Jets heading into camp with six players out and a lot to prove on defense

Winnipeg opens training camp this week with a full injury list and a defensive corps that still has something to demonstrate. Gustav Nyquist, Alex Iafallo, Morgan Barron, Elias Salomonsson, Neal Pionk, and Vladislav Namestnikov are all out, a mix of forwards and defensemen that touches every layer of the depth chart. That's a lot of bodies to be missing before a puck drops in practice.

The backdrop matters here. The Jets finished 35-47 last season, and the back end was the story — Winnipeg allowed 3.7 goals per game over the final ten games, a meaningful spike from where they'd been. The front office responded by bringing in Mario Ferraro on defense and Stuart Skinner in goal, moves that were clearly aimed at that specific problem. Those two haven't had a real chance to show anything yet, and with Pionk and Salomonsson both unavailable, the defensive group that takes the ice in early camp drills won't look like what management envisioned when they made those moves.

The good news is the offensive core is intact. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor are healthy, and Josh Morrissey logged nearly 25 minutes a night last season and figures to anchor the back end again. The question is what surrounds him while the injured players work their way back. My read is the next few weeks are less about competition for spots and more about whether this group can stay functional long enough to get everyone on the ice together before the season starts.