Scheifele scratched, Wheeler’s C means centre again

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/12/2016 (3202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

No. 1 centre Mark Scheifele won’t be in the lineup for the third consecutive game tonight when the Jets host the Detroit Red Wings at the MTS Centre.

Scheifele leads the club with 26 points, which is good for eighth place in NHL scoring. Sidelined with a lower-body injury, he wasn’t dressed for either of the club’s weekend victories in St. Louis and Chicago.

“He’s getting better, but he won’t go tonight,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “He skated this morning.”

With Scheifele out, captain Blake Wheeler will again line up at centre between Drew Stafford and Mathieu Perreault.

“It’s a little bit different,” said Wheeler, who had been playing left wing with right-winger Stafford and centre Bryan Little before Scheifele went down.

“A little more responsibility in the D-zone. I think that’s my priority, to try to be on the right side of the puck. Try to win battles down low. I feel whenever we get the puck we’re gonna create offensive chances by just doing the right thing.”

Connor Hellebuyck gets the start in goal. The puck drops at 7 p.m. (TSN3, TSN1290) 

 

 Maurice also delivered updates on four other Jets currently on injured reserve: 

• Defenceman Tyler Myers (lower body) skated for the first time in 3 1/2 weeks today, but there is no date set for his return.

• Right-winger Joel Armia (lower body) could be back before the end of the month.

• Centre Shawn Matthias (lower body) will be out until late December or early January.

• Centre Nic Petan (lower body) won’t return for at least 10 days.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca 

Twitter: @sawa14