Hellebuyck is back
That was on full display Friday night as a group we haven't seen for quite a while — nearly two months in fact — rolled to a dominant 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars at Canada Life Centre.
The best-of-seven second-round series between the Central Division rivals is now a best-of-five, tied 1-1 as it shifts to Dallas. Game 3 is Sunday afternoon, while Game 4 goes Tuesday night.
Fred Greenslade / The Canadian Press
Winnipeg Jets players celebrate Gabriel Vilardi's goal against the Dallas Stars in the first period in Winnipeg, Friday
You have to go all the way back to March 11 to find the last time not a single Jets player was on the injured list. Defenceman Neal Pionk got hurt that night, and several other teammates have followed at various times since including Gabe Vilardi, Nikolaj Ehlers, Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele.
The infirmary was fully emptied out on Friday night with everyone available to Jets coach Scott Arniel. The result was a club that reminded everyone how — and why — they won the Presidents' Trophy as the league's best regular season team and the William Jennings Trophy as the NHL's stingiest.
It all starts with goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who responded to the usual pre-game chants of 'MVP' by playing like one. He was terrific, including a handful of 'how the heck did he do that?' stops that had all 15,225 fans inside the downtown rink on their feet.
Hellebuyck stopped all 21 pucks that came his way for his fourth career playoff shutout and his first since the 2021 pandemic-shortened season against the Edmonton Oilers.
From the goaltender on out, this was the desired response for a team that dropped Game 1 by a 3-2 score, surrendering home-ice advantage in the process. The Jets were clearly the more desperate team, forcing Dallas to repeatedly chip and chase the puck rather than generating any kind of sustained offensive zone pressure or attack.
Now the key is to bottle up this game and take it down to Texas.
LOOK MA, NO HANDS! Vilardi had yet to really make a mark on the playoffs, recording just one assist through his first four games. That's not a knock on the player, but rather a reflection on the fact he was coming off a 17-game absence when he jumped into Game 5 of the first-round series against the St. Louis Blues.
Fred Greenslade / The Canadian Press
Winnipeg Jets' Gabriel Vilardi scores on Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger in the first period.
'I said to him, he was on a bicycle jumping on an Indy track that is going 200 miles an hour,' Jets coach Scott Arniel said Friday morning of the sudden transition. 'So, now he knows the pace, now he knows what's coming. You see it. He's more and more comfortable making plays, he's holding onto pucks. Getting around that net.'
That's exactly where Vilardi was when he buried a feed from Ehlers 3:35 into the first period to give the Jets a 1-0 lead. Veteran Dallas forward Tyler Seguin had caught Morrissey with a high-stick just 17 seconds into the game, drawing blood and earning a four-minute penalty.
The Jets — with their top power play unit back intact for the first time since March 23 — quickly made them pay. A healthy Vilardi, who can be a net-front menace, is a great development for Winnipeg.
GOTTA BE GOOD TO BE LUCKY: Ehlers didn't miss as much time as Vilardi — just seven total games including the first five against the Blues — but he, too, had really been fighting the puck at times.
Fortunately for the pending unrestricted free agent, he's had a bit of good puck luck on his side as he gets back up to speed. In Game 7, for example, he whiffed on an initial shot attempt which ultimately led to the sequence of incredible events that resulted in Cole Perfetti's game-tying goal at 19:57 of the third period.
On Friday, it was a pass attempt that hit Dallas defenceman Esa Lindell's skates and directed straight into the back of the Stars net.
They don't ask how, just how many. Ehlers' fifth career playoff goal in his 41st career playoff game, was a big one, giving the Jets a 2-0 lead at 7:07 of the opening frame.
Fred Greenslade / The Canadian Press
Mark Scheifele celebrates Nikolaj Ehlers' first-period goal Friday against the Dallas Stars.
Ehlers had several other great looks in what was easily the most complete game since his return. He then finished off his productive night with a long-distance empty-netter with just over three minutes left in the game.
A determined Ehlers — who is not only playing for his current team but also his next contract — is a dangerous weapon for Winnipeg.
THE MOOSE WASN'T LOOSE: Mikko Rantanen began the night on an all-time heater, having been involved in 12 straight Dallas goals (either scoring them or assisting on them) to establish a new Stanley Cup playoff record.
But the man who scored all three goals by the visitors in Wednesday's 3-2 Game 1 victory was held in check on this night. Sometimes literally, such as when Jets defenceman Neal Pionk but a big bear hug on the man known to teammates as 'Moose' and wrestled him to the ice in the first period.
The Jets didn't give him much time and space. The shutdown line of Adam Lowry, Nino Niederreiter and Mason Appleton were in his face early and often and even managed to tilt the ice for a sustained stretch in the second period which resulted in Lowry making it 3-0 for the Jets at 11:02.
It came after a lengthy offensive zone cycle shift, which actually began with the fourth line pinning Rantanen and company in their end.
Rantanen took a high-sticking minor against Dylan Samberg late in the second, which ended up being his only notation on the gamesheet. He had just one shot on goal, two giveaways and one blocked shot in just over 21 minutes of ice time.
Fred Greenslade / The Canadian Press
Dallas Stars' Mikko Rantanen is pressured by Winnipeg Jets' defenceman Dylan Demelo in the first period.
The good news for Rantanen? Since Dallas didn't score at all, his streak of 12 remains intact.
FINGER LICKING GOOD: Kyle Connor, who is often referred to by fans as KFC (short for Kyle 'Frickin' Connor), was the subject of a funny cross-promotion on Friday night involving the fast food chain by the same name.
The first 10,000 fans entering the arena were given white buckets bearing Connor's likeness — which bore a striking resemblance to Colonel Sanders, with a lookalike sitting in the crowd for good measure. Not only that, but the KFC located at 1275 Portage Ave. has temporarily re-branded by replacing the usual logo with the Connor one.
Connor, who leads the Jets with 12 playoff points so far this spring, didn't add to his tally.
KEY PLAY: Lowry's goal midway through the second period felt like the dagger.
THREE STARS:
Fred Greenslade / The Canadian Press
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck gets a piece of the puck to deflect a shot from Dallas Stars' Evgenii Dadonov in the second period.
1. WPG G Connor Hellebuyck: 21 save shutout.
2. WPG LW Nikolaj Ehlers: 2 goals, 1 assist
3. WPG C Adam Lowry: 1 goal
EXTRA, EXTRA: Winnipeg went 1-for-5 on the power play and a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
Dallas goaltneder Jake Oettinger, who was once again serenaded with 'U.S. Backup' chants by the Winnipeg crowd, stopped 21 of 24 shots he faced.
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
With so many healthy bodies now available, plenty of tough decisions had to be made by Arniel. Four skaters who have already appeared in the playoffs — forwards Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Dominic Toninato and David Gustafsson and defenceman Luke Schenn — were all scratched, along with defenceman Ville Heinola, forward Rasmus Kupari and third-string goaltender Chris Driedger.
Dallas rolled the same lineup for a second straight game, meaning defenceman Miro Heiskanen did not return from a lengthy absence due to a knee injury. He could be an option as early as Sunday.
Fred Greenslade / The Canadian Press
Dallas Stars' Alexander Petrovic checks Winnipeg Jets' Adam Lowry into the bench during the second period.
With the Jets victory, a Game 5 in Winnipeg is now guaranteed to take place on Thursday. No time has been released by the NHL.
mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca
X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg
Mike McIntyreReporter
Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.
Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
A'ja Wilson makes WNBA history in Aces' win over Sun
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A'ja Wilson scored 32 points and tied a career-high with 20 rebounds to become the first player in WNBA history with 30-plus points and at least 20 rebounds in a game as the Las Vegas Aces beat the Connecticut Sun 94-86 on Sunday night. Wilson grabbed almost as many boards as Connecticut had as a team (23) as Las Vegas (18-14) won its season-best fourth straight. Jackie Young scored 21 points and reserves Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans scored 12 and 10 respectively. Marina Mabrey scored 22 points, Saniya Rivers had 17 and Leila Lacan 13 for Connecticut. The Sun built a 31-27 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended their lead to 45-33 with with 5:46 left before halftime on Tina Charles' jump shot. But the Aces outscored Connecticut 12-0 to close the half to tie it 45-all at the half. Chelsea Gray made two free throws to put Las Vegas ahead 51-50 with 7:18 to play and it led for the remainder of the game. LYNX 83, LIBERTY 71 Kayla McBride scored 18 points and DiJonai Carrington added 15 to help Minnesota beat New York. The teams will meet three times over the next nine days with New York having back-to-back games on the west coast before heading to Minnesota to play Saturday. The Lynx are off until that game. Both sides were short-handed with New York missing Breanna Stewart (knee) and Minnesota playing without Napheesa Collier (ankle). This was the first game between the teams at Barclays Center since New York won the decisive Game 5 of the WNBA Finals last fall. New York (20-11) was up 47-40 early in the third quarter before Minnesota went on a 24-7 run over the next 6 minutes to go up 64-54 on Natisha Hiedeman's 3-pointer from the wing. The Lynx (27-5) hit five 3-pointers and had one three-point play during the game-changing burst. Minnesota led 66-57 heading into the fourth quarter and put the game away early in the final period behind Carrington, who the Lynx picked up last week in a deal with Dallas before the trade deadline. MYSTICS 91, WINGS 78 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kiki Iriafen scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Washington used a strong second half to beat Dallas. Sonia Citron scored 17 of her 18 points in the second half, Stefanie Dolson scored 14 and reserve Emily Engstler had 11 for the Mystics (14-17) who ended a four-game losing streak. Paige Bueckers scored 17 points to lead Dallas and move into a tie for fourth place in WNBA history with Ruthie Bolton with her 25th game scoring in double digits to start a career. Cynthia Cooper is the leader at 92 games, followed by A'ja Wilson with 37 and Candace Parker with 32. Arike Ogunbowale scored 12 points and Haley Jones 11 for Dallas, which has lost five straight. After scoring 30 points in the first half and allowing Dallas (8-24) to build a 41-30 lead, Washington outscored the Wings 33-17 in the third and 28-20 in the fourth. Up 63-58 at the end of the third, Citron buried a 27-foot, step back 3-pointer to make it 76-66 with 5:34 remaining. Dallas led 23-18 at the end of the first quarter. Iriafen's tip-in with 4:57 before halftime brought the Mystics within 28-27, but Washington failed to convert a field before the break and Dallas pushed its lead to 41-30 at intermission with a 13-0 run. DREAM 74, MERCURY 66 PHOENIX (AP) — Allisha Gray scored 17 points and Atlanta won its fifth straight, beating Phoenix. Brionna Jones scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Naz Hillmon had 13 points and 13 boards for the Dream (20-11) , while Jordin Canada had a team-leading 13 points when she left due to injury. Before the end of the third quarter, the left-handed Canada drove the left side of the lane, missed the sweeping underhanded layup attempt and appeared to land awkwardly before hobbling off the court. Unable to stand on her own, she was carried to the locker room by two team staff members. Alyssa Thomas scored 21 points for Phoenix (19-12) and reserve DeWanna Bonner had 16. Jones' layup with 5:25 before halftime gave Atlanta a 36-19 lead before Phoenix rallied. The Mercury outscored Atlanta 15-3 and reduced their deficit to 39-34 at halftime. Bonner made two free throws with 3:35 left in the third to give Phoenix a 48-46 lead. Jones made two foul shots to tie it, Canada followed with a 3-pointer and Phoenix never trailed again. The loss ended Phoenix's three-game winning streak. SPARKS 94, STOMR 91 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dearica Hamby scored seven of Los Angeles' final nine points including the winning three-point play with 5.6 seconds left, Kelsey Plum scored 20 points, and the Sparks beat Seattle. Hamby, who scored 19 points, knotted it at 87-all with two free throws with 1:25 left. Plum sank a pair of free throws with 56.5 seconds to go for a two-point lead. Seattle's Brittney Sykes hit a pair of late layups including one with 12.7 seconds left to tie it at 91-all, setting up Hamby's layup to win it. Sykes scored 27 points, reserve Dominique Malonga scored 20, Skylar Diggins 17 and Nneka Ogwumike 15 for Seattle. The Storm (16-16) built a 26-14 lead after the first quarter before Los Angeles won the second, 32-14, and led 46-40 at halftime. The second half was back-and-forth and neither team led by more than eight. Seattle led 87-80 with 2:52 left on a basket by Diggins. Azura Stevens scored 15 points and Cameron Brink came off the bench to score 14 for the Sparks.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jets activate edge rusher Jermaine Johnson from PUP list 11 months after torn Achilles tendon
NEW YORK (AP) — Jermaine Johnson is officially back and ready to bolster the New York Jets' pass rush. The edge rusher was activated from the active/physically unable to perform list Sunday after passing his physical 11 months after tearing his right Achilles tendon. The 26-year-old Johnson, a Pro Bowl selection after the 2023 season, was injured in the third quarter of New York's 24-17 victory at Tennessee in Week 2 last season. Coach Aaron Glenn said in June that the 2022 first-round draft pick out of Florida State was 'close' to being ready for the start of training camp and would likely start on the physically unable to perform list, 'but he'll be ready for the season.' Johnson is ready — and was activated in time for the Jets' joint practices with the Giants on Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of their preseason game Saturday night. He'll also be in position to play in the regular-season opener at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers and former Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who offered Johnson advice about recovering from a torn Achilles tendon after Rodgers recovered from the same injury in his first season with New York in 2023. The two also texted during the offseason. 'It was a pleasure having Aaron around and stuff like that and I wish him the best,' Johnson said in June. 'But when I get between those lines, there's no friends. And I think he knows that and he feels the same, so I'm excited. 'It's just another game, but for me, it's going to be my first game back and there's a lot of emotions. And when my emotions run high, I tend to play pretty well.' Despite the uncertainty over the injury, Glenn and the Jets picked up Johnson's fifth-year contract option in April, along with those of fellow 2022 first-rounders Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Johnson had 2 1/2 sacks in 14 games as a rookie after being drafted 26th overall before breaking out with 7 1/2 in 2023 while starting all 17 games for New York. He also had 16 quarterback hits, 11 tackles for loss and returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown. Then came the setback last season, just as he was blossoming into a force on the Jets' defense. Johnson's return comes as Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams continues to recover from a calf injury. He has missed the past two weeks of training camp, but should be close to returning. ___ AP NFL:
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jets mailbag: Breaking down the off-season storylines
Who's ready for some hockey? Judging by the quantity — and quality — of questions coming our way, plenty of you are. The bad news? We've still got about six weeks to go until NHL training camps open. The good news? Our boys on the Winnipeg Jets beat, Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe, are here with answers in this month's mailbag. Hopefully this helps scratch the itch — and make the wait a little easier. Predictions from both of you: What will Jonathan Toews' goals/assists/totals be this year? RODGER Where will Toews fit in on the PP? @ WIEBE: These questions are separate but could be intertwined, to a certain degree anyway. With the departure of Nikolaj Ehlers, there is a vacancy on the top power-play unit. That spot will likely be taken by one of Toews or Cole Perfetti, depending on what assistant coach Davis Payne has in mind. Perfetti got some reps with the top unit last season in the pop position in the high slot and he's someone that can handle the responsibilities if called upon. As for Toews, he has some experience in that spot as well and having him on the top unit will provide some additional touches in the offensive zone. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets forward Jonathan Toews RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets forward Jonathan Toews As for projections, trying to figure out what to expect from Toews offensively poses its own set of challenges since what he's coming back from on the health front is pretty rare. However, even with the two-year absence, Toews shouldn't take long to find his touch. Though his value is going to stretch far beyond the boxcar statistics — his leadership and intangibles and whatever value he brings in point totals. But since you asked, I'm going to go with 15 goals and 50 points for Toews this season, provided he plays north of 74 games. MCINTYRE: As Kenny states, there is a job opening on the PP, one I fully expect Toews to fill in some fashion. Whether it's on the top unit or PP2, he's going to get a look. Which, in turns, should help boost his offensive production. I'm going to take the 'over' on Kenny's prediction and say 16 goals and 55 points for Toews, which I say happens in 72 games. Fun fact: That's the exact stat line Blake Wheeler had in his final season with the Jets. When do we start becoming concerned about the lack of a Kyle Connor extension? CORY Can the Jets sign KFC to an 8-year extension today, or would they be limited to the 7-year maximum that the new CBA has, which will be in place when the new deal would start? JIM MCINTYRE: Concern? Certainly not right now. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff had plenty of pressing matters to attend to this summer, the final one being the contract extension with Dylan Samberg, which were bigger priorities given the timelines. With that now in the rearview mirror, I expect attention has turned/will turn to Connor and captain Adam Lowry, who will both be entering the final year of their current contracts. Let the record show I firmly believe both men will put pen to paper and have new deals done by the time the puck drops on the new campaign on Oct. 9. If it's still crickets by that date, then I'd say it's time to start worrying. But I'm confident that we're not looking at another Ehlers situation here. As for the length of any contract, the new collective bargaining agreement kicks in next summer and has taken that eighth year off the table. Because Connor (and Lowry) are both signed to July 1, 2026, seven years would be the maximum. Connor turns 29 this December, so a max deal would take him through to the age of 36. I'm curious if he'd want to go that route, or perhaps something shorter (three or four years) which might allow for another big deal to get done at the age of 32 or 33, with a salary cap that will likely be ever higher at that point. Either way, I expect his annual average haul to be in double-digits, likely in the US$10-11 million range regardless of length. Lowry, now 32, will obviously not be signing a max deal, but something in the four to five year range would make plenty of sense, likely in the US$4-5 million dollar range. Is there any update on why the Jets didn't sign Dylan Samberg to a longer term? MARK WIEBE: Although both the Jets and Samberg's representatives kept things pretty close to the vest, by all accounts, this negotiation was amicable and it just came down to the fact that a bit more time is needed in order to determine the longer-range value of the shutdown defenceman. A three-year term allows both sides to get a clearer picture of what the longer-term AAV looks like and Samberg remaining a lifelong Jet very much remains a possibility. That the Jets are paying Samberg US$6.5 million in each of the final two years of the deal shows that they believe the 2017 second-rounder has the ability to continue his upward trajectory. JULIO CORTEZ / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dylan Samberg JULIO CORTEZ / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dylan Samberg The US$4.25 million salary Samberg receives this coming season represents a dramatic boost from the US$1.4 million he made in each of the previous two campaigns, that's how the Jets landed at US$5.75 million over three years. This bridge deal amounts to the Jets buying two UFA years at a premium. Of course, the risk is that by not going seven or eight years (a number that won't be available under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement that begins for 2026-27), Samberg can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 of 2028. However, it's also true that if Samberg plays the way he did last season — in his first year logging 20-plus minutes on the second pairing — for the next two seasons, that the Jets will have no problem ponying up a contract that resembles the seven x US$7 million pact that Vladislav Gavrikov signed with the New York Rangers this summer. It's possible that it could cost the Jets more in the long run by not extending Samberg sooner, as he's trending to become a foundational piece for them. However, the current deal aligns with the point of the winning window that should be the widest, given the age of the vast majority of the core pieces. Ensuring Samberg and Perfetti are part of that next wave will remain a priority for the Jets, with Perfetti needing a new deal of his own next summer. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being outstanding, what number best reflects Jets management efforts so far this off-season? And why that number? ED MCINTYRE: If we're talking about off the ice, then I'd say the number is close to 10. Signing the hometown hockey hero in Toews was a slam dunk when it comes to marketing and PR. However, I know your question is about the hockey product, so I'll give that a six at this point. Not great. Not terrible. But — and I know this will be a bit of as controversial take — there's nothing really wrong with that. The Jets didn't need to go out and hit a grand slam this summer. There's not a whole lot that was broken and needed fixing. I'm not sold on the idea of counting on Toews to be your No. 2 centre, but then I'm reminded of the fact the guy who held down that spot all of last year — on the team that finished No. 1 in the standings — is still on the roster. That would be Vlad Namestnikov. In other words, is 'Plan B' really that bad? Obviously the loss of Ehlers looms large, but I am intrigued to see what Gustav Nyquist can bring. He's just two years removed from an offensive explosion and could help fill the void left by the dashing Dane if he can find that game. Toews, and Tanner Pearson and Cole Koepke, were the other forward adds while Brandon Tanev, Mason Appleton and Rasmus Kupari were the other losses. Winnipeg's bread and butter last year was goaltending and defensive structure, and all the same personnel in those positions is back. The real key to me is that the Jets still have about US$4 million in cap space, which could accrue to a much bigger number by the trade deadline. That's when any holes in the lineup will need to be addressed, and you'd hope the Jets try and find a way to weaponize that in the best way possible. They didn't do so last year, so we'll see if history repeats itself. Do you think Alex Iafallo starts the new season on the third line? LEE WIEBE: After signing Iafallo to a three-year extension in mid-April, it's clear the Jets value what he's brought to the table since being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in the summer of 2023. Where he fits on the depth chart is a little more difficult to project, mostly because of his versatility. The easy answer is to say that he will start on the fourth line because that's often where he's ended up — especially post-deadline — in each of the past two years. But Iafallo isn't a traditional fourth-line player, especially since he is one of the most-used penalty killers and is deployed on the second power-play unit. JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES It's clear the Jets value what Alex Iafallo's brought to the table since being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in the summer of 2023. JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES It's clear the Jets value what Alex Iafallo's brought to the table since being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in the summer of 2023. Because of his smarts, tenacity and consistent double-digit goal-scoring production, Iafallo could find himself in the mix to play on a line with Toews and Perfetti — though Nyquist likely gets the first opportunity in that spot. Because Lowry is going to miss the start of the season as he works his way back from hip surgery, Iafallo is definitely an option to line up beside Morgan Barron (or Namestnikov) and Nino Niederreiter or someone like Brad Lambert, Koepke or Pearson. Since it's unclear if Barron will be playing centre or potentially being used as a winger on the third line, the crystal ball remains a bit cloudy when it comes to where Iafallo slots in. But since a prediction was asked for, I'm going to say no, Iafallo starts the season on the fourth line — but he'll spend ample time on the third line over the course of the campaign. I've always liked the idea of Iafallo of playing on a line with Lowry and since they were often used together as penalty killers last season, perhaps we'll see them used more at even-strength as well. Upgrading the 3rd pair LHD should be one of the simpler tasks for a GM. Is re-signing Haydn Fleury the best option management could come up with? CORY MCINTYRE: Did it really need an upgrade? I happen to like what Fleury brings to the lineup, with solid decision making, smooth skating and efficient puck-moving along with some size and snarl. Like it or not — and I know many will chose the latter — they also still have Logan Stanley and Ville Heinola in the mix to play as well. On the right side, you've got Colin Miller, Luke Schenn and Elias Salomonsson all competing for work. In other words, going out and adding another blue-liner to an already crowded back-end wasn't really a priority, nor should it have been. If anything, I'm surprised someone hasn't been moved out to alleviate a logjam that is going to come to a head provided everyone stays healthy. The Jets have nine guys on one-way deals, all of whom would require waivers to be sent down. I fully expected one of Heinola or Stanley to get moved, even for a late-round draft pick, just to try and recoup something. Is it possible one or both would clear waivers at this point? Perhaps. The Jets have been the best defensive team in the NHL for two straight years, so status quo on the blue-line seems like a decent play to me. Who plays more games this season: Nikita Chibrikov, Brad Lambert, Elias Salomonsson, or other? PETER WIEBE: The answer is not as easy as it would appear on the surface, particularly when it comes to how Chibrikov bounces back from the season-ending ankle injury he suffered late last season with the Manitoba Moose in the American Hockey League. The feisty winger has shown well during his small snapshot in the NHL, chipping in three goals and four points in five games with the Jets during the past two seasons — his first two playing in North America. The timing of his injury was tough, since Chibrikov might have earned another call-up and had another chance to keep improving his standing before he was sidelined. The word in the summer was that Chibrikov's recovery was progressing nicely, though it's the lost development time that concerns me when it comes to predicting he gets the most games among those in the prospect pool. I see Chibrikov as a full-time NHLer by the following season, but he's likely going to need some additional time in the AHL to get himself back up to speed, given his style of play. My feelings about the ceiling of Salomonsson are well known and he projects to be a solid top-4 D-man within two or three seasons, but the right side of the blue line is crowded right now with Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk (who is starting a six-year extension this fall), Schenn and Miller. So it would take a trade or an injury or two for Salomonsson to immediately jump the queue this season. Since Salomonsson was also injured and missed precious development time last season (his first season playing in North America), additional time in the AHL will serve him well over the long run as well. But he will make his NHL debut this season and could force his way into the equation. As for Lambert, the door appears to be open for him to have the best chance to make the team out of training camp — though it won't be easy, given the veterans that were brought in during free agency. However, since the Jets like to play a fast game and quite a bit of speed is leaving the lineup (Ehlers, Appleton and Kupari), Lambert has the inside track to make the jump. Should he do that, it will be up to him to show that he's ready to be a full-time player. Nobody is asking Lambert to replace the production of Ehlers, though he could become a viable secondary scoring option that brings speed and creativity to the lineup, provided he shows he can handle the defensive responsibilities. In the 'other' category, Brayden Yager is the guy with the skill set and dependability to move his way to the front of the line — though he's not going to be rushed by the Jets. Yager is the sleeper in this category, but for the time being, my answer is Lambert. Have the Jets learned their lesson with playing Connor Hellebuyck into the ground because he says he's 'good to go' or is there hope for something other than a repeat of the last 4 seasons / post-seasons? @balewski748 MCINTYRE: There's no question Hellebuyck is among the last of a dying breed: A true workhorse No. 1 goaltender who owns the net. Want proof? Consider that he's appeared in 66, 64, 60 and 63 games over the past four seasons despite having a very capable backup (Laurent Brossoit, Eric Comrie) at his disposal. Of course, his usage has become a big storyline given that his playoff numbers haven't mirrored his regular-season ones. The theory is the Jets wear him out to the point he's running on fumes. I've never been a huge believer in that line of thinking. I think his spring struggles have as much to do with everyone on the team — forwards, defencemen and even Hellebuyck himself — not properly adjusting to the different style of hockey the playoffs require and, in some cases, not being able to get out of their own way or out of their own heads. JULIO CORTEZ /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES As long as Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is healthy, the team will lean on him as much as possible. JULIO CORTEZ /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES As long as Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is healthy, the team will lean on him as much as possible. Just look at how many tips and screens get by him once the stage gets bigger. Other teams have figured out how to get to the net against Winnipeg. That's got to change as much as anything, and no doubt the hockey club is banking on building off some very painful lessons they've learned in recent years. I'm expecting Hellebuyck to once again play at least 60 times this coming year. Winnipeg has nine back-to-back games, so you can count on Comrie splitting those with him. The team will then likely find another dozen or so outings for him to spell off Hellebuyck. I believe every NHL team would ride Hellebuyck as much as possible if they were lucky enough to have him on the roster, and I don't expect the Jets to tinker much with that. The reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner knows his body as well as anyone, and plenty of in-season rest is built in by having him skip selected practices along the way. A few less games during the season? Perhaps. But don't expect to see anything resembling a job-share no matter how solid the No. 2 guy is. As long as Hellebuyck is healthy, you lean on him as much as possible. Has or did Kevin Cheveldayoff ever officially close the door on a Kristian Vesalainen return? @goombugga WIEBE: To my knowledge, the Jets have not officially closed the door on Vesalainen returning to the NHL. But given that this will be the fourth consecutive season that Vesalainen is playing overseas, the chances of him returning to the NHL with the Jets seems to be dwindling. Although Vesalainen is only 26 years old, the 24th overall selection in the 2017 NHL draft hasn't expressed any interest to this point in rejoining the Jets, who still hold his rights. Vesalainen actually is coming off a solid season, posting 17 goals and 36 points in 40 games in SM-liiga with HIFK Helsinki. The left-winger recently signed with HPK in Liiga. That Vesalainen only ended up playing 70 games (with two goals and five points) for the Jets is somewhat surprising, given his size (six-foot-three, 207 pounds) and skating ability. But the adaptation to the North American game wasn't a smooth one and he never truly found his way offensively — outside of the 12 goals and 30 points he had in 60 games with the Moose in 2019-20. The NHL draft remains an inexact science and the Jets hit the jackpot in the second round with Samberg, who was chosen 47th overall in 2017. But some of the players taken after Vesalainen and before Samberg include Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, Calgary Flames centre Morgan Frost, Nashville Predators blue-liner Nicolas Hague, Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen and Stars sniper Jason Robertson. Assumption: You're the Jets GM (as Chevy is on vacation) and trading for a 2C is your top priority (as it's been determined that the Jets' 'internal' prospects, I.e. Brayden Yager, Brad Lambert, etc., won't be ready for at least one more year; at bare minimum). Question: Which player would be your top trade target, why & what assets (roster players, prospects, draft picks, etc.) would you (seriously) be willing to spend/use in order to acquire said trade target? TONY MCINTYRE: Brayden Schenn. I thought he'd be a perfect fit prior to the trade deadline last year, and that was solidified for me when I watched him be a one-man wrecking ball against the Jets during their first-round playoff series against the St. Louis Blues. Could Winnipeg find a way to pry him loose this time around? I'd certainly be asking. Nazem Kadri is another interesting one for me, given that he's the type of player who can really help you in the playoffs. There's talk about Calgary looking to move him, and the Jets should be in on that if true. In terms of what would go the other way, I firmly believe these Jets have to 'live in the moment' and do everything in the here and now to try and win a Stanley Cup. So, essentially, everything should be on the table — first round pick, all your top prospects, etc. Are there any Jets' draft picks on the radar for Canada's world junior team this year? GARY WIEBE: Although there weren't any of them invited to participate in the summer evaluation camp, it's possible that forwards Kevin He and Kieron Walton could force their way into the mix if they're able to get off to hot starts like they did last fall in the Ontario Hockey League. His explosiveness and dogged pursuit on the forecheck, coupled with his offensive outburst, would make him an interesting candidate. Walton's ability to level up as an 18-year-old at his size makes him someone who could warrant a look as well, but there are a lot of high-profile draft picks among the forward group at the summer camp that would either need to be in the NHL or get off to slow starts for opportunities to open up. However, 2025 first-rounder Sascha Boumedienne should be on Team Sweden and he could be joined by 2024 second-rounder Alfons Freij on the defence corps. So, there should be plenty of Jets fans watching the event with interest. With Jack Roslovic still being a UFA, does Winnipeg sign him? @ MCINTYRE: It's quite interesting that the 25th-overall draft pick from 2015, who put up a solid 39 points (22G, 17A) in 81 games last year with the Carolina Hurricanes, is still available this late into the off-season. It tells me that Roslovic and his agent, Claude Lemieux, are likely seeing either a term and/or salary that nobody at this point is willing to bite on. For those reasons alone, I say the answer to your question is a resounding 'no.' Just as he was during his time in Winnipeg, Roslovic continues to be the ultimate streaky player — hot for a week or two, then ice cold after that. He got off to a roaring start last season but by the playoffs was a healthy scratch at times. That's just who he is. I fully expect he signs with a team between now and mid-September when training camps begin — Vancouver reportedly has interest — but he may have to lower his asking price to make it work. Do you think the Jets will do anything for Dustin Byfuglien's retirement? That is, of course, if we could get him back here for a day or two. I assume there will be something for Blake Wheeler also. MARSHALL WIEBE: Byfuglien has yet to officially retire, but if and when he takes care of the paperwork, giving the fan base an opportunity to salute one of the most popular players in the history of the 2.0 Jets seems like something the organization would like to do. JIM MONE / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES While Dustin Byfuglien has yet to officially retire, when he does, giving the fan base an opportunity to salute one of the most popular players in the history of the 2.0 Jets seems like something the organization would like to do. JIM MONE / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES While Dustin Byfuglien has yet to officially retire, when he does, giving the fan base an opportunity to salute one of the most popular players in the history of the 2.0 Jets seems like something the organization would like to do. When that takes place is anyone's guess, since Byfuglien has done a great job of staying out of the spotlight since walking away from the sport during the 2019-20 season. Byfuglien prefers to stay in the shadows, but might make an exception at some point. As for Wheeler, he made his retirement official earlier this month after not playing in the NHL last season. Given the impact he made during 12 seasons, it's logical to think that he will also be honoured by the Jets at some point down the road. Former captain Andrew Ladd would also fall in that category — along with a few other players from the Jets 1.0 days. X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld Mike McIntyreReporter Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer. Read full biography Ken WiebeReporter Raised in the booming metropolis of Altona, Man., Ken Wiebe grew up wanting to play in the NHL, but after realizing his hands were more adept at typing than scoring, he shifted his attention to cover his favourite sport as a writer. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
