Blue Jackets, Jets Battling for Playoff Spots

Winnipeg and Columbus face crunch time as they fight for final postseason berths

Apr. 3, 2026 at 11:50pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets, with the players and action broken down into overlapping angular shapes and planes in the teams' official colors.As the NHL regular season winds down, the Blue Jackets and Jets battle for the final playoff spots in their respective conferences.Columbus Today

Despite a 12-point gap in the standings, the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets are both fighting for playoff spots as they meet on Saturday night. Both teams are coming off lopsided losses and facing criticism from their head coaches about their recent play. The Jets sit three points back of the Western Conference's final wild-card spot, while the Blue Jackets are tied with Ottawa and Detroit for the final Eastern Conference berth.

Why it matters

With the NHL regular season winding down, these two teams are in a high-stakes battle to secure the last remaining playoff positions in their respective conferences. Their matchup on Saturday could have major implications on their postseason hopes.

The details

The Jets (32-31-12, 76 points) and Blue Jackets (38-26-12, 88 points) are both coming off lopsided losses on Thursday. Columbus fell 5-1 to the Hurricanes, while Winnipeg dropped a 3-0 decision to the Stars. Both head coaches expressed frustration with their teams' performances, with Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness saying 'some guys gave us absolutely nothing' and Jets coach Scott Arniel criticizing his team's lack of consistency. The Blue Jackets have lost five straight games, while the Jets had been climbing the standings before their recent setback.

  • The Blue Jackets and Jets will face off on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
  • The Blue Jackets have 6 games remaining in the regular season.
  • The Jets have 7 games remaining in the regular season.

The players

Rick Bowness

Head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Boone Jenner

Captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Scott Arniel

Head coach of the Winnipeg Jets.

Adam Lowry

Captain of the Winnipeg Jets.

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What they’re saying

“We had some guys out there (pour) their whole heart and soul into that game, we really did, and then we had some guys give us absolutely nothing. So, if we want to make a serious effort to get in, it's going to take a whole lot more than some of those guys gave us tonight. They can say all they want, 'Oh, we want to get in, we want to get in'. I'd shut up and let my play do my talking for me.”

— Rick Bowness, Blue Jackets head coach

“It definitely is. We know the spot we've put ourselves in here. At the end of the day, it's up to us to step up and go take it if we want it. We know what's at stake, and the belief is in this room.”

— Boone Jenner, Blue Jackets captain

“Everybody has a role to play and you gotta go out and play it. And if we don't have 20 guys playing to their identity, it makes it very difficult for us. And that's the one thing that we've gotten since the break... Tonight, it was loose. We were missing 9-10 guys... They know that wasn't good enough. That's not gonna win you hockey games. We're desperate. We have to be desperate right from the start of the game.”

— Scott Arniel, Jets head coach

“There's lessons to be learned from games like these. We'll review the tape and then find a way to get a good start like we had in Colorado. It's tough going into other team's rinks and playing from behind and digging yourself two, three-goal deficits, which generally don't lead to good outcomes.”

— Adam Lowry, Jets captain

What’s next

The Blue Jackets and Jets will face off on Saturday, April 4, 2026 in a crucial late-season matchup with major playoff implications.

The takeaway

Both the Blue Jackets and Jets are in a desperate fight to secure the final playoff spots in their respective conferences. Their head coaches have expressed frustration with their teams' recent inconsistent play, and the outcome of their Saturday night showdown could go a long way in determining which team ultimately clinches a postseason berth.