While the Winnipeg Jets did not make it to last season’s playoffs, they have bounced back this year and look certain to enter the postseason again in 2022-23.
They secured a playoff spot consistently from 2017 to 2021, which makes the disappointment of last year something of an anomaly. And while the Jets are probably a bit of a long shot to go all the way, which is reflected in odds for them to win the Stanley Cup in NHL betting markets, fans can count on the team to be a contender in the Western Conference playoffs this year.
Winnipeg has some quality in the Roster this year, with players like Pierre-Luc Dubois and Josh Morrissey putting in great performances to notch up impressive individual points scores; Dubious focusing on goals with Morrissey contributing plenty of assists for the team.
Mark Scheifele is another player who is having success in front of goal this year, while Kyle Connor is also showing quality. Connor has been instrumental in attacking play so far, both in terms of goals scored as well as successful assists.
Meanwhile, Connor Hellebuyck is having a fantastic start to the season in goal. The two-time All-Star and the 2020 Vezina Trophy winner has an impressive 93.2 percent average save rate.
While the Jets did not participate in the 2021-22 playoffs, they haven’t had a losing record over the last six seasons. They won 39 games last year and 30 during the shortened 2020-21 season.
They also made a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2017-18 but lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
Meanwhile, they were swept by the Montreal Canadiens in round two of the 2020-21 playoffs.
There was an original Winnipeg Jets franchise that existed from 1972 to 1996. After that year, the team moved to become the Phoenix Coyotes and the Arizona Coyotes. Meanwhile, the current Jets started as the Atlanta Thrashers from 1999 to 2011. They moved to Winnipeg in 2011 and have stayed there up until now.
Neither version of the Jets have won a Stanley Cup. They also don’t have conference championships for division titles on their trophy case. The Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League is their minor league affiliate.
The Jets play their home games at Canada Life Centre, replacing the demolished Winnipeg Arena. It opened in April 2003 and can accommodate up to 15,321 hockey spectators. While it is the smallest venue in the National Hockey League, it always attracts a capacity crowd because the Jets are the only major sports team in town.
And although the crowd isn’t as large compared to clothes in the league, they can still bring in the intensity, especially when cheering for their beloved team.
The original Jets were rivals with their fellow Canadian teams. Those rivalries are coming back to life with their current iteration. The Jets faced the Calgary Flames in the qualifying round of the 2019-20 playoffs but lost in four games. They defeated the Edmonton Oilers in round one of the 2020-21 playoffs, but were swept in round two by the Canadiens.
