Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets: Playoff Bound and Ready for Action
As the NHL season races towards its thrilling conclusion, the Washington Capitals have already secured their spot in the postseason, while the Winnipeg Jets are on the brink of joining them. The Capitals have officially punched their ticket to the postseason dance already, and the Winnipeg Jets are well on their way to doing so as well (a win over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday would have done it, but that was not in the cards apparently).
These two teams are set to face off on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET, available on ESPN+. This matchup could be a preview of a potential Stanley Cup Final showdown if both teams continue their strong performances. Currently, each team is poised to face the second wild-card team in their respective conference. The question is, might they prefer one of the bubble teams over the others?
For the Winnipeg Jets, the team currently occupying the second wild-card spot is the St. Louis Blues. The Jets have had a solid season against the Blues, going 2-1, with one of those victories coming via a shootout. They will meet again on April 7. If the Calgary Flames manage to slide into that spot, it would set up an old-school Smythe Division showdown. The Jets also went 2-1 against the Flames this season, although their last encounter was back on January 26.
Another potential opponent for the Jets is the Utah Hockey Club, the NHL’s newest team. The Jets have gone 2-1 against them as well. The final team with a legitimate shot at the West’s last spot is the Vancouver Canucks, against whom the Jets have split their two games, with their final matchup scheduled for this Saturday.
On the other side, the Capitals’ first-round opponent at the moment is the Montreal Canadiens. Washington has won two of their three meetings against Montreal, with the loss coming in overtime. If the New York Rangers slide in as the opponent, the Caps will be eager to avenge their sweep in last year’s playoffs. Based on regular-season results, they appear likely to do so, having won each of their three matchups against the Blueshirts. Washington also won its only matchup against the New York Islanders this season, with two games remaining.
The Capitals have also had success against the Columbus Blue Jackets, winning both of their encounters thus far, with two more games scheduled in April. Similarly, they have defeated the Detroit Red Wings twice this month after a loss on December 29.
So, although the path will get more difficult as the playoff tournament wears on, it appears that both the Caps and Jets are in good shape—on paper, at least—heading into the opening round.
With less than a month left until April 17, the final day of the regular season, we’ll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.
Current Playoff Matchups
Eastern Conference
- A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
- A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
- M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
- M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils
Western Conference
- C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
- C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
- P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
- P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers
Tuesday’s Games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
- Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m.
- Philadelphia Flyers at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m.
- Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m.
- Nashville Predators at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.
- Montreal Canadiens at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.
- Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.
- Washington Capitals at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.
- Detroit Red Wings at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m.
- Seattle Kraken at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m.
- New York Rangers at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.
As the regular season winds down, the excitement is palpable. Fans are eagerly watching to see which teams will secure their playoff spots and who will face off in the first round. The Capitals and Jets are in strong positions, but the competition is fierce, and anything can happen in the NHL playoffs. Stay tuned for more updates as the race to the Stanley Cup continues.
Originally Written by: ESPN staff
