Jets rookie makes debut on depleted defence

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/03/2017 (3158 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

None of Kevin Cheveldayoff’s darkest nightmares could have unfolded like the saga playing out these days for his NHL club.

The decimation of the Winnipeg Jets’ defence due to injuries is likely making the general manager want to cover his eyes with a pillow and ask for a nudge when the scary part is over.

When a player who’s 11th or 12th on the organizational depth chart slots into the lineup — and the ninth and 10th guys are already assuming hefty minutes — a clash with just about anyone in the league, even the struggling Philadelphia Flyers, probably won’t end pretty.

As it turned out, the Jets’ 3-2 triumph over the Flyers was far from a disaster, as the hosts surrendered just a handful of quality scoring chances, while creating enough offence of their own to win its third straight.

Winnipeg’s depleted lineup held Philadelphia to 26 shots — including just 14 from a lethargic Flyers squad through 40 minutes.

For one Jets rearguard, it was a night to cherish.

Nelson Nogier made his NHL debut and was paired with veteran Mark Stuart. The 20-year-old Saskatoon native, the 11th blue-liner the Jets have used this season, was an emergency recall Monday from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.

The 6-3, 210-pound fourth-round pick of the Jets in 2014 acquitted himself nicely, making sound decisions in his end and firing a shot on Flyers goalie Steve Mason, albeit from a bad angle.

“I was pretty nervous, to say the least,” Nogier said, describing his first NHL shift. “That was a moment I’ll never forget.”

He finished with 17 shifts and more than 12 minutes of ice time.

“From the day I got drafted, the fans here in Winnipeg have been amazing, from everything that I’ve heard. That’s just one of the things you want to achieve in life. To stand on that blue line in the Winnipeg rink,” he said. “I was happy with my game. Thought I was a little shaky at the start, but that was kind of to be expected.”

Jets head coach Paul Maurice spoke to the rookie pro Tuesday morning, telling him to savour the moment, which included having his parents, Patrick and Lori, make the eight-hour drive east to watch his debut.

“You only get one of these. You can win 10 Stanley Cups and 10 Norris trophies, but you’re only ever getting one (first) game. There’s a whole family and a whole extended family that sacrificed as much as you did to get here. So take a deep breath, take in the national anthems. Enjoy the heck out of it,” said Maurice.

“If you score three you’re not getting a 10-year, US$20-million deal. And if you’re minus-one after your first shift, we’re not pulling you off the bench. Just relax and play the game.”

The list of the injured players on the back end includes Tyler Myers (lower body), Toby Enstrom (upper body), Jacob Trouba (upper body), Paul Postma (lower body) and Ben Chiarot (lower body).

If the club was knee-deep in the hoopla of a playoff race, the hurts to the defensive corps would really sting.

But with Winnipeg 10 points back of Nashville for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference and just nine games remaining, it gives others an opportunity to perform and team brass a chance to evaluate.

A pair of farmhands, Julian Melchiori and Brian Strait, have already played multiple games, while Stuart — who began the season as Winnipeg’s seventh blue-liner and has been a healthy scratch nearly three dozen times — is ailing but played his fifth straight game out of necessity.

Rookie Josh Morrissey was paired with Strait, while Melchiori partnered with Dustin Byfuglien.

Jets goaltender Michael Hutchinson, who had a triumphant start for the first time since late December, said players filling in for the wounded did a terrific job.

“They’ve been great. It really helps as a young player when you come up and get in a situation where you do play a lot of minutes.

“For (Nogier), it didn’t look like it was his first NHL game. That’s really impressive for him,” Hutchinson said. “(Melchiori) is getting better each game and Straiter has been solid both games.”

Coming up

The Jets head south today for a quick two-game road trip. Winnipeg plays the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night and then faces the Anaheim Ducks 24 hours later, before returning home to host the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

Chiarot is considered day-to-day and could play in California, while Myers and Trouba will accompany the team and take part in game-day skates but aren’t expected to play.

Enstrom, who’s recovering from a concussion after getting smacked into the boards from behind by Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tom Sestito earlier this month, is only taking short, light skates and hasn’t been cleared for contact, Maurice said.

He also hinted Postma’s return to the lineup before the end of season is no sure thing.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPJasonBell