When Will Jets' Thomas Milic Make His NHL Debut?

The Winnipeg Jets have stumbled since losing their league MVP between the pipes and has started Eric Comrie three straight games to the tune of two losses with nine goals allowed. It could be worse but their offense was just narrowly edged out in their 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes and will be looking for a major rebound after getting shutout by the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

As the team gets ready to embark on a five-game road trip, many are wondering when we will get to see the red hot Thomas Milic make his NHL debut? Fans have been excited to see what the 22-year-old can do and it may be starting to get concerning for two reasons.

Firstly, we've seen across the league that starter fatigue is a very real thing as starting goaltenders that are heavily relied upon are starting to see their game slip. Toronto's Anthony Stolarz and Calgary's Dustin Wolf are two very clear examples of this as their backups were either injured or not trustworthy to the coaching staff and now both goaltenders appear to be in performance funks. The hope for the Jets is that this doesn't extend to Comrie as he's done a solid job holding his own during a tough situation.

Secondly, Milic was red hot coming out of the AHL with wins in four straight starts, an impressive 2.14 goals against average and a .921 save percentage with a shutout. Since being called up, Milic hasn’t played since his last AHL start last Thursday. If he gets the nod on Wednesday, it won’t be an unusually long break between starts, but letting it stretch any further could be concerning, especially if the momentum from his recent hot streak begins to cool.

His next appearance, whenever it comes, will be a challenging one. The Jets open their five-game road trip against the Washington Capitals, who are coming off a strong season, followed by a back-to-back that includes a rematch with the Eastern Conference–leading Carolina Hurricanes before things lighten up on the second leg when they face the Nashville Predators.

Starting Milic on Wednesday against Washington could be a smart move. It would give him the chance to pick up right where he left off, keep building on his recent surge, and help the Jets rebound while also giving Comrie some much needed rest. Comrie could then take the crease on Friday against Carolina, leaving Milic with a favorable opportunity for his second career start on Saturday against Nashville.

Whenever his next start comes, the hope is that the B.C. native continues to prove why he has earned this opportunity and remains the steady, composed goaltender he has been in the minors, stepping up for the Jets during a demanding stretch of their road trip.

Jets' Neal Pionk Suffers Second Lower-Body Injury in 8 Months, Listed As Day-to-Day Neal Pionk left Sunday’s game against Minnesota early with a lower-body injury, putting his status for the Jets’ upcoming road trip in doubt.

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