When the Winnipeg Jets iced seven defenders against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, and Ville Heinola wasn’t among them, the writing was very much on the wall for the rookie. Today, the Jets sent Heinola down to the Manitoba Moose, where he can hopefully get ice time and bolster as team that has been quite bad.
Heinola can only play in one more NHL game this year before his NHL contract kicks in and the Jets lose the option of the entry-level slide. David Gustafsson has six games under his belt, so that decision doesn’t have to be made quite yet.
Heinola has one goal and four assists this season in his eight games, and seemed to fit in well on defence, averaging 18:04 of ice time per game, and sporting a Corsi For % of 50.2. Not bad for an 18-year-old.
Heinola will join fellow prospects Sami Niku, Johnathan Kovacevic and Logan Stanley on the Moose. Niku is returning from injury, while Stanley projects to be on the shelf for a few weeks with a “mid-to-upper body injury”.
The Moose host the Grand Rapids Griffins in a pair of afternoon games this weekend at Bell MTS Place.
