Jets pay their net some mind

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This article was published 25/06/2017 (3338 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CHICAGO — The Winnipeg Jets went out and got a goalie Saturday.

For a team that lacked any consistency from its puck-stoppers during the 2016-17 season, the sixth-round selection of Swedish goalie Arvid Holm at the NHL draft won’t diminish Jets fans’ collective anxiety.

The expansion draft and entry draft are done, and the Jets still have Connor Hellebuyck as their No.1 netminder and Michael Hutchinson as the back-up.

Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff either needs to keep working the phones to acquire a goalie via the trade route or needs to make a strong pitch this week, leading up to July 1 as the “free-agent frenzy” begins.

The list of unrestricted free agents includes Ryan Miller, Jonathan Bernier, Brian Elliott and Steve Mason.

Saturday, Cheveldayoff towed the party line when questioned about his search for a quality goalie.

“We’re going to a take a look at whatever is available to us, and if there’s a good opportunity there that can help us, we’ll jump at it,” he said.

He also said he worked on a trade at the draft that involved roster players, but that deal disintegrated.

He didn’t identify the team involved, or the position of the principles. But, perhaps, it was a swap for a Vegas goaltender, such as Winnipegger Calvin Pickard; or maybe he talked to the Carolina Hurricanes about Cam Ward.

“Anytime you get together, there’s lots of conversations and we’ll see if something can lead to it. If not, we’ll get ready to try to do something at free agency. We’ll see how it all works out. We’ve got a list of names lined up to reach out to their representatives and see if we’re a fit for them as far as they want to consider us,” Cheveldayoff said.

 

Meeting with Maurice

 

Jets head coach Paul Maurice met with reporters mid-morning on Saturday at the United Center, noting he’s been in his office almost daily — preparing for the 2017-18 season — since the Jets won seven straight games to end the regular season. But he’ll take some time off with his family in July.

He’s carving out a plan for the club’s annual development camp, which begins Monday at the Iceplex and features a few dozen of Winnipeg’s prospects, including forward Kristian Vesalainen, and blue-liners Dylan Samberg and Johnathan Kovacevik, drafted this weekend in Chicago.

Maurice was chatty on several fronts.

• On the Jets addressing their depth on defence at the draft, snapping up some very tall teens:

“Clearly, adding defencemen to our organization is a priority, but I don’t think (Cheveldayoff and his scouts) reached out of where they were comfortable to get one. We’ve got Josh (Morrissey) and Toby (Enstrom) and then we have the other half, so I think we even out to about 6-3.”

• On Enstrom waiving his no movement clause last week, allowing Winnipeg to protect seven forwards, three defencemen and a goalie for the expansion draft:

“Toby is exceptionally well thought of (by his teammates), so he has a great level of respect from them. He has that respect that a player that plays with pain gets. Doing what he did, it’s kind of a gift to the other veteran guys that are there. He’s a special man and we’re very thankful for what he did.”

• On the strategy to compete with a young squad in the tough Central Division last season:

“I’m very confident in the plan that was set forth. We took a step back after the year we made the playoffs because we felt we had to get young skill in our lineup and bite that bullet now and we did for two years. I expect that group to be better… I do expect that payoff.”

• On Winnipeg’s search for an experienced goalie to partner with Connor Hellebuyck:

“We went through a growing period and the goaltenders were exactly like that. Put them back in net after a tough night, yanked him early a bunch of times.

“I’ve got lots of faith that Connor can do it. I’m also not in a hurry to have him have to do that next year. We want forward progress for the team. Either Connor or Michael has to step up on that or we’ve got to get some help for those guys.”

• On entering the final year of his contract:

“I told Kevin how I felt about it. I don’t need a contract extension. I’d be fine to sign one if it comes up. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, I’m absolutely fine with it. I’m on record: I love Winnipeg. My family loves Winnipeg. I’m not looking to go anywhere else.

“I’m not waiting to see what the team does, if they get better. I want our hockey team to get better, there’s no doubt about it. I don’t feel that we’re that far off from being a real good team for years to come. I really want to be a part of it. I want to raise my kids in Winnipeg. I want to coach here for a long period of time, but I don’t need an extension to do that. We haven’t talked about it again. It won’t change a darn thing for me if we do or we don’t.”

 

Chiarot signs deal

 

Before Day 2 of the draft began Saturday morning, the Jets announced left-shooting defenceman Ben Chiarot had agreed to a new two-year deal, with an average annual value of US$1.4 million.

Chiarot, 26, a restricted free agent, played in 59 games for the Jets last season and had a pair of goals and 10 assists before suffering a season-ending upper body injury Mar. 19 against the Wild.

The 6-3 and 219-pound Hamilton product was originally drafted by Atlanta in 2009 and has played 170 games with the Thrashers/Jets franchise.

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