Jets give Perfetti vote of confidence

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This article was published 18/09/2023 (719 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Although it’s important to refrain from reading too much into early NHL training-camp groupings, there are always potential clues among them.

While the Winnipeg Jets revealed Monday the list of six goalies, 19 defencemen and 31 forwards set to compete when things officially get underway Thursday, there appears to be a vote of confidence for Cole Perfetti in the battle for the second-line centre job.

The Jets are initially breaking things down into two groups, complete with a nod to the past: Team Selanne and Team Numminen.

In what will be the second training camp under head coach Rick Bowness, the Jets are spreading out the veterans a bit more than last fall.

What that means in the battle for the second-line centre spot remains to be seen, though Perfetti appears to be getting the first shot at it, based on the fact captain Adam Lowry is the only other veteran centre listed on Team Selanne.

Other veteran forwards in that group include Nikolaj Ehlers, Nino Niederreiter, Mason Appleton and newcomer Alex Iafallo, while Brad Lambert and Nikita Chibrikov are the high-profile prospects sprinkled among them.

On the back end, Dylan DeMelo, Brenden Dillon and Nate Schmidt are joined by Ville Heinola and Declan Chisholm, while Laurent Brossoit, Thomas Milic and Oskari Salminen are the goalies.

Team Numminen has a forward group that features top centre Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Gabe Vilardi, Vladislav Namestnikov, Rasmus Kupari, Morgan Barron and recent first-rounders Colby Barlow (2023) and Chaz Lucius (2021).

On defence, 2022-23 Norris Trophy candidate Josh Morrissey will be joined by Neal Pionk, Dylan Samberg, Logan Stanley, Kyle Capobianco and Elias Salomonsson while Vezina Trophy finalist Connor Hellebuyck is joined in the crease by Colin Delia and Dominic DiVincentiis.

Although the Jets do have several free-agent invitees among the 56 players invited to training camp, they aren’t bringing in any NHL veterans on pro tryout offers at this point.

The first on-ice sessions of training camp begin Thursday at the hockey for all centre, while the first of six Jets pre-season games is Sunday, Sept. 24 in Edmonton against the Oilers.

Three home games are slated for Sept. 25 against the Oilers, Sept. 27 against the Calgary Flames and Oct. 5 against the Ottawa Senators (the preseason finale).

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

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