Chameleon Iafallo gets the job done

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/04/2024 (546 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NASHVILLE — Alex Iafallo is built for what’s right around the corner.

Although the Winnipeg Jets’ versatile forward isn’t getting ahead of himself, a conversation about the post-season prior to Tuesday’s game against the Nashville Predators got his attention.

“For sure. Just trying to do everything right and working hard in every area,” said Iafallo. “You need everybody. It’s the best time of the year and good teams can go a long way if everybody is buzzing and doing their little niche. (You become) unstoppable.”

Iafallo, an important part of the off-season trade with the Los Angeles Kings that also brought in Gabriel Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari and a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft that previously belonged to the Montreal Canadiens, has played the role of chameleon this season.

His ability to blend in has been noticed by everyone around him.

“He’s very predictable,” said Vilardi. “He’s easy to play with. He works hard and you know what you’re going to get every night. He can play anywhere. He can play on the first line, he can play on the fourth line.”

Iafallo can — and has — played everywhere in between, shuffling through all four units this season and playing effectively on each.

Whether he was skating alongside Mark Scheifele or with current linemates Vladislav Namestnikov and Morgan Barron, Iafallo is hounding pucks and doing the little things that don’t always show up on the scoresheet but are valued by teammates and coaches.

“He just gets the job done,” said Jets head coach Rick Bowness. “You can put him with anybody and he plays his game, no matter who he’s playing with. That’s important. Sometimes you play with the top line and you change your game. He doesn’t. He just knows one way to play and it’s all out. He’s very reliable and he’s very consistent.

“He knows what he does well and he sticks to it.”

Being malleable is something Iafallo has done since the Kings signed him as a college free agent after his senior season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.

“I understand what I have to do out there,” said Iafallo, who suited up in the 498th game of his NHL career on Tuesday. “It’s been pretty fun playing with everybody. You’ve got to find your role and go with it.”

Iafallo’s role has evolved over the course of the season as well.

When Vilardi was out at various points, he got a promotion to the power-play unit but now is settled on the penalty kill, often going out with captain Adam Lowry as the first forwards over the boards.

When the Stanley Cup playoffs begin, the importance of unsung heroes is on the rise and Iafallo is the type of player who could be called upon to deliver in a critical moment.

“Al is a complete player and he’s a great dude,” said Jets right-winger Mason Appleton. “He’s smart enough where he can go up and down the lineup and mesh with different players. At the same time, he’s trusted to the point where he can be on the ice at the end of the game if we’re winning or losing.”

The fourth line played a vital role in the 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, combining for three goals and six points in the contest. Iafallo scored his 11th goal of the season to snap a 2-2 tie in the third period and picked up his 15th assist on a Namestnikov marker in the opening frame.

The Jets’ forward depth has given the offensive attack some balance, and having each member of the fourth line in double digits for goals is a luxury not every playoff-bound team boasts.

Depending on what happens with the rest of the lineup after Nino Niederreiter returns from a left leg laceration, there’s a chance the 13th forward will also be in double-digits.

“The fourth line often changes a little bit when there’s an injury, but they’ve got to play together enough now that there’s a little consistency,” said Appleton. “I feel like their game is trending (upward). There are three really good players on that line and they should have their way against a lot of matchups.”

Another thing Iafallo will bring to the table is playoff experience, as he was involved in a pair of hard-fought series against the Edmonton Oilers in each of the past two seasons and has suited up in 16 post-season games during his career.

Iafallo saw firsthand how tight the margins are, going six and seven games before coming out on the losing end both times.

“You get in that zone, that playoff zone,” he said. “Just hard-nosed hockey, I guess. You want to contribute in any way you can. Goals, defence, whatever we need. We’ve just got to be hard workers and be doing the right thing every shift.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld