GAMEDAY: Jets at Wild

The Jets play their fourth of six exhibition games on Friday when they visit the Minnesota Wild. Winnipeg is 1-1-1 during the preseason so far after earning a 6-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night for their first win of the preseason. After Friday’s game, the Jets finish their preseason schedule with a pair of games in a home-and-home against the Calgary Flames.

After signing his two-year, $6,500,000 contract extension the other day, Cole Perfetti will play in his first game of the preseason tonight. Earlier this week head coach Scott Arniel said that Perfetti will be used as a top-six forward with power play potential.

"It’s huge for the mental side of it and then you’re just going to go out and play your game. The biggest part for me is this year, I’ve got to do my thing. Play my game that got me here to this point. It’s really nice to hear that," said Perfetti.

"Obviously you want that opportunity. Everyone wants more. That’s the competitive edge in every one. It’s great to hear that. The opportunity is going to be there, now I’ve got to make the most of it.”

Brad Lambert was one of six Jets to score on Wednesday against the Oilers and he most certainly has taken advantage of the fact that he got a head start by attending the Young Stars Classic in Penticton.

"That was a main thing, just not have my first game happen at the main camp but get a few games under my belt there, which was a great," said Lambert Wednesday night.

"It was a lot of fun going there.”

Jets defenceman Neal Pionk has been really impressed with the performance of the younger players in the organization.

"The skill set and the speed, I think I feel like it gets faster every time you see guys like, like Lambo. We call him Lamborghini, not just because of his name. He can fly," said Pionk Wednesday night.

"So that's the biggest part, I think, is the skill set and they're willingness to learn and it's exciting to watch them go through it."

Brayden Yager, Nikita Chibrikov, Elias Salomonsson Colby Barlow and Lambert will get another crack at impressing the coaching staff when they go up against a more veteran lineup tonight in St. Paul.

"Yeah I’m pretty sure we’re going to get a pretty good line-up in Minnesota tomorrow and next week in Calgary. It starts to ramp up a little bit," said head coach Scott Arniel.

"He’s (Lambert) learning as he goes here. From two years ago, to last year, to now, everyday in camp here has been a growth day and a learning day, and he’s been real good at it. We’ll just put the next obstacle in front of him and see how he handles it."

INJURY NEWS

Friday morning, Arniel announced that Logan Stanley had surgery on his knee and will be out of for at least four weeks. With Ville Heinola out for an extended period of time, opportunity has opened for players like Haydn Fleury and Dylan Coghlan who will both play tonight against the Wild.

"This lineup (the Wild), it’s going to be a good one," said Arniel.

"Good challenge for a lot of these guys tonight, especially on the back-end.”