Vancouver Warriors likely without Mitch Jones longer than first thought

Mitch Jones, Vancouver Warriors (Photo: Jordan Leigh)

The Province is reporting that injured Vancouver Warriors forward Mitch Jones will likely be sidelined for longer than the team had initially hoped.

Warriors GM, Dan Richardson, told The Province that “a couple of setbacks” will likely extend Jones’ time recovering from a broken foot sustained in a freak injury while the team prepared for a game in Denver on January 29th.

“We obviously want him back as soon as possible, but he’s not coming back until we’re sure that he’s ready to be back,” Richardson said, also adding that the new goal is to have Jones available in time for the playoffs.

Although the NLL has yet to announce their 2022 playoff schedule, with the league’s final regular season games being played on April 30th, it’s anticipated that opening-round action of the postseason would start as early as May 6th.

That would be about an additional month over what was initially hoped to be Jones’ original return to the Warriors roster.

Mitch Jones at Rogers Arena, Vancouver vs. Toronto, March 12th (Photo: Jordan Leigh)

Soon after their star forward was sidelined, the Warriors went on an impressive three-game win streak, beating the Panther City Lacrosse Club, Saskatchewan Rush and Calgary Roughnecks. During that stretch, Vancouver got strong offensive production from Keegan Bal, Kyle Killen, Logan Schuss and Riley Loewen.

Since then, however, the Warriors have reeled off four-straight losses, all but one decided by two goals or fewer.

Currently sitting in third place in the NLL’s West Division, if the playoffs started today, the Warriors would be in. With that said, both Panther City and Calgary are a positive result or two away from catching the BC-based club. Due to stronger records in the East, it’s likely that the West will only secure three post-season spots in 2022. More on that here.

“We have trust that we’re going to work our way out of this,” Richards added in the article. “We haven’t suddenly become a terrible team. We have the offence and the defence and the goaltending and the special teams that if we play a full 60 minutes we can compete with anybody.”

So far this season, the Warriors are one of only two teams to top the West-leading San Diego Seals, and the solo squad from the West to do so. That result happened all the way back in Week 1 though.

The Warriors host the Seals tonight at Rogers Arena (10:30pm ET).