"We'll just say this is weeks, not days," coach Paul Maurice said Monday. "Probably another three or four days, all the swelling will come down, we'll have a better idea of how long it's going to be, but it's going to be weeks."
The forward was injured in the third period of a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Friday when his right knee buckled in a collision with teammate Nathan Beaulieu in a penalty-kill scramble at the Jets crease.
Wheeler, who had a goal and two assists in the game, has scored 10 points during a five-game point streak (one goal, nine assists). The Jets captain has scored 17 points (one goal, 16 assists) in 22 games this season.
"It's a big loss, on the ice and off the ice," forward Pierre-Luc Dubois said. "We have a lot of talent in this locker room. It's not going to be just one guy stepping up, it's going to be everybody having to step up. ... To fill in his boots it's going to take the whole team to contribute, not just on the ice but off the ice too."
Wheeler missed five games from Oct. 19-28 when he was in NHL COVID-19 protocol. The Jets went 4-0-1 during that stretch.
The Jets (13-9-5) play the Buffalo Sabres at home Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
Andrew Copp is expected to move into Wheeler's spot at right wing on the Jets' top line with center Mark Scheifele and left wing Kyle Connor.
"We played one game together this year (at the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 26) and it went really well for us," Copp said. "Those two have been really hot, I'll just try to add what I do to the line and hopefully they continue their success and just try to build on it."
Maurice said defenseman Neal Pionk, who has been in concussion protocol since a hit by Jason Spezza of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 5, is expected to return to the lineup.
Selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round (No. 5) of the 2004 NHL Draft, Wheeler has scored 824 points (280 goals, 544 assists) in 1,003 games with the Jets, Atlanta Thrashers and Boston Bruins.
Wheeler, who has played 12 seasons for the Jets/Thrashers, is their leader in points (714) and assists (484) and ranks second in games (782) and goals (230).
He missed six games last season because of injury. Since the 2011-12 season, his first full season with the Jets, he's missed 17 games, including the five this season.
"You're going to miss the player for sure," Maurice said. "Everybody has to deal with it at some point. It's tough when it's a key piece."
