WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Jets return to the ice for the first time since mid-April when they open their preseason schedule tonight against the Minnesota Wild at Canada Life Centre at 7 CT.
Scott Arniel begins his term as the head coach of the Jets tonight.
"I've been pretty excited here the last three or four weeks to get going and to be out on the ice, it's always... This is an exciting time," said Arniel back on the first day of training camp.
"To have the whole group together and go, that's what you love (about) coaching."
Tonight's roster will be filled with young faces like Elias Salomonsson, Dmitry Kuzmin, Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow, Jacob Julien, Connor Levis, Nikita Chibrikov and Brad Lambert. Ordinarily you would see a heavier veteran presence at home in the preseason, but Arniel said this is a unique situation.
“Because of these two quick games (tonight vs. Wild, tomorrow at Edmonton) having to play third day into camp,” said Arniel.
“It’s a great opportunity for our young guys to get a look.”
Here is a look at the lines and D pairings at the morning skate:
Iafallo. Lambert. Vilardi
Chibrikov. Namestnikov. Appleton
Barlow. Yager. Barron
Julien. Shaw. Levis
Samberg. Salomonsson
Anhorn. Miller
Kuzmin. Bauer
Kahkonen
Milic
“Lambert will go between two veteran players (Iaffalo and Vilardi), Chibrikov going with a couple of veterans (Namestnikov and Appleton). It’s a little bit of a chance for me to put them in situations they haven’t seen yet,” said Arniel.
“We have to play eight vets, that’s the other part of it. We actually have more vets than we’ve had in past years and allows the Scheifele’s, the Lowry’s, the Hellebuyck’s out of the lineup for the next two.”
Lambert and Chibrikov both had tremendous seasons in the American Hockey League, and both made their NHL debut in the Jets regular season finale against Vancouver. The two were impressive in Penticton last weekend at the Young Stars Classic as well.
“For those two guys specifically, they are going to get more than just this weekend, obviously they are going to get more stuff as we move forward in the exhibition,” said Arniel.
“But having them all (the younger players) in tonight, I think is a pretty good look.”
Haydn Fleury had a pretty good excuse to miss making his first appearance in a Jets jersey tonight. The defenceman and his wife had a baby boy at 1 am this morning. Arniel gave the 32-year-old the option to wait until tomorrow to play in his hometown of Edmonton, but Fleury said he would rather play tonight.
Another veteran defenceman in the spotlight tonight is Colin Miller who re-signed with the Jets in the offseason after coming to Winnipeg from New Jersey at the trade deadline. It will be nice to have the vet as the Jets look to replace Nate Schmidt and Brenden Dillon.
“It’s a great place to play hockey. Great team,” said Miller.
“I think for me with some of the changes hopefully for me have a little more opportunity this year and try and help out the team wherever I can.”
Despite the departures of Dillon and Schmidt the Jets blueline remains a strength with Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk, Dylan Samberg, Miller, Logan Stanley and Dylan Coughlan. Even though has played over 500 games in the NHL he knows he still has to come in and play well.
“Obviously with this group we have back here it’s going to be competitive and kind of do what I’ve always done,” said Miller.
“Play my game, help out where you can. I think we have a really strong D core as it goes. So, yeah just focus on those things.”
