It’s not even April yet but the Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights can already clinch a playoff berth. Did anyone see that coming?
As of August 14, the Jets and Golden Knights owned 50-1 and 200-1 odds respectively, according to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook. Things haven’t turned out as planned though, when you consider both Winnipeg and Vegas have positioned themselves within the top five all season. Tonight, each team can officially punch their ticket into the postseason.
With a win over the Nashville Predators, the Jets can become the first Canadian team to qualify for spring hockey. Alternatively, Winnipeg will also clinch if they earn one point against Nashville and the Anaheim Ducks lose in any fashion. They can clinch their spot in front of a home crowd at BellMTS Place.
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Vegas’ scenario is also based around the Ducks’ outcome. If Anaheim fails to earn two points in Edmonton tonight, Vegas will become the first expansion team since the 1967-68 St. Louis Blues to crack the playoffs. Anaheim’s postseason hopes are holding on by a thread, barely sitting ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the third Wild-Card spot in the Pacific Division.
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It’s been a year full of surprises so far in the NHL. In addition to the Jets and Golden Knights, the New Jersey Devils have surprisingly managed to stay in playoff contention throughout the year while Nathan MacKinnon has the Colorado Avalanche battling for a postseason berth following a historically bad season.
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Time will tell how the rest of the season plays out, but one thing remains certain; in the likely event Winnipeg and Vegas clinch in the coming weeks, their arenas will be two of the loudest come mid-April.
(H/T NHL)
