Jets' Ville Heinola: Notches two helpers in AHL win
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Heinola posted two assists in AHL Manitoba's 5-0 win over Chicago on Wednesday.
Heinola has done just alright this year in the minors, picking up eight points over 22 appearances. He's also posted a minus-14 rating, which is likely to keep him from being in the mix for a call-up. The Jets' NHL-level blue line is pretty deep as is, and Heinola missed out on it during training camp. At this point, the 2019 first-round pick would likely need a change of scenery to have a chance at carving out an NHL role.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Lands on waivers
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Heinola was placed on waivers by the Jets on Sunday, Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press reports.
Heinola made a career-high 18 regular-season appearances for the Jets last year and recorded an assist, 16 blocked shots, eight hits and four PIM while averaging 14:11 of ice time. He'll presumably head to AHL Manitoba if he clears waivers, but it seems possible that he'll be called up by Winnipeg at some point this year if the Jets need additional depth.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Sees rare playing time
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Heinola went minus-1 with a hit, a blocked shot and one shot on goal in 17:52 of ice time in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Oilers.
Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk and Luke Schenn were all out of the lineup, giving Heinola a rare chance to play as the Jets prepare for the postseason. This was Heinola's 18th outing this season -- while that is a career high, he has just one assist with 12 shots on net, 16 blocked shots, eight hits and a plus-6 rating. The 24-year-old has played just twice since the start of February and will likely be back in the press box as a healthy scratch for the majority of the playoffs.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Unlikely to see much playing time
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Heinola was scratched for the ninth game in a row in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Rangers.
Heinola has one assist over six appearances since the start of January, and he's been scratched 21 times in that span. The Jets made just a couple of depth moves at the trade deadline, but one of those was to bring in Luke Schenn, which gives the team nine healthy defensemen on the roster. It's safe to assume Heinola is at the bottom of the depth chart, as well as No. 5 out of five left-shot blueliners, so he'll be competing primarily with Haydn Fleury and Logan Stanley for playing time. The Jets apparently don't want to lose Heinola for nothing on waivers, as they've kept him on the roster since he healed from an ankle injury that kept him out until late November. He has just one helper with 11 shots on net, 15 blocked shots and a plus-7 rating across a career-high 17 appearances.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Stuck outside of lineup
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Heinola was scratched for 10 straight games leading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
The Jets are carrying eight defensemen, and Heinola has not been able to pry playing time away from the current third pair of Logan Stanley and Colin Miller. The Jets don't want to lose Heinola on waivers either, so he's stuck in the press box until the team needs him to play. He didn't do much with his opportunities earlier in the campaign, earning one assist, 10 shots on net, 13 blocked shots and a plus-7 rating over 16 appearances.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Picks up helper
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Heinola logged an assist, two shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Predators.
A rash of injuries recently has allowed Heinola to stick in the lineup. Colin Miller (larynx) was hurt Saturday versus the Red Wings, and Josh Morrissey (lower body) exited Tuesday's contest, with Heinola picking up some of the slack in both contests. Heinola's helper Tuesday was his first point in 14 outings to go with nine shots on net, 10 blocked shots and a plus-6 rating. Dylan Samberg (foot) is getting close to a return, but until the Jets get closer to full health on defense, Heinola figures to continue playing bottom-four minutes.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Back from conditioning loan
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Heinola (ankle) was recalled from his conditioning assignment with AHL Manitoba on Sunday.
Winnipeg moved Dylan Samberg (foot) to injured reserve in a corresponding move. After recovering from his September ankle surgery, Heinola had one assist in two minor-league outings during his conditioning stint. He could make his season debut with the Jets on Monday versus Minnesota due to Samberg's absence.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Nearing return
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Mitchell Clinton of the Jets' official site relays that Heinola (ankle) will likely join Winnipeg on its road trip in Minnesota on Nov. 25.
Heinola has been on a conditioning stint with AHL Manitoba, but head coach Scott Arniel said the assignment won't last the full two weeks as originally intended. The left-shot blueliner Heinola hasn't made an appearance in the NHL since the 2022-23 campaign, but he could serve as Winnipeg's seventh defenseman once given the all-clear.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Sent to AHL for conditioning
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Heinola (ankle) was activated from injured reserve and assigned to AHL Manitoba on Monday for a conditioning assignment.
Heinola will get into his first game action of the 2024-25 season at the minor-league level after recovering from ankle surgery. The 23-year-old rearguard registered 10 goals and 27 points across 41 AHL regular-season appearances in 2023-24. Once Heinola returns to the big club, he could compete for playing time with the Jets. However, earning a spot in the lineup will be difficult because of the team's success in 2024-25.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Could be nearing return
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Heinola (ankle) was on the ice in a regular jersey at Tuesday's morning skate, Mitchell Clinton of the Jets' official site relays.
Heinola has been sidelined since undergoing ankle surgery in September. The Finnish blueliner resumed skating at the end of October, and he appears to be close to making his 2024-25 debut. The 23-year-old was a first-round pick by Winnipeg in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Once healthy, Heinola will likely have to compete with Haydn Fleury and Dylan Coghlan for playing time on what has been the league's best team.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Starts skating
Rotowire
Although Heinola (ankle) isn't with the Jets in Detroit for Wednesday's road game, he has resumed skating back in Winnipeg, per Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press.
Heinola isn't expected to be close to returning, but this is a good step on his road to recovery. He underwent ankle surgery in September after he suffered an infection related to a screw from a previous operation. Heinola had an assist in 10 appearances with the Jets in 2022-23. During the 2023-24 campaign, he recorded 10 goals and 27 points across 41 regular-season outings with AHL Manitoba.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Placed on injured reserve
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Heinola (ankle) has been designated for injured reserve, Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press reports Monday.
Heinola had ankle surgery in September, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to see him land on injured reserve ahead of the upcoming campaign. The 23-year-old blueliner has managed just 35 NHL games in his career, garnering one goal, 10 assists and 49 shots on net. With Logan Stanley (knee) also on injured reserve, youngster Elias Salomonsson could make the Jets' Opening Night roster.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Undergoes surgery
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Heinola, who has an ankle infection, underwent surgery, Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun reports Thursday.
Heinola previously underwent ankle surgery last year and his infection is related to a screw from that operation, based on a report from Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press last Friday. There's no timetable for Heinola's return, but McIntyre believes he'll be out for at least another month. The 23-year-old defenseman was originally in the mix for a spot on the Jets' Opening Night roster, but he might instead spend some time in the minors after he recovers.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Headed for minors
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Heinola (ankle) has been medically cleared and will be reassigned to AHL Manitoba on Thursday, Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun reports.
Heinola will suit up for the first time this season with the Moose but will have to wait a while to make his NHL season debut. Over the last four seasons, the 22-year-old blueliner has logged just 25 NHL contests. As such, fantasy players probably shouldn't be banking on him featuring prominently for the Jets this year.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Making California trip
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Heinola (ankle) will join the Jets for their upcoming three-game road trip, John Lu of TSN reports Tuesday.
Heinola was originally expected to not return prior to the team's trip but may have taken an additional step in his recovery. Still, the 22-year-old blueliner's presence on the trip doesn't guarantee he will get into the lineup. Whenever Heinola is cleared to play, he will need to be activated off injured reserve, which will likely result in Declan Chisholm or Logan Stanley being shipped down to the minors.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Return not imminent
Rotowire
Heinola (ankle) is expected to miss at least the next five games, John Lu of TSN reports Friday.
Heinola will have to wait until the calendar flips to 2024 to make his season debut after suffering his ankle injury during the preseason. It's unclear if the defender suffered a setback in his recovery but he has already passed his initial 8-12 week recovery timeline.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Out 8-12 weeks
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The Jets placed Heinola (fractured ankle) on injured reserve Friday.
The 22-year-old defenseman suffered a serious injury in Thursday's preseason game versus the Senators and is expected to miss 8-12 weeks. Heinola played in only 10 NHL games with the Jets last season, picking up one assist.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Injury considered serious
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Heinola's left leg injury suffered in Thursday's game versus the Senators is considered a longer-term injury, John Lu of TSN reports.
The Jets will know more following an evaluation Friday, but Heinola's chances of playing Opening Night versus the Flames on Wednesday are essentially gone. The 22-year-old defenseman could be a candidate for injured reserve depending on what his evaluation Friday returns.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Sent to AHL
Rotowire
Heinola was assigned to AHL Manitoba on Tuesday.
In a corresponding move, Winnipeg activated Logan Stanley (lower body) from injured reserve. Heinola has one assist, five shots on goal, seven blocks and seven hits in 10 games with the Jets this season.
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Jets' Ville Heinola: Up with Jets
Rotowire
Heinola was called up by Winnipeg from AHL Manitoba on Monday.
Heinola has a goal and 11 points in 14 contests with Manitoba this season. During his time with the Jets in 2022-23, he's contributed an assist in eight games while averaging 14:08 of ice time.
