The Winnipeg Jets forward left a 2-1 win against the Nashville Predators on Thursday after getting hit by a shot in the midsection during the second period. He returned to play the third period but needed an operation the next day.
"He's had a procedure and he is probably out at least four weeks," Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness said Saturday. "Give him 100 percent a lot of credit to come back and play in the third period like he did. He is one tough cookie. He'll play through everything. This is something that had to be dealt with. It's dealt with and we need him to have a speedy recovery and get him back on the ice and in the room as quick as we can."
Wheeler is tied for fourth on the Jets with 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 29 games.
Karson Kuhlman, who was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, made his Jets debut playing in Wheeler's spot at right wing on the top line with Cole Perfetti and Mark Scheifele in a 5-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. Kuhlman had two shots on goal in 16:32
"We're the Winnipeg Jets. We look for solutions. We don't look for excuses," Bowness said.
Nate Schmidt will miss 4-6 weeks for the Jets after he sustained an upper-body injury Thursday. The defenseman took a hit from forward Tanner Jeannot behind his own net and was placed on injured reserve Friday.
"This is not concussion. He cleared all of that," Bowness said of Schmidt. "This is an upper-body injury. It has nothing to do with a concussion."
Schmidt has six points (three goals, three assists) in 29 games while averaging 19:54 of ice time this season.
Winnipeg recalled Ville Heinola from Manitoba of the American Hockey League on Friday, but the defenseman has missed four games there with an illness. So Kyle Capobianco took Schmidt's spot against Vancouver after being scratched the past 13 games and scored a goal and was plus-2 in 16:43 of ice time.
"We've got to give [Heinola] a chance to get his legs back under him," Bowness said. "He was really sick, and now we just need to get him stronger, but also Kyle has been a great teammate all year. He hasn't played very much, but he comes to the rink every day and he's a true pro. He's worked very, very hard and he's done everything we've asked him to do without one word of complaint, so he certainly deserves a game tonight."
