WINNIPEG — You won’t be able to give a gut-feel prediction on this Game 7 until right before puck drop.
When we find out if Mark Scheifele is playing.
The Winnipeg Jets‘ No. 1 centre — who has been sidelined since the first intermission of Game 5 with an undisclosed injury — skated at Canada Life Centre in a tracksuit on Saturday afternoon.
“Obviously, a great sign,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said during Saturday afternoon’s media availability. “Feels a lot better today than he did yesterday. He wanted to go out and see how he felt and we’ll move forward. He’ll be a game-time decision.”
Scheifele’s status will define Winnipeg’s chances.
If he’s in, the Jets will have their full forward lineup for the first time in this series. The first line will reunite. The top power play unit — of Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, Nikolaj Ehlers and Gabriel Vilardi — will be reunited.
If he’s out, there’s a domino effect.
Winnipeg’s lack of centre depth is exposed, with Vladislav Namestnikov and Adam Lowry becoming this team’s top-six centres. Connor loses his runningmate. And secondary scoring, which has been hard to come by this series for the Jets, becomes even more crucial.
“That’s just part of what happens in playoff hockey. If you want to move on, you’ve got to step up,” Arniel said. “Everybody needs to step up and do a little bit more. And sometimes you’ve got to come outside of your skin a little bit and do something that maybe you’re not necessarily known to do.”
Unsung heroes are vital this year, and thus far, the Jets haven’t had many, save for Alex Iafallo during Vilardi’s absence. Meanwhile, the Blues have had fourth liners like Nathan Walker score three goals, a revitalized Cam Fowler leading the team in playoff scoring (10) and a rookie in Jimmy Suggerud who’s chipped in four points in six games.
Without Scheifele, the team’s lack of depth scoring comes to the forefront. Four of Winnipeg’s 11 five-on-five goals have been scored by Kyle Connor, and no other player has recorded more than one five-on-five goal.
Can Ehlers finally slay his playoff demons and be a game-breaker? He’s only recorded 14 points in 38 playoff games and hasn’t scored a goal since the 2020-21 playoffs.
Can Cole Perfetti build off a moderately impressive playoffs thus far — three points in six games — and be a driver in a high-stakes game?
Can Josh Morrissey, for the first time in this series, take over a game?
Given how shaky Connor Hellebuyck has been, the Jets can’t rest on their laurels at the idea that they can edge teams out in a 2-1 game. They need more offensive firepower.
And playing a pivotal Game 7 without Scheifele will dilute that.
Game 7 Vibes
Sunday marks the first time the city of Winnipeg will host a Game 7.
“Hopefully it has a great ending to it,” Arniel said.
I don’t know if there’s ever been a more pivotal game in 2.0 history. Sure, there was that Game 7 against Nashville in 2017-18 that punched the Jets’ ticket to the Western Conference Final. But back then, there was more of a “this is the start of something great” vibe. Nowadays, it’s the opposite. A third consecutive first-round exit would be a crushing blow for a franchise that spent all year trying to work towards being more than just a regular-season team.
“All year long, we’ve put our work in to build towards this,” Arniel said. “We’ve talked about these situations and certain things that have happened over the course of the year that we don’t know when it’ll rise in the playoffs, but now it’s here. Now it’s here. It’s Game 7.”
Projected Lines With Scheifele
Kyle Connor — Mark Scheifele — Gabriel Vilardi
Nikolaj Ehlers — Vladislav Namestnikov — Cole Perfetti
Nino Niederreiter — Adam Lowry — Mason Appleton
Brandon Tanev — Morgan Barron — Alex Iafallo
Josh Morrissey — Dylan DeMelo
Dylan Samberg — Neal Pionk
Logan Stanley — Luke Schenn
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie
Projected Forward Lines Without Scheifele
Kyle Connor — Vladislav Namestnikov — Gabriel Vilardi
Nikolaj Ehlers — Adam Lowry — Cole Perfetti
Nino Niederreiter — Morgan Barron — Mason Appleton
Brandon Tanev — Dominic Toninato — Alex Iafallo
