, passing Marc Savard, who put up 69 assists in 2005–06 with the Atlanta Thrashers.