Prospects focus on hard work

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This article was published 28/06/2017 (2998 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mason Appleton is one of those prospects who could buck the odds.

The 21-year-old centre, a sixth-round (168th overall) choice of the Winnipeg Jets in the 2015 draft, is doing what mid- to late-round picks need to do — exceed projections.

Recently named captain at Michigan State, Appleton appears to be evolving into more of an offensive producer after registering 12 goals and 31 points in 35 games with the Spartans last season.

“I led the team in scoring,” Appleton said Wednesday following a Jets development camp workout at the Bell MTS Iceplex. “I scored some goals that I’ve never really scored before, some nice first-shot goals. Definitely, I improved my shot and my skating’s coming along, so I really like where my game is going.”

Some of Appleton’s improvement comes from normal physical maturity (he has put on about 15 pounds since the Jets drafted him), but he has put some extra work into his skill development as well.

“You kind of get tired of people telling you you need a better shot, you need to have a stronger shot, a heavier shot, so I… realized I needed to put a lot of time into that,” said Appleton, who devotes an hour a day to on- and off-ice shooting drills.

“I work at it hard. My shot’s come a long way. Definitely, a weak point of my game when I was drafted… I wasn’t scoring first-shot goals, just rebound garbage goals.”

Appleton, who is from Green Bay, Wis., is destined to return to college hockey to continue his development in the fall. It will likely be the same path for 19-year-old left-winger Erik Foley, who will return to powerhouse Providence College after a breakout 2016-17 season.

Foley, a six-foot, 193-pounder from Mansfield, Mass., was chosen in the third round (78th overall) of the 2015 draft. He had 15 goals and 34 points in his sophomore season, almost doubling his 2015-16 numbers.

“It’s up to the Jets to see when they want me to come in or what path I want to go down,” he said. “But right now I’m taking it day by day and working hard.

“I think I could step in, but I don’t think you want to push it too early. Like I said, I just want to work on the things that I need to improve on and one day, when they want me to come in, give me the call. Hopefully, I’ll be ready for it.”

Glover returns

Jack Glover may be a forgotten man to some Jets watchers, but the 6-3, 202-pound blue-liner is pushing to remain a part of the club’s future.

The 21-year-old from Golden Valley, Minn., Winnipeg’s third-round (69th overall) pick in the 2014 draft, is making only his second on-ice appearance at a Jets development camp, due in large part to some serious shoulder injuries.

Glover had both shoulders repaired surgically a little more than a year ago and was able to play just 13 games at the University of Minnesota last season. He will be entering his senior season with the Golden Gophers in the fall.

“It was tough for me last year,” he said. “Just the way it went for me personally, I don’t want to go through that again.”

Coincidentally, rookie defenceman Tucker Poolman, signed by the Jets out of the University of North Dakota at the end of March, is recuperating from similar, double shoulder surgery.

“I know exactly what he’s going through,” Glover said. “It’s no fun. I’m sure his shoulders have been bugging him for a while, too. It’s a big relief when you’re through it, but I kinda know the struggles he’s been going through.”

Getting the green light

Manitoba Moose head coach Pascal Vincent says there’s lots to like about the development of 19-year-old Quebec Major Junior Hockey League defenceman Luke Green.

The 6-1, 190-pounder from Bedford, N.S., has the skating and offensive skill set to dominate in junior hockey. What about pro?

“He’s a guy that fits the new NHL,” Vincent said. “He can retrieve those pucks and put himself into position to get the puck out. For us, getting the puck out and making sure we have good breakouts and staying in control of the puck, we’re really proud of what we do offensively. I think we were in the top three in offensive zone possession time in the NHL last year and we want to keep that. And we want to keep getting better.”

Green, chosen by the Jets in the third round (79th overall) in 2016, was traded from the Saint John Sea Dogs to the Sherbrooke Phoenix for three draft picks at mid-season and got a bump in production after the move, finishing with 37 points in 60 games.

“I’ve always been an offensive guy and, in the last few years, I’ve been trying to round out my game, be more of a two-way defenceman but still have that offensive flair that I’m known for,” Green said.

“I talk to Jimmy (Roy) and Mike (Keane) a lot in (Jets) player development. They came to see me a lot in Sherbrooke… I think they feel the same way. My game’s going in the right direction and after the second half of the year, I felt I was more comfortable and made big strides.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14