Perreault itching to return

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This article was published 01/12/2016 (3280 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE long list of injured and absent Winnipeg Jets is getting shorter by the day. First Drew Stafford, then Bryan Little and now, perhaps, Mathieu Perreault will return.

The veteran forward, out since Nov. 3 with an upper-body ailment, declared himself ready for active duty following Wednesday’s optional workout at the MTS Iceplex.

Perreault, who has spent most of the season at centre, has missed 14 games.

In his absence, Mark Scheifele, Little, Adam Lowry and Andrew Copp appear to have solidified the club down the middle, so where Perreault eventually fits in is unknown. He has one goal and three points in 11 games this season.

“I feel good, I’m pretty much ready to go,” Perreault said. “So, it’s gonna be a coach’s decision… I told them I was ready to go if they needed me.”

Jets head coach Paul Maurice was non-committal on Perreault’s status.

“We’ll let him get through another day and into the morning,” Maurice said. “So he has a good skate today and (has) gone full contact for a few days and if he declares himself ready to play, we’ll meet with the medical staff and make a decision.”

dano dinged

Jets forward Marko Dano celebrated his 22nd birthday Wednesday by tweeting out photos of the gruesome injuries he received after taking Kyle Quincey’s stick to the face early in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.

Amazingly, Dano could get clearance to play tonight against the Edmonton Oilers — with a fully shielded face, one would presume.

“He’ll have another appointment (Wednesday) just to make sure that nothing’s changed from the first look at it and, if he’s cleared and the swelling subsides, we believe it will, he’ll be able to play,” Maurice said.

Enstrom returns

The Jets were thrilled to have veteran blue-liner Toby Enstrom back at Wednesday’s optional practice and he will immediately be inserted into the lineup tonight.

Enstrom, who was unavailable for comment, missed three games to attend to an unspecified family matter at home in Sweden.

In related moves, the Jets assigned defenceman Julian Melchiori to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. The Moose, meanwhile, shipped defenceman Tyson Wilson to the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers.

Hellebuyck? Hutch?

Connor Hellebuyck’s string of five consecutive starts in the Winnipeg net appears likely to continue tonight against the Oilers.

The Jets head out on the road for games against the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Maurice may be targeting backup Michael Hutchinson for a start against the Blackhawks, a team he has performed well against in the past.

“Our schedule is going to dictate Michael is going to get games,” Maurice said. “His last game was really good in Boston and he’s working really hard on the ice in practice, so we want to get him back into the net.

“We also don’t want to take Connor out of the rhythm he’s in.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @sawa14