Jets paying penalty since Frolik left

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This article was published 11/03/2017 (3111 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When the obituary is written on the Winnipeg Jets’ 2016-17 season, one might want to look at the penalty kill as the kiss of death. Because things have been absolutely grim of late with the Jets down a man — and opponents have been reaping the benefits.

Saturday night at the MTS Centre, Winnipeg surrendered a pair of power-play goals as they made a steady march to the sin bin en route to their 3-0 loss. Same goes for last Wednesday against Pittsburgh, when an early lead quickly vanished as the mighty Penguins struck three times with the extra man while cruising to a 7-4 victory.

Winnipeg sits 28th-overall in the league while short-handed (only Buffalo and Dallas are worse) after finishing 25th last season.

So what’s happened, especially after two previous seasons in which they were a respectable 10th and 13th overall? The most logical answer, it appears, was staring them right in the face Saturday.

Michael Frolik was a major part of Winnipeg’s short-handed success in those two strong seasons before leaving as a free agent and signing with Calgary. It appears he left a hole in the lineup the Jets have yet to fill.

His former coach, Paul Maurice, admits it’s a work in progress.

“It’s a role we’re building,” Maurice said Saturday prior to the game. “Everyone knows how I feel about Mike. I really liked him as a player. We’ve got a young guy in Joel Armia who’s learning that craft. He gets that hole now where Fro was.”

Adam Lowry and Andrew Copp have also figured prominently in the penalty kill this season, which Maurice said has brought about some of the struggles.

“Three fairly young guys out there not experienced killing penalties and they will absolutely get better at it,” he said Saturday.

Frolik, for what it’s worth, spoke glowingly of his two seasons in Winnipeg when the subject was broached prior to the game.

“It’s always kind of nice to come here,” Frolik said Saturday, noting his best friend is injured Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec. “When we made the playoffs, it was something that I always remember. The crowd here was unbelievable. Obviously I was thankful to them and thankful to Paul, he was a good coach for me. I liked him. There’s always going to be good memories here.”

The problem for Jets fans, of course, is the playoffs are but a distant memory. And until they can get their special teams sorted out, they will likely remain a mirage.

Frolik said it’s possible to build a strong penalty killer over time, pointing to his own career path.

“When I got to Chicago it was kind of the thing I really learned there. It was kind of my job over there to play PK. I think over the years it kind of helped me to grow as a player. I just try to work with the coaches and work with the guys I’m on with to make sure we’re on the same page… always getting better and trying to know the other team and what they try to do,” he said.

Calgary sits in the middle of the pack on the penalty kill this season as they look poised to make the playoffs. Frolik has also shown his offensive side with 15 goals and 26 assists, which puts him within range of the career-best 45 points he put up with Florida a few seasons ago.

Frolik had a goal and an assist Saturday against the Jets while helping his team go a perfect three for three while short-handed. The exact type of night which likely has many Jets fans — and perhaps coaches and management — lamenting the one that got away.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca