Winnipeg Jets’ defenseman Dylan Samberg is ready to return to the lineup Friday night towards the Los Angeles Kings.
Samberg has missed the previous 21 video games with a damaged foot he suffered when blocking a Steven Stamkos one-timer on Nov. 23 towards the Nashville Predators. The 25-year-old was excelling in a second-pairing position alongside Neal Pionk, recording three objectives, three assists, a plus-12 score, and 20:17 in common ice time in 21 video games previous to his harm. He was additionally taking part in a key position on the penalty kill.
Sammy is so IN proper now 🤩 pic.twitter.com/xmO0tMf3XI
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 10, 2025
“(Samberg) has earned clearly the chance to turn out to be a prime 4 defenceman the previous couple of years,” head coach Scott Arniel stated Thursday after Samberg was a full participant in apply for the third-straight day. “Simply him having the ability to go towards top-six forwards, his footwork, his capability to shut, be bodily, be heavy on these guys makes such a distinction… He’s a key piece for us and while you lose these guys, they’re laborious to switch.”
Samberg’s absence left a giant gap on the Jets’ blue line, who went 17-4-1 to begin the season with him within the lineup and have gone 11-8-2 with out him. His return is an especially-welcome sight for the Jets contemplating how battered their defensemen have been: Haydn Fleury and Colin Miller are additionally out (with a lower-body harm and a fractured larynx, respectively) and Josh Morrissey was pressured to depart the staff’s most-recent sport on Jan. 7 with a lower-body situation colliding with Mark Scheifele and crashing into his personal internet. Morrissey seems to have averted any severe harm and is slated to play versus the Kings as nicely, Arniel stated.
Puck drop tonight between the Jets and Kings is 7 p.m. CT at Canada Life Centre.
