Mark Scheifele set to surpass historic Winnipeg Jets milestone
Photo credit: Edit from The Hockey News
Jets' Mark Scheifele is set to become the player to have played the most games in Winnipeg's franchise history when he takes to the ice tonight.
The Blue Jackets travel tonight on the second half of a back-to-back as they get set to face stiff competition on their trip to Winnipeg.
Currently, the Blue Jackets occupy the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference based on the tiebreaker after their 4-3 shootout victory over Montreal last night.
What tonight means in the standings for Columbus
They currently have an equal number of points at 22 with the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders, along with the Ottawa Senators.
There's not much leeway behind them either. Philadelphia and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida team are just one point away, with Tampa Bay and Washington only two back.
However, Columbus may take heart in the fact that their current string of five games with at least a point (3-0-2) has them on the upswing.
Pittsburgh leads the Metropolitan Division by just two points. New Jersey and Carolina are only five points back.
As the Jets struggle with theirs, Winnipeg's season could not have gone much better outside of their series-opening loss. Winnipeg owns an NHL-leading 119 wins since the beginning of the 2023-24 season.
This consistency has led them to the playoffs in the last seven of eight seasons and earned them the Presidents' Trophy last season.
However, they have not advanced beyond the conference final relatively recently, with their last one being the 2016-17 season.
Why tonight will be so special for Mark Scheifele
Tonight's game is special for the city of Winnipeg, too. Jets center Mark Scheifele could play in game No. 898 of his NHL career.
This puts him on the cusp of an exclusive group of active players with the most appearances for their respective clubs. Once he steps on the ice, he will have played the most games in Winnipeg Jets history.
Both sides head into the evening looking for consistency, with one hoping to remain competitive and the other looking for the next step up when it truly matters.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 18 | 155 ANSWERS Mark Scheifele set to surpass historic Winnipeg Jets milestone Is Mark Scheifele the greatest WInnipeg Jet of all time? | ||
| Yes | 62 | 40 % |
| No | 93 | 60 % |
| List of polls | ||