FROM THE PRESS BOX
MIKE SAYS: I’m still shaking my head over what went down on Saturday — specifically when it came time to start the shootout.
Head coach Scott Arniel’s decision to have Jonathan Toews and especially Gustav Nyquist be the first two shooters was puzzling, to say the least. I understand the Jets haven’t been good in that format this year (Gabe Vilardi has the only shootout goal), but not using your more offensive players in a game where you desperately need the second point is a risky play – even if Toews and Nyquist have historically good numbers.
I honestly wondered if Arniel was sending a message to some of his top players like Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, especially after they had been trapped out for a marathon shift to start overtime which ended with a penalty and likely had the coach seeing red. But Arniel insisted this was just about playing the numbers and trying to change things up.
There’s no question, however, Arniel was into message-sending when he benched Dylan DeMelo after his ugly first two shifts ended up with two Pittsburgh goals — and the veteran blue-liner was at least partially responsible for both. Arniel really had no choice but to go back to DeMelo for the final 40 minutes, given that he couldn’t afford to burn out his other five blue-liners. But I do wonder if a potential sit-down could come Sunday in favour of Bryson or Heinola. Likely not, but you never know at this point.
What’s your level of concern these days regarding Hellebuyck? I don’t think he looks right physically, but I’m obviously not a doctor nor do I have any inside information. I’m just going by the eye test, and his game seems out of sorts. There’s way too much movement and chaos in the crease for a guy who, when he’s at this best, plays big and boring.
Comrie, meanwhile, has been terrific in spot duty over the past few months, and the Jets might be wise to lean on him a few more times down the stretch. If, for no other reason that to give Hellebuyck — who has now played 11 of 13 games since the Olympic break, which of course was not a break for him as he played five of the six American games in Milan.
Winnipeg Jets defenceman Neal Pionk had an immediate impact in his return to the lineup on Saturday. (Jessie Alcheh / The Associated Press files)
Neal Pionk made an immediate impact as he played his first game in more than two months by scoring a third-period goal. He wasn’t exactly eased into the lineup, playing 22:30 over 32 shifts. How much gas is he going to have in the tank as he now plays for a second straight day?
KEN SAYS: Jets forward Morgan Barron played the role of the human wrecking ball on multiple occasions on Saturday afternoon, using his strength to win the battle for a loose puck in front of the net for his 11th goal of the season and then crashing into Penguins D-man Connor Clifton to help create a lane for Brad Lambert to skate into and rifle home his second NHL goal and give the Jets a 4-3 lead.
Barron’s first goal produced plenty of debate and controversy, since he forcefully pushed Erik Karlsson into goalie Arturs Silovs. However, since the contact was initiated by Karlsson, the goal was allowed to stand. This wasn’t a strategic plan by Barron to drive the opponent into the goalie to prevent Silovs from being able to reset and try to make the save, it was a player cognizant of the crease who just happened to be stronger than his opponent in that instance.
Winnipeg Jets centre Morgan Barron (36) scores on Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs (37) while crashing into defenceman Erik Karlsson (65) as right wing Isak Rosen (27) looks on during the first period on Saturday in Pittsburgh.(Philip G. Pavely / The Associated Press)
Lambert, meanwhile, chipped in the first multipoint game of his NHL career and played an assertive game.
He used his speed effectively and showed some chemistry as part of the line with Barron and Isak Rosen.
Lambert is up to two goals and (both of them coming against the Penguins) and five points in 12 NHL games this season, with four of those points coming during the past four games.
That’s an important step towards establishing consistency, but it’s integral for Lambert to continue to add layers to his game during the final 13 contests – much like Elias Salomonsson has done in enhancing his role on the defence corps.
Interestingly enough, the trio of Barron, Lambert (the conditional first rounder) and Salomonsson (the second round pick in 2022) ended up being the package the Jets brought back in the deal that sent Andrew Copp to the Broadway Blueshirts at the deadline in March of 2022.
For the Rangers, former Brandon Wheat Kings captain Braden Schneider had a strong showing in the previous matchup earlier this month, chipping in a goal and an assist.
As a pending restricted free agent, Schneider is about to come to a fork in the road this summer, especially since he’s one year away from unrestricted free agency if he doesn’t ink a long-term extension.
The mobile, physical, right-handed shooting D-man, who is 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, is averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game and has hit 15 points for a third consecutive season.
Schneider is a strong candidate for a long-term extension, but if the two sides can’t find common ground and he chooses to file for salary arbitration and/or agrees to a one-year deal, he would surely attract plenty of attention on the open market in the summer of 2027.
PROJECTED LINES
WINNIPEG JETS
FORWARDS
- Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo
- Perfetti-Lowry-Vilardi
- Rosen-Barron-Lambert
- Koepke-Toews-Nyquist
DEFENCE
- Morrissey-Salomonsson
- Samberg-Pionk
- Bryson-DeMelo
GOAL
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: D Heinola, D Fleury
INJURED: D Miller (lower-body), LW Niederreiter (lower body), F Namestnikov (lower body)
NEW YORK RANGERS
FORWARDS
- Perreault-Zibanejad-Lafreniere
- Sheary-Miller-Kartye
- Cuylle-Trocheck-Raddysh
- Brodzinski-Edstrom-Chmelar
DEFENCE
- Gavrikov-Fox
- Robertson-Schneider
- Mackey-Borgen
GOAL
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: F Parssinen, D Iorio
INJURED: C Laba (lower-body), RW Rempe (thumb), D Vaakanainen (upper-body), G Quick (upper-body)
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
Jets coach Scott Arniel on a new-look line featuring Morgan Barron, Brad Lambert and Isak Rosen:
“I put them together because of the speed. All three of them can go and I liked a lot of what they did. I thought that they pushed the other team’s defence back. Most of their shifts were in the offensive zone or were coming off the rush. It was good to see them all getting up to speed, using their speed. I thought Barron did a really good job working with those two guys. All three, we’ll keep them together for (Sunday).”
WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON
Mike is on scene in New York and will have his game analysis of Jets vs. Rangers, plus additional coverage. You can find the stores online at winnipegfreepress.com and in Monday’s print edition.
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