It’s like déjà vu for Winnipeg Jets defenceman Ville Heinola — and not in a good way at all.
Jets head coach Scott Arniel delivered the bad news following the completion of Day 2 of training camp at Hockey For All Centre when he told reporters Heinola has an infection in the ankle he broke last fall and will be sidelined for at least a week.
“This isn’t day to day. Wee’ll come back on this in about a week or so and see where he’s at,” Arniel said. “But it’s a little more serious than what we thought. It gets you in the gut after what happened last year. ”
Arniel was making reference to Heinola being on the verge of making the Jets 12 months ago, only to suffer a broken ankle in Winnipeg’s second-last exhibition game against Ottawa.
The 23-year-old Finnish blue liner had some swelling around the ankle prior to the start of camp, but a team spokesperson told reporters the cause wasn’t determined until blood work results came back from medical testing on Wednesday.
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Defenceman Simon Lundmark was also sidelined for Friday’s afternoon skate after getting hit with a shot on Day 1 and is considered day to day.
But the larger concern is for Heinola who will have to wait to see what the next course of action will be from the Jets medical staff. “I’m not a doctor and I don’t play one on TV,” quipped Arniel. “I’ve had great talks with him (Heinola) over the summer and he was so excited about coming back. It’s a setback and these are things that make you stronger.”
The misfortune for Heinola means some adjusting for the Jets on the blue line because it was anticipated that Winnipeg’s first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft would form a third defence pair with veteran Colin Miller.
“Like I said yesterday, I don’t know where we’re going to be when we open up against the Edmonton Oilers for our first game in October — it’s injuries, it’s play. So right now everyone gets moved up one notch,” Arniel said. “It’s theirs to go out and perform in practice and show that they can play. In the exhibition games, obviously some of these D are going to get another look. It’s theirs to go out and grasp.”
That group would include the likes of veterans Logan Stanley, Haydn Fleury and Dylan Coghlan as well as highly regarded rookie prospect Elias Salomonsson.
And that opportunity will begin with Saturday’s 7 p.m. pre-season opener at Canada Life Centre against the Minnesota Wild — a game Arniel confirmed that Heinola was supposed to play in.
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