Mark Scheifele won’t travel to St. Louis with the team, Jets head coach Scott Arniel told reporters in Winnipeg prior to the team’s Thursday departure for Game 6. The Jets’ star center left Game 5 after the first intermission after taking hard hits from Brayden Schenn and Radek Faksa and then finishing the first period, prompting a war of words between Arniel and Blues’ coach Jim Montgomery.
Arniel was asked if Scheifele was in concussion protocol but declined to clarify the nature of Scheifele’s injury.
Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who hasn’t played since aggravating a lower body injury against Anaheim on April 16, will travel to St. Louis. He is not expected to play in Game 6, either.
Without Scheifele, Vladislav Namestnikov will likely return to No. 1 centre duties while the Jets will dress an additional forward. Available centres include David Gustafsson and Rasmus Kupari, who hasn’t played since suffering a concussion on March 25.
Scheifele also missed three playoff games in 2021 due to a suspension and one game in 2023 due to injury, while also missing three games of the 2020 qualification round against Calgary due to an injury.
Schenn received two penalties on the Scheifele hit, one for interference and a roughing penalty for the ensuing dust-up with Brandon Tanev.
Scheifele has two goals and four assists in the series, which the Jets will be looking to finish off in St Louis on Friday night. Game 7 would be Sunday if necessary and it’s unclear if Scheifele would be available.
(Photo: James Carey Lauder / Imagn Images)