Winnipeg Jets Game #59: Stray Cat Shuffle

The Winnipeg Jets have exceeded all expectations this season. Conversely, the Florida Panthers have not lived up to expectations the level their talent demands. The two will meet on Sunday night at Bell MTS Place in a game that has more meaning for the Jets than the Cats.

The Winnipeg Jets are one win behind the central division leading Nashville Predators heading into Sunday nights contest with Florida. The Panthers on the other hand…….are out of it and looking at what went wrong this season. When a team has Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Jonathan Huberdeau, Roberto Luongo, Evgeni Dadonov, Radim Vrbata, & Keith Yandle you would expect a solid team contending in their division for a playoff spot. However, they cannot do that if they are all injured. And injured the Florida Panthers have been…..all season. Sound familiar Jets fans?

Without injuries that 10 points put the Panthers in a playoff spot. The Panthers have just gotten healthy though and were able to put out the Calgary Flames in a 6-3 win on Saturday. The Jets come off a 6-1 burying of the Colorado Avalanche. But they are not…..well……as healthy as Florida.

Hospital’s Full

Here is the injury list for the Winnipeg Jets, take a deep breath, this may take a while:

Michael Hutchinson – Hutchinson has a concussion and it is undetermined when he will return.

Adam Lowry – Lowry has been designated with an upper-body injury and it is unclear if he will play against the Panthers on Sunday.

Steve Mason – Mason is on injured reserve also with a concussion. He started skating but there is no definitive timetable for a return.

Shawn Matthias – Matthias sustained an upper-body injury and is without a timetable for return.

Brandon Tanev – Tanev has an upper-body injury and is on a week-to-week basis.

Jacob Trouba – Trouba has an ankle injury and is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks.

Well, time to test that “Team Depth” again and see if the Jets can keep rolling forward past Florida and back to the top of the central.

That Guy Looks Familiar

I figured it had been so long since we’ve seen Mark Scheifele that I may not recognize him on the ice. Instead, Mark has been anything but unnoticeable. Scheifele has been the Jets best player since his return with 2 goals and 7 points in three games. He has ignited the Jets offense once again by picking up where he left off before his injury. Good to have him back and healthy.

Three Things to Watch For

The Jet’s Defense – The Trouba-less Jets defense has been a mixed bag from good to not-so-good. This is once again another great shot for guys like Tucker Poolman, Ben Chiarot, and Josh Morrissey to show they can handle NHL duty.

Next: Winnipeg Jets: 3 Crazy Stats/Facts From This Season

James Reimer – James Reimer has the ability to shut down opposing offenses. He can be inconsequential in one game and dominating the next. Which one shows up will really have a lot of bearing on how this game plays out.

Keith Yandle’s Fake-outs – Learn from this Connor Helebuyck. If it can happen to Pekka Rinne, it can happen to anyone.