Mark Scheifele injury update: Jets forward day-to-day after initial scare

Kaylee Pofahl

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Mark Scheifele injury update: Jets forward day-to-day after initial scare image

The Winnipeg Jets breathed a major, collective sigh of relief Thursday.

After Mark Scheifele left during the second period of Winnipeg's game on Tuesday with an upper-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice announced Thursday that Scheifele is day-to-day, having avoided any significant injury that would force him out long term. He will miss the Jet's game Thursday against the New Jersey Devils though when Winnipeg plays the third of a six-game road trip.

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Scheifele sustained this new injury during the first period of Winnipeg's 3-0 win on Tuesday against the Rangers. Scheifele and teammate Blake Wheeler were both chasing the puck from opposite directions before colliding. Both players were slow to get up but remained in the game.

Scheifele seemed shaken up on the bench after the collision happened in the first period but continued to take his regular shift. After falling a few times and getting knocked into the boards by the Rangers Rob O'Gara, the Jets' centre left for the locker room late in the second. 

Concern began to mount because of Scheifele's previous upper-body injury from this season. He was out for just over six weeks after being shoved into the boards Dec. 28 by Oilers defenseman Brandon Davidson. Maurice said after the game on Tuesday the two injuries were unrelated.

"It has nothing to do with his previous injury so that's the positive," Maurice said. "We'll have a real good idea [Thursday]. He was fine after [the collision with Wheeler], it just stiffened up really quickly. ... As soon he felt that he was really starting to stiffen up we got him out of there."

Scheifele was back in the Jets lineup Feb. 9, and has recorded six goals and seven assists in his first 12 games back. In 49 games with Winnipeg this season, Scheiefele has 21 goals and 30 assists. 

Steve Mason injured again

In that same game Scheifele was injured, Steve Mason returned to the crease for the Jets after missing close two two months due to his second diagnosed concussion of the season.

Mason backstopped the Jets to a victory in his comeback, stopping all 31 Rangers shots, but is now back on the shelf.

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During the Jets morning skate on Thursday in Newark, Mason sustained a lower-body injury. While the plan was for to work back into game shape and top form over the final stretch of the season for Winnipeg while also providing more reset for Connor Hellebuyck, Maurice said the Jets will now have to call up Michael Hutchinson from AHL Manitoba.

Helleybuck was the projected starter on Thursday in New Jersey, though Mason may have been in line to get another game on Saturday when the Jets will continue their road trip against Mason's former team, the Philadelphia Flyers.

"It's giving him a chance," Maurice said on Tuesday prior to Mason's start. "If you looked at this stretch, and you didn't factor in his injury, we would have looked at this where we would get both goaltenders on a roll with six on the road, back home for a bunch, and then finish out on the road for a little bit."

Kaylee Pofahl