\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
![\"Nathan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4630034_web1_CP174678994.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
Nathan Denette \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Goalies Stuart Skinner, left, and Calvin Pickard went all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, twice, as teammates on the Edmonton Oilers.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
So when the puck drops inside Canada Life Centre on Tuesday and the Jets and Minnesota Wild meet for the first of four times this season, Skinner and Pickard will go head-to-head for the first time in their careers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually texted him (Sunday) night, \u2018you couldn\u2019t have written it up better,\u2019\u201d Skinner said after Monday\u2019s workout. \u201cHe\u2019s a fantastic human being. He\u2019s one of my best buddies. He\u2019s helped me a lot, in so many different ways. We went to the (Stanley Cup) final twice together, so that really brings out a true bond and friendship. I\u2019m excited to see him out there and I\u2019m excited to play (against) him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve really leaned on each other through these years and we still talk all the time and still text all the time and FaceTime, all of those good things. That\u2019s the great thing about technology,\u201d<\/p>\n
After Skinner signed a two-year deal with the Jets on July 1, Pickard, a Winnipegger, told the Free Press that \u201cWinnipeg was getting a good one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been undervalued for what he\u2019s done in his career so far.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been undervalued for what he\u2019s done in his career so far,\u201d Pickard said on the same day he signed a one-year deal with the Wild. \u201cHe\u2019s a horse. He can play a ton, he\u2019s durable and he\u2019s got a ton of experience. He\u2019s dominated playoff series.\u2019 You can read whatever you want and see the stuff that\u2019s written online about him, but the truth of the matter is he\u2019s played a lot of good hockey.\u201d<\/p>\n
That trend has continued in the early days with the Jets, with Skinner going 2-0-1 while posting a 2.62 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.<\/p>\n
Pickard is set to make his first start for the Wild after Jesper Wallstedt got the call against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday in St. Paul, Minn.<\/p>\n
The Jets are set for a stretch of four games against Central Division opponents, with a date against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes sandwiched in between, which means Skinner should stay busy during the next two weeks.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg is off to a 3-1-1 start, which is encouraging for Jets head coach Scott Arniel, but Friday\u2019s 5-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks was a not-so-subtle reminder that the absence of consistent secondary scoring needs to be remedied.<\/p>\n
With that in mind, Monday\u2019s line combinations featured tweaks to three of the four lines in the quest to find both chemistry and balance.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Matt Slocum \/ The Associated Press Files<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Nino Niederreiter was skating on the second line with Viggo Bjorck and Gabriel Vilardi at Jets practice, Monday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Although Arniel was quick to point out he hadn\u2019t made a final determination about the roster against the Wild, Monday provided a few hints, including a potential promotion for Nino Niederreiter \u2013 who was skating alongside Viggo Bjorck and Gabriel Vilardi after sitting out the past three games as a healthy scratch.<\/p>\n Niederreiter went without a shot or a shot attempt in the first two games of the season, but he had a bit more bounce to his step during Monday\u2019s workout and sounded optimistic.<\/p>\n \u201cEach and every day I come to the rink, I try to do (my) best. It\u2019s something I always know that\u2019s what I\u2019ve got to do,\u201d said Niederreiter, who admitted the early healthy scratches have been tough to handle. \u201cObviously, there are certain things which you want to say, (others) you don\u2019t want to say. So, I\u2019m just going to leave it at that. If he uses me, then great. If not, then I work on myself.\u201d<\/p>\n A return to the lineup for Niederreiter would likely leave Brad Lambert as a healthy scratch.<\/p>\n Lambert has no points and just three shots on goal in five games this season, averaging 10:36 of ice time thus far.<\/p>\n The Jets\u2019 second line has yet to hit the scoresheet at even strength through five games and the same goes for the fourth line, which could be part of the reason Morgan Barron moved back to centre and was flanked by Cole Koepke and Vladislav Namestnikov.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Godofredo A. V\u00e1squez \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Morgan Barron looks to be playing centre on the Jets fourth line between Cole Koepke and Vladislav Namestnikov.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Barron has been used alongside both Bjorck and captain Adam Lowry, but Jets head coach Scott Arniel believes there is one aspect of his game that has yet to be on full display while playing on the wing.<\/p>\n \u201cI know I\u2019ve been using (Barron) as a winger on that checking line, but I just really am a big fan of him in the middle of the ice,\u201d said Arniel, noting that Barron could help improve the face-off numbers as well. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t really show his speed like he shows up when he\u2019s playing centre.\u201d<\/p>\n No matter what combinations end up being used, the Jets fully recognize they can\u2019t be as reliant as they\u2019ve been on the top line so far, since Kyle Connor (six) and Cole Perfetti (three) have combined for nine of the 13 goals the team has scored.<\/p>\n Defensively, the Jets have allowed 15 goals (one of which was an empty-netter), but are showing signs of playing a style that is repeatable.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, we\u2019re faster, quicker to close,\u201d said Arniel. \u201cWe\u2019re doing a better job of not getting stuck in our end for extended periods of time.\u201d<\/p>\n The status of Jets top defenceman Josh Morrissey for Tuesday\u2019s game remains up in the air.<\/p>\n While Arniel said Morrissey (who missed Friday\u2019s game with an upper-body injury) remains day-to-day, he was out on the ice with skills coach Matt Larke for some work, but didn\u2019t participate with the main group.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t MOOSE TRACKS: The Jets\u2019 primary affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, are off to a 3-1 start in American Hockey League action, outscoring opponents 18-6. The offence has been led by veteran Noah Gregor, who has already racked up four goals and seven points, which put him in a prime position if the Jets are looking for a recall candidate up front. Kevin He (three goals, four points), Brayden Yager (two goals, four points) and Danny Zhilkin (one goal, four points) are also off to a strong start. Between the pipes, Dom DiVincentiis has turned aside 67 of 69 shots on goal for a .971 save percentage and 1.00 goals-against average, while Thomas Milic is sporting a .920 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average. The Moose host the Texas Stars on Friday night and Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/kenwiebe<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Ken Wiebe Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Reporter
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n