The optimist in me says "The Jets have as a good a chance as any"...but the realist says the Jets analytics and their style of play will get worn down by the bruising neutral zone aggression of the Preds and the Knights; nevermind the forechecking swarm called the Oilers or the Avalanche! Maybe the Stars we have a better answer but they too play a hyper aggressive neutral zone. Jets struggle against such teams.
These playoffs will be tough for the Jets and Jets fans. Maybe playing in a seven game series with shrewd coaches observing the styles of their opponent, they may find weaknesses. Familiarity can potentially expose weaknesses. AKA Vegas Golden Knights and their successes. We need shrewd coaching (no panic if we lose the first game of a series!), a hot goaltender, an improved special teams, and all four lines dialed in and bought into the suffocating system Bones has tried to create in Winnipeg. If those happen, we have a chance.
In the Western Conference this season, wherever you rank, the playoff is going to be a tremendously unique monster. From top to bottom, at this point, the separation from worst to best is 15 points. Vegas' only slight has been the tremendous injuries they've had to overcome. If and when they get healthy...watch out. Vegas and the Preds will NOT be an easy out! All 8 teams are strong contenders with strong analytics. Can someone honestly say that Vegas or the Preds have to be considered strong underdogs no matter what team they face in the first round? The Western Conference is a BEAST!! In my opinion, the Kings and perhaps the Canucks may be vulnerable and perhaps even the Jets. They have weaker analytics. This is going to be a TOUGH and AWESOME playoff year...even if the Jets succumb. The players they got in the trades will certainly help our (The Jets) cause.
The Eastern Conference?? Now that is a different kettle of fish. The Bolts, Flyers, Red Wings (or Capitals) and maybe even the Leafs can't compete with the top 4 in that conference. Panthers, Canes, Rangers, and to a slightly lesser degree the Bruins, are monsters in possession analytics and are savages in the forecheck and neutral zone aggression. Those four OWN the conference.