On May 26, the NHL put together an organized plan listing what teams will face each other in the new design for the Stanley Cup playoffs, whenever those playoffs might begin. That plan has been put forth and approved (in theory) by the NHLPA. Still, there’s much to be worked out insofar as the details, but Step One has destined which teams will be pitted against each other in a best-of-five-games play-in series.
Related: Is Current Maple Leafs Defenseman Tyson Barrie a Good Fit for the Winnipeg Jets?
The Winnipeg Jets vs. the Calgary Flames
Here’s what we know about the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets will face the Calgary Flames if the 2020 Playoffs become a reality. Specifically, the 24-team format means these two teams will face each other in a first-round, probably on a neutral site, and the first team to win three games moves on.
Because both teams can ice highly-skilled players with offensive upsides, it’s hard to know if one team has an edge. But my guess is that the Jets have the better goalie, the Flames have the better defense, and the Jets have the best set of forwards. It should be a fun series to watch.
Only by a single point separated the teams when the NHL’s regular-season was suspended. The Flames held third place in the Pacific Division with a 36-27-7 record (in 70 games) for a total of 79 points. The Jets had played one more game and had one more point, and held the first Wild Card spot with a 37-28-6 record (in 71 games) for a total of 80 points.
From the Jets’ Perspective, Who Will Be Coming Back from Injuries?
Player One: Sami Niku
Sami Niku will be able to play and has been given a clean bill of health. Niku’s lower-body injury has had time to rest and he’ll be able to assume a full-contact role when the Jets’ begin to get ready during a modified training camp in, I’m guessing, early July. The 23-year-old defenseman has scored five assists in 17 games in 2019-20.
Player Two: Luca Sbisa
Veteran Luca Sbisa is also ready to rumble – or at least play when the Jets return to the ice. Sbisa’s also recovered from what was called an upper-body injury. He had missed the Jets’ last 10 games prior to the NHL suspension, but his three-month rest period was what the doctor ordered. We’re not certain where the 30-year-old will fit into the lineup, but he’s been around long enough to be helpful if and when he’s called on.
Related: Winnipeg Jets’ Goalie Situation: Who Will Backup Connor Hellebuyck Next Season?
Play Three: Bryan Little
While there was good news for Niku and Sbisa, the news on Bryan Little is a little less positive. Currently his status is labeled as “uncertain” and the team is waiting for more test results. Little suffered an ear injury when he was hit on the side of the head with a puck. It’s obviously quite serious because he’s been out of the action since early in November.
It hasn’t been a good or a lucky season for Little. He missed the start of the season with a concussion and then played fewer than 10 games (seven in fact) before being hit with the puck. Although he was expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season from the point of his injury, with the NHL’s hiatus, it was hoped he would be ready to play in time for any Jets’ resumption of play – in this case, the play-in series against the Flames. But that simply might not happen.
There’s Time Left
In some ways, this prognosis is a bit premature because we might still have up to two months before practice even begins, and who knows where injuries will be by that time?
