Following Saturday night’s 4-2 preseason win over the Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel described Dylan Samberg having to leave the game early in the second period as a result of a “freak injury.”
On Monday afternoon, the Jets bench boss added some clarity to the situation by confirming Samberg suffered a broken wrist in a collision with Flames forward Ryan Lomberg, and will be sidelined for the next six to eight weeks.
“Man oh man, it’s like the first day of camp last year when we lost two D,” Arniel told reporters at the Jets Hockey For All Centre practice facility on Monday afternoon. “Unfortunately, he’s a big part of our hockey team but we’ve asked guys to step up before and this is all part of that battle.”
A season ago, Samberg suffered a fractured bone in his foot on Nov. 23-24 when blocking a Steven Stamkos slapshot in Winnipeg’s 4-1 loss at Nashville and wound up missing 21 games before returning to the lineup on Jan. 10 of this year.
The time frame for this most recent injury is about the same — except the Jets will also be without captain Adam Lowry during most of, if not all of Samberg’s recovery period. So Arniel says this is where the Jets’ depth will be put to the test.
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“Guys battling for jobs, whether that’s in practice or the exhibition games, every day you’re doing something — you’re being evaluated and here we go, now we have opportunities and guys are going to have to step up for that spot.”
Haydn Fleury was promoted to fill Samberg’s position as the left side partner of Neal Pionk on Winnipeg’s second defence pair last winter. And it’s expected the former Carolina Hurricane and #7 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft will draw that assignment again this time around.
But there are a trio of others who will be pushing for that job. That group includes Logan Stanley, Ville Heinola, and organizational newcomer Kale Clague. Stanley told reporters following Monday’s practice “it sucks when anyone goes down,” but Samberg’s injury also opens the door to potential playing time at the NHL level for a number of players battling to stay at the big league level.
“As a professional you have to come in and work hard everyday and try to bring the best you can and see what happens from there,” said the six foot seven inch, 228-pound blueliner. “Obviously we’ve got a deep team, we showed that last year, and again we’re going to have a deep team this year and that’s a positive for our group.”
There was also some concern about star goalie Connor Hellebuyck coming out of Monday’s session. Hellebuyck left the ice early “because something wasn’t quite right” according to Arniel, who had not spoken to the medical staff prior to his media availability.
Arniel didn’t want to comment any further regarding Hellebuyck’s status for the final two games of the preseason. He is scheduled to start Tuesday Night in St. Paul against the Minnesota Wild and then Friday in Calgary.
Winnipeg opens regular season play Thursday, Oct. 9 at Canada Life Centre when they host the Dallas Stars in what will be Jonathan Toews’ official debut in a Jets jersey.
