COVID WORLD
After Blake Wheeler entered the NHL's COVID protocols during the Jets road trip, Mark Scheifele joined him yesterday in that department with a positive test. Scheifele is asymptomatic and has since tested negative. If he has another negative test, he's able to come out of protocol and play tonight vs. Anaheim. Should Scheifele play this evening the forward lines will look exactly the same as they did Tuesday against the Wild. If he can't play, Paul Maurice will go with 11 forwards and seven defenceman. Dominic Toninato has been recalled from the Manitoba Moose and will make his season debut tonight.
"Nothing comes easy with this world," said Paul Stastny.
"The guys that can play tonight will be ready to go."
BIG IMPACT
Brendan Dillon was added this offseason to bring some physicality to the Jets blueline and he has delivered so far three games into his Jets career. He has 14 hits, which has him 10th in the NHL in that department. Last season with Washington, Dillon averaged 2.6 hits per game. He and Neal Pionk have worked well together on the teams second defence pairing.
OFFENCE FROM THE DEFENCE
After being held off the scoresheet in the season opener, the Jets blueline has heated up offensively contributing 32.1% of the team's points this season, that has them ranked fifth in the NHL. Neal Pionk leads the way with three assists, Josh Morrissey has a goal and an assist, Brendan Dillon, Logan Stanley and Nate Schmidt have an assist each. This is a big change already from last season with the Jets forwards being responsible for 82.5% of the teams points which was the best production in the NHL.
Winnipeg Jets : Ground Control
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Fly By - Oct. 21, 2021 - Jets vs Ducks
DUCKS SURPRISING
The Ducks were listed as one of the teams in the league that is in the midst of a rebuild to start the 2021-22 season. Four games in, the Ducks are 2-2 including a win over Winnipeg on opening night and an overtime victory on the road in Calgary. Anaheim's two setbacks have been one goal defeats. Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale and Benoit-Olivier Groulx are the new wave of Ducks and players to keep an eye on tonight and likely netminder Josh Gibson who has been outstanding out of the gate.
