Jets looking to future

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/04/2022 (1247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA — As the Winnipeg Jets wind down the remainder of the 2021-22 NHL season, the focus will inevitably shift from the present to the future.

In fact, it’s already started to happen.

The insertion of defenceman Dylan Samberg into the lineup Friday against the visiting Colorado Avalanche was the first of what should be a handful of call-ups from the Manitoba Moose down the final stretch of the season. With the Jets’ playoff chances all but extinguished, their remaining 10 games will need to be used to help develop the younger talent.

Samberg played admirably in what was only his seventh NHL game, even if he was limited to 18 shifts for a combined 12:03 of ice time.

“Simple. Very, very efficient,” was how Jets interim head coach Dave Lowry described Samberg’s evening. “I thought that he managed the puck, he got back on pucks, he was a hard defender, he made it tough to get in and around our net and he made a great first pass. Obviously, I really liked his game.”

Indeed, Samberg looked composed in his reads, used his 6-3, 190-pound frame to bring a physical element and proved more than capable of retrieving the puck in the defensive zone and making an intelligent first pass. All the assets the Jets want and need in a blue liner.

“He’s got a bright future. You’re excited for guys like that,” added Lowry. “Opportunity, and took advantage of it. Played his game. The best part is, he’s been up here, he knows what the expectations are to play in the National Hockey League. He played with a lot of confidence tonight. He played with a lot of poise and made really smart decisions.”

Samberg said before puck drop Friday his confidence reached a new level earlier in the season when he was called up to the Jets for six games in January. That same stretch also marked the debuts of fellow rookie D-men Johnathan Kovacevic and Declan Chisholm, both of whom have been with the Moose for a majority of the year.

It would only make sense that Samberg, Kovacevic and Chisholm would be considered for more playing time at the NHL level, even as the Moose prepare for a playoff run. Especially when you consider the Jets blue line at this time of the season would have a few players suffering from lingering injuries.

“It definitely boosts the confidence level of a lot of those guys. I feel especially with Johnny Kovacevic, he came in and did well, then went back to the Moose and now he has 11 goals,” Samberg said. “He’s playing really confident right now. He’s my partner down there, he’s a good partner to have. Then obviously with Ville (Heinola) coming in and playing well, Chisholm was able to play in some games. It’s exciting to see a lot of those guys get an opportunity as well.”

Interestingly, in calling up Samberg, the Jets sent Heinola down to the Moose. Lowry’s explanation of the move was that Heinola would get more playing time in the AHL, echoing what he’s said each time Heinola has been re-assigned to the Moose.

Heinola should be back with the Jets before the season wraps. After that, all will return to the Moose, where more hockey will be played and an AHL championship up for grabs.