The Winnipeg Jets have the opportunity to become the first Canadian team to secure their place in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and could clinch their spot without playing a game.
While the Jets are taking a break on Saturday before hosting the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday, they can still clinch a playoff berth with favorable outcomes in other games.
If the St. Louis Blues lose to the Chicago Blackhawks in any manner and the Vancouver Canucks lose in regulation time to the New York Rangers, the Jets will secure a playoff spot.
This would make the Jets the second team in the league and the first in the Western Conference to officially qualify for the playoffs.
The Washington Capitals were the first team to clinch a playoff berth earlier in the week. Winnipeg and Washington are currently the only teams with 100 points in the standings and are competing for the Presidents` Trophy.
Historically, the Jets have never won the Presidents` Trophy, which is awarded to the team with the most points in the regular season.
Tristan Blackwood