Winnipeg Jets Ville Heinola “very excited” about upcoming opportunity in camp

Defenceman Ville Heinola made the Winnipeg Jets roster out of training camp ahead of the 2023-24 season, before fracturing his ankle in the final pre-season game which resulted in his spending the back half of his season in the AHL. This season, he faces the same challenge, with the sixth defence spot open for the taking. 

Heinola spoke with the media after an informal, pre-training camp skate on Tuesday afternoon.

“Yeah, obviously I’m very excited,” Heinola said about the opportunity ahead of him in training camp. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. I’ve been grinding every single day just to be ready when I get the chance to be in a top six, that’s my only goal this year and I’m working towards it.” 

While the sixth defence spot is open for the taking, Heinola will almost certainly be on the Jets in some capacity this season. He is no longer waivers exempt, and as a former first-round pick in 2019, there is a very strong chance he would be claimed if he was placed on waivers. His main competition for that role is Logan Stanley, who is a familiar option for new head coach Scott Arniel, as Stanley played 25 games last season and four more in the playoffs.  

While the likely outcome sees him on the Jets in the 6th or 7th defence spot this season, Heinola knows that he will still have to earn his spot when training camp begins.

With Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt moving on in the offseason, the Jets are counting on a few players who were lower in their lineup last season to make a strong contribution this year. Heinola is one of those players, and provided he stays healthy, he has a great chance to be a solid contributor in a full-time role.

Of course it’s worth noting Heinola’s mindset was the same when the above veterans were in camp last summer.

“Last year, those guys were here, and I had exactly the same mindset that I have to steal someone’s job to be in the top six, and I feel like nothing changes this year, there’s always going to be someone I’ll have to play better than and I feel I’m ready for it and I know I can do it.”

Heinola fractured his ankle in the preseason, and Dillon suffered a hand injury in the playoffs. Those were the only two injuries that the Jets’ defence core endured all season long, which prevented Heinola from making a return to the lineup once he was healthy. 

“It made me stronger mentally for sure, probably physically as well,” Heinola said about his ankle injury last preseason. “It’s never easy to go through an injury and all the things that come with it, but I feel that I handled it pretty well and I feel even more ready now than I did last year”

As he ramped up his workload post-injury, he posted 10 goals and 27 points in 41 games for the Manitoba Moose, resuming his role from the past three seasons as the power play quarterback and puck-moving expert. 

“This summer I spent way more time on the ice,” Heinola said about his summer habits in Finland prepping for camp. “Obviously, I missed a lot of time on the ice last year so that was my main focus being on the ice. Getting my skating back and hands so I spent more time on the ice.”

Schmidt being bought out this summer by the Jets could be a vote of confidence for Heinola, who could use Schmidt’s 2023-24 results as a blueprint for his potential success this season, as a third-pairing defenceman who can quarterback the second power play unit, move the puck well at five-on-five, and post strong defensive analytics in the process. 

Colin Miller signed a two-year, $1.5M AAV contract this offseason to remain in Winnipeg. He has proven over his 10-year career that he can be productive in a third-pairing role, and whether his partner is Stanley or Heinola, the Jets bottom pair is well-suited to post positive results. 

Heinola believes that his style of play is well-equipped for today’s NHL, where speed and puck movement are key for defencemen. 

“I think I can play an all-around game,” Heinola said on his play style benefitting the Jets. “The last two years I’ve been focusing on the defensive part of my game, and I think I got better at it last year especially and the year before, so I feel like I can do it all and I know my strengths and I know what I’m good at.”

It’s been a long, winding road for the 23-year-old Heinola, who has played 35 career NHL games but has never stuck for an extended period of time. With a brand new coaching staff and the sixth defensive spot open for the taking, Heinola will look to make a strong impression when camp begins on Thursday, Sept. 19.