Thomas' Three Storylines - DET @ WPG

SCHEIF TO THE WING
In an effort to get the offence rolling, Rick Bowness has put together his three top forwards on one line starting with tonight's game against the Detroit Red Wings. Kyle Connor, Pierre-Luc Dubois will be joined by Mark Scheifele, who will play the right side. Bowness has done this before already this season at the end of a period when the Jets are looking for offence. The Jets head coach said Scheifele was on board with this idea, and they will see if it works or not. If it doesn't, Scheifele will go back to centre. Vladislav Namestnikov will centre the second line with Nikolaj Ehlers and Blake Wheeler and the third line will have Nino Niederreiter, Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton. Karson Kuhlman will come into the lineup for Saku Maenalanen, Kuhlman will skate with Kevin Stenlund and Morgan Barron.

SEASON DEFINING HOME STAND
Scoring struggles aside, the Jets are in a good spot to look to put some distance between themselves, the Calgary Flames and the Nashville Predators. The Jets will kick off an important five game homestand tonight against the Red Wings. Winnipeg comes into Friday's game with a two-point advantage on the Flames, who are in Vancouver tonight and three points up on Nashville for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. The Jets will host Calgary next Wednesday and Nashville on Saturday.
RETURN OF COPP
The Jets have already faced their long-time teammate Andrew Copp twice since he was traded to the New York Rangers last spring, the first time was a 3-0 loss in New York to the Rangers on April 19th, 2022, and the second was in Detroit back on January 10th, a 7-5 Red Wings win. Copp recorded two assists that night in the high scoring affair. Tonight, Copp will return to the city where he played the first seven years of his National Hockey League career. This is the 28-year old's first visit to Canada Life Centre since the trade before the deadline last season. Copp amassed 184 points in 467 regular season games as a Jet and 12 points in 34 playoff games.