After not doing a whole lot of practicing in December the Jets taking part in their second one of 2023 this morning at Canada Life as they put their three-game win streak up against a Lightning team that lost their last game but are 7-3-0 in their last ten.
The Jets were off the ice on Wednesday as they held their Skills Competition which you can check out here.
Reassigned:
Ahead of the skate this morning the Jets announced that they had reassigned Kristian Reichel to the Moose. With Harkins being reassigned two days back it leaves them with a 21-man roster but that should quickly be filled with players ready to return to the lineup.
Skate news:
It was a very notable morning John Lu of TSN. Players who were injured but today are wearing regular uniforms include: Blake Wheeler, Cole Perfetti, Nate Schmidt and Nikolaj Ehlers. The only player in a non-contact uniform is Saku Maenalanen. Lines and D pairings in practice courtesy of Ted Wyman of the Winnipeg Sun.
It will be interesting to hear what Rick Bowness has to say about potentially having four players come back at once. You can likely expect Michael Eyssimont on waivers today.
Lines & D pairs:
Connor-Dubois-Ehlers
Perfetti-Scheifele-Wheeler
Barron-Lowry-Kuhlman
Jonson-Fjallby/Gustafsson-Stenlund-Gagner
Morrissey-DeMelo
Dillon-Pionk
Samberg-Schmidt
Capobianco-Heinola
Player media availability:
Coach media availability:
Topics:
1) What’s it mean to have all these players back?
2) Not getting complacent because they are getting guys back. (:54)
3) Blake Wheeler being back before expected (1:32)
4) Pierre-Luc Dubois all-around game (2:12)
5) Update on Mason Appleton? (3:13)
6) Is Michael Eyssimont on waivers? (3:40)
7) What stands out about how Tampa is playing? (4:09)
8) Getting guys reacclimatized to the structure (5:15)
9) Brad Lauer’s excitement at seeing the power play units (6:05)
10) Is medical clearance tomorrow the last step for the four guys out there? (6:31)
Health news:
Ultimately the team, according to head coach Rick Bowness, needs medical clearance on Friday. He indicated that Blake Wheeler‘s will was responsible because he is “back sooner than we thought”. They found out on Wednesday that he had been cleared to play which was “shocking to all of us”.
When asked about Mason Appleton the Jets bench boss indicated he skated yesterday but he is still “aways away” but he is on the ice. He added that Logan Stanley also skated yesterday “briefly”. Called it “good steps for both of them”. Said the doctor cleared them to skate but not to patriciate in practice.
Waivers:
News broke at 1 pm that Michael Eyssimont had been placed on waivers.
Jets merch contest:
New month means new IC contest for authentic Jets merch and a grand prize of an NHL game of your choice. You can enter here.
Up next:
The Jets take on the Lightning tomorrow in Winnipeg. Be sure start your morning with the Morning Papers which go live at 7 AM, stick with us throughout the day for the latest news and then after the game be part of the conversation on the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show after the Winnipeg/Tampa Bay game.
