Ville Heinola Injury Update

WINNIPEG – Ville Heinola must be wondering if he’s cursed.

Nearly one year after he fractured his ankle in a preseason game on October 5, 2023 – the final exhibition contest before the regular season – that same surgically repaired ankle is causing him to miss more time.

An infection showed up in the 23-year-old defenceman’s bloodwork from Wednesday’s physicals. Heinola skated on Thursday despite a bit of swelling in the area, but will now miss time due to an injury that Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel describes as something that “isn’t day-to-day.”

Arniel said he had many conversations with the Finnish product in the summer.

“He was so excited about coming back. As I said to him, it's a setback, but these are things that make you stronger,” Arniel said. "It hits you in the gut, especially after what happened last year.”

Both Arniel, and previous head coach Rick Bowness, have said publicly that Heinola had earned a spot in the opening night roster with his play in five preseason games last fall. The ankle injury put him out for 12 weeks, and Heinola spent 41 games in the 2023-24 season with the Manitoba Moose accumulating 10 goals and 27 points.

The plan going forward isn’t clear cut, according to Arniel.

“We'll just come back around this in maybe a week or so and see where he’s at,” he said. “Hopefully we can get it fixed 100 per cent and go from there.”

ICE CHIPS

Simon Lundmark, another defenceman, missed Thursday’s session as well after blocking a shot on Thursday.

The 23-year-old could skate again as early as Saturday, but Arniel said the team will see how Lundmark is feeling when he gets to the rink.

Henri Nikkanen missed his second straight day of on-ice sessions due to illness.