BLOG: Iafallo's turn with Scheifele and Connor

WINNIPEG – Last Friday, Jets head coach Scott Arniel was asked about if he had thought about breaking up his number one line of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi.

“Believe me, I’ve debated this for a long time. We’ve been talking about it. I’ve got some ideas,” said Arniel last week.

“But at the end of the day, we are getting zero goals and it’s hard when that line can score like that. You hope they can go out and do what they do and outscore the opposition.”

On Saturday in Edmonton, Arniel did break up his top line putting Alex Iafallo up with Scheifele and Connor trying to get a spark as the team trailed 4-0 to the Oilers after one period and eventually lost 6-2.

Monday morning, at the Jets practice, the top line once again had Alex Iafallo with Connor and Scheifele.

“I'm just trying, obviously, to spark some people, spark some lines, spark some consistency, on the offensive side of things,” said Arniel.

“Just trying to find something that works here.”

This is nothing new for Iafallo as he has played with Connor and Scheifele many times before including ten straight games to close out the regular season in 2024-25 when Vilardi was hurt.

“I mean, obviously changes have been made and that's just how it goes this hockey thing. It's a roller coaster sometimes,” said Iafallo who has four goals and nine points this season.

“And at the end of the day, you got to work with your team, work with your line mates, play as hard as you can, and you get out of those situations. And you build momentum as a team. So, I think that's what you know we're gonna do here.”

DIVINCENTIIS’ TURN

The Jets announced earlier in the day that they have reassigned Thomas Milic to the Manitoba Moose and recalled Dominic DiVincentiis. Milic appeared in three games, including his first NHL start on the road against Carolina on November 28. Milic went 0-1-0 with a 3.46 goals against average and .871 save percentage.

“We were going to get the two of them here. I want them around Flats (Jets goaltending coach Wade Flaherty). I want them to go through these practice days. I want them to see our shooters. I want them to be around our group,” said Arniel.

“These are two young goaltenders that are all part of the process of building. As we know, it's a very, very tough position to play.”

Like Milic, DiVincentiis won some hardware in junior as he won the 2022-23 OHL Goaltender of the Year award. The 21-year-old found out about the call-up on Sunday and arrived back in Winnipeg with the Moose at 10:30 pm and got ready for practice.

“Obviously super excited, but also tired getting off the plane. It can’t get better than this. You’re in the NHL and these guys treated me amazing coming in here today,” said DiVincentiis.

“I was with them for pre-season, but to see all of their faces again and hop on the ice with them is pretty special.”

Arniel added that DiVincentiis will get to play at some point. Winnipeg will play four straight games at home over seven days.

“Ultimately, I’ve waited for this moment to be called up and now that I’m here,” said DiVincentiis.

“I’ve just got to continue getting better every day and wait for my opportunity.”

HELLEBUYCK UPDATE

The Jets number one goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was on the ice before his teammates at around 10 am. Arniel didn’t have much of an update in terms of when Hellebuyck could be back.

“When you start seeing him in practice then we'll have a conversation,” said Arniel.

“He had done some movement off ice, now he's doing some movement on ice.”