Vlad Namestnikov Post-game Winnipeg Jets defenceman Ville Heinola was called up by the team on November 25, 2024, to fill in for defenseman Dylan Samberg, who broke his foot off a blocked shot on a Steven Stamkos one-timer. The Jets will add Heinola to the lineup after expressing interest in giving him a chance at the NHL level this season. The plans were halted when Heinola himself got injured with a knee injury that was after a slew of other injuries that have held him out of the lineup and away from hockey for over 700 days. Heinola, a 23-year-old defenseman, had been performing well with the Jets' AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, where he has showcased solid playmaking skills and offensive contributions that resulted in almost a point-per-game average over the past two seasons. The Jets hope he will be able to fill in the hole left by Samberg as he played a pivotal role in their defensive structure. The call-up was certainly needed as Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo noted the difficulty in playing without a sixth defenceman following their 4-1 loss versus the Nashville Predators on Saturday. "Anytime you go down a D man, obviously everybody's got to step up, and not just the defence but the fowards," DeMelo said "Obviously you have to recognize that, maybe work harder back for us, but just be cautious. We're down a man and that we're not as fresh as we like to be." This call-up is significant for Heinola’s career, as he has been frequently bounced between the NHL and AHL since being drafted by the Jets in 2019. Heinola's return to the ice should provide an interesting storyline for their matchup tonight versus the Minnesota Wild.
