Winnipeg Jets News

DeMelo broke his finger late in Wednesday's game in Montreal and will be out until early-January. This is a huge blow for the Senators, who lose arguably their most consistent/reliable defenseman of 2019-20. Erik Brannstom could be summoned from the AHL to replace DeMelo.

Comrie stopped all four shots that he faced after replacing Jonathan Bernier in the Red Wings' loss to the Penguins on Saturday. Tonight he will make his first start with Detroit and it will come against the team that drafted him. Comrie is 4-0-0 with a 2.75 GAA and .900 SV% in four AHL games this season and the Jets have won eight of their last 11 (8-2-1) while scoring 3.27 goals per game.

Appleton has been on IR since mind-October but has been cleared to play, so he goes to the AHL to get some games in. Since he was last in the lineup, the Jets have added Nick Shore via waivers, bulking up their bottom-6 depth and allowing them to send Appleton to the AHL.

Hellebuyck stopped 31 of 33 shots in the Jets win over the Ducks on Sunday. Hellebuyck has been tremendous since mid-November, going 7-1-1 with a 1.95 GAA, .941 SV% and one shutout in his last 10 appearances (eight starts). Tonight he returns to his home state of Michigan to face a Red Wings team that has lost 12 in a row (0-10-2) and could be without three of their top-6 forwards. Hellebuyck is clearly the top goalie option on Thursday.

Hellebuyck stopped all 24 shots that he faced in the Jets' shutout win in Anaheim last Friday. He was given Saturday night off but comes into Tuesday looking to build off of a tremendous month of November. He was 8-2-1 with a 1.85 GAA, .944 SV% and one shutout last month and is now tied for the NHL lead in Wins (13), second in SV% (.933) and sixth in GAA (2.23) on the season. In his first two starts against the Stars this season, Hellebuyck is 1-1-0 with a 3.03 GAA and .905 SV%.

Driedger stopped all 27 shots that he faced in the Panthers' shutout win over the Predators on Saturday. It was an outstanding first career start for the 25-year-old, who will start for the second straight game on Tuesday. He will face a Wild team that is on a seven-game point streak, going 5-0-2. While scoring 3.71 goals per game over that stretch.

Comrie was originally a second-round pick of the Jets but was claimed off of waivers by the Coyotes during the preseason. Comrie has not appeared in an NHL game this season but has gone 4-0-0 with a 2.75 GAA and .900 SV% in four AHL starts. With Jimmy Howard hurt, Comrie could join the Red Wings immediately and serve as Jonathan Bernier's backup.

Driedger will be making his fourth career NHL appearance and first start with the Panthers. Driedger has been dominant at the AHL-level this season, going 6-8-0 with a 2.09 GAA and .938 SV% in 14 games with Springfield. With Sergei Bobrovsky continuing to struggle, Driedger will get his chance against a Nashville team that has won three of their last four.

Namestnikov missed the last three games with a lower-body injury but will play Friday in Minnesota. Namestnikov, who has 12 points (6G / 6A) in 22 games this season, will skate with Artem Anisimov and Connor Brown on the Senators' third-line.

Hellebuyck stopped all five shots that he faced after replacing Laurent Brossoit in the Jets win over the Blue Jackets last Saturday. Hellebuyck has been dominant in November, going 6-2-1 while ranking 10th in GAA (2.18) and tied for fifth in SV% (.937). In his first start against San Jose, Hellebuyck stopped 51 of 53 shots in a 3-2 win (Nov.1).

Driedger has been outstanding in the AHL this season, posting a 2.09 GAA and .938 SV% in 14 games. His terrific play has translated into just six wins but is enough for him to be given an opportunity to be Sergei Bobrovsky's backup moving forward. Sam Montembeault heads the other way to take his spot as Springfield's starter.

Namestnikov suffered a lower-body injury early in Wednesday's game in Montreal and will miss at least two games and J.C. Beaudin was called up from Belleville (AHL) to replace him.