Jets can clinch playoff spot Tuesday with a point or Blues loss
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Amid a dominant regular season campaign, the Winnipeg Jets can become the second team to clinch a spot in the 2025 postseason on Tuesday.
The Jets will book their ticket to the playoffs by earning a point over the only team already in the dance - the Washington Capitals - or a St. Louis Blues loss in any fashion to the Montreal Canadiens.
Winnipeg will host the Capitals on Tuesday in a battle of the NHL's two top teams this season. The Jets have 100 points through 71 games this season, two points fewer than the Capitals, who have played 70.
The Blues enter Tuesday's home against the Canadiens holding the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 81 points in 72 games this season.
Both games are scheduled to start at 8pm ET and viewers in the Jets region can watch their game LIVE on TSN3 at 7pm CT.
The Jets have made the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons, but have bowed out in the first round in last two after missing the postseason entirely in 2022.
First-year head coach Scott Arniel is looking to continue to change the fortunes of the Jets, who are pushing to top the franchise-best 114 points posted 2017-18.
Jets move forward without Vilardi
Winnipeg was dealt a significant blow Monday when Arniel announced that winger Gabriel Vilardi will be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
Arniel described it as a "freak" injury and clarified that it was not from the puck Vilardi took off the ear in the opening period of Sunday's game against the Buffalo Sabres. Arniel added that his status for the playoffs is currently undetermined.
Alex Iafallo will move into Vilardi’s top line spot beside Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, as well as netfront on the first power play line. Mason Appleton will backfill in the bumper on the second power-play unit for Iafallo.
“His puck possession skills, his ability to be around the net, obviously the power play, his net-front presence,” Arniel said of what Vilardi brings when healthy. “But those guys had such chemistry, just the way, and that’s probably why I’m kind of looking at Al, who’s sort of a meat-and-potato guy — good in the corners, good at the net front. I think that the chemistry that K.C., Scheif and Gabe have had, just kind of being on the same page every time they get into that offensive zone. And so hopefully, like I mentioned, that Al jumps in there and can help just pick that up a little bit.”
Vilardi played 16:02 in Sunday's 5-3 loss, a touch below his season average of 18:08, and recorded one shot on goal and one hit. He has 27 goals and 34 assists for 61 points in 71 games so far this season, his second with the Jets.