FINAL MAILBAG CALL-OUT
We’re getting ready for our first monthly Jets mailbag of 2026, which will go online this coming Tuesday. Got a question about the hockey club? Simply hit reply to this email and Mike and Ken will be sure to tackle it.
FROM THE PRESS BOX
MIKE SAYS: Not to sound like a broken record here, but this is another game where the Jets have to find a way. Despite dropping just one regulation game over the last eight contests (5-1-2), Winnipeg woke up this morning still eight points out of the final Western Conference wildcard spot.
With seven of their next eight games on the road – including the next four against New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Florida, Dallas – I’m going to declare this an absolute must-win if Winnipeg has any hope of staying in the playoff race.
Are we going to see some franchise history tonight? Josh Morrissey needs just one point to tie Dustin Byfuglien for top spot in defenceman scoring history, and he came an inch or two away from doing it in dramatic fashion on Thursday when he rattled a shot off the post in overtime. The Canadian Olympian is playing some of the best hockey of his career right now and is a treat to watch.
One tweak I’d like to see Arniel experiment with: Why not bump Barron back up to the third line to play with Adam Lowry and Nino Niederreiter, and move Vlad Namestnikov down to centre the fourth line with Tanner Pearson and Cole Koepke.
Barron continues to bring it, and I think that shutdown line could really use his speed. The Jets are back to a familiar spot the last few games: Getting very little in the way of secondary scoring. Heck, they’re not getting much of any scoring, with nine straight periods now without a five-on-five goal.
The Jets were blanked Monday night in Chicago, scored twice on the power play and once into an empty net against St. Louis, and their only tally against Florida came during four-on-four action.
“I think when pucks aren’t finding their way to the net, I think it’s about just going to those hard areas and finding a way to get the greasy goals or the ones around the net,” said Barron. “Really, it’s doing the right things. Maybe not necessarily the most skillful goals but finding a way to get those bounces so we can continue to do a better job of that.”
KEN SAYS: Jets winger Gabe Vilardi has gone three games without a point after rattling off a five-game point streak that included two goals and seven points.
Vilardi has done an excellent job since moving down to a line with Jonathan Toews and Cole Perfetti and that trio has been showing signs of strong chemistry.
“Gabe’s been great over the last few years about that. He’s not a guy saying I can only play with those two guys,” said Arniel, referring to Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, his usual running mates.
“He recognizes that he’ll get his looks, he’ll get his touches, he’s in a top six role. Sometimes he sees different opposition. Might not be seeing the top two defencemen on the other team, maybe that gives him more space or time to think about it.”
Winnipeg Jets centre Jonathan Toews has been shining since returning from the holiday break (Joe Puetz / The Associated Press files)
Toews made a hustle play to force a turnover and then set up Perfetti with a brilliant feed that led to a four-on-four goal against the Panthers, it was the type of goal Arniel would have envisioned when projecting what his lineup was going to look like going into this season.
Toews continues to shine since coming out of the holiday break, while Perfetti is rounding into form as well.
Alex Iafallo is another player to watch in this game as he’s one goal away from hitting double digits for the eighth consecutive season. He’s settling in on the top line with Scheifele and Connor.
“That consistency that we’ve grown to appreciate with him. Kind of get that same player shift in, shift out,” said Arniel. “He does some of the grunt work there with those guys. He’s also smart, he knows how to play, he’s probably playing against the other team’s top lines and he knows how to do a good job.”
The Red Wings seem to finally be coming of age under head coach Todd McLellan, whose lineup features a nice blend of skilled players and experienced players who know the importance of defending.
They’re in a battle for top spot in the Eastern Conference and are enjoying the chase for top spot in the Atlantic Division as well.
“My experience (with the Red Wings) is only a year old, so I can’t really reference what was going on in the past, but I do know that from Christmas last year until this time, we’ve really worked on that mental fortitude, if you will. That toughness between the ears,” said McLellan. “I do believe it’s getting better. Are we all the way there yet? We’re still taking the test.”
That’s true, but the Red Wings are passing that test with flying colours so far.
Watch out for Moritz Seider on the blue line, as he’s grown into a legitimate Norris Trophy candidate, while winger Alex DeBrincat is skating alongside Copp and Patrick Kane and leads the Red Wings in goals with 26.
PROJECTED LINES
WINNIPEG JETS
FORWARDS:
- Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo
- Perfetti-Toews-Vilardi
- Niederreiter-Lowry-Namestnikov
- Koepke-Barron-Pearson
DEFENCE:
- Morrissey-DeMelo
- Samberg-Salomonsson
- Stanley-Schenn
GOAL:
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: F Nyquist
INJURED: D Fleury (nose, back), D Miller (lower-body), D Pionk (lower-body)
DETROIT RED WINGS
FORWARDS:
- Kasper-Larkin-Raymond
- DeBrincat-Copp-Kane
- Finnie-Compher-van Riemsdyk
- Soderblom-Rasmussen-Appleton
DEFENCE:
- Bernard Docker-Seider
- Sandin Pelekka-Chiarot
- Johansson-Hamonic
GOAL:
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: D Gustafsson
INJURED: D Edvinsson (lower body)
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
Jets coach Scott Arniel on Red Wings forward Mason Appleton, who played parts of seven seasons with Winnipeg and signed a two-year contract in free agency last summer that pays him US$2.9 million annually.
“At the end of the day, he did some fantastic things for us with the Winnipeg Jets. Played a big role for us over the years. He got closer to home, obviously. Get a chance to put another jersey on. He’s doing well.
“He’s the type of guy you can see Todd (McLellan, the Detroit head coach) is leaning on him, just like we leaned on him to play that kind of checking role and help the offence.”
WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON
Mike will handle game analysis of Jets vs. Red Wings, while Ken has a piece coming on ex-Jets forward Mason Appleton before he follows the Jets on the next road trip.
You can find both pieces online and in Monday’s print edition.
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