Jets Set to Face Blues in First Round of Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Winnipeg Jets, winners of the Presidents' Trophy, have finally learned their first-round opponent for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Following a dominant 6-1 victory over Utah on Tuesday, the St. Louis Blues secured their spot in the playoffs and will face Winnipeg in the opening round. This victory also eliminated the Calgary Flames from contention and set up a matchup between the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild.

Despite being the second wild card, St. Louis (43-30-8) is no slouch, having gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and recently ending a 12-game win streak (broken by Winnipeg last week).

With the Presidents' Trophy in hand, Winnipeg (55-24-4) has had to wait longer than most teams to learn their opponent and prepare for the series.

The scheduling of the seven-game series will be impacted by concert events. With a concert at Canada Life Centre on Saturday and events at Enterprise Center next Friday and Saturday, the series is likely to be played on Sunday and Tuesday in Winnipeg, followed by Thursday and Sunday in St. Louis. The series could return to Winnipeg for Game 5, St. Louis for Game 6, and Winnipeg for Game 7, depending on the need.

With both teams having wrapped up their regular seasons, there is flexibility in the schedule, and the league may adjust to begin the postseason on Saturday.

Head-to-head this season, Winnipeg leads 3-1-0, averaging 3.37 goals per game against St. Louis' 3.01. Winnipeg has a stronger defense, allowing just 2.33 goals per game compared to St. Louis' 2.84. The Jets also lead in power play efficiency, with the Blues ranked 18th.

A family rivalry adds intensity to the series, as Blues captain Brayden Schenn faces his older brother Luke, who joined Winnipeg at the trade deadline. The two have joked about cutting off communication during the series.

The official schedule is expected to be announced by Wednesday.