Winnipeg Jets call up Elias Salomonsson. The club announced this on Wednesday.
Salomonsson, 21, was booked for his NHL debut earlier this season when he made four appearances for the Jets in late November and early December.
The defender, who comes from Skellefteå and represented Skellefteå AIK from his youth all the way up to the A team in the SHL, has spent the majority of this year’s season in the AHL where he accounted for eight points (1+7) in 25 games for the Manitoba Moose.
The new NHL opportunity for Salomonsson comes in connection with defender Neal Pionk being placed on the Jets’ injury list which is “evaluated weekly”. Pionk, 30, has accounted for eight points (2+6) in 40 games this season for the Jets and is one of the team’s most important defenders.
“It’s a big loss,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said of Pionk’s injury. When you lose a back who plays in one of the first two back pairs, it’s a big blow. It’s tough right now, it’s a lot for us. When you play three games in four days or four games in six days and you don’t have the opportunity to rotate the lineup… you have to rely on the young players.
– Now they get an opportunity here. Hopefully they can step in and help us right away.
Salomonsson was selected by the Jets in the second round (55th player overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
