The Winnipeg Jets play second leg of preseason back-to-back Saturday in an all-Canadian matchup versus the Calgary Flames.
The Winnipeg Jets look to rebound after a two straight losses to open up the preseason with a Saturday night matchup against a Canadian rival in the Calgary Flames. They will play the second leg of a back-to-back after failing 4-0 to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday.
Jets Drop Third Straight Preseason Game With Loss to Oilers On Friday
The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets">Winnipeg Jets</a> lose both legs of their home-and-home with the Edmonton Oilers on Friday.
Winnipeg has won five of its last nine preseason matchups against Calgary and will aim to build on that success with a strong lineup in Saturday’s exhibition game. The Jets are expected to ice their top two forward units, providing a key opportunity for those lines to build chemistry ahead of the regular season. Meanwhile, the bottom six will be filled with players battling for NHL roster spots, making this a pivotal game in their bid to crack the lineup.
The Flames will face a full-strength Jets squad, with Winnipeg icing all of their top-six forwards. Their dangerous top line of Mark Scheifele, Gabe Vilardi, and Kyle Connor will be in action, along with a second unit featuring Cole Perfetti, Jonathan Toews, and Gustav Nyquist.
On the blue line, the Jets will also roll out their top four defensemen with Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo leading the way, followed by Neal Pionk and Dylan Samberg. Winnipeg's backup goaltender Eric Comrie enters a contract year and will be looking to elevate his play enough to restart contract talks as he gets the start in goal. Desperate to snap their losing streak, the Jets are going all-in, and on paper, they’ll likely have the edge in terms of lineup strength.
On the prospect front, Winnipeg will be rolling out Nikita Chibrikov and Brayden Yager on the third line alongside AHL call-up Walker Duehr. Meanwhile, Parker Ford will center a line with Fabian Wagner and Jaret Anderson-Dolan. These six players are vying for bottom-six roles and will be competing directly with Morgan Barron and Cole Koepke.
To earn a spot, they’ll need to prove themselves in key areas including two-way play, offensive upside, and special teams contributions, especially since both Barron and Koepke are regulars on the penalty kill.
Calgary will be starting a few notable NHLers and prospects as well with Matt Coronato, Morgan Frost and Connor Zary on the offense while Kevin Bahl and Zayne Parkeh headline the defensive starters.
Colby Barlow Impresses in Jets Preseason Loss Against Oilers
<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets">Jets </a>former first round pick puts on impressive performance in preseason loss to the Oilers Tuesday