It seemed as though Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley avoided serious injury when he accompanied the team on the road, but the foot injury that he suffered last month will keep him out for a little while yet. Head coach Rick Bowness told reporters including John Lu of TSN that Stanley has a “slight fracture” in his foot and will be out for a couple of weeks.
Stanley, 24, was expected to take another step forward this season in terms of production and responsibility, but the new coaching staff has actually played him even less. The 6-7 behemoth has averaged fewer than 15 minutes a night, ranking only barely ahead of Dylan Samberg (the player who replaced him in the lineup) for the least among Jets defensemen.
Losing him then won’t be a huge issue but explains why the team is still carrying eight defensemen even as the Jets return home for the next three games.
Missed time has ripple effects though and in Stanley’s case could have a negative impact on contract negotiations next spring. He is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent, and that process is already rather unkind to defensive defensemen who don’t have high point totals. If he misses a chunk or even finds himself replaced on a regular basis, there won’t be much leverage come the offseason.
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