Winnipeg Jets Recall Dominic Toninato
The Winnipeg Jets have recalled forward Dominic Toninato from their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. After playing 77 games last season, Toninato has spent most of this season in the AHL, save for a run of four games in November that he spent with the Jets.
The move puts the veteran forward back on the Jets’ roster in advance of tonight’s regular-season finale against the Colorado Avalanche, and serves as a nice reward for the quality season he’s turned in with the Jets’ farm squad. In 49 AHL contests this season Toninato has scored 19 goals and 33 points, and he’s helped the Moose land comfortably as the third seed in the AHL’s Central Division.
At the NHL level, Toninato registered one assist in the four-game run he had in November, although he played under seven minutes of ice time in three of the four games he drew into. Last season, Toninato spent almost the entire season at the NHL level and ended up playing in 77 games, registering 14 points.
He did average about a minute and a half of short-handed ice-time per game, but seeing as the Jets had the fourth-worst penalty kill last season it’s understandable that Winnipeg’s new coaching staff under Rick Bowness didn’t see Toninato occupying the same role this season.
Toninato’s stay on the Jets’ active roster could extend into the team’s first-round playoff series, assuming the organization prefers keeping him around as a reserve player for their NHL squad rather than having him return to the Moose to play in their AHL playoffs.
For what it’s worth, the Moose added two forwards to their roster today (Thomas Caron via recall from the ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions and Carson Golden via an ATO from the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets) though those additions should not be seen as any sort of barrier to Toninato being sent back down for the AHL playoffs.
Assuming Toninato draws into the lineup tonight against the Avalanche, his game and any minutes he plays in the playoffs represent an important opportunity for his playing future. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in a few months after the expiry of his league-minimum two-way deal, and any quality games he has from this point forward will help him earn his next NHL contract.
Ryan Hartman Suspended One Game
2:13 pm: Hartman has been suspended for one game as a result of the play, NHL Player Safety announced Wednesday afternoon.
9:07 am: The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman will face a hearing today for interference against Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers during last night’s game.
The incident occurred with 8:30 left in a contentious game between the Central Division rivals. Hartman received two minor penalties on the hit, one for interference on Ehlers and one for roughing after the play. He laid an open-ice check on Ehlers after playing the puck, with Ehlers leaving the ice surface holding the back of his head. He did not return to the game.
This isn’t Hartman’s first time in hot water with the Department of Player Safety. The 28-year-old forward has been suspended once before, for a high hit in 2018 when he was playing for the Nashville Predators.
The Wild have nothing left to play for this season with one game remaining. A regulation loss last night and a Colorado overtime loss locked them into third place in the Central.
Still, a potential Hartman absence from the lineup harms the Wild at their most vulnerable position. With Joel Eriksson Ek already sidelined week-to-week and not expected to be ready for the beginning of the playoffs, the team could be involuntarily without their top two centers for their final game of the season against Nashville on Thursday.
Neal Pionk Avoids Suspension, Earns Fine For Cross-Checking
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk has been fined $5,000 for cross-checking Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Johansson during a heated game between the two teams last night, the NHL Department of Player Safety said Wednesday morning. This is the maximum allowable fine under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The incident occurred late in the third period of the game, which the Jets won 3-1. Pionk received a major penalty for cross-checking Johansson, but the league felt that the infraction deserved further punishment.
Johansson was in obvious discomfort after the play, which caused him to fall to the ice. His injury status is currently unknown.
The game between the Jets and the Wild was a physical affair, with other incidents drawing the attention of the league. Wild forward Ryan Hartman is facing a potential suspension for a hit on Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers, which occurred earlier in the game. The league is expected to make a ruling on Hartman’s status later today.
The decision to hold a hearing for one incident but not the other is sure to draw ire from some. Both incidents had some perceived level of intent, depending on who you ask, and both resulted in potential injuries to the opposing players.
Josh Morrissey Expected Back Next Game
After missing last night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, Winnipeg Jets’ defenseman Josh Morrissey is expected back Sunday according to John Lu of TSN. As the Jets look to hang onto the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference, Morrissey is projected back into the lineup as the team faces off against the New Jersey Devils next.
Since the trade deadline, the Jets have gone 7-7-1, holding their spot as the last wild-card team in the West. As the season concludes, the Jets hold a two-point advantage over the Calgary Flames and a three-point lead over the Nashville Predators. The Jets will play both teams this upcoming week, and having Morrissey back in the lineup will help their odds considerably in those matchups.
Jacob Quillan Invited To Winnipeg Jets Training Camp
- Lastly, Divver reports that Quinnipiac University forward Jacob Quillan will be attending the Winnipeg Jets’ training camp this summer. As the team prepares for its second-round matchup against the Big Ten’s Ohio State University, Quillan has impressed with 16 goals and 17 assists throughout 38 games this season. The sophomore is currently undrafted and unsigned by any organization within the NHL.
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Jets Sign Parker Ford
The Jets have dipped into college free agency, announcing the signing of forward Parker Ford to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal will carry an AAV of $925K and will begin next season. Ford has also agreed to an ATO deal with Manitoba of the AHL and will finish up this season at the minor league level.
The 22-year-old recently wrapped up his four-year college career at Providence. His offensive numbers in the last two seasons were nearly identical; he posted 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games this year after putting up 13 goals and 14 helpers in 38 contests in 2021-22. Over his career with the Friars, Ford had 94 points in 131 contests, putting up a higher point per game average at the NCAA level (0.71) than his time in the USHL (0.62). He was Providence’s captain this season and finished as a Hockey East Third Team All-Star.
Winnipeg has already moved three of its draft picks for the upcoming draft and had a three-year stretch between 2019 and 2021 where they made no more than five selections in a single draft. Accordingly, their prospect pool has been thinned out so it makes sense for the Jets to look to fill some of those gaps in college free agency. At 5’9, Ford is a bit undersized but can play both center and the wing, bringing them some positional versatility.
Jets Notes: Morrissey, Dubois, Gagner
Dan Robertson of TSN reports the Winnipeg Jets will have an impact player back in the lineup this evening. Josh Morrissey missed the Jets past two games after leaving early against the Florida Panthers last Saturday. He had been listed as day-to-day all week, but is ready to go tonight when the Jets face a tough test against the league-leading Boston Bruins.
Morrissey has had a tremendous season, scoring 15 goals and 67 points in 66 games. The 27 year old is a candidate to win the Norris Trophy for his fantastic play, so the team will be happy to have him back in the lineup. The Jets will need him at the top of his game right away as they have slipped to the second wildcard spot in the Western Conference. They are just four points ahead of the Nashville Predators who have played three less games than the Jets.
- Pierre-Luc Dubois was on the ice at the team’s morning skate, but according to Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet, Dubois will not play tonight. The 24-year-old center has played just one game since February 26, dealing with two separate injuries in that time. It does appear he is getting close to returning, but it will not be this evening.
- Murat Ates of The Athletic reports Sam Gagner‘s season is over. The 33-year-old forward has already had surgery on one hip and will also get surgery on the other side in the near future. Ates mentions it is an injury that Gagner has been dealing with for a while but is now going to get fixed. The veteran forward scored eight goals and 14 points in 48 games for the Jets this season before being shut down on February 28.
Injury Notes: Ovechkin, Stamkos, Morrissey
Shortly after the announcement that Alex Ovechkin would be a game-time decision for the Washington Capitals tonight, the team confirmed that their captain will be sitting out with a lower-body injury. This will only be the 53rd game that Ovechkin has missed due to injury in his entire career.
The Capitals chose to be sellers at the deadline, but they still sit only a few points back of the Eastern Conference wild-card race. As they looked to pick up a crucial two points against their Metropolitan rival tonight, it will now be even more difficult without their top scorer in the lineup. Replacing Ovechkin in the lineup will be recent callup, Joe Snively. Although Snively has yet to score at a consistent level in the NHL, he has been a very productive forward for the Capitals’ AHL affiliate Hershey Bears.
Other notes:
- Similar to Washington, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that their captain will also be sitting out tonight with a lower-body injury. During a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on March 11th, Steven Stamkos awkwardly collided with Blackhawks forward Joey Anderson, sending him to the dressing room for the remainder of the game. Although he did play Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets, he will not play in tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils, likely to make sure his left leg has fully recovered.
- After sitting out on Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet reports that Jets’ defenseman Josh Morrissey will not play in tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes as well. In his absence, the Jets will give depth defenseman Kyle Capobianco the nod as he will replace Morrissey in the lineup.
Jets Injury Notes: Morrissey, Dubois, Lowry
The Winnipeg Jets will have some notable absences from the lineup when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight. The most notable of them is breakout star Josh Morrissey, who head coach Rick Bowness says is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Morrissey, 27, left yesterday’s game against the Florida Panthers with a non-contact injury, appearing to favor his hip. It won’t be a long-term absence, though, as Morrissey hopes to play Tuesday when the Jets wrap up their Southeastern road trip. The 13th overall pick in 2013 has trampled over his previous career-high in points, recording 67 in 66 games this year. Any extended absence is a tough blow for Winnipeg, who’s sliding fast as the playoffs approach.
Some other injury notes from Winnipeg:
- The news isn’t so positive for Pierre-Luc Dubois, who Bowness doesn’t expect to see return for another two games at least. Dubois has missed five of the last six games with two different injuries and is now listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The 24-year-old is on pace for career-highs in goals and points, recording 24 goals and 55 points in 61 games.
- Adam Lowry is “feeling better” after leaving last night’s game late in the third period with an undisclosed injury and is a game-time decision against Tampa, per Bowness. Bowness told reporters last night that both Morrissey and Lowry were “very doubtful” for today’s game, so it’s certainly a positive development for Lowry’s status. With 27 points in 66 games, Lowry is Winnipeg’s highest-scoring bottom-six forward and a crucial piece in the lineup at the third-line center position.
Jets Expect Pierre-Luc Dubois Back On Upcoming Road Trip
- While the Jets were without Pierre-Luc Dubois last night against Minnesota with an upper-body injury, it doesn’t appear as if he’ll be out much longer. Postmedia’s Paul Friesen relays that Winnipeg expects the center to be back at some point on their road trip. That trip begins Saturday in Florida and ends Tuesday in Carolina so it’s safe to say that Dubois should be back soon. The 24-year-old has 24 goals and 31 assists in 61 games so far this season.