The Winnipeg Jets were back on the ice Thursday morning after taking the last two days off, and the biggest storyline centered on Josh Morrissey’s status. Morrissey had been listed as day-to-day after getting hurt in the first period against the Avalanche last Wednesday, and the question was whether his absence would stop with Friday’s game against the Ducks or stretch into tomorrow night’s meeting with the Wild.
There was at least a small sign of progress before practice. Jets colour analyst Mitchell Clinton reported a Josh Morrissey sighting, with the defenseman doing some work alongside skills coach Matt Larke.
Elias Salomonsson was another player worth watching. He had ditched his yellow non-contact jersey on Friday, though the morning skate didn’t really provide a chance for him to mix it up physically with teammates. That part, the sense was, would increase over the course of the week.
The forward group also got shuffled around, according to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press. Nino Niederreiter was back in after being a healthy scratch, and he was bumped up to the second line, giving that unit more size.
Isak Rosén dropped to the third line, while Morgan Barron moved to center the fourth line and Vlad Namestnikov slid to the wing. The move left Brad Lambert as the extra forward.
The lines and pairs at practice were:
Connor-Scheifele-Perfetti
Niederrieter-Björck-Vilardi
Rosén-Lowry-Iafallo
Koepke-Barron-Namestnikov
Lambert
Samberg-DeMelo
Ferraro-Pionk
Fleury-Bauer
Salomonsson-St. Ivany
In Other News...
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For Winnipeg, the bigger ripple is in the background noise around the roster, because Connor Hellebuycks name has again surfaced in trade chatter. Elliotte Friedman has pushed back on the Rangers speculation, and the practical hurdles are part of why it does not line up cleanly for either side, which leaves the Jets with the more familiar reality of having to sort through what they would even want back in any serious goalie discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Get A Brief Reset Before A Weekend That Suddenly Matters
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There was some scattered positive news beyond the main roster, too, as Jets prospects Owen Martin, Zach Wooten and Alexandre Taillefer each chipped in offense in recent CHL and NCAA action. For a team trying to manage the wear and tear of a heavy stretch while keeping an eye on the pipeline, those small developments matter, even if the bigger question still sits in front of Winnipeg as it heads into a game that suddenly carries more weight. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Get A Timely Lineup Boost Before A Huge Colorado Test
Scott Arniel had little certainty to offer on Josh Morrissey, and for Winnipeg that is the kind of update that matters with the schedule tightening up. The Jets defenseman is still being described as day-to-day after sitting out the loss to Anaheim with an upper-body injury, leaving his status unsettled as the team prepares for its next game.
Morrisseys availability is especially worth watching because Winnipeg relies on him in all the usual ways, from moving the puck cleanly to handling heavy minutes against top competition. For a team trying to keep its footing, the difference between having him available and having to patch the blue line again could shape how much pressure the Jets are under when they step back onto the ice. [Read more 🡒]