In the latest 2025 NHL Playoff Preview show, host Matthew Zator welcomes in Brian Finlayson and Jacob Billington to set up the upcoming first round series of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues.
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5 Comments
Before we get this series started, as a Blues fan, if we don't win this, I really hope Winnipeg takes the Cup this year. That good will stays as long as there are no Kadri-like shenanigans.
All that being said, I cannot go against a healthy Jordan Binnington in the playoffs. Blues in 6.
GO BLUES!!!
It's the playoffs, so anything can happen.
Jets fan here, I think there are several things to keep in mind: I hope Stanley is the 7th defenseman in the pressbox, and they pair Fleury/Miller with Schenn, as yes, Stanley and Schenn as a pair is just too slow (Stanley is just too slow in general imo).
Two, Ehlers is a loss as he is our high tempo skater for zone entries – you've seen how this has affected our power play the past month or so while Ehlers has been in and out of the lineup. I hope Arniel has a plan to compensate for this. Anderson-Dolan appears to have hands and speed – perhaps we can give him a shot in that position?
Three, Lowry, Appleton and Neiderreiter have been playing like crap since the holidays, and if they are able to pick up their game, I think it presents a real problem for the Blues, as all three play very heavy, and possess the ability to score when playing well.
Four, if Vilardi is back, our attack becomes much heavier and opens up Connor and Scheifele (and Morrisey and Pionk for that matter) to move the puck around the perimeter and probe the Blues' defense and wear them down. The key to beating Binnington will be to make him move laterally as much as possible as he often overcompensates with his movement.
Lastly, and possibly the most important, is how the refs decide to call these playoffs. The past two years the Jets have been getting held, hooked and obstructed to hell and back, more than any other team I observed in the playoffs. Last year the Avs were running so many pick plays and obstruction plays that went uncalled and it basically became a shooting gallery for them, and then we would get called for chintzy hooks or holds. It has to be more consistent.
Jets win gm 1 5.4 in 2ot
Jets win game 2 2.1 in 3ot
Blues win game 3 5.1
Jets win game 4 5.4 in 3ot
Jets win 5.4 in 1ot.
Very tight series except game 3 in STL.
Instead of Stanley and schenn id put Fleury in and put pionk in that 3 rd and Samberg with Schenn on the 2d
Prediction. They dont resign Ehlers. He walks then trade for a big 2c. Names to watch is Byfield in LA and elias Petterson or both. Gotta resign villardi at least to a 5 year deal if not 8 at 8.5m.