The Winnipeg Jets are starting to find their rhythm, but their blue line just took another hit-and it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Defenseman Colin Miller is the latest to join the injury list after undergoing surgery for a lower-body injury sustained in last Sunday’s win over the New Jersey Devils. The play happened along the boards, and it was immediately clear something was wrong-Miller needed help getting off the ice and didn’t return. Now, he’s week-to-week, according to head coach Scott Arniel.
Arniel mentioned that the procedure was “sort of” similar to the one goaltender Connor Hellebuyck had in the past, though the team hasn’t provided specifics. What we do know: the surgery was successful, but the timing is far from ideal.
Winnipeg had just rattled off four straight wins, climbing out of an early-season slump and gaining momentum. Losing a steady veteran presence like Miller now forces the Jets to go even deeper into their defensive reserves.
And they were already stretched thin. Neal Pionk remains out with a lingering issue, and Haydn Fleury is still recovering from a scary collision with the boards earlier this season that left him with multiple injuries. With three regulars sidelined, Winnipeg’s D corps is being held together with duct tape and determination.
Enter Elias Salomonsson and Isaak Phillips. The Jets called up both defensemen from the AHL, and Salomonsson-one of the organization’s top prospects-has already been thrown into the fire.
He’s skating on the second pairing with Dylan Samberg, a significant role for a young blueliner just getting his NHL legs under him. Phillips, who came over from the Blackhawks organization, hasn’t suited up yet, but his presence gives Winnipeg another option as they navigate this rough patch.
This isn’t just about plugging holes-it’s about holding the line against some serious offensive firepower. The Jets face a major test Saturday night when the Toronto Maple Leafs come to town.
Toronto’s been lighting it up lately, with scoring threats up and down the lineup. For Winnipeg’s reshuffled defense, this is a trial by fire.
The silver lining? The Jets have shown resilience all season.
They’ve battled through injuries before, and they’re getting contributions up and down the lineup. But with the Maple Leafs rolling into Canada Life Centre as one of the NHL’s hottest teams, Winnipeg’s patchwork blue line will need to hold strong-and fast.
This is the kind of stretch that can define a team. If the Jets can weather the storm on the back end and keep stacking wins, they’ll come out of this stretch tougher, deeper, and more battle-tested. The next few games could tell us a lot about what kind of contender Winnipeg really is.