Blood clot sidelines Postma

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This article was published 28/10/2013 (4362 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DENVER — The Winnipeg Jets defensive corps has taken another hit as Paul Postma has been shelved indefinitely after it was discovered Sunday he has a blood clot in his leg.

Already without Jacob Trouba, who is out after crashing into the boards on Oct. 20 against St. Louis, the Jets’ defensive depth will be tested with the absence of the 24-year-old Postma.

Adam Pardy drew into the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche, but there are no immediate plans to summon another defenceman from St. John’s.

“We just learned of it today so we’re doing some follow-up stuff on that as we speak,” said Jets coach Claude Noel prior to Sunday night’s game. “It’s longer than week to week. It’s unfortunate. That’s just the way it goes.

“He sensed that something was up, he just didn’t know it was of that magnitude.”

Postma played in Saturday night’s 2-1 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars and was with the team Sunday morning at the Pepsi Center doing some off-ice workout stuff at an optional skate. He played 15 minutes and 10 seconds against the Stars, blocking three shots and registering one of his own.

Postma doesn’t need to be hospitalized, but will be taking blood thinners and will remain with the team through the rest of the road trip before returning to Winnipeg after Tuesday’s game to be further evaluated by the team’s doctors.

Zach Redmond, who was one of the last players sent to St. John’s after main training camp, has not yet suited up for the IceCaps as he recovers from injury. He is with the AHL club on their current road trip, but was not dressed for Sunday’s loss to the Providence Bruins.

KID IS ALL RIGHT: Jets centre Mark Scheifele played 7:39 in the win over Dallas Saturday and was at 14:13 against the Avs on Sunday. And with the Jets’ first-rounder forever under the microscope, the lack of ice time — particularly in the third in Dallas — led to some questions about where his game is at right now.

“I’m happy with Mark,” said Noel Sunday. “I have nothing negative to report. Part of the process of getting him to be a good NHL player… there’s a lot of different things, patience being one of them, understanding, helping him along the way and allowing him to find his way. I don’t want to over-coach the situation. He’s got to be able to feel that as he plays better he plays; as he plays average, things change.”

Scheifele said Sunday before the Avs game he’s been working on his defensive game, as requested, and is trying to stay confident while dealing with bumps and dips in his ice time.

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“It’s part of the game. You have to be able to deal with different things,” said Scheifele. “The team won (Saturday). That’s the biggest thing, that should be the biggest thing on everyone’s mind. It shouldn’t be ice time, it shouldn’t be points. It should be the team winning. That’s all I’m really worried about.”

Good answer. But the Jets, and Noel in particular, also understand that many young players who come from junior want it all right away. It comes for some, for others, it takes awhile.

“Patience isn’t part of the repertoire for young players,” said Noel. “It’s something they have to learn and go through and we have to be able to have dialogue to explain the patient part as they are understanding what it takes. You have to sell it to them, like you have to sell it with other players.

“Mark has been with us for two years in parts. I’m sure he had an expectation level and goals set at the start of the year. I don’t think he needs to veer from that goal.”

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPEdTait