Adam Lowry Following Elimination The Winnipeg Jets of past years will be well-represented in the Stanley Cup Playoffs' Conference Finals this coming week. With the 32-team league now having been weeded down to just four remaining clubs, Jets fans will have a number of familiar faces to pick between when choosing allegiances in advance of the final round. With the Edmonton Oilers coming back from down three-games-to-two vs. the Vancouver Canucks to win the series with back-to-back wins over the long weekend, the Oilers will be the lone Canadian club represented in the Conference Finals. That also feeds Winnipeg's narrative of rooting for (or against) some players formerly near and dear the organization. On offence, the Oilers have all-time Jets villain and former local celebrity-turned-whipping boy Evander Kane. Also up front is the Jets' 2022-23 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominee Sam Gagner. In goal is Stuart Skinner, but his backup - who helped the Oilers win a pivotal Game 6 - Cal Pickard spent his developmental years in Winnipeg, and is certainly a good news story to follow as the postseason continues, as the lone Winnipegger left in play. Edmonton faces Dallas, which has zero personnel connections to Winnipeg or the Jets. The Eastern Conference Final, however, is chock-full of players of note. It will be a battle between the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers. Head coach Paul Maurice will be at the helm in Florida, as former Jets Kevin Stenlund and Dmitri Kulikov round out his Jets connections. The Rangers also boast former Brandon Wheat Kings star defenceman Braden Schneider and former Jets Jack Roslovic, Jacob Trouba and Blake Wheeler - who is working towards a return from a gruesome leg injury suffered early this season... his first as a Blueshirt. Third round action gets underway on Wednesday in New York, to which the four teams will alternate dates throughout the next two weeks in their respective best-of-seven series. Full list of Winnipeg connections left in the postseason: Edmonton: Sam Gagner, Evander Kane, Cal Pickard New York: Jack Roslovic, Blake Wheeler, Jacob Trouba, Braden Schneider Florida: Kevin Stenlund, Dmitri Kulikov, Paul Maurice Dallas: none
