The Jets are trying to shake off a rough one. Saturday night’s 5-1 loss stung-not just because of the scoreline, but because of how it unraveled.
Winnipeg carried a competitive game into the third period, then watched it slip away as they gave up four unanswered goals. That kind of collapse isn’t just frustrating-it’s the kind that leaves a mark in the locker room.
And the timing doesn’t help. The blue line’s already stretched thin, with Neal Pionk, Cale Fleury, and Dylan Miller still sidelined. No timeline has been given for their return, so the Jets are turning once again to the farm.
Enter Isaak Phillips.
Fresh off a solid showing with the Manitoba Moose-where he helped the team earn a split against the AHL-leading Griffins-Phillips is back with the big club. He’s officially listed on the Jets roster this morning and is expected to join the team on the road.
One wrinkle: Phillips played on the right side Sunday, marking the first time he’s lined up there this season. That kind of versatility could prove valuable, especially given how much the Jets have had to shuffle the deck on defense.
Morning skate update:
Everyone was present and accounted for at today’s session, which is always a good sign after a game like that. No surprise scratches or unexpected absences.
Projected lines and pairings:
- Top line: Connor - Scheifele - Iafallo Winnipeg’s go-to trio remains intact. They’ll be leaned on heavily to generate offense and set the tone early.
- Second line: Perfetti - Toews - Vilardi Toews continues to center a line with a lot of skill upside. Perfetti and Vilardi can both finish, but they’ll need to find some chemistry fast.
- Third line: Niederreiter - Lowry - Namestnikov This is your classic grinding line, but there’s enough offensive punch here to make teams pay if they’re not careful.
- Fourth line: Koepke - Barron - Pearson Depth minutes matter-especially when you’re trying to bounce back. This group will be asked to bring energy and keep things simple.
- Extra forward: Nyquist
Defense pairings:
- Top pair: Morrissey - DeMelo As steady as they come. Morrissey continues to anchor the blue line with DeMelo providing the right-side balance.
- Second pair: Samberg - Salomonsson A younger pairing, but one that’s been growing into its role. They’ll be tested with more minutes in the absence of veterans.
- Third pair: Stanley - Schenn Physical, stay-at-home types. Expect them to play a shutdown role, especially against opposing bottom sixes.
- Extra D: Phillips With his call-up, Phillips may not slot in right away, but he’s clearly next man up. His ability to play both sides could earn him a look sooner rather than later.
What’s next:
The Jets are hitting the road, looking to regroup and find some traction after a tough loss. No word yet from players or coaches, but expect plenty of talk about defensive structure and staying composed late in games.
The challenge now? Turning the page, tightening things up defensively, and finding a way to get back in the win column.