Position battle results for the Winnipeg Jets were seemingly confirmed after a flurry of roster moves heading into Friday's preseason finale.
The Winnipeg Jets announced a series of roster moves over the last 48 hours with several big-name players being removed from the roster and assigned to the minors or let go from their professional tryouts.
Several notable names were recently reassigned, including goaltender Thomas Milic and top prospects Elias Salomonsson, Brayden Yager, and Colby Barlow, all of whom were sent back to the minors or their respective junior teams. Among the latest roster cuts were preseason standout Danny Zhilkin, along with Phil Di Giuseppe, Mason Shaw, Tyrel Bauer, Isaak Phillips, Dawson Barteaux, Ashton Sautner, Kale Clague, Jaret Anderson-Dolan, Samuel Fagemo, and the injured Kieron Walton, all of whom were also demoted to the minors or junior levels.
The moves subtly reveal some interesting parts of the Jets lineup moving forward with some players still battling for unconfirmed main roster spots while others have had their roles seemingly confirmed because of the roster adjustments.
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Confirmed: Domenic DiVincentiis Lands Third Goalie Role
With just three goaltenders left on the roster, it's fairly safe to say that DiVincentiis has emerged as the third option for the Jets in between the pipes. A surprising result as many like EliteProspects had netminders Isaac Poulter and Thomas Milic ahead of him in the organization's depth chart. The 21-year-old Bolton native has fought hard to earn his role with his most impressive game of the preseason being a 38-save performance against the Montreal Canadiens in a prospect game that saw him make several goal-saving stops while turning away Calder trophy favorite Ivan Demidov.
In an exclusive interview with the Hockey News, DiVincentiis said that his goal for the season was to make his NHL debut and was working towards that in the off-season and it appears to be within reach.
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Unconfirmed: Chibrikov, Ford Nearing Main Roster Spots
Most of the Jets’ forward group is already set, with the main uncertainty lying on the fourth line. Newcomers Tanner Pearson and Cole Koepke are expected to fill depth roles alongside Morgan Barron at center, though several other contenders remain in the mix. Top prospects like Nikita Chibrikov and Parker Ford have seen their bright spots in the preseason and have continually kept their name in the conversation for a main roster role.
Among them is two forwards with experience in bottom-six roles with David Gustafsson and Walker Duehr. The group of four are all still in the hunt for the two starting jobs will the heat being dialled all the way up in the Jets preseason finale versus the Flames on Friday.
Confirmed: Miller, Heinola Will Fill In as Depth Defense Options
It's crucial to know who will be able to step in if defenders get hurt throughout the season as the backend has been the strength of the Jets for the last two seasons and they don't want to lose that edge over the league now. With Dylan Samberg sidelined for six to eight weeks, defenseman Haydn Fleury is expected to contend for the second pairing role that would play alongside Neal Pionk.
To close out the defense, it's also expected that Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn fill in the bottom pairing. With Colin Miller and Ville Heinola still on the roster and not being sent down just yet, it seemingly confirms that the duo will work into the lineup periodically when injuries pile up. Some believed prospect Elias Salomonsson would contend for the same role as Miller and Heinola but he ultimately lost in the position battle and was sent back down to the AHL.
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