Harkins sent down to Moose

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This article was published 01/10/2023 (735 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Slowly but surely, the Winnipeg Jets are getting down to more manageable numbers.

With just two of their six preseason games remaining — including Monday’s tilt in Calgary against the Flames — the Jets are down to 35 players in training camp after the latest wave of cuts came down.

After assigning 10 players to the Manitoba Moose on Saturday, the Jets placed five more on waivers on Sunday morning, with the intent of sending them to the American Hockey League as long as they aren’t claimed by another NHL team.

Those players include forwards Jansen Harkins, Dominic Toninato, Kristian Reichel and Jeff Malott, along with defenceman Ashton Sautner.

Harkins was in the mix for the 13th forward job and while he did produce a pair of preseason goals, he also turned the puck over on what turned out to be the game-winning goal on Friday against the Ottawa Senators.

“Those are tough calls. They had very good camps,” said Jets head coach Rick Bowness, speaking specifically about Harkins and Toninato. “I’m just looking at other guys at this point. Go down and play like they did here. And they’ll be back. With injuries and everything else. They were both used (in the NHL) last year and they’ll see some games this year. With the schedule, the travel and the injuries. We expect them to be dominant players down there and when we need help, with injuries or we’ve got to change things up, those are the first two guys we should be hearing about.”

Harkins was chosen by the Jets in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft and has 154 NHL games on his resume.

He also led the Moose with 25 goals and was second in points (50) in 48 games last season, so it will be interesting to see if he attracts any interest on the waiver wire.

Although the Jets are down to three goalies, 11 defenceman and 21 forwards in camp, there are still a number of players who aren’t participating with the main group.

Forwards Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi missed a second straight on-ice session with an illness, while defenceman Nate Schmidt remains in a non-contact jersey as he deals with a lower-body ailment.

None of those players will suit up on Monday and neither will Nikoalj Ehlers, who continues to work his way back from neck spasms.

“He’s still feeling it a little bit. Until he’s 100 percent, he’s not going to play,” said Bowness. “But it’s more him. That’s not the trainers pulling him. He’s telling the trainers how he feels. He still feels something so we’re not going to risk a further injury.”

Bowness remains hopeful Ehlers will suit up in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Senators.

Sunday’s secondary group included defencemen Kyle Cappobianco (groin) and Declan Chisholm (lower body) and forwards Colby Barlow (illness) and Wyatt Bongiovanni (groin).

Elias Salomonsson is still dealing with a neck injury after taking a hit from Angus Crookshank on Friday, though he’s going to be heading back to Skelleftea of the SHL when back to full health.

With Barlow expected to be returned to the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League during the coming days and Bongiovanni destined to join the Moose, the battle for the 13th forward job appears to be down to David Gustafsson, Jeffrey Viel, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Parker Ford.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

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