Winnipeg Jets’ defenseman Dylan Samberg is set to return to the lineup Friday evening against the Los Angeles Kings.
Samberg has missed the past 21 games with a broken foot he suffered when blocking a Steven Stamkos one-timer on Nov. 23 against the Nashville Predators. The 25-year-old was excelling in a second-pairing role alongside Neal Pionk, recording three goals, three assists, a plus-12 rating, and 20:17 in average ice time in 21 games prior to his injury. He was also playing a key role on the penalty kill.
Sammy is so IN right now ???? pic.twitter.com/xmO0tMf3XI
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 10, 2025
“(Samberg) has earned obviously the opportunity to become a top four defenceman the last few years,” head coach Scott Arniel said Thursday after Samberg was a full participant in practice for the third-straight day. “Just him being able to go against top-six forwards, his footwork, his ability to close, be physical, be heavy on those guys makes such a difference… He’s a key piece for us and when you lose those guys, they are hard to replace.”
Samberg’s absence left a big hole on the Jets’ blue line, who went 17-4-1 to start the season with him in the lineup and have gone 11-8-2 without him. His return is an especially-welcome sight for the Jets considering how battered their defensemen have been: Haydn Fleury and Colin Miller are also out (with a lower-body injury and a fractured larynx, respectively) and Josh Morrissey was forced to leave the team’s most-recent game on Jan. 7 with a lower-body issue colliding with Mark Scheifele and crashing into his own net. Morrissey appears to have avoided any serious injury and is slated to play versus the Kings as well, Arniel said.
Puck drop tonight between the Jets and Kings is 7 p.m. CT at Canada Life Centre.