Jets recall Niku ahead of Game 5 with shorthanded defense corps
Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / Getty
The Winnipeg Jets recalled defenseman Sami Niku from the AHL's Manitoba Moose on Thursday with Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild looming Friday.
The Jets' blue line is awfully thin at the moment. Josh Morrissey is suspended for Game 5, Tyler Myers was injured in Game 3 and missed Game 4, Toby Enstrom hasn't been cleared to play yet, and Dmitry Kulikov isn't expected back for at least another month.
If Myers and Enstrom are unable to go Friday, the Jets could be forced to ice the following defensive pairings:
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Joe Morrow | Dustin Byfuglien |
| Ben Chiarot | Jacob Trouba |
| Sami Niku | Tucker Poolman |
The 21-year-old Niku showed promise with the Moose this season, scoring 16 goals with 54 points in 76 games. However, the former seventh-round pick has just one game of NHL experience under his belt.
Winnipeg leads the series 3-1.