To say that defenceman Ville Heinola is frustrated would be an understatement.
The Winnipeg Jets have long been a very deep defensive club.
So much so that they set NHL records last season for their strong play away from the puck. From longest streaks of games played without allowing a certain number of goals against, to blocked shots, hits and time spent in the defensive end, the Jets have been a stellar shut down defensive squad.
In order to be that, a team needs to be assembled in a particular manner: large, strong, tough and sturdy.
Think, Luke Schenn.
The veteran defenceman brought in prior to the trade deadline last season fits the exact mold set by GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. Dylan Samberg has all of those characteristics, plus a flair for smart decision-making with the puck and some added offence when needed.
Josh Morrissey is the offensive stalwart, while Neal Pionk has proven to be a reliable, speedy option on the back-end.
Colin Miller, whom Winnipeg traded for a couple years back, also has similar traits to that of Schenn and Samberg – he’s just a bit slower, but has a heavier shot.
Logan Stanley – who does not skate particularly well – fits the bill on the third pairing due to his towering 6-foot-7 frame and his willingness to clear the netfront.
Haydn Fleury, who is possibly the best skater of all the Jets’ defence, even found himself sitting out more often than not last year in favour of bigger, slower teammates. He has made himself at home, however, since proving his worth during last spring’s postseason.
Then, there’s the curious case of Ville Heinola.
The small, speedy Finn has not been able to find a place on the crowded blueline in Winnipeg, and on Tuesday made clear his frustration with another training camp resulting in a trip down the hallway to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose dressing room.
When asked by Illegal Curve’s Dave Minuk of being placed on Waivers for the first time in his career, Heinola responded bluntly.
“I mean, it’s obviously not fun,” he said. “To be honest, I kind of wish that someone would have picked me up. But that didn’t happen, and I’m here. Happy to play.”
Selected 20th overall in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft, the now 24-year-old cracked the Jets out of camp that fall following the retirement of Dustin Byfuglien. He became the first player born in the 21st century to score on NHL goal, and had a goal and five points in eight games to start that rookie season prior to being sent home for further development.
Thanks to beefed up bluelines, an influx of coaches and unfortunately timed injuries, he never made the Jets out of training camp again.
In 53 games over five seasons, Heinola has that single goal and 12 points to his name. The majority of his time has been spent with the Moose, where he has played 154 games over parts of seven seasons. He has 23 goals and 103 points over that lengthy time spent in antlers.
Now, having been placed on Waivers for the first time in his career and having no takers of the 31 other teams, it was a bit of a low-blow for the puck-moving defender.
“That’s all I can do,” Heinola concluded. “I’ll try my hardest and try to play well, and hopefully something happens.”
With Winnipeg’s draft and develop model having worked wonders for current star players Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Cole Perfetti, Morrissey and Samberg, others, such as Heinola may be getting squeezed too thin at the AHL level.
The current flock of AHL prospects includes that of Heinola, fellow defenceman Elias Salomonsson and forwards Brayden Yager, Brad Lambert and Colby Barlow. Once Perfetti and captain Adam Lowry return from their injuries, the expectation is that both Parker Ford and Nikita Chibrikov will be sent back down to join Ville Heinola and David Gustafsson on the Moose.
