Winnipeg Jets are relishing playoff race

Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was asked recently whether being in a nail-biter NHL playoff race was exciting or agonizing.

"Yes," he said, knowing his ambiguity said it all.

This is the Jets' fourth season in Winnipeg since the Thrashers moved there from Atlanta, and they are trying to make the playoffs for the first time. It is exhilarating and torturous to be in what appears to be a four-team scramble for three playoff spots.

The Minnesota Wild, Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings and Jets are all trying to find spots as a wild card or better in the Western Conference.

"You really feel excited for the group of guys that are working real hard and for the coaching staff — even more so the city. Fans are excited to be in this race," Cheveldayoff told USA TODAY Sports. "We are all looking forward to every single game."

Heading into the weekend, those four teams were separated by four points with two weeks left in the season.

The Jets sold out their first season in Winnipeg in 17 minutes, and they have had one of the league's most ardent fan bases since then. The MTS Centre has the NHL's smallest capacity of 15,016, but the Jets always play to more than 100% capacity because of standing room.

The frustration for the Winnipeg fan base this season is that the Jets have performed at a high level and find themselves in a scrap to extend their season.

"We've said it many times, this is the reality of the National Hockey League and the reality of the division we are in and the conference we are in," Cheveldayoff said. "You have to earn every single inch you get."

Regardless of what happens in the standings, Cheveldayoff has proved his value to the team. He has acted boldly, adding Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford and a first-round pick in a deal with the Buffalo Sabres.

The Jets have had more than their fair share of injuries and could reach 100 points if they win five of their last seven games.

Their 260-pound defenseman, Dustin Byfuglien, a key player, was injured from March 7 until Thursday, and they still manage to hold the final wild-card spot. He scored a goal in his first game back.

"People see what Buff brings on the ice, but he's also a big part of the dressing room," Cheveldayoff said. "He keeps guys loose, and that is a big part of team camaraderie. Andrew Ladd, Mark Stuart and Blake Wheeler have done strong work behind the scenes as leaders."

Bryan Little and Mathieu Perreault have also been out during the stretch run, but the team has remained competitive.

"No doubt that adversity brings out a lot of qualities," Cheveldayoff said. "It reveals a lot of things about people. Everyone can high-five each other in good and easy times, but it is how you react during adversity. We have shown depth and some good characteristics during our adversity."

The Jets are viewed as a team on the rise.

In its Future Watch magazine, The Hockey News gave the Jets its highest ranking for their prospect list and predicted they would win the Stanley Cup in 2019.

"We have worked hard to develop a stable of prospects," Cheveldayoff said. "That's your lifeline. But we are in the now. We are really focused on the now. The exciting part is seeing players such as Mark Scheifele, Jacob Trouba and Adam Lowry playing now and being recognized as being a big part of our future."

But no one in Winnipeg will be thinking about the future for the next couple of weeks.

"The only focus is on the stretch run," Cheveldayoff said.

PHOTOS: 2014-15 NHL season