Winnipeg Jets’ Playoff Hopes Take Hit With Dustin Byfuglien Injury

The Winnipeg Jets have endured plenty of injuries this season, but losing defenceman Dustin Byfuglien for up to a month might be what keeps the team out of the playoffs.

Byfuglien left Wednesday night’s game against Ottawa with an upper-body injury and didn’t return. Jets coach Paul Maurice announced Friday that the hulking 29-year-old blue liner would be out between two and four weeks. To make matters worse, Maurice also said Bryan Little, the team’s leading scorer, would miss a couple of games.

The Jets might be able to deal without Little for a couple of games, even though he leads the team with 24 goals and is one point back of captain Andrew Ladd for the team points lead with 51. The loss of Byfuglien might be too much for this team, though.

Byfuglien plays about 23 minutes per night and is used in every game situation for Winnipeg while piling up 15 goals and 42 points. Over the last couple of months, Byfuglien has filled in at forward when needed and dominated games physically. Basically, whatever the Jets have needed, Byfuglien has stepped up for this team.

“I think we all have to be ready,” Jets defenseman Tyler Myers said in a video posted on the Jets website. “Those are key pieces missing. We’re all going to have to be ready to step up and carry the load here. We have a long road trip, tight race. We need some wins.”

Now, Winnipeg heads off on a four-game road trip clinging to the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference by two points with the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks hot on its heels.

A look at the Sports Interaction Stanley Cup odds board shouldn’t give Jets supporters much confidence either. Winnipeg is set at +1600 to win the Western Conference while the Kings (+900) and Sharks (+1400) have shorter odds.