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Winnipeg Jets: Appleton’s Departure Could Open Door for Jets’ Prospects

By Kieran Hurley |
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 22: Ville Heinola #34 of the Manitoba Moose (R) celebrates his overtime goal with teammate Cole Perfetti #17 (L) against the Laval Rocket at the Bell Centre on February 22, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. The Manitoba Moose defeated the Laval Rocket 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 22: Ville Heinola #34 of the Manitoba Moose (R) celebrates his overtime goal with teammate Cole Perfetti #17 (L) against the Laval Rocket at the Bell Centre on February 22, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. The Manitoba Moose defeated the Laval Rocket 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

As we continue to address the fallout of the expansion draft and how losing Mason Appleton affects the Winnipeg Jets, after writing yesterday about how the expansion draft could be considered a win for the Jet’s defense, today we will discuss how losing Appleton could open a lineup spot for a Jets prospect to take.

Winnipeg now has a huge hole on the third line. Appleton is now gone and there is some uncertainty on if the Jets will resign pending unrestricted free agent, Mathieu Perreault. The only remaining player from last season’s third line is Adam Lowry.

This could all be a silver lining though. Winnipeg has some outstanding prospects waiting in the wings and there is a huge lineup gap for someone to take.

Mason Appleton’s departure may have created a lineup spot that a Winnipeg Jets prospect could take

There are a handful of prospects and players who are on the cusp of cracking the Jets lineup that may be able to take a third line spot.

Some of those players include Kristian Vesalinen and David Gustafsson, both of which have some NHL experience. Vesalinen had more of an impact this past season, appearing in 12 regular season games and then four postseason games. The twenty-two-year-old only picked up one assist in those 16 games.

Gustaffson played in four games for Winnipeg in 2021 and did not register a point. Before that in 2019-2020, the twenty-one-year-old skated in 22 games that season and impressed many.

Besides Vesalinen and Gustafsson, there is also Cole Perfetti who may be ready to make the jump to the NHL this upcoming season. Perfetti played outstanding in the AHL last season scoring 26 points in 32 games while also impressing at the international level.

Even though the Jets lost a key player in Appleton, there is now a great opportunity for a young inexperienced player like Vesalinen, Gustafsson, or Perfetti to take the vacant lineup spot out of training camp and become a mainstay in Winnipeg’s lineup next season.

Winnipeg Jets Fans: Who is your early pick for Winnipeg Jets rookie of the year for next season? Leave your comments below!

Next. Winnipeg Jets Defense Wins at Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft. dark

*All Stats Provided by Elite Prospects*

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