Jets still have something to prove: Appleton

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This article was published 23/04/2022 (1232 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Jets still have four more games to play over the next week, all on home ice, before going their separate ways. The offseason is essentially underway for a pair of injured players.

Forwards Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti will not return to the lineup, interim coach Dave Lowry confirmed Saturday following his team’s skate at Canada Life Centre.

“It isn’t worth the risk to bring them back to play a game or two,” Lowry said.

Scheifele, 29, suffered an apparent shoulder injury after taking a check from Ottawa’s Parker Kelly on April 10. He finishes the year with 70 points (29 goals, 41 assists) in 67 games.

Perfetti, 20, was knocked out of action on Feb. 17 after a hit from Seattle’s Jamie Oleksiak. He then suffered a secondary injury during his rehabilitation. Perfetti had two goals and five assists in 18 games with the Jets, plus 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 17 games with the Manitoba Moose. Although Perfetti has recently resumed skating and could join the main group at practice next week, he won’t be eligible to join the AHL club for the playoff run because his injury prevented him from being assigned to the Moose in time to be eligible.

Winnipeg (35-32-11) just limped back into town after losing four straight road games by a combined score of 20-7. They’ll face Western Conference leading Colorado on Sunday, then get visits from Philadelphia (Wednesday), Calgary (Friday) and Seattle (next Sunday) to close out the year.

“Lately we’ve been finding ways to lose hockey games,” said forward Mason Appleton. “It’s a consistent 60 minute game. It’s the best league in the world and when you don’t play three periods you don’t win hockey games. Finding that consistency in these last four games is important for our team. Not every team makes the playoffs. You still have to go and be your best and prove and build something for the start of next season.”

The Jets will also be without forward Zach Sanford against the Avalanche, as he was banged up in Thursday’s game in Carolina. Adam Brooks will take his spot. On the blue line, Nate Schmidt is questionable with an undisclosed injury that kept him out of practice. Logan Stanley would step in if he can’t go. Winnipeg will welcome back No. 1 netminder Connor Hellebuyck, who missed the final two games of the trip with a non-COVID illness.

“I don’t really know what it was. I was feeling pretty run down. I’m good now. I don’t know if you saw practice but I was making a lot of saves,” Hellebuyck joked Saturday.

On a more serious note, he said it stings to be officially being eliminated from the playoffs in a year where expectations were high.

“I only have one goal left, and that’s to win the Stanley Cup. So anything other than that is kind of a wasted year,” said Hellebuyck. The 2019-20 Vezina Trophy winner was asked why things went south — and what needs to change.

“I could come up with a million excuses, but that’s all they are, they’re excuses. In the end it comes from the locker room. Every guy just be a bit better, more of a team game,” he said.

“I know there are a lot of good hockey players in that locker room and I really don’t know exactly what happened between our previous years and this year. I don’t know if this is just one of those off seasons or if there is something serious here. That’s what this summer is going to be about for me, all about what’s going to get me to the next level and what’s going to get the team to the next level and how to get back to the playoffs and get yourself a chance at the Cup.”

Lowry said Hellebuyck and backup Eric Comrie will see action in this final week. But he won’t be calling up any players from the playoff-bound Moose, barring injury.

“I think we’ve used 14 guys, 13 guys from the Moose that have played games. I think a lot of these guys had auditions when these were meaningful games. I’d be doing a disservice to some of our guys right now that are auditioning for positions next year,” said Lowry.

“And am I going to take out some veteran guys to play a couple of younger guys when the Moose are in the playoff run? What happens if those guys get hurt playing up here? I think that’s probably the thought process behind it. We’ve had six guys from the Moose that played their first game in the National Hockey League. So we believe that, yeah, they might not be getting their chance here in the last week, but some of these guys got opportunities throughout the season and got real good opportunities.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg