Ahead of the Jets’ matchup with the Wild, Scott Arniel offered a clearer picture on several injured players, and the biggest takeaway is that Walker Duehr is the closest to returning.
Duehr and prospect Garrett Brown are both working back from lower-body injuries, and Arniel said the club was giving its first real update on either player in about 18 days, dating to the end of September.
“Walker is getting real close. He’ll probably be coming into our practice, and then can’t really make a decision until they’re cleared up here.
Brownie is still a little farther away. Sol obviously is still in that sort of, that trying to get into game shape.
The other two guys, they have to get themselves ready to go before we can make a move with them. And again, I’m not hiding anything here, J Mo is still day-to-day.
We’re still trying to figure this one out here, so I may have an update for you tomorrow, but as of right now, we’re just trying to figure this out here.”
Arniel also touched on Elias Salomonsson and Josh Morrissey, with Morrissey still listed as day-to-day while the team continues to sort out the situation.
On Salomonsson, the conversation turned to how the Jets might handle his return. One option would be dressing 11 forwards and seven defencemen to ease him back in, but Arniel shut that down as a topic worth revisiting right now.
“you’re getting too far down the road on that one.”
He did say sending Salomonsson to the Moose to get a few games is on the table, though no decision has been made. Arniel said the team will factor in its health situation once Salomonsson is ready.
With Manitoba set for a pair of home games this weekend, one possible path would have Salomonsson play Friday and Sunday before rejoining the Jets for Tuesday’s game against the Blues in St. Louis. For now, though, the picture remains fluid, and the team is expected to sort through its next move when it returns to Winnipeg on Friday ahead of Saturday afternoon’s game against the Hurricanes.
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