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Winnipeg Jets Player Power Rankings: Western Conference Finals

By Kyle McCarthy

WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 12: Dustin Byfuglien #33 of the Winnipeg Jets picks up debris off the ice during a third period stoppage in play against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game One of the Western Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on May 12, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 12: Dustin Byfuglien #33 of the Winnipeg Jets picks up debris off the ice during a third period stoppage in play against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game One of the Western Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on May 12, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Winnipeg Jets Center Mark Scheifele led the team in goals in round one, with four, and added seven more in the seven game series against Nashville.

Seven goals! Mark Scheifele scored seven goals in seven games. He scored another one in Game One against Vegas, but we’re pretending this hasn’t happened yet. He paces the NHL in goals, by the way.

Scheifele, 25, leads the team in goals, obviously, and also is tied for the team lead in points with 12 and 18, respectively. If the Winnipeg Jets manage to win the Western Conference Finals, which isn’t a huge leap, Scheifele will have to continue his great play.

If they are to best the Vegas Golden Knights, they will then continue on to face either the Washington Captials or Tampa Bay Lightning. And then IF they conquer the Eastern Conference champion, we’ve got ourselves a number one Conn Smythe contender on the Jets’ top line.

I realize that’s a lot of ifs and a lot of pressure on Mark Scheifele. But hey, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are full of pressure. Scheifele seems like he’s been up to the task recently. And he seems to have no desire to stop putting pucks in the net.

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Now, he’s shooting 38%, which is ridiculous. He’s a career 14.9% shooter and is close to 20% the past two seasons. That’s really good, but 38% is unsustainable. But he only needs to sustain it for, theoretically, a few more games.

His speed, vision, size and accuracy have made him one of this playoff’s breakout stars. And the league’s top goal scorer.

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