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Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg left the game against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night with a lower-body injury after blocking a slap shot from Steven Stamkos on the penalty kill. Samberg went down immediately but got back up and finished his shift before heading down the tunnel to the dressing room.
Head coach Scott Arniel informed reporters after the game that Samberg had broken his foot and would be heading back to Winnipeg for further evaluation.
The 25-year-old Minnesota native has played 21 games so far this season, scoring three goals and adding three assists for six points. Samberg is tied for 15th in plus-minus with a +15 rating.
This injury to Samberg leaves a huge hole in the Jets’ defensive core. Everyone is probably wondering who will fill Samberg’s role on the second pairing with his partner Neal Pionk. I believe this might be Ville Heinola’s chance to prove himself as an NHL-caliber defenseman that many believe he can be. It’s very unlikely that Haydn Fleury or Logan Stanley will get that spot, unless it’s a last resort, of course. But going into Monday’s game in St. Paul against the Minnesota Wild, this could potentially be our defensive pairings:
Morrissey – DeMelo
Heinola – Pionk
Fleury – Miller
But we won’t likely know for sure until game day.