“At this time of year, it’s such a thin line as to winning and losing. We’ve just got learn from this,” said Capitals’ Tom Wilson after Washington was handed another loss tonight by the Blue Jackets for the second time in two days. But while Spencer Carbery’s boys look to move on, the Winnipeg Jets couldn’t be more thankful to Alex Ovechkin’s squad for giving them a reason to smile about.

A loss at home is always disappointing. Especially when you have 114 points to your name and have already qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs. And yet, despite the loss to the Oilers at Canada Life Centre tonight, the Winnipeg Jets have managed to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. But that’s not all. The Central Division powerhouse has even gone on to bag its first-ever NHL title, with a little help from the Caps.

The official NHL News account shared the Jets’ triumph with a sonorous post on X on April 13. “OFFICIAL: The Winnipeg Jets have won the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time in franchise history,” reads the caption of the social media post, which isn’t shy to celebrate Winnipeg’s triumph. With a 55-22-4 record, this has been the best-ever finish to the regular season for Scott Arniel‘s squad, which culminated in them lifting the prestigious title.

The honor came their way when Washington was once again battered by Columbus earlier on Sunday. Before tonight’s game, the Capitals trailed the Winnipeg Jets by five points, and tonight’s loss means that Alex Ovechkin‘s side will have to cede the top-seed position to the Manitoba team for this year’s playoffs. The Caps lost 4-1 to Columbus on Sunday, giving the Jets a moment to revel in glory before heading on to the playoffs. But hey, the climb ahead is much steeper than the road Winnipeg crossed to get here.

For the first time since 2012, a Canadian team won the President’s Trophy, making the feat all the more joyous for Scott Arniel’s boys. And yet, with the Stanley Cup playoffs just around the corner, the team can hardly take its eyes off of the bigger prize that hangs overhead. “It is definitely a great accomplishment…but it is only the first step as now it is the playoffs that matter most,” the Jets’ forward  Nino Niederreiter said about how this isn’t the end of the road. But looking at some of their peers, it wouldn’t be too difficult to comprehend why skepticism reigns over the Jets’s locker room.

The Winnipeg Jets aren’t out of the woods yet

Last year, the Rangers were the ones to lift the Trophy with 114 points, just like the Jets have done this year. With that, New York had also clinched the No. 1 seed in the division and the conference. However, the good times didn’t last for long. After a shambling 37-36-7 record (with two games remaining) in the 2024-25 season, the Rangers have been ousted from the playoffs, becoming only the fourth team in NHL history to accomplish this embarrassing feat. However, while some believe that this would provide the team with renewed enthusiasm for the next season, it remains to be seen what fate holds for the Winnipeg Jets right now. But it won’t be an easy task.

What’s more, winning the Cup in the same year as winning the Trophy has been an elusive feat that has occurred only a few times. Over the years, only eight teams have managed to pull off the stellar success, with the Red Wings being the only side to do it more than once, while the Blackhawks were the last to do it (2012-13). But do the Jets have it in them to reach out and grab history by its scruff?

While the playoff run is yet to commence, you can’t really blame anyone for celebrating Winnipeg’s massive feat, either. During tonight’s game against the Oilers, a brief pause had to be called during the third period to announce the Jets’ titular achievement as the crowd erupted into applause, and Coach Arniel couldn’t stop being thankful for the incredible support. “It’s really appreciated. They’ve been great fans. Real loud and supporting us all the way,” the veteran NHL coach said. And yet, while winning the President’s Trophy is, undoubtedly, a stellar feat on its own, one can’t help but think how this could impact the Jets’ post-season.

What do you think? How do you think the Winnipeg Jets’ playoff will pan out after having already cemented themselves as an elite NHL franchise by winning the President’s Trophy? Do you believe the team has what it takes to bag the Stanley Cup next year? Or maybe they can even go on to become the ninth team in history to clinch the coveted double this time itself? What do you think?