Winnipeg Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury has avoided a major injury following a frightening collision with the boards during a game earlier this week, though he did not escape unscathed. The team has confirmed the veteran blueliner suffered a broken nose and a bruised back in the incident.
The Scary Incident on the Ice
The play occurred during the first period of the Jets' matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, January 7, 2026. As Fleury turned to chase a puck in his defensive zone, Vegas winger Keegan Kolesar made contact with the backs of Fleury's knees using his stick. The impact caused Fleury to lose his balance, falling onto his back and sliding forcefully into the end boards, back-first.
The scene was immediately concerning. Fleury remained down on the ice, throwing his stick in evident pain and frustration before medical trainers rushed to his aid. The severity of the situation prompted officials to bring a stretcher onto the ice, and Fleury was carefully transported off the playing surface and taken to a local hospital via ambulance for further evaluation.
Diagnosis and Team Update
Initial fears of a severe spinal or back injury were alleviated when the Jets issued a statement noting Fleury was "fully alert and moving his extremities" upon leaving the arena. The following day, head coach Scott Arniel provided a more detailed medical report.
"He's got the broken nose, he's got a bruised back. I'm not sure what that exactly means, but it's not obviously at first what we thought, it's not serious," Arniel told reporters, including NHL.com. He added that Fleury was being monitored for potential concussion symptoms as a standard precaution, and there is currently no timetable for his return to the lineup.
In a corresponding roster move on Wednesday, the Jets placed the 29-year-old defenceman on injured reserve and recalled forward Danny Zhilkin from their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.
Aftermath and Team Struggles Continue
The incident did not go unanswered by Fleury's teammates. Shortly after play resumed, Jets captain Adam Lowry confronted Kolesar, and the two players engaged in a fight, with Lowry ostensibly seeking retribution for the hit on his teammate.
Unfortunately for Winnipeg, the game ended in further disappointment. The Golden Knights secured a victory in overtime, scoring a power-play goal with a mere 13 seconds left in the extra period. The loss adds to a difficult season for the Jets, who, after winning the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular-season team last year, now find themselves in last place league-wide with a record of 15 wins, 21 losses, and 5 overtime defeats.
Fleury, the seventh overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, is in his second season with Winnipeg. He has also played for the Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, and Tampa Bay Lightning throughout his career.
