Winnipeg’s preseason picture is already taking shape around one glaring issue: the crease.
Training camp in Manitoba opened with Connor Hellebuyck officially suspended by the organization after he failed to report following his offseason trade request, leaving general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff with a major test to manage. For a team that missed the postseason after a Presidents’ Trophy run, the absence of a perennial Vezina candidate changes the entire feel of camp. Veterans such as Kyle Connor have already spoken about how difficult it is to work through a high-profile holdout while trying to build momentum on the ice.
That void has pushed the goaltending competition into the spotlight immediately. Prospect Thomas Milic got the starting assignment in Saturday’s preseason opener against Edmonton’s top line, a clear sign the Jets want to stress-test their young options early.
Up front, the opening weeks of camp are also giving Winnipeg a long look at its next wave of talent. Cole Perfetti’s spot on the top line with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor is one of the key developments to watch. If Perfetti can keep up the pace needed to fit with those two playmakers, the top unit can keep its high-end look.
The center group is under even more scrutiny. Brayden Yager, brought in to help drive future secondary scoring, impressed with his puck-tracking at the rookie showcase and earned top-six minutes in the preseason opener.
On the wing, Brad Lambert and Nikita Chibrikov are both pushing for scoring opportunities. Lambert’s zone-entry numbers at the lower levels point to elite NHL speed, but his handling in traffic during camp drills will be a major factor in whether he starts the season in Winnipeg or Manitoba.
The Jets also began trimming the roster early, sending junior-eligible players Noa Ta’Amu, Alexandre Taillefer, and Jacob Cloutier down as the group was reduced to 47 players. More cuts are expected to help sort out the real competition for bottom-six energy roles.
The schedule picks up fast this week, with three exhibition games and a pair of home dates before a road trip to Denver. Those back-to-back games against Colorado and Edmonton should reveal how the staff plans to split the goaltending work, and they’ll also show whether the young forwards can hold their shape against faster NHL lineups.
Winnipeg’s upcoming preseason slate: Monday, Sept. 21 vs.
Colorado Avalanche, Canada Life Centre, 6:00 PM Tuesday, Sept. 22 vs.
Edmonton Oilers, Canada Life Centre, 6:00 PM Friday, Sept.
25 @ Colorado Avalanche, Ball Arena, 5:30 PM
In Other News...
Hellebuyck Standoff Just Put Even More Pressure On The Jets
Connor Hellebuycks situation has already become one of the biggest storylines hanging over Winnipegs offseason, and now the market around him is shifting again. Florida had reportedly explored a trade package for the Jets goaltender, but the Panthers have since moved their attention to Brady Tkachuk, taking those original pieces off the table while still leaving the possibility of future interest open.
For Winnipeg, the bigger issue is that the standoff has only added pressure to an already delicate situation. Hellebuycks trade request has put the Jets in a difficult spot, and his absence from training camp has pushed the matter from routine trade chatter into something far more serious for the organization to manage. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Nearly Made A Huge Blue-Line Splash Fans Never Saw Coming
Talk around the league this week has again drifted to the kind of trade chatter that can reshape a roster in a hurry, and the Jets remain part of that conversation because Connor Hellebuyck keeps coming up as the sort of goaltender teams would love to chase if the price were right. Florida reportedly made a significant push to try to land him from Winnipeg, with players and draft capital in the mix, a reminder that the market for elite talent can get serious fast even when nothing ultimately happens.
The Bruins, meanwhile, were doing their own blue-line digging, exploring what it would take to pry Filip Hronek from Vancouver and floating an offer built around a prospect and first-round picks. The Canucks, though, are not interested in moving him, which leaves Boston looking elsewhere for help and keeps the bigger question hanging over all of these calls: which teams are willing to pay the premium when the right name becomes available, and which ones are just checking the temperature. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Camp Already Has One Big Tension Around Opening Night
Training camp moved 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 continued the slow build toward the regular season. It is the time of year when every detail gets a little sharper, from line combinations to schedules, and Winnipeg already has a practical wrinkle to sort through before the opening night buzz really starts.
The club has had to adjust the start times for 12 home games after Manitoba decided to stay on daylight time year-round, a small change on paper that will still affect how the first few weeks of home hockey feel for players and fans. Before that becomes part of the nightly routine, a Prospect Challenge game in Edmonton offers a look at mostly young Jets players, with the game set to be streamed on the teams website. [Read more 🡒]