Cole Perfetti doesn’t have much time to figure things out, but the early signs are encouraging. Training camp is short, and that makes every shift with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor matter a little more. For Perfetti, the assignment is simple enough on paper: get comfortable, read the tendencies, and see how much chemistry can be built with Winnipeg’s top scorers.
“So far, last two days, it's been a lot of fun playing with Scheif and KC, and just trying to build off them,” said Perfetti.
“Though obviously they played a lot together, so just trying to create some chemistry a little bit with them, get see their tendencies, and get comfortable playing with them.”
The Jets are also trying to get back to a more familiar version of their checking line. Adam Lowry’s group has long been one of the team’s most dependable pieces, asked to handle hard minutes, defend well and chip in enough offense to keep Winnipeg balanced. Last season, Lowry’s hip surgery and the recovery that followed made that job tougher, and the Jets never quite had that line operating at the level it had shown over the previous two years.
This camp opens with Lowry alongside Morgan Barron and Brad Lambert, and Scott Arniel sees a chance to work Lambert into a bigger role. Arniel said the young forward has to understand who he’ll be sharing the ice with, but also has a chance to make an impact when play turns the other way.
“We're putting a big opportunity on (Lambert) now. It's obviously, we've talked to him here about, he's got to recognize who he's going to be on the ice with. But he also, on the other side, is the turnovers,” said Arniel.
“When the puck goes the other way, his skillset now comes into play. Seen some other teams around the league do this with two veterans and put a young guy in there and kind of groom them along.”
Lowry came away impressed with what he saw from Lambert after the trade deadline last spring, especially the way he attacked the net and used his speed to create chances. He also pointed to Barron as another player he expects to keep pushing forward.
“He was taking pucks to the net, getting to the inside and using his speed to create, and made some big plays for us coming down the second half. So we're expecting him to take a step forward this year,” said Lowry.
“And Bear seems to continually grow his game, seems to continually be getting better. He's another guy I expect will take another big step forward.
It's definitely intriguing. I think once we get into games and get a feel for it we'll have a better idea of what it looks like.”
For Nino Niederreiter, the focus is even more straightforward: stay healthy and reset after a year he never wanted to have. The winger gives Winnipeg size, experience and a physical edge, but injuries limited him last season and kept him from being the force the Jets are used to seeing. He still reached a major milestone by becoming the first Swiss born player to hit 1000 NHL games and also represented Switzerland at the Olympics, but the knee issues overshadowed everything else.
“Yeah, definitely. I mean, obviously, I wasn't happy at all with my year that I had last year. Obviously, there were still a lot of cool milestones I had a chance to hit, but at the same time, that got overshadowed,” said Niederreiter.
“Obviously, with the injury, the knee injury and with the surgery and everything. So, it was definitely not my year. So, I'm looking forward to have a bounce back year and try to be the best version of myself.”
In Other News...
Bruins Nearly Made A Huge Blue-Line Splash Fans Never Saw Coming
As the Jets look to keep their core intact, one of the more intriguing what-ifs from the offseason has resurfaced around Connor Hellebuyck. Florida reportedly put together a serious package for the Winnipeg goaltender, a reminder of how aggressively contenders can chase elite talent when they think a move could change the balance of power in the East.
The details of the discussion help explain why the idea drew so much attention, even if it never got close to the finish line. The assets the Panthers were said to have considered are no longer available, which leaves the Hellebuyck angle firmly in the past for now, but it also underlines just how much value the league still places on a true No. 1 goalie and how quickly those conversations can get complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Hellebuyck Standoff Just Put Even More Pressure On The Jets
The Connor Hellebuyck situation has already put Winnipeg in a tricky spot, and now one of the teams most closely tied to him appears to have shifted its attention elsewhere. Florida was reportedly interested enough to make a trade offer that would have centered on a veteran forward and draft help, a sign the Jets still had a real market for their goalie even with the relationship heading in the wrong direction. For Winnipeg, the bigger issue remains the same: a franchise goaltender is in limbo, and the longer it drags on, the harder it gets to treat this like anything other than a defining team decision.
Hellebuycks status also makes the standoff feel more urgent inside the Jets room. He was suspended after failing to report to training camp following his trade request, and that has only deepened the pressure on Winnipeg to find a resolution one way or another. Florida is still expected to keep an eye on the situation, but the broader problem is unchanged for the Jets. They need clarity at a position that can shape everything else about the season, and right now they do not have it. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Camp Already Has One Big Tension Around Opening Night
Training camp rolled into its second day at the Hockey for All Centre, with Nino Niederreiter, Adam Lowry, Cole Perfetti and coach Scott Arniel all available to the media as the Jets kept building toward opening night. It is still early in camp, but there is already a practical wrinkle hanging over the season, one that will affect how fans follow the club at home and on the road.
The issue stems from Manitoba's decision to remain on daylight time year-round, which has forced the Jets to adjust the start times for a dozen home games. Before the regular season begins, there is also a Prospect Challenge game in Edmonton against the Oilers, giving the organization another chance to sort through mostly young players while keeping a close eye on how the schedule changes might shape the way the season is experienced back in Winnipeg. [Read more 🡒]