Winnipeg Jets’ Season Update
The Winnipeg Jets have officially missed the opportunity to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but they still have a chance to improve their standing in the NHL Draft Lottery for 2024-25. Their elimination was confirmed on Monday evening, but just a day later, the Jets are preparing to face off against the postseason-bound Mammoth in Utah.
Current Standings and Draft Lottery Chances
Currently, Winnipeg finds itself tied for 24th place in the league alongside St. Louis and Florida, giving them an eighth chance at securing the coveted first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft Lottery scheduled for May 5. With two more games on their schedule, the Jets could potentially finish the season with as high as 86 points or end up at 82 points, which would mark a significant low in their performance since relocating to Manitoba.
Game Preparation
Due to the back-to-back game schedule, the Jets opted for a light practice in Utah on Tuesday, keeping their forward and defense pairings under wraps until closer to game time. Eric Comrie is slated to start as the goaltender for Winnipeg, marking Connor Hellebuyck’s first prolonged absence from the net in several months. Fans can anticipate a lineup that closely resembles the one that took the ice against Vegas, with only slight adjustments expected.
Projected Lineup
Jets’ likely lineup for the matchup against the Mammoth on April 14 includes:
- Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi
- Perfetti-Lowry-Lambert
- Koepke-Toews-Rosén
- Niederreiter-Yager-Chibrikov Nyquist
Defense: Morrissey-DeMelo, Samberg-Miller, Fleury-Bryson, Heinola
