WINNIPEG -- The Montreal Canadiens can clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs when they visit the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; RDS, SNE, TSN3).

The Canadiens became the first team to reach 100 points Tuesday. They can clinch a playoff spot if they defeat the Jets in regulation or overtime, and the Anaheim Ducks defeat the Boston Bruins in any fashion, or if the Bruins beat the Ducks in a shootout.

Montreal also can qualify with a shootout win against Winnipeg if Anaheim defeats Boston in any fashion. Montreal also would clinch a spot with one point against Winnipeg if Anaheim wins against Boston in regulation.

WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets will attempt to avoid tempting the Washington Capitals' power play Saturday at MTS Centre.

The Capitals are tied for first in the NHL on the power play with a 25.2 percent conversion rate, and they scored three times with the extra man against the Jets in a 5-1 win Feb. 19 at Verizon Center.

"It's going to be a great challenge," Jets right wing Michael Frolik said. "We want to take [fewer] penalties against them and play 5-on-5 hockey."

WINNIPEG -- The St. Louis Blues can take over first place in the NHL standings with a win against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday at MTS Centre.

St. Louis has 95 points and is two points behind the Anaheim Ducks. The Blues will have played one fewer game than Anaheim after Thursday.

The Blues continue their season-high six-game road trip having won five of their past six. Each of the Blues' past three wins have been shutouts, and they have a shutout streak of 126:16.

WINNIPEG -- The San Jose Sharks have an opportunity to edge closer to the Stanley Cup Playoff line in the Western Conference when they visit the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.

The Sharks begin a seven-game road trip five points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card into the playoffs in the Western Conference. San Jose is also five points behind the Calgary Flames for third place in the Pacific Division.

Winnipeg trails Los Angeles by one point for the second wild card.

But if the Sharks are to catch the Kings or Flames, first they must pass the Jets. After the game Tuesday, the Sharks do not play a Western Conference team in playoff contention until the final game of the season, April 11 at Los Angeles.

"Tonight will be even better if we win because it [would go from a potential six-point gap] to two points," Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic said.

WINNIPEG -- Forward Lee Stempniak will be the latest new face in the lineup for the Winnipeg Jets when they finish a four-game homestand against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday at MTS Centre.

The Jets acquired Stempniak in a trade from the New York Rangers for prospect Carl Klingberg on Sunday. The 31-year-old had nine goals and nine assists in 53 games with the Rangers.

Stempniak joins forwards Jiri Tlusty and Drew Stafford and defenseman Tyler Myers as new players that general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has added in trades since Feb. 11.

"I think they've done a great job of fitting in," said right wing Blake Wheeler, Stempniak's new linemate. "Our system is pretty simple, pretty basic. It really relies on your work ethic, and we've got a lot of new guys that obviously like to work."

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets will have right wing Blake Wheeler in their lineup when they host theLos Angeles Kings on Sunday.

The Jets activated Wheeler from injured reserve Sunday and assigned forward Carl Klingberg to St. John's of the American Hockey League. Wheeler had missed the past two games because of a lower-body injury.

Winnipeg did not hold a morning skate Sunday, but Wheeler practiced Saturday on the Jets' third line with center Adam Lowry and left wing Chris Thorburn. The 28-year-old has 16 goals and 28 assists, and his 44 points rank third among all Winnipeg scorers.

Winnipeg has a one-point lead on the Minnesota Wild for the first Western Conference wild-card spot into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Jets finish their four-game homestand Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators before beginning a four-game road trip.

WINNIPEG -- Forward Jiri Tlusty will debut for the Winnipeg Jets when they host the St. Louis Blues on Thursday.

The left wing was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday for two draft picks,

the second major trade in two weeks by Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff.

They acquired defenseman Tyler Myers and right wing Drew Stafford from the Buffalo Sabres in the Evander Kane trade on Feb. 11.

Tlusty arrived in Winnipeg shortly before the morning skate and likely will skate on the second line with center Mark Scheifele and Stafford.

"[The whirlwind] was a little wild, but it is part of it and it's kind of fun too," said Tlusty, who had 13 goals and 10 assists with Carolina this season. "It's great to be here. When I heard the news I was really excited. Leaving [Carolina] was hard but I'm really excited to be here and part of the Jets."

WINNIPEG -- The struggling Winnipeg Jets will have two more problems when they host the Dallas Stars at MTS Centre on Tuesday.

The Jets will be without right wing Blake Wheeler and defenseman Ben Chiarot as they try to fend off a host of competitors chasing them for the first Western Conference wild-card berth into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Wheeler (lower body) will miss his first game of the season. Right wing Michael Frolik will replace Wheeler on Winnipeg's top line, alongside left wing Andrew Ladd and center Bryan Little.

"[Wheeler] has that speed and that big body," Little said. "[Frolik] is a hard worker and I like that. He plays simple [and] up-and-down [hockey]. I kind of know what to expect. They are different styles but I think that they suit everybody's game in different ways."

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets' fortunes this week might test general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff's steadfast commitment to a long-term draft-and-develop philosophy.

The Jets' 4-6-3 record since Jan. 27 has jeopardized what once appeared to be a very solid grip on a Stanley Cup Playoff spot. Winnipeg's skid has allowed what was an eight-point cushion on a Western Conference wild-card position to dwindle to three points.

Winnipeg's roster sustained another blow Monday with the announcement that rookie defenseman Ben Chiarot will be out for most of the regular season. Chiarot had surgery Sunday after injuring himself in a fight with Daniel Winnik of the Toronto Maple Leafs last Saturday in a 4-3 overtime loss.

WINNIPEG -- Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff's list of decisions to make before the NHL Trade Deadline expanded Wednesday.

The announcement that the Jets could be without left wing Mathieu Perreault until the end of the regular season further complicated Cheveldayoff's roster. Perreault, who sustained a lower-body injury in a 5-4 shootout win against the Edmonton Oilers, has helped to anchor the second line with center Mark Scheifele and ranks third on Winnipeg with 18 goals.

Right wing Drew Stafford was injured against Edmonton and is day-to-day. Cheveldayoff acquired Stafford from the Buffalo Sabres in the Evander Kane trade on Feb. 11. Stafford immediately solidified the top-six forward group and had been promoted to the top line before sustaining his upper-body injury

Stafford did not practice Wednesday, but Jets coach Paul Maurice said he might be able to play Thursday against the Washington Capitals. If not, defenseman Dustin Byfuglien would move to forward.

"When [Stafford] comes back, we'll make a decision whether we have enough depth up front to drop [Byfuglien] back to the blue line," Maurice said.