The Winnipeg Jets training camp roster is now down to 40 names (three goalies, 12 defencemen, 25 forwards) following a second wave of assignments and releases that were announced Saturday evening.
The group of nine players assigned to the AHL Manitoba Moose includes goalies Oskari Salminen and Thomas Milic, defencemen Tyrel Bauer, Artemi Kniazev, Dmitry Kuzmin, and Simon Lundmark — as well as forwards Nikita Chibrikov, Brad Lambert, and Daniel Torgersson.
Defenceman Dean Stewart was also released from his professional try out and will be on the ice for the opening of Moose camp on Monday at the Hockey For All Centre.
The Jets roster heading into the final week of training camp and their NHL pre-season schedule includes goaltenders Connor Hellebuyck, Laurent Brossoit, and Collin Delia.
The returning top six on defence of Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk, Brenden Dillon, Nate Schmidt and Dylan Samberg are joined by Ville Heinola, Logan Stanley, Declan Chisholm, Kyle Capobianco, Elias Salomonsson, and Ashton Sautner.
Up front, there are still 25 forwards on the roster. That list includes the four forward lines expected to start the regular season:
Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Gabriel Vilardi
Nikolaj Ehlers-Cole Perfetti-Nino Niederreiter
Alex Iafollo-Adam Lowry-Mason Appleton
Morgan Barron-Rasmus Kupari-Vlad Namestnikov.
The other 13 forwards in the mix are (alphabetically) Colby Barlow, Wyatt Bongiovanni, Parker Ford, David Gustafsson, Jansen Harkins, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, Chaz Lucius, Jeff Malott, Henri Nikkanen, Kristian Reichel, Dominic Toninato, Jeffrey Viel, and Dani Zhilkin.
Neither Connor or Vilardi skated in Saturday’s practice due to illness. Head coach Rick Bowness said if Connor or Vilardi weren’t able to practice on Sunday they would not be expected to be in the lineup for Monday Night’s pre-season game in Calgary.
Iafollo and Namestnikov skated with Scheifele on Saturday in place of Connor and Vilardi.
Of the 13 forwards battling for the final one or possibly two roster spots available to start the season on the big team — Ford, Gustafsson, Jonsson-Fjallby, and Viel skated with the main group on Saturday.
Bowness has said the plan is to dress a “veteran-heavy” lineup for the final two exhibition games in Calgary on Monday and at home against Ottawa on Thursday.
Monday’s broadcast on 680 CJOB begins at 6 p.m. CT with the pre-game show, followed by the play by play at 8 p.m. from the Scotiabank Saddledome with Paul Edmonds and Mitchell Clinton.
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