Jets’ Hellebuyck good to go, Samberg out 6-8 weeks

The Winnipeg Jets already knew they’d be starting the new season without shutdown centre and captain Adam Lowry, who is recovering from hip surgery.

Now comes another big body blow for a club with championship aspirations: defenceman Dylan Samberg will miss six to eight weeks after suffering a broken wrist in what head coach Scott Arniel called a “freak accident.”

“Unfortunate. He’s a big part of our hockey team,” said Arniel.

Samberg, 26, was injured after absorbing a hard but clean hit from Calgary forward Ryan Lomberg during Saturday’s pre-season game at Canada Life Centre. The timeline means he could miss 14 to 20 games, with a projected return between Nov. 8 and Nov. 22.

“It’s tough. It unfortunately comes with the job, because you want to play some games and be sharp. But, obviously, things happen out there. It’s a physical game, so fluky play,” defenceman Dylan DeMelo said Tuesday.

“I guess the only silver lining you can take out of it is that it’s really early in the year. And we’ll just have to step up here and do the job as a group.”

Samberg’s skates will be difficult to fill. Samberg brings elite defensive play, physicality, penalty-killing prowess and an improving offensive touch. He is coming off a career-best season and signed a three-year extension this summer worth US$5.75 million annually

“This is all part of that battle, guys battling for jobs,” said Arniel.

“Whether that’s in practice or that’s in exhibition games, every day you’re doing something, you’re being evaluated. Here we go. Now we’ve got opportunities.”

The Jets endured a similar stretch without Samberg last year, when he missed 21 games with a broken foot from blocking a Steven Stamkos slapshot. Winnipeg went 11-8-2 during his absence, compared to 45-14-2 the rest of the season.

“The rest of us just have to step up and, you know, absorb a little bit more of a load. And just do what we do best,” said defenceman Haydn Fleury, who got the first crack last time at filling Samberg’s spot on the second pairing with Neal Pionk.

Whether recent history repeats itself remains to be seen. On Tuesday in Minnesota, Logan Stanley skated alongside Pionk, while Fleury paired with DeMelo — who normally partners with Josh Morrissey on the top duo. Ville Heinola and Colin Miller rounded out the other unit for the Jets’ penultimate pre-season game.

Morrissey and veteran Luke Schenn are both healthy scratches, along with depth defenders Kale Clague and Elias Salomonsson.

Morrissey, DeMelo and Pionk are locks. The other three starting spots — two once Samberg returns — along with a pair of depth jobs remain up for grabs.

“We’ll see how it plays itself out. All I can do is give them a chance, put them on the ice, put them in those opportunities so they can go excel and do what they do best,” said Arniel.

Fleury, Heinola, Miller, Stanley, Schenn and Clague would all require waivers to be sent down to the Manitoba Moose. Salomonsson does not, which could work against him.

“We have a diverse group of guys who can skate, along with the physical aspects, PK guys and power-play guys. And a couple of guys who can do it all for us,” Stanley said of the next-man-up mentality, particularly on the back end.

“It sucks when anyone goes down, especially a guy who looked so good coming into camp. It is a big hole for us as he is a great player.

Lowry is expected back between late October and mid-November. That means the Jets — the NHL’s stingiest defensive club over the past two seasons — are going to be tested early and often.

Buckle up.

“We’ve always preached that we’re sum of all parts, and we’re gonna need to have that again, maybe a little earlier than we like to, but we’re confident with what we got,” said DeMelo.

There was at least some good news Tuesday. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck — the NHL’s reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner — was a full participant at morning skate at Hockey For All Centre, and is set to make his pre-season debut hours later in St. Paul.

Hellebuyck had caused concern Monday when he warmed up with teammates but left the ice before the official skate began.

“He didn’t feel quite right, so he just came off,” is how Arniel described it. He declined to elaborate a day later, but whatever was bothering Hellebuyck appears to have been minor.

Meanwhile, the Jets continued to trim their roster. Forward Danny Zhilkin was assigned to the Moose, while wingers Mason Shaw and Phil Di Giuseppe, along with defencemen Tyrel Bauer and Isaak Phillips, were placed on waivers.

Shaw and Di Giuseppe cleared Tuesday afternoon and will report to the Moose. Bauer and Phillips will follow Wednesday if unclaimed.

Winnipeg now has 40 players left in camp, including the injured Samberg, Lowry and Kieron Walton — a junior prospect recovering from a concussion who will return to the OHL once cleared. The Jets must get down to a maximum of 23 healthy skaters by Monday. Another round of cuts is expected Wednesday.

The regular season begins Oct. 9 when Winnipeg hosts the Dallas Stars at Canada Life Centre.

“I think training camp can get long and gruelling, and you’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel here,” Fleury said.

“And this group is just excited to get going. I think we got a good mojo around the team. All the guys are excited to be back, and we’re having a lot of fun together, a lot of good banter.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg