The Winnipeg Jets have shared some good news about Ville Heinola’s recovery, saying he’s back from injury and heading to the American Hockey League for a conditioning stint.
Heinola has been out of action since September 20th due to an ankle infection that required surgery. This season was supposed to be a big one for him, with many expecting him to play regularly on the Jets’ defense line after some players left during the offseason. However, he hasn’t played for Winnipeg since January 19th, 2023.
In recent years, Heinola has spent a lot of time playing with the Manitoba Moose in the AHL. He’s done quite well there, scoring 19 goals and racking up 90 points over 130 games since the start of the 2021-22 season. During playoffs, he added another goal and eight points in just 11 games. Fans might be excited to see how he fits back into the NHL lineup after his conditioning stint with Manitoba ends.
What Lies Ahead for Heinola
Once his two-week conditioning period wraps up, it will be intriguing to see how Winnipeg integrates him into their team setup. Many believe he’ll secure a spot on the bottom defensive pair alongside Colin Miller as an improvement over Haydn Fleury. There’s also talk that Dylan Samberg might move down a notch so Heinola can partner with Neal Pionk.
While fans may wonder about his immediate impact on returning to NHL action, it’s likely that Winnipeg will ease him back slowly into playing full-time at this level. Despite starting strong this season, their defense hasn’t been top-notch—ranking mid-table in shots allowed and even lower in expected goals against according to Hockey Reference stats.
Connor Hellebuyck’s outstanding performance as goalie has kept them afloat defensively so far; maybe they’ll feel comfortable giving more duties right away to Heinola because of it.
Do you think Heinola will make a big splash when he returns?
