I might be speaking too soon here, and trust me I am pretty superstitious when it comes to things like this, but the Winnipeg Jets might finally be healthy for the first time this season. Even before the season began the Jets were without the services of Eric Fehr, and this then a seemingly unending string of injuries has befallen the Jets, with the blue line suffering the most as injuries kept Tobias Enstrom, Dustin Byfuglien and Ron Hainsey out of action for long stretches of time that has kept the Jets from fielding their best 6 defensemen in all but 13 games this year. While Zach Bogosian has only missed 5 games due to injury, Mark Stuart 2 and Johnny Oduya 1, the “Big 3” have missed 16 (Buff), 20 (Toby) and 24 (Hainsey)
With Kyle Wellwood and Tim Stapleton set to return to the lineup, after both came down with a flu that inflicted others on the team including Captain Andrew Ladd, the Jets could field their top 23 players Saturday night.
Tim Stapleton is also coming off a lower body injury that has kept him out of 9 games after picking up the injury January 19 against the Buffalo Sabres. He recovered from that within the past week, but as mentioned came down with a bug and has been kept out.
With Wellwood coming back, and Stapleton set to come off of injured reserve, something has to give and look for Aaron Gagnon to be sent down to the St. John’s IceCaps before puck drop tomorrow. Gagnon (Gahn-YOH) has appeared in 7 games with the big club, posting a -1 rating, 6 shots on net, winning 18 of 40 faceoffs for a 45% stat in that category. I assume there are exotic stats too, but I’m pulling a Hackel on that.
Zach Bogosian may or may not be able to go tomorrow in Pittsburgh, as after blocking a shot late in the game last night in Washington did not play in the final 5 minutes of regulation, nor did he see the ice in overtime. If he is unable to go, Randy Jones would slide into his spot on the roster.
If he IS ready to go, then the d pairs would remain the same, while Wellwood would likely take Gagnon's spot in the lineup. Stapleton would either be 13th forward or would take the spot of a Fehr, Mittens or Burmi type.
We'll just have to wait and see I guess.
Until then…
