Ice Chips: Jets' Pionk, Ehlers listed as game-time decision Thursday vs. Stars

Winnipeg Jets

Neal Pionk and Nikolaj Ehlers are being listed as a game-time decisions for Thursday's divisional showdown against the Dallas Stars, head coach Scott Arniel said.

Pionk, 29, skated in a regular contact jersey at practice, and has been sidelined since March 11 with to a lower-body injury. He has totaled nine goals and 28 assists for 37 points in 66 games this season.

Ehlers, 29, did not skate today but is "getting closer" to getting back in the lineup after making his return to practice earlier in the week. The Danish forward last played on April 3 in a 4-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, before leaving the contest  in the third period after taking a shot off of his foot.

He has registered 24 goals and 39 assists over 67 games in 2024-25, his 10th year with the team. 

Defenceman Luke Schenn joined Ehlers in missing the morning skate, but his absence was attributed to visiting family in Nashville. Schenn will meet the team in Dallas and should be available on Thursday.

Rasmus Kupari was at Wednesday's morning skate but was seen in a non-contact jersey.

Kupari has been out since March 25 after suffering a setback in his post-concussion symptoms last month.

The Jets rolled out these lines at practice on Wednesday:

Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios met with the media on Wednesday morning and provided an injury update on team captain Brady Tkachuk.

Staios said that he believes Tkachuk would be in the lineup if the playoffs started tomorrow - team president Cyril Leeder revealed earlier in the day that the team's playoff run will likely begin on Sunday, April 20 or Monday, April 21.

“I think so, yes,” Staios said. “I can’t give you a definitive [answer].”

Tkachuk, 25, has missed each of Ottawa’s last five games while dealing with an upper-body injury, having last appeared on March 30 in a 1-0 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“His status is he continues to progress,” Staios told TSN’s Claire Hanna. “Now that we’ve clinched a playoff spot, every team goes through these discussions. What is the best situation? Do you rest players? How do you manage that? We haven’t figured that part out yet.

"To me, you always want to keep the team moving along and competing at a high level to roll into the playoffs at the right time.”

Steve Staios on the status of #Sens captain Brady Tkachuk, who has missed the last 5 games:

Tkachuk leads the Senators with 29 goals this season, while also adding 26 assists for 55 points through 71 games played.

The Scottsdale, Ariz. native also missed two games in February following the 4 Nations Face-Off while dealing with an lower-body injury sustained in the tournament's championship game. 

Tkachuk could be joined in a potential return to the lineup by teammate Nick Cousins.

“He’s very close,” Staios said on Cousins’ return. “I don’t know if there’s been a player that has attacked his rehab the way this guy has, he deserves a lot of credit. He’s pushed through very quickly and expedited his possible return to play.”

The Belleville, Ont. native was initially given a timeline of six-to-eight weeks following a knee-on-knee collision with Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Jacob Quillan on Jan. 25.

Cousins has scored five goals and 13 points in 47 games this season, his first with the Senators.

Ottawa clinched their spot in the playoffs after the Detroit Red Wings fell 4-1 to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, their first berth to the postseason since 2017.

The Senators are just four points back of the Florida Panthers with four games remaining on their regular season schedule.

Seattle Kraken

The Seattle Kraken have reassigned goaltender Victor Ostman to the American Hockey League's Coachella Valley Firebirds, the team announced Wednesday.

Ostman, 24, made his NHL debut Tuesday against the Utah Hockey Club in relief of Joey Daccord. Daccord was pulled after two periods having allowed seven goals on 29 shots in the blowout loss.

A native of Danderyd, Sweden, Ostman saved all 12 shots he faced but now heads back down to the Firebirds, where has he has made four starts this season.

The six-foot-four net-minder carries a 2.00 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage at the AHL level.

New York Rangers

The New York Rangers and Anton Blidh have agreed on a two-year, two-way contract extension.

Blidh, 30, has registered 17 goals and 13 assists for the Rangers' American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.

In 461 career contests at the AHL level, the Swedish forward has totaled 83 goals and 75 assists for 158 points.

Blidh has appeared in 85 career NHL contests split between the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, and Rangers.

He has scored four goals and 12 points in the NHL since debuting during the 2016-17 season.