In some unlucky information for the Winnipeg Jets, defenceman Ville Heinola suffered one other setback final week that’s more likely to preserve him off the opening-night roster. Whereas the Jets nonetheless have six defencemen to ice, the workforce now has new issues to take care of because the season kicks off.
Final 12 months, Heinola broke his ankle within the last preseason sport of coaching camp towards the Ottawa Senators. His damage was unhealthy sufficient that he wanted surgical procedure, missed half of the Manitoba Moose season, and didn’t see any NHL taking part in time. Now, Heinola has an an infection in that very same foot. Particularly, that an infection appears to be associated to the screw he had put in his ankle final 12 months through the surgical procedure. Jets head coach Scott Arniel advised reporters final week that the difficulty is “just a little extra critical than we thought.”
Ville Heinola is out and it is not quick time period. The workforce found a possible an infection throughout medicals and now his ankle has swollen up on the web site of the screw from final 12 months’s surgical procedure.
Should really feel for the younger participant who was virtually definitely on the cusp of a job.
— Murat Ates (@WPGMurat) September 20, 2024
The 23-year-old defenceman was drafted twentieth general by the Jets within the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and was ranked top-of-the-line worldwide prospects that 12 months. On Oct. 8, 2019, Heinola scored his first NHL objective. Since then, he’s principally performed with the Moose, having solely appeared in 35 video games with the Jets. Final season, he was poised to make the opening-night roster till he broke his ankle. Sadly, it appears his an infection is as soon as once more going to depart him sidelined indefinitely.
The Jets Will Should Ice Totally different Defencemen in Heinola’s Absence
With Heinola set to be out long run, the Jets have a couple of different choices to fill that hole. Through the offseason, normal supervisor Kevin Cheveldayoff signed two depth defencemen, Dylan Coghlan and Haydn Fleury, to two-way contracts. Each of them have NHL expertise, and with out Heinola within the lineup, they’ve a brand new alternative to compete for a roster spot.
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Between the 2 of them, Fleury is extra more likely to crack the highest seven. He’s been within the league for eight seasons whereas Coghlan’s solely performed for 4. Fleury was beginning to ramp up final season with the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier than he collided with referee Steve Kozari in the course of a sport and sustained an damage that left him sidelined for the remainder of the season. Coghlan solely performed in a single NHL sport final season. Every of them have performed in a single preseason sport thus far they usually each solely had one shot on objective. Regardless, the workforce will possible give every of them an excellent look as coaching camp progresses to interchange Heinola.
Heinola Being Out Lengthy Time period May Affect the Commerce Deadline
It’s method too quickly to say how huge of an affect Heinola’s damage may need quick time period, but when he’s out for the season once more, the Jets could prioritize a defenceman on the 2025 Commerce Deadline. The defensive core already took successful with the lack of Brenden Dillon within the offseason, so the lack of Heinola stings much more in that regard.
To not point out, the impact of dropping out on one other top-six defenceman could possibly be detrimental to workforce success. Winnipeg had top-of-the-line defensive cores final season, however with out Dillon and Heinola, it would solely take one different long-term damage to essentially harm the workforce. The place the workforce focuses their efforts on the deadline is totally depending on their success through the season, however it’s nonetheless attainable Heinola’s damage might go away a long-term impact like this down the road.
The Jets Will Should Resolve on Heinola’s Future
With the severity and frequency of his accidents and associated points, it wouldn’t come as a shock if the Jets began trying extra intently at different gamers as a future substitute. Prospect Elias Salomonsson is probably going nonetheless a couple of years away from constant NHL time, so the group would in all probability look elsewhere to fill any blue line gaps within the meantime. Nevertheless, if the workforce not see worth in Heinola, Salomonsson is the most probably prospect the Jets would depend on going ahead.
Most Solutions to the Jets’ Questions Will Come Down the Line
That being stated, it’s too early to say what Heinola’s future with the Jets appears to be like like, particularly for the reason that severity of the an infection has but to be formally decided. One has to hope that his window of alternative hasn’t closed simply but. When he’s wholesome, he’s a powerful defenceman and stays one of many Jets’ prime prospects. Because the season goes on, the workforce will monitor his damage week-to-week and decide the very best plan of action. Till then, the Jets should plug the holes within the lineup the very best that they will.
