The Winnipeg Jets will wrap up their exhibition schedule tonight when they take on the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome. And with most NHL teams within 4 or 5 players of the required 23 man roster, we will finally get to see how our Jets will do against a squad full of big league talent. The Jets are entering the game with a 2-2-1 record (5 pts), but the Flames have been on a tear in the pre-season (5-1-1 for 11 pts).
Calgary will be dressing something close to their eventual opening day lineup and Winnipeg’s coaching staff has responded in kind. Here is what the Jets’ Scott Arniel has come up with for the 8 pm CST match versus the Flames:
The forwards above represent the exact same 12 that opened up the 2023-24 campaign and while it is possible Winnipeg will run with that group again, the coach was quoted as basically saying that nothing was set in stone at this point. With 29 players left in camp, the Jets should have 6 or 7 players left to cut before opening day, but the injuries to Ville Heinola & Logan Stanley have reduced that to 4 or 5.
On defense, we see the expected top 4 with Haydn Fleury filling the spot of the injured Jets’ defensemen. You have to wonder if that means he has the inside track to be the guy starting the season or whether this is one final audition to out-perform young Elias Salomonsson.
In between the pipes, Connor Hellebuyck gets his third start of the pre-season, and will be hoping to continue an upward trajectory since Bucky’s forgettable debut. For the second straight contest, Eric Comrie will be sitting in full gear watching Winnipeg’s starter at work…does that mean that Kaapo Kahkonen will be the one sent down to the Moose?
Puck drops in approximately 2 hours……Go Winnipeg GO!!!!
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