Jets’ sick bay thinning out

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/11/2025 (193 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER — The infirmary is finally beginning to thin itself out.

While the Winnipeg Jets continue to pride themselves on a next-player up mentality, there was an important shedding of a non-contact jersey Tuesday morning.

When Jets defenceman Dylan Samberg began shooting on goalie Connor Hellebuyck, a routine was restored and hope for the next phase in his recovery took another step forward.

Samberg wasn’t quite ready to suit up for the Jets in Tuesday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, which was ongoing at press time, but he’s on the verge of a return and it couldn’t come at a better time for a team that hasn’t quite been itself when it comes to defending.

“Getting closer,” Arniel said after the morning skate. “For Sammy, it’s the first (time out of non-contact). So there’s some extra banging going on, which is a good sign. He’s that much closer to being available.”

The Jets haven’t been playing the type of structurally sound game that allowed them to allow the fewest goals in the NHL in each of the past two seasons and missing Samberg for the first 16 games has certainly been a factor.

Samberg was a pivotal part of the Jets’ second pairing last season — his first playing top-4 minutes — and his ability to thrive in that role was one of the reasons he earned a substantial raise on the three-year contract extension he signed as a restricted free agent.

The loss of Samberg has also been a factor in a slow start for Neal Pionk, who had two assists through 15 games and hasn’t been as sound defensively as he was last season.

The Jets also recently got captain Adam Lowry (who played his fourth game on Tuesday) and fellow forward Cole Perfetti (who played his second game) back, which should help with the defensive play and provide some additional scoring for a team that has seen the well go dry during the first half of the road trip as they were outscored 9-2 and dropped three consecutive games.

“We’re kind of looking at it like these next three games are a fresh road trip and we’d love to get back on track,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey.

Forward Gustav Nyquist, who suffered a lower-body in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks, was also out of the non-contact yellow on Tuesday morning — so he is trending for a healthy return during the next several games as well.

Although Nyquist got off to a slow start in terms of production, he had an assist in consecutive games before the injury.

For a team looking for more offensive production from the middle-six, the return of Nyquist would give Arniel a chance to find some continuity on his second and third lines.

Centre Morgan Barron has been upgraded from week-to-week to day-to-day.

“Yeah, he is actually a little better,” said Arniel. “He got on the ice the other day when we weren’t expecting that, so that’s a good sign. Gradually, they’re all kind of working their way towards being able to play.”

That also applies to winger Cole Koepke was back on the ice in a non-contact jersey after getting banged up in Friday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

Barron got off to a fantastic start offensively, defensively and on the penalty kill.

Koepke was tripped up by Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic and hit the ice hard and his speed on the fourth line has been missed.

Although Koepke has been limited to two assists in 14 games, he brings a physical element, is a tenacious forechecker and has been effective on the penalty kill.

With Samberg about to provide a boost on the back end and with three forwards not far away from getting back into the lineup, there will be too many bodies and not enough seats available at the table.

That puts the onus on some of the guys on the fringes of the roster to elevate their games in short order.

Although the Jets opened the season with seven defencemen and 14 forwards, barring an injury or a trade, the path of least resistance would see them shift to 13 forwards and eight defencemen.

Since all of Parker Ford, Nikita Chibrikov and Brad Lambert are exempt from waivers, those three forwards could be assigned to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League in order to make room on the active roster.

Ford has done the best job of settling into his role as a checker and provides a right-handed face-off option, along with the versatility of playing either centre or right wing.

Although Lambert scored his first NHL goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he’s been limited to four games so far and is probably better served by playing big minutes in the AHL.

The same holds true for Chibrikov, whose offensive impact has been minimal in limited minutes while also taking too many minor penalties.

Coming back from a knee injury in January that knocked him out of the majority of the second half of last season, Chibrikov would also benefit from more puck touches and an enhanced role in the minors once the other forwards are healthy.

Arniel isn’t in the business of speculation and can only plan for the players he has at his disposal, but the prospect of getting back to a full lineup is surely something that he’s looking forward to — whenever that day comes.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld