Another NHL taste for Schilling

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This article was published 30/11/2018 (2472 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been a while since Cam Schilling experienced first-hand NHL action. But his number was finally called Thursday night to bolster the battered Winnipeg Jets’ blue-line, with Dustin Byfuglien, Joe Morrow and Dmitry Kulikov all on the shelf with injuries.

It was his first taste of the big leagues in more than three-and-a-half years, and just the seventh NHL game of his career. No doubt March 11, 2015 — when Schilling got 9:21 of ice time for the Washington Capitals against the visiting New York Rangers — seems like a lifetime ago.

Since then he’s toiled in the AHL, including an excellent debut year with the Manitoba Moose in 2017-18 (6 goals, 26 assists) and the start of 2018-19 (0 goals, 6 assists). A free agent in the off-season, Schilling signed a one-year deal with Winnipeg that pays him US$650,000 in the NHL and US$250,000 in the minors, according to capfriendly.com.

Schilling thought about moving to another organization for a better shot at an NHL job but decided to stay put.

“There was a temptation but, I mean, there’s a lot of be said (for) when an organization likes you and you play a lot of minutes down with the Moose,” the 30-year-old product of Carmel, Ind., said Thursday. “And my wife likes it here and we, to be honest, we didn’t want to leave the organization. If you find a good fit, you might as well stay because you never know.”

DANO DEBUTS: Marko Dano’s second chance with the Jets organization is off to a solid start.

The 23-year-old winger had two assists Wednesday night as the Moose beat the San Diego Gulls 5-1 to kick off a six-game California road trip.

Dano began the year with the Jets but didn’t get in a game, then was placed on waivers and picked up by Colorado. After eight games with the Avalanche in which he didn’t record a point, Dano was once again put on the waiver wire. The Jets grabbed him back, wanting to add some forward depth after losing Dennis Everberg and Kristian Vesalainen to Europe.

Dano skated on the top line for the AHL club Wednesday along with free-agent pickup Logan Shaw, who had a hat trick, and Seth Griffith, who had three assists.

Shaw has been especially dangerous since joining the Moose, with six goals and four assists in seven games. The veteran of 180 NHL games is certainly a recall option for the Jets at some point this season.

YOUNG STARS: Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is amazed by all the young talent helping to spark a turnaround in franchise fortunes around the NHL.

“It’s something else,” Toews said Thursday. “Every team I think, has that belief because the guys they’ve drafted are coming in a year or two after their draft and they’re having that impact right away. So, it’s tough when every team has that belief that they’re a playoff team and they’re going to go on a run. I mean, you look at a team like Buffalo this year, it’s like ‘Where the heck did they come from?’

“You’re not going to get any games where you just go out there and you know you’re going to win. Teams are working hard. That effort is there every night and they’ve got the talent to back it up. It’s impressive to see how much skill there is across teams’ lineups nowadays. You turn on the TV… there’s always someone who’s really going to pique your interest.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg