Winnipeg Jets star forward Blake Wheeler is set to return after playing through one of the most painful and gruesome injuries imaginable.
Per Murat Ates of The Athletic, Wheeler suffered a ruptured testicle in the Jets’ Dec. 15 game against the Nashville Predators. Incredibly, Wheeler managed to finish the game (a 2-1 Winnipeg win in overtime).
The Plymouth, Minnesota native required surgery and proceeded to miss the next three weeks. But the former Winnipeg captain is set to return for Friday’s home game against the defending Eastern Conference Champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
Before his injury, Wheeler was one of Winnipeg’s top offensive performers. The 36-year-old and one-time All-Star had nine goals and 26 points in the Jets’ first 29 games. For his career, Wheeler has 305 goals and 893 points in 1,075 NHL games.
Entering play on Friday night, Winnipeg sits second in the gauntlet that is the Central Division with 49 points. They are three games behind the Dallas Stars for tops in the division, though the Jets have two games in hand.
