Jets’ Kyle Connor out vs. Ducks after Ryan Strome collision: How Winnipeg adjusts without leading scorer

Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor exited Sunday’s win against the Anaheim Ducks and was ruled out of the contest after Ducks forward Ryan Strome skated into him and the two collided at the knee. Connor will be evaluated further Monday in San Jose, Jets coach Rick Bowness said after the game.

Connor appeared to be unable to put weight on his right leg as Jets staff helped him off the ice and to their dressing room at Honda Center. Immediately following the collision, Jets center Mark Scheifele fought Strome. The two picked up the requisite five minutes each for fighting but Strome was assessed a five-minute major penalty for kneeing and given a game misconduct after officials reviewed the play.

Bowness was critical of the hit, saying, “It’s knee on knee. He sticks his knee out. There’s no other way of looking at it.”

“You hope it’s suspendable,” Bowness said. “But the refs made the right call — a five-minute major, a game misconduct and we’ll see where it goes from there.”

Ducks coach Greg Cronin said there was “no way” Strome tried to hurt Connor.

“You watch the replay. I even questioned that it was a five-minute. I guess there’s an automatic if the guys click their knees together,” Cronin said. “He goes in and he tries to hit him with a shoulder check. I feel bad. He’s a heck of a player. Nobody wants to lose a star player like Connor.

“When Kyle (Rehman) came over, I said, ‘Why is it a five? There was no intent there.’ Literally, if you watch his shoulder, he turns his shoulder into Connor. And it’s just they hit knees,” Cronin said of asking the ref about the penalty.

Strome, who is in his second season with the Ducks, was fined $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct for throwing a water bottle onto the ice at the end of an overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche last April. The 11-year veteran has never been suspended in his 729-game NHL career.

Connor is Winnipeg’s leading goal scorer (17) and point-getter (28). He entered the night two goals back of Nikita Kucherov for the league lead. He’s the Jets’ single most dangerous offensive player, capitalizing on chemistry with Scheifele on the Jets’ first line and top power play unit. All of this adds up to a massive loss for Winnipeg that only grows in significance if Connor’s injury is long-term.

Bowness promoted winger Alex Iafallo to Scheifele’s line with Nikolaj Ehlers in the wake of Connor’s injury. Iafallo is a quality two-way forward but, to illustrate the Jets’ loss, his 13 points on the season are less than half of what Connor has scored so far. The Jets were also unable to do much on their five-minute power play with the absences of Connor to injury and Scheifele to the entire advantage being instantly noticeable. They’re simply Winnipeg’s best offensive players.

Winnipeg’s depth up front reduces the likelihood that the Jets call up top offensive AHL prospects like Nikita Chibrikov (eight goals, 10 assists in 19 Moose games) or Brad Lambert (eight goals, nine assists in 20 Moose games.)

The Jets’ 4-2 win over the Ducks puts them in first place in the Central Division, tied with Colorado (16-9-2), though the Jets (16-8-2) have the superior points percentage.

What would Connor’s absence mean for Jets?

For Connor, a long-term injury would take him out of consideration for the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s top scorer. It could cost him an All-Star selection as well. The Jets are deep at forward, with Vladislav Namestnikov’s recent return to health helping to round out four quality Jets lines. Without Connor, Scheifele will need to find a way to produce with Ehlers and the Jets secondary scorers — Gabriel Vilardi, Cole Perfetti and Nino Niederreiter, among others — will need to step up.

A long-term injury probably doesn’t put Winnipeg’s playoff spot in peril but will greatly impede their ability to catch Colorado for top spot in the Central Division. Winnipeg entered Sunday’s game two points back of the Avalanche and a chance to pass them (via the points percentage tiebreaker) with a win. — Murat Ates, Jets staff writer

Could Strome be further penalized for the hit?

It wasn’t a good look for Strome, but he isn’t particularly known for malicious play and appears to have no reported history with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety outside of the fine he picked up last season. The fact that the infraction came just seconds into the second period and that he didn’t play the remaining 39 minutes may be considered punishment itself.

But if the league decides a hearing is necessary and he deserves something further, the Ducks could go into their next game Wednesday at the New York Islanders without another forward. They’ve played the last three games without Mason McTavish, their second-leading scorer, and haven’t had Trevor Zegras for more than a month due to injury. It makes things more challenging for a team that already has a hard time scoring, which has been apparent in a stretch where they’ve lost 11 of 12 games. — Eric Stephens, NHL staff writer

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(Photo: Debora Robinson / NHLI via Getty Images)