As expected, Cole Perfetti was not on the ice for the Winnipeg Jets’ first post-training camp practice on Sunday morning.
Also as expected, Perfetti will not be in the lineup when the Jets open the regular season Thursday night at home to the Dallas Stars.
Head coach Scott Arniel did not sound optimistic about Perfetti Friday night following the 5-4 shootout win in Calgary that put a wrap on Winnipeg’s six-game exhibition schedule.
And Arniel confirmed those concerns to the reporters covering Sunday’s practice at Hockey For All Centre — revealing Perfetti will be sidelined week to week with what’s believed to be a high ankle sprain.
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It’s a freakish type of injury, just like the broken wrist Dylan Samberg suffered the week before, also against the Flames.
Toss in the extended absence of captain Adam Lowry, and the Jets will look a lot different from the team they were supposed to be for the first month and a half or so of the schedule.
Haydn Fleury came out of the pre-season looking like he’s ready to step up in place of Samberg. Logan Stanley, not as much. If the big blue liner can’t provide the consistency required by a contending team, there are others waiting in the wings.
You could argue, with justification, that Nikita Chibrikov and Parker Ford might not be on an NHL roster for opening night had it not been for Perfetti’s misfortune. But they’re still here, and Arniel says Chibrikov will continue to skate with Jonathan Toews and Gus Nyquist on the second line when the team goes back to work on Tuesday.
The opportunity is there for the young Russian forward, whose confidence meter has to be pinging after signing a two-year, one-way extension on Sunday.
But if he falters, there are options.
For sure, Perfetti will not celebrate a second consecutive ironman regular-season schedule of 82 games played. And almost with the same certainty, we can predict that a 15-1 start to the season by Winnipeg this year is highly unlikely, given the circumstances.
But that does not mean the Jets will start 1-15 either.
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