Nashville Predators: Predicting the Western Conference Play-In Matchups
By Chad Minton
(9) Winnipeg Jets vs. (8) Calgary Flames
This series on paper looks like a complete toss-up, although I’ll give the slight edge to the Jets. They have the more potent offense, the playoff experience and Connor Hellebuyck in net.
These two teams only met once in the regular season, and it was all the way back in October. So this series is going to be tough to predict.
The Jets are led by two 70-plus point scorers in Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. These two are a lethal combination, to go along with Blake Wheeler as well.
However, the Flames will be a formidable opponent defensively. They have a top-ten penalty kill and their top two defensive pairings are solid. They just don’t have much going for them offensively aside from Matthew Tkahcuk and Johnny Gaudreau.
In the end, this series will probably go the full five games. Two evenly-matched teams that haven’t played each other since October ( a 2-1 overtime win for Winnipeg).
The Jets just have too much offensive firepower for the Flames to overcome. I’m probably being generous to say this will go five games, but I do think the Flames will make it interesting in defeat.