Connor Hellebuyck will get the start tonight, his second of the preseason.
Brad Lambert will be playing in his fourth exhibition contest as the coaching staff continues to give the 20-year-old opportunities. Lambert, who has two points (1G, 1A) will centre a line with Nikita Chibrikov and Nino Niederreiter this evening.
"He's highly skilled, he's very fast, sees the ice pretty well. He's a confident skater out there and I think that's something you see in practice and something you want to see in the game tonight," said Niederreiter on Lambert.
"I mean he's had a really good camp and I hope he's going to get better moving forward."
Niederreiter said that he has been chatting with Lambert throughout training camp and admitted that he really enjoys the mentor role.
"I think it's fun. I mean I've been there at some point as well. I had great players in front of me who kind of did the same thing that I'm trying to do right now," said Niederreiter.
"Something which is cool to see is him getting better each and every day and I hope that he's going to make the team one day eventually."
The Jets 2022 first round pick will see some power play time tonight on the second unit and has appreciated the help he has received from his Swiss linemate.
"He's awesome. Great, great player. Obviously a veteran, easy to play with. Also just a great guy to have on your line and easy to play with," said Lambert.
"Gives you good advice and just strong in the corners, helping me in the corner battles and stuff like that. He makes great plays, just a great guy to have on your line."
Players like Lambert, Chibrikov, Haydn Fleury, Dylan Coghlan, Elias Salomonsson and Simon Lundmark are trying to make the coaching staffs job harder with a solid performance tonight against Calgary.
"That’s why I’ve emphasized that what we do in practice is just as important as what we do in the games. Whether I match up a young player against some veterans to see how they handle that responsibility or whether I put some of the veteran guys in different roles - whether it’s left wing, right wing or whatever it might be. Maybe into the middle. Just putting them in roles in both games and practises, so I can see them in live reps kind of going head-to-head against other players," said Arniel.
"They’re making it difficult. I would say everybody that’s fighting for an opportunity is putting their best foot forward. As an organization, we’ve got to keep going day-to-day. We’ll judge tonight, continue tomorrow, we’ll have some more things tomorrow that we’ll look at and then Friday will kind of be the last time.”
