The Winnipeg Jets made a big move in their NHL Playoffs pursuit on Saturday night. Not only were the Jets able to defeat the Nashville Predators, but the Calgary Flames also lost in a shootout to the Vancouver Canucks. Now, the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs odds show the Jets have taken full control of the second Western Conference wild card spot.
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2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds: Jets in Control of Their Destiny
Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Jets (-400) are now a heavy favorite to make the playoffs. They were -165 prior to the developments on Saturday.
With the win over Nashville, the Jets now move into sole possession of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference at 91 points. The Flames (90 points) are still on Winnipeg’s heels, but play one less game in the final week of the season.
The Jets used their home-ice advantage on Saturday to win the most-important matchup against the Predators, 2-0. Per Moneypuck, the Predators would have seen their playoff odds jump all the way up to 60% with a win, but now they fall to just 2.5%.
Winnipeg has three games remaining on its schedule, taking on the San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche. The Sharks would seemingly be the one easy one on their schedule, but they have struggled against San Jose so far this season. Luckily, they will be in front of their home fans once again on Monday against the Sharks, with a chance to increase their wild card lead.
The Jets will look to get former first-rounder Cole Perfetti back in action sooner rather than later. Reports last week indicated the young forward would still be out a while with an upper-body injury, but he was able to skate for the first time on Saturday.
“We’ll give him a couple of weeks, he’s going to need that. He’s missed a lot of time. Thought today was a light day for him. As we go along we’ll increase the workload,” Jets head coach Rick Bowness said Saturday, per Illegal Curve.
In the meantime, Bowness just wants to make sure his team is still playing whenever Perfetti recovers.
“Let’s make sure we are playing in two weeks so we can use him. I think that’s the key here.”.
The latest 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs indicate Perfetti may just get the opportunity to compete in his first NHL Playoffs in a couple of weeks.
Bettors should be sure to check out OddsShopper tools for the remainder of the NHL season for all the best bets!
