With the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins series going long, and the Winnipeg Jets one of the first teams to wrap up their first-round series, they've had some time to rest and recuperate from what was a physical five games against the Minnesota Wild.
On Tuesday, the Jets hit the ice for practice in Winnipeg, with what looked like some encouraging news: Both Nikolaj Ehlers and Toby Enstrom were participants in the Jets on-ice session, each in full capacity.
Ehlers missed Game 5 against the Wild, a last-second surprise scratch with an injury or ailment or something vague that head coach Paul Maurice called "a malaise" after he was held out. It was Ehlers' first practice since missing Game 5 without wearing a non-contact injury, a good indication he could be ready come Game 1, which is rumored to begin on Friday.
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Also shedding his non-contact jersey was Enstrom, who has not played since March 23 due to a lower-body injury.
“He looks good,” Maurice said after Enstrom's first full practice. “One of Toby’s great strengths is his ability to touch the puck first in heavy traffic and move it well. He gets to it early and he can make that inside play, that short pass under pressure, which is their forecheck game. So we’ve missed him in those games. We think he’s going to be a real good player for us.”
Enstrom has missed the Jets' last 13 games, including the entire first round against Minnnesota. There was speculation if he would or could return if the Jets needed a defenseman in that decisive game if Tyler Myers was forced to sit out due to injury (Myers missed Game 4 due to a lower-body injury sustained the game prior).
Winnipeg was also without Josh Morrissey, who was serving a one-game suspension, but Myers ended up playing, and neither Enstrom, nor Sami Miku (recalled from Manitoba) were needed. Enstrom appears ready for a return, though, and he took a spot next to Dustin Byfuglien in practice Tuesday, another encouraging sign he could be in the Game 1 plans for Maurice.
The Jets went with the following pairings in practice:
Josh Morrissey - Jacob Trouba
Toby Enstrom - Dustin Byfuglien
Joe Morrow/Ben Chiarot - Tyler Myers
Based off those pairings, it appears that either Joe Morrow or Ben Chiarot will be the player coming out when Enstrom returns (and with Morrissey also eligible to play again).
Maurice said that decision will be difficult because of how well his defense has played.
"We'll deal with [that decision] on the day of the game," Maurice said. "But .. the player that will end up coming out, we won't be able to look at their hockey game and say 'you were deficient in your hockey game and that's why you're coming out.'"
He did make it clear though that, when Enstrom is ready, he will draw back in.
"We feel that Dustin plays his best hockey with Toby, that there's a real comfort level there," Maurice said.
🎥 Paul Maurice on having an eager team, face-offs, Enström's possible return, and more today following practice. #NSHvsWPG pic.twitter.com/yezwUvLwYn
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) April 24, 2018
One player who left the ice early from practice was Patrik Laine. Maurice said there was no reason to read too much into that, or worry the 20-year-old forward could be out for Game 1.
"I don't have any concerns," Maurice said. "He's been hanging out with [Ehlers] too much; he caught the malaise. It's a light malaise though; it's a low-fat."