The biggest question folks had about the Jets from a health perspective was the status of Nikolaj Ehlers. The Winnipeg winger took a brutal hit from Ryan Hartman in a game last Tuesday in Minnesota. Ehlers left the game and while he returned to the bench, he didn’t play in that game or the season finale in Colorado two days later.
The Jets were off on Friday so the question became if Ehlers would be making an appearance at today’s practice in Winnipeg as they prepare for game 1 on Tuesday night in Vegas.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
That was answered by Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press who said that Ehlers wasn’t skating. (insert scary music here).
However when the assembled media spoke to the Dynamic Dane (and it was a good sign team made him available to speak) he told them, as per Mike, that he:
“just declared himself “ready to go” for Game 1 of the playoffs. Said never a concern he wouldn’t be available”.
That’s massive for Winnipeg who need what 27 brings to this team 5 on 5 and on the power play. He has developed some nice chemistry on the line with Vlad Namestnikov and Blake Wheeler.
Of course we will have to wait and hear what Rick Bowness has to say about it when he speaks.
Update:
Always wise to include a proviso as we did above since we get this from the Jets bench boss via Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun:
Rick Bowness pours a little cold water on Nikolaj Ehlers’ status. Suggests he’s still day-to-day and is likely to practice in a red non-contact on Sunday if he does at all. It’s the playoffs. Everything comes with a grain of salt.
Still has a few days to see how this plays out.
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