With head coach Scott Arniel announcing Wednesday morning that the Winnipeg Jets will be down three defencemen in Neal Pionk, Colin Miller, and Haydn Fleury, all listed as week-to-week, some positive news arose Thursday morning as Morgan Barron is set to return to the lineup in Minnesota against the Wild after missing three straight games, replacing Danny Zhilkin as the fourth-line centre.

Arniel confirmed the news following the club’s morning skate Thursday, also noting that Elias Salomonsson will play tonight due to Pionk being out.

Barron last appeared on Jan. 8 against the Edmonton Oilers and was listed out with an illness ahead of Jan. 9 against the Los Angeles Kings, though it was later confirmed to be an upper-body injury.

While Barron has been out, the Jets have put together three wins in a row and will look to continue their recent surge tonight against a Minnesota team currently on a two-game losing skid, looking to close out its three-game homestand with two points.

Barron, 27, has seven goals and seven assists in 36 games for 14 points, though he hasn’t found the back of the net since Dec. 21 against the Utah Mammoth. Barron’s career-high in points is 21 (8G, 13A) set in 2022-23, and he’s expected to surpass that mark this season if he can remain healthy.

The six-foot-four centreman was drafted 174th overall in the sixth round by the New York Rangers in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 292 NHL games, he has recorded 37 goals and 37 assists for 74 points.