On Feb. 19th, the Winnipeg Jets held their first practice after the break. Everyone except Kyle Connor, Connor Hellebuyck, and Josh Morrissey, who are away competing in the 4 Nations tournament, hit the ice.

Adam Lowry and Morgan Barron were listed as week-to-week prior to practice. However, Lowry made it onto the ice in a regular uniform, while Barron did not.

After practice, Jets head coach Scott Arniel announced that Lowry should be ready to play when the team returns to action in St. Louis on Saturday.

The team’s captain has missed the Jets’ last eight games due to an upper-body injury sustained on Jan. 20th against the Utah Hockey Club. During his absence, the Jets posted an impressive 8-0-0 record, with players like David Gustafsson and Rasmus Kupari stepping up into bigger roles to contribute to the team’s success.

The 6’5″ native of St. Louis, Missouri, has been a productive third-line center for the Jets. Before the injury, Lowry had scored 11 goals and collected 15 assists for 26 points. He is a plus-17 and has delivered 88 hits in 48 games played. Lowry has also been filling in on the second-line center role, where he has produced just as effectively as he did on the third line. I’m curious if the Jets will keep him on the third line or bump him up to the second line again for Saturday’s contest.

The Jets currently sit in first place in the NHL overall standings with a 39-14-3 record. Their last game before the break was on Feb. 7th, extending their winning streak to eight games as they defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 in regulation. They now head into St. Louis to face a struggling Blues team, aiming to extend their win streak to nine games.