News and Analysis: Jets re-call Brian Strait and place Mathieu Perreault on the IR

The Winnipeg Jets have announced the recall of defenceman Brian Strait from the Manitoba Moose along with the news that Mathieu Perreault will be placed on the IR after leaving Monday’s game against the Ducks with an upper-body injury. 

Strait, 29, played four straight seasons with the New York Islanders before the Jets signed him this past offseason. The Waltham Massachusetts native has suited up in 27 contests with the Manitoba Moose this season while notching 5 assists in the process. 

The call-up is quite curious considering that Strait isn’t even one of the best defenceman on the Moose. Brendan Kichton has long-deserved a look with the Jets and having Strait leapfrog him in that regard is puzzling. Another compelling call-up option could have been Winnipeg native Peter Stoykewych. While it would have been fun to see the hometown kid get a shot with the Jets, Stoykewych is signed to an AHL deal and can’t be re-called so easily. 

Calling up a struggling AHL D-man attests to the long-tenured issues the Jets have on their back-end and one would hope Strait isn’t forced in to action with the Jets. 

With Mathieu Perreault out of the picture for the foreseeable future, the Jets injury list grows. Coach Paul Maurice characterized Drew Stafford’s injury as “slightly beyond day to day” while also adding we won’t see Marko Dano and Ben Chiarot back in action in the near future. 

With two top-nine players like Perreault and Stafford on the shelf, the Jets need their bottom-six players to step up and take on an increased role. An example of this is Andrew Copp, whose been thriving in an increased role. With three goals in his last four games along with averaging a mere 13:54 in that span, it doesn’t look like Copp will be leaving the top-six anytime soon. 

Along with Copp, the Jets have seen an improvement from Nic Petan as he garners more reps on the teams power play. Petan continues to skate on the teams fourth line, but his playmaking ability has had him on a rotating basis in the top-six.