Achi news desk-
The Winnipeg Jets could have forward Nino Niederreiter back in the lineup as early as Tuesday night.
Niederreiter practiced on Monday after missing their last five games. He was cut on the leg by a skate blade two weeks ago after a faceoff. The skating licked his Achilles tendon, forcing him to receive eight stitches to close the wound, but he considers himself lucky to be healthy again so soon after being medically cleared to play.
“Obviously it was kind of a scary play,” Niederreiter said. “I felt something in my leg but I didn’t know exactly what it was. So, I reached down a couple of times and felt some blood at some point, and then it started to warm up. That’s when I knew I had to get off and see what was going on.
“Obviously got extremely lucky. Nicked my Achilles a little and had to get a few stitches. And I’m glad I’m standing here right now.”
Ideally the Jets would get some game action from Niederreiter before the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the final call on whether he plays Tuesday will go to the head coach.
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“If he feels like he did today when we’re out there tomorrow, yeah, there’s a good chance he’ll play,” Rick Bowness said.
While Niederreiter will be in a Jets jersey again soon, prospect Rutger McGroarty will not be.
McGroarty announced through the University of Michigan that he plans to return to school for his junior season with the Wolverines instead of turning pro.
McGoarty helped Michigan to the semifinals of the Frozen Four this past weekend. The 20-year-old scored 16 goals in 36 games as a sophomore after being selected by the Jets in the first round, 14th overall, in the 2022 NHL Draft.
The Jets have two games left in the regular season and can clinch second place in the Central Division by just one point against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday at the Canada Life Centre.
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