Jets’ Depth To Be Tested As Ehlers, Appleton Out Long-Term

Slide on over, Mason Appleton, and make room for Nikolaj Ehlers in the post-op recovery room.

On Saturday morning, Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness announced forward Ehlers will undergo sports hernia surgery this coming week.

This is not the news general manger Kevin Cheveldayoff and his crew anticipated hearing just days after Ehlers took to the ice of Canada Life Centre for a brief individual workout in what appeared to be forward progress in what was then touted as an ‘undisclosed lower-body injury’.

He skated on Wednesday but missed the skate in advance of Winnipeg’s Thursday evening victory over the visiting Anaheim Ducks.

“He obviously didn’t skate today and we’re going to have to make a call here, eventually very soon here, what we’re going to do with him,” Bowness said on Thursday, indicating that everything remained on the table for Ehlers at that point.

Those details have obviously come to light, but the outlook is not positive for the speedy, 26-year-old winger.

On Saturday morning, Bowness cleared the air, indicating Ehlers is indeed headed for the operating room.

“After 7-10 days, it felt like progress was being made,” coach Bowness said. “It was slower progress, no question, but we didn’t push it and we gave it a little extra time, hoping to try and avoid this. We gave him as much time as we could and there comes a point where, ‘Hey, there’s something a little more than we can find right now.’”

Having originally fallen from action back on October 17 in Dallas, Ehlers has attempted coming back on more than one occasion but just hasn’t been able to fully bounce back, leaving the team and its medical staff with little other option.

“He will have a sports hernia surgery next week,” Bowness said. “We won’t know the length of time he will be out until they get in there and see what they’re dealing with. Those details, they will be finalized a little later.”

It has now been 13-straight games that the Danish forward has missed, but to the surprise of some, his team sits second in the Central Division with a 10-4-1 record, despite his extended absence.

“The guys that have stepped up and played those roles have done an exceptional job. We need that,” Bowness said. “They’re top-nine, they’re not easy to replace. Are we missing them? Absolutely we’re missing them. It changes all the formations of the lines and it changes roles. And sometimes when that happens, you’re putting a guy in a role that normally wouldn’t be in.”

Having skated in just two games, Ehlers has three assists. The former first-round pick has 164 goals and 197 assists in 480 career regular season games with Winnipeg.

Bowness would not reveal a timeframe for his recovery, indicating he is out ‘indefinitely’, but does hope to see him back in the lineup at some point this season.

With the top-line winger out of action, Mason Appleton was immediately thrust into his role alongside Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. The move paid off and Appleton won over his coach with a number of strong outings.

Disappointingly though, Appleton has since joined Ehlers on the injured reserve following a freak accident with the penalty box glass in Seattle. A wrist injury has seen Appleton undergo surgery, to which the Wisconsin product will miss anywhere from two to three months.

The Appleton news came shortly after it was made public that fellow winger Morgan Barron would also need wrist surgery, to which his return is expected around mid-December.

An assortment of farm help has made up the majority of the bottom-six over the past month, including the likes of Jansen Harkins, Dominic Toninato and Mikey Eyssimont, who have each seen action for Winnipeg over the past week.

While mainly dealing with problems on offence, the blueline really hasn’t been that much healthier for the Jets either.

Logan Stanley remains out of service with a broken foot, while Dylan DeMelo will miss his second-straight game on Saturday night as Kyle Capobianco will look to make his third appearance of the season. Recently called up Ville Heinola remains in the press box.

“It’s nothing long-term,” Bowness said of DeMelo’s short stint away from the team. “We’re hoping to have him back. He skated but is not ready to go. We’re hoping to have him back for Monday night.”

Winnipeg (10-4-1) hosts Sidney Crosby and the 7-7-3 Pittsburgh Penguins from the Canada Life Centre on Saturday, before welcoming fellow Metropolitan Division opponent Carolina to Manitoba on Monday.

The Jets have won five of their past six games and are 8-1-1 in their last 10.

Puck drop is set for 6:00 PM central time on Saturday. The game can be viewed live on CBC/City TV.