After a torrid November in which the Winnipeg Jets went 9-3-3, Winnipeg start to December hasn't been as sterling, a 2-2-1 record that currently features a three-game losing streak (0-2-1) over which the Jets have conceded 15 goals.
Winnipeg will look to get back on track on home ice Monday against the Vancouver Canucks, but will do so without the services of their top defenseman, Dustin Byfuglien.
After sustaining a lower-body injury in a 4-3 overtime loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning over the weekend, Byfuiglien is out week-to-week according to head coach Paul Maurice .
With Byfuglien out, Tucker Poolman will take his spot in the lineup on Winnipeg's third pairing after being a healthy scratch in each of the Jets' past 11 games.
While Byfuglien has yet to score in 28 games for Winnipeg this season, Maurice said that's due in part to his increased focus on the defensive side of the game.
"He's worked real hard this year on not being in on every rush, and that's a challenge for him," Maurice said. "That's certainly where he's scored his goals. ... He's scaled that back, so that's why his goal numbers are where they're at.
"That's a big-minute guy that moves the puck and creates a lot of offense with some of those passes, so yeah, there's a hole there."
Goaltender Steve Mason was also activated from injured reserve on Monday, and will back up Connor Hellebuyck. Mason has not appeared in a game for Winnipeg since Nov. 25, when he was injured in the first period against the San Jose Sharks.
Here is the Jets' projected lineup:
Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Blake Wheeler
Nikolaj Ehlers - Bryan Little - Patrik Laine
Andrew Copp - Adam Lowry - Brandon Tanev
Mathieu Perreault - Matt Hendricks - Joel Armia
Josh Morrissey - Jacob Trouba
Dmitry Kulikov - Tyler Myers
Ben Chiarot - Tucker Poolman
Connor Hellebuyck
Scratched: Shawn Matthias
Injured: Dustin Byfuglien, Toby Enstrom
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Here is the Canucks' projected lineup:
Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Loui Eriksson
Thomas Vanek - Markus Granlund - Brock Boeser
Jake Virtanen - Nic Dowd - Sam Gagner
Brendan Gaunce - Michael Chaput - Alex Burmistrov
Alex Edler - Chris Tanev
Michael Del Zotto - Derrick Pouliot
Ben Hutton - Troy Stecher
Jacob Markstrom
Scratched: Nikolay Goldobin, Patrick Wiercioch, Alex Biega
Injured: Bo Horvat, Sven Baertschi, Erik Gudbranson, Brandon Sutter
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