NHL On Tap: Jets try to get back on track against Blues

Welcome to the NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will share what they are most looking forward to on the schedule each day. Today, their choices from the one game Monday.

Jets getting off course in recent games

Though the Winnipeg Jets had a great start to the season, the recent results approaching the NHL All-Star break haven't been good. The Jets (31-19-1) have lost three in a row and five of their past seven, including 4-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. They'll look to enter their respite on a positive when they play the St. Louis Blues at Canada Life Centre (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS, BSMW). So, what's gone wrong over the past seven games? The biggest issue is they've averaged 2.14 goals per game, 30th in the NHL in that span. That's more than a goal below their average for the season (3.18, 13th) and they've been outscored 11-3 in the second period. Regardless of what happens Monday, the Jets will enter the break second in the Central Division behind the first-place Dallas Stars. But there's no doubt they've dipped lately, and they'd like to get back to playing the hockey that has them among the League's best this season. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Don't sleep on the Jets

To Tracey's point, the Jets have hit a rough patch, but they're still one of the best teams in the NHL nobody outside of Manitoba is talking about. For those who haven't been paying attention: Their .618 points percentage is third in the Western Conference, great success for a franchise that's finished a season above .600 four times since relocating from Atlanta in 1999. Josh Morrissey, a contender for the Norris Trophy given to the top defenseman in the NHL, is on pace for 82 points that would break Dustin Byfuglien's Jets/Atlanta Thrashers record at the position set in 2013-14. Cole Perfetti is on pace for 49 and could be the fifth rookie in franchise history to reach the milestone (Dany Heatley, 67, 2001-02; Patrik Laine, 64, 2016-17; Kyle Connor, 57, 2017-18; Ilya Kovalchuk (51, 2001-02). It's been easy for some to ignore the Jets since their Western Conference Final run in 2018, but that sleeper status will make them very dangerous in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They've enjoyed playing the Blues, going 10-2-2 against them and averaging 3.93 goals per game since 2018-19, including a 5-2 win in St. Louis on Dec. 8. -- Jon Lane, staff writer

Blues need a win, a reset and a run

The Blues need a long break, a full 11 days without a game after playing the Jets. They also need a win in the worst way, because the more they slump, the better their chances are of becoming a seller before the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline on March 3. Let's face it, the Blues (23-24-3) might have already decided to prep for selling mode because of the season they're having and where they stand, which isn't on good footing. They're sixth in the Central, eight points behind the Colorado Avalanche, who are fourth and hold the second wild card into the playoffs from the West. After playing Winnipeg, St. Louis will have also played three more games than Colorado. So, no, it's not a good spot to be in, especially considering the Blues have lost four in a row, the latest 4-2 to the Avalanche on Saturday, a true four-point swing game. Forwards Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly (injured reserve) and Ivan Barbashev are pending unrestricted free agents. You'd have to think they're as good as gone before the trade deadline if the Blues don't turn it around. They play 10 games in the time after the All-Star break and before the trade deadline. They have 11 days after playing the Jets to reset. But they have to get a win against the Jets or the idea of a reset to go on a run loses a lot of its luster. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Monday game

St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, BSMW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Blues resume their season against the Arizona Coyotes at Enterprise Center on Feb. 11, the first of nine games in February and seven on home ice. Jets forward Blake Wheeler is six assists from 30 for the 10th consecutive season and five from becoming the 97th NHL player to reach 600.