NBCSN’s coverage of the 2018-19 NHL season continues with Monday’s matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and Philadelphia Flyers. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN. You can watch the game online and on the NBC Sports app by clicking here.
While the Tampa Bay Lightning lead the NHL with 76 points, the Western Conference has a tighter race at the top, especially in the Central Division, where Winnipeg currently owns the top spot and has four games in hand on the second-place Nashville Predators.
The Jets are currently on pace for 109 points and 52 wins. Last season, the team set franchise records in both wins (52) and points (114), but they still didn’t win the division (Nashville did w/ NHL-best 117 pts).
All-Stars Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele are top two on the team in points at 61 and 59, respectively. Kyle Connor is next with 38. Wheeler, tied for ninth in the NHL in points, is second in the league in assists (52) and although his streak of 20-goal seasons may end at five given he has only nine goals, he’s on pace for 104 points, which would be a career high and break Marian Hossa’s franchise record of 100.
In addition to the All-Star break, both teams are coming off their bye weeks, each having last played on Saturday, Jan. 19.
One of the bottom-dwellers of the Eastern Conference, the Flyers sit 14 points back of a playoff spot and are on track to continue their trend of missing the postseason the year after making it. From 1995-2012, the Flyers made the playoffs 16 times in a 17-season span. Since then, Philly has made just three postseasons in the last six years and each in alternating years.
Wayne Simmonds, a popular name in trade talks ahead of the Feb. 25 deadline, has played in all 48 games this season and put up 15 goals but just 23 points. He’s on track for his sixth straight season with 24-plus goals but only 39 points, which would be his fewest in a full season since 2011.
The Flyers are 7-8-2 since interim coach Scott Gordon took over for Dave Hakstol. The coaching change was one of several moves in what has been a tumultuous season for the team that has also included letting go of GM Ron Hextall and replacing him with Chuck Fletcher. [WATCH LIVE – COVERAGE BEGINS AT 6 P.M. ET – NBCSN]
What: Winnipeg Jets at Philadelphia Flyers Where: Wells Fargo Center When: Monday, Jan. 28, 6 p.m. ET TV: NBCSN Live stream: You can watch the Jets-Flyers stream on NBC Sports’ live stream page and the NBC Sports app.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
JETS Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Blake Wheeler Patrik Laine - Bryan Little - Jack Roslovic Mathieu Perreault - Adam Lowry - Brandon Tanev Brendan Lemieux - Andrew Copp - Mason Appleton
Josh Morrissey - Jacob Trouba Dmitry Kulikov - Tyler Myers Joe Morrow - Sami Niku
Starting goalie: Connor Hellebuyck
FLYERS James van Riemsdyk - Claude Giroux - Travis Konecny Oskar Lindblom - Sean Couturier - Jakub Voracek Scott Laughton - Nolan Patrick - Wayne Simmonds Phil Varone - Mikhail Vorobyev - Michael Raffl
Ivan Provorov - Travis Sanheim Shayne Gostisbehere - Andrew MacDonald Robert Hagg - Radko Gudas
Starting goalie: Carter Hart
Kenny Albert and Brian Boucher will have the call from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa. Pre-game coverage starts at 6 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Paul Burmeister alongside Jeremy Roenick and Anson Carter.