Jets Recall Ford, Zhilkin From Manitoba on Emergency Basis

Three injured forwards at once stripped the Winnipeg Jets of needed bottom-six depth, prompting the club to pull Parker Ford and Danny Zhilkin back from their AHL affiliate on emergency conditions March 27.

The recalls were triggered directly by injuries to Vladislav Namestnikov, Nino Niederreiter, and Morgan Barron, who entered concussion protocol. Under NHL rules, emergency recalls allow teams to add players to the active roster without counting against the salary cap, provided the recalled players remain on their AHL contracts. The classification holds only as long as the triggering injuries keep players sidelined. Once Namestnikov, Niederreiter, or Barron clears to return, Ford and Zhilkin revert to Manitoba unless Winnipeg activates them under standard roster rules.

For Ford, this was a return trip. The 25-year-old undrafted winger from Wakefield, R.I., already logged 11 games with Winnipeg this season, contributing one assist in that stretch. His forechecking game and penalty-kill awareness address two specific needs in a depleted bottom six, and his 21 points (6G, 15A) across 45 Moose games this season undersell the situational value he provides on a short shift. Over 166 career AHL games in Manitoba, Ford has totaled 87 points (40G, 47A), making him one of the most battle-tested depth options in the organization. His $812,500 cap hit makes him a flexible, low-risk addition.

Zhilkin is the more intriguing piece. The 22-year-old center, a 2022 third-round pick (77th overall) from Moscow, was recalled once already this season in January after a five-point burst over five December games caught the organization's attention. That call-up produced four NHL games, no points, and a plus-2, with just one appearance exceeding 10 minutes of ice time. Since returning to Manitoba, Zhilkin posted 11 goals and 11 assists in 54 games, establishing himself as one of the Moose's primary centers while carrying a $803,333 cap hit through 2026-27.

The timing hits Manitoba at a difficult moment. The Moose entered the week sitting fourth in the AHL Central Division at 29-25-5-1, holding on to one of the conference's five postseason berths, but had dropped six of their last eight games. Offensive production had already been the club's most pressing issue, and losing two forwards on short notice, including their most reliable center option, directly compounds that problem on special teams and in five-on-five depth.

Both Ford and Zhilkin will be evaluated on penalty killing, puck management, and high-percentage execution during their NHL stints. For Ford, it is an opportunity to solidify his place in the organization's depth chart. For Zhilkin, it is a second chance to prove his January call-up was a preview rather than a ceiling, with roster decisions for next season beginning to take shape.