Moose’s Zhilkin on verge of making NHL debut

That Haydn Fleury was able to spend some time with teammates around the rink instead of laying in a hospital bed was already a clear sign of progress.

The Winnipeg Jets defenceman left Tuesday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights on a stretcher after he crashed heavily into the end boards with 6:44 left in the first period.

Fleury was on the receiving end of a hit from Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar and because he was so far away from the boards when he lost his balance, the brunt of the impact was taken by his back, though there were other injuries sustained on the play as well.

“Originally, we thought he was staying in the hospital all night. He ended up coming home, I don’t think he wanted to hang around (the hospital),” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel, noting the injury isn’t as serious as originally feared. “He’s got the broken nose, he’s got a bruised back. So, he’s banged up pretty good. He felt it. But, (it was) great seeing him here and seeing him around the room.”

Fleury recently missed time with a concussion and, given the violent nature of the collision, he will continue to be monitored during the coming days.

“You’ve got to kind of wait and see on it,” said Arniel. “I mean, bang your head like that, that hard, and him having some history with it — I’m not saying it’s a concussion yet. He still has to go through the next few days here, see how he feels. He may wake up three days from now and feel great. He may wake up three days from now and have some issues.”

On Wednesday afternoon, Fleury was placed on injured reserve, which means he will miss a minimum of seven days.

The Jets, who have lost 10 consecutive games (0-6-4), continue a five-game homestand on Thursday against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

Seeing Fleury taken off the ice on a stretcher wearing a neck brace was frightening.

“Time kind of stands still in that moment,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey. “It’s an intense game — winning streaks, losing streaks, whatever — but in those moments you think of a lot more than just the game and where things are at.

“Just scared for your friend and teammate, but having the faith in our medical staff that they’re going to take care of him the best they can when he leaves. They were updating us throughout the game. Just really grateful that, by all accounts, it could’ve been a lot worse. But at the same time, it’s really scary. Just happy he’s doing well and we were able to see him.”

With Fleury sidelined, the Jets made a roster move on Wednesday afternoon, recalling centre Danny Zhilkin from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.

Zhilkin, who turned 22 last month, was chosen in the third round (77th overall) of the 2022 NHL draft, is a smart, two-way centre and has seven goals and 14 points in 30 AHL games this season.

Now in his third professional campaign, Zhilkin turned heads at the prospects tournament in Montreal and carried that momentum into training camp with the Jets.

Just a few months later, Zhilkin has been recalled for the first time and could be on the verge of making his NHL debut, either against the Oilers or on Friday against the Los Angeles Kings.

“He’s solidified himself as a No. 1 centre in the AHL,” Moose head coach Mark Morrison said in a recent interview. “Game in and game out, he shows his speed and his willingness to take the puck to the net. His defensive game is good, his body positioning is good. He continues to take steps forward and that’s what he has to do.”

The Jets didn’t hold an on-ice workout on Wednesday, so Arniel’s plan for Zhilkin won’t be known until after the morning skate.

Zhilkin is a candidate to slide into the fourth line centre role, especially since Vladislav Namestnikov is mired in an extended offensive drought.

Namestnikov has gone 18 games without a point and has been limited to one assist during the past 29 games — which is surprising when you consider he had six goals and seven points in the first 12 games of the season.

Après-ski-themed night postponed

The club announced Wednesday it’s postponing a ski-related promotion in the wake of a deadly fire at a ski resort in Switzerland.

The team was planning an après-ski-themed night against the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. The first 5,000 fans were to receive ski goggles.

Instead, the event will be pushed back to March 10 in recognition of the people killed and injured in a bar fire at a new year’s party in Switzerland. Friday is a national day of mourning in Switzerland for the 40 people killed and 120 injured.

Investigators believe sparkling candles in champagne bottles started the fire in the resort town of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, when they came too close to the bar’s ceiling.

— with files from the Canadian Press

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