Flames’ game could pop some bubbles

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This article was published 04/10/2022 (1117 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The final sprint to the start of the NHL regular season is underway. And decision day is coming for several Winnipeg Jets currently on the bubble.

Wednesday’s preseason game against the Calgary Flames at Canada Life Centre should help clarify some key roster spots.

“I think that’s one thing about camp, one thing that’s great about camp is seeing the guys that start taking the next step,” assistant coach Brad Lauer said following Tuesday’s practice.

“Obviously, this week is going to be important. But again, at the end of the day it works its way out.”

Winnipeg currently has 27 players left in camp (two goaltenders, 15 forwards, 10 defencemen). They must cut down to a maximum of 23 prior to next Friday’s home opener against the New York Rangers. Expect two forwards and two defencemen to get the bad news between now and then.

Up front, it would appear to be a battle between Jansen Harkins, Dominic Toninato, rookie sensation Brad Lambert and Finnish free-agent signing Saku Maenalanen for the final two spots.

Assuming everyone remains healthy, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Blake Wheeler, Cole Perfetti, Adam Lowry, Mason Appleton, Sam Gagner, Morgan Barron and David Gustafsson likely aren’t going anywhere.

The easy decision would be to send Lambert and Maenalenen to the Manitoba Moose, since neither player requires waivers, unlike Harkins and Toninato. But new bench boss Rick Bowness has stressed decisions will be made on merit, not necessarily contract status. And he’s been singing the praises of Lambert and Maenalanen.

“Everyone is pushing for a couple spots left here. It’s definitely good competition,” Harkins said Tuesday.

“With new coaches and everything like that, that’s what you want in training camp, guys to push each other and feel a little bit of pressure. That’s the only way we’re going to be able to kick ourselves into gear here. It’s definitely better that way than a bit too loose.”

Harkins, 25, has had a quiet camp so far, and his prospects may have taken a hit when he suffered a minor injury over the weekend which will sideline him for the all-important audition against the Flames.

“Obviously you want to get into a bit of a rhythm and feel good, and get some consistent skates going. It’s a bummer to not be out there,” said Harkins, who missed Monday’s practice but was back on the ice Tuesday and reported feeling good.

On the blue-line, there’s a fierce battle brewing between Ville Heinola, Logan Stanley, Dylan Samberg, Johnathan Kovacevic and Kyle Capobianco for the final three spots. Barring a shocking development, Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, Brenden Dillon, Nate Schmidt and Dylan DeMelo are set in stone.

Heinola and Samberg would not require waivers, while the Jets would risk losing Stanley, Kovacevic and Capobianco for nothing if they tried to send them down to the farm.

“I think our blue-line is very deep. We have a lot of great guys here. I think my take on it is that it’s a lot of competition, but it’s a lot of opportunity to learn from guys,” said Kovacevic.

“Everyone’s going to bring their own strengths to the table. I guess if you’re smart about it you can kind of take from what this player does and what this player does and try to implement that into your game. I think I’ve been trying to do that the last few years and I think the strength of our blue line has just made me stronger.”

Kovacevic, 25, made his NHL debut last season, appearing in four games, while also being a huge part of a talented Moose squad. You wonder if another big-league team might find room for him if Winnipeg can’t right now.

Of course, there’s always the possibility general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff might try to swing a last-minute trade or two to alleviate a potential logjam while also getting something in return for an asset. Every other team around the NHL is currently evaluating what they have. Injuries are a factor, too.

Samberg, 23, said there’s an added level of urgency this week, with so much at stake. The Jets are expected to make further cuts as early as Thursday before heading west for the final preseason game on Friday night in Calgary, then four days of practices and team bonding in Banff.

“Just looking to make your push, show them that you belong and show them what you can do,” said Samberg. “It’s good competition. You can’t complain about that. You just got to come out and prove yourself every single day. All these other guys are doing the same thing.”

Harkins, Dubois (also battling a minor injury) and the veteran Wheeler will be the forward scratches Wednesday. The expected top line of Scheifele, Ehlers and Connors will play together, as will a potential third line of Lowry, Appleton and Barron (making his preseason debut) and fourth line of Gagner, Gustafsson and Maenalanen will play together. Lambert and Perfetti will play with Toninato. Perfetti had been with Dubois and Wheeler to start the preseason.

Morrissey and DeMelo, Dillon and Schmidt, Samberg and Heinola, Stanley and Pionk, and Capobianco and Kovacevic were the pairings during Tuesday’s skate.

“I think you gotta know what you bring to the table, You’ve got to know your game,” said Kovacevic. “For me that’s keeping it simple, playing hard defensively, having a good stick. Just kind of knowing you are as a player and a person and bringing that to the rink. I’m not trying to be someone that I’m not. I’m trying to show what I can do best.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg