The red-hot Winnipeg Jets have closed to within striking distance of a playoff spot after sitting last in the entire league to start the new year on Jan. 1.
The Jets have gone 17-11-8 in 2026, to sit one point behind the Nashville Predators for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Winnipeg has won four of their past five games and find themselves fighting with the Predators, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks and Seattle Kraken for the last playoff spot, with all four teams within two points of each other. The St. Louis Blues also remain in the race, four points back of Nashville with a game in hand.
With two weeks left in the regular season, the race for the final spot is wide open.
“We just said to take care of our own business and that’s what we’re trying to do. We got ourselves here, but we can’t take our foot off the gas,” Jets head coach Scott Arniel said after a 4-3 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.
“It doesn’t get any easier in going into Dallas and then Columbus, so a lot of heavy lifting still to go. We have got to make sure that we continue to do those things that keep us in games and that gives us a chance to win.”
Wild-Card Standings – April 1
Eight games remain in the Jets’ season as the franchise looks to avoid the dubious history of becoming just the fifth-ever to win the Presidents’ Trophy one season and miss the playoffs the next – a feat accomplished by the New York Rangers last season.
The remaining slate includes four games against teams currently in playoff spots, along with crucial matchups against the Kraken, Blues and Sharks.
“The second point is huge,” Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey said of Tuesday’s win. “We have been fighting, clawing, scratching to try and get closer and closer to the playoff line, and when it is all said and done, I think it is going to come right down to the wire, and an extra point here and there is the difference. We are going to be in more situations like this as we go along, as the games are tight, and we have to continue to try and get two points.”
The Jets trailed 1-0 after the first period on Tuesday, but rallied quickly to take a 3-1 lead in the second period that was eventually squandered.
“You’ve got to perform under pressure. I think that’s the biggest thing,” Jets captain Adam Lowry said. “We know every game is important. We came and talked about it after the first intermission. We don’t have time to just squander points. We can’t have these letdowns where we play one great game, and then come down and take a breath. So, it was a big win for us. You know, tight game. You’ve got to give Chicago credit. I thought they played a pretty good game.”
The Jets will face the Dallas Stars on Thursday as their playoff push continues.