Just two points separate the Jets (59) and Leafs (61) as both Canadian clubs are having excellent 2022-23 campaigns. Winnipeg sits 1st in the Central while Toronto are 2nd in the Atlantic.
For the Jets questions remain with respect to the lineup and how things may configured with the possibility that veteran Sam Gagner returns to the lineup. Dylan Samberg didn’t practice on Wednesday due to illness so we shall have to wait and see if he comes back in for Ville Heinola.
Skate news:
It is an optional morning skate as per Murat Ates of The Athletic Winnipeg although notable is Logan Stanley has gone from a non-contact uniform to a regular one with Mason Appleton and David Gustafsson remaining in non-contact jerseys.
For now the lineup is based on practice on Wednesday.
Final lineup:
Only change from practice yesterday will be Kuhlman coming out and Jonsson-Fjallby in.
Jets projected lines & D pairs:
Connor-Dubois-Wheeler
Barron-Scheifele-Ehlers
Perfetti-Lowry-Maenalanen
Jonsson-Fjallby Stenlund Gagner
Morrissey-DeMelo
Dillon-Pionk
Heinola-Schmidt
Hellebuyck
Rittich
Leafs projected lines & D pairs:
Bunting-Matthews-Nylander
Jarnkrok-Tavares-Marner
McMann-Kampf-Engvall
AstonReese-Kerfoot-Hunt
Rielly-Liljegren
Giordano-Holl
Sandin-Benn
Samsonov
As per David Alter of the SI Media Group from warm-up skate in Toronto.
Betway Odds:
It is interesting to see an 8-2-0 Jets club in their last ten be fairly sizeable underdogs to a Leafs team that are 5-4-1 in their last ten games. Of course they do have an impressive 16-3-4 record while the Jets counter with an 12-9-1 away record. Be sure to check out the latest game day odds from Betway.
Players media availability:
Coach media availability:
Topics:
1) Taking part in the optional himself.
2) What is going to make tonight fun? (:19)
3) What are the Leafs doing better defensively? (:56)
4) What was an area he wanted to address with Jets? (1:25)
5) Importance of communication (2:24)
6) Play of Nikolaj Ehlers (3:30)
7) What sticks out about assistant coach Marty Johnston in first year? (4:16)
8) Defensive results with the play of Connor Hellebuyck (5:05)
9) If he gets less work in games, is he more comfortable playing 37 in more games? (5:50)
10) What has Josh Morrissey meant to the team? (6:32)
11) How has Pierre-Luc Dubois game evolved this year? (7:18)
12) Defending in today’s NHL against speed with how rules are called (8:00)
13) Any injured players close? (8:46)
14) Thought process in putting Perfetti with Lowry and Maenalanen (9:00)
15) Why has everything he’s done this year worked so well? (9:41)
16) What stands out about Cole Perfetti’s game? (10:26)
17) How the team battled through all the injuries (11:03)
Health update:
As per Rick Bowness the closest player to a return is Logan Stanley. He indicated that David Gustafsson skated today for the first time and that Mason Appleton remains “aways away”.
Up Next:
Puck drop is at 6:00 pm CST. Be sure to head over to illegalcurve.com following the game for a recap of the action which includes post-game interviews from Jets players as well as from head coach Rick Bowness.
You can also join us afterwards for the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show (be sure to smash that like/subscribe button). This season you’ll have a chance to win great schwag including authentic Jets jerseys, hats, etc after every single game (For a variety of ways to enter click here).
