FROM THE PRESS BOX
MIKE SAYS: I reminded Jonathan Toews this morning how, during last summer’s big press conference announcing his free-agent signing, Arniel told reporters the man known as “Captain Serious” was willing to take on any role, including playing on the fourth line if necessary.
That’s not where he started, of course. But it’s where the 37-year-old now finds himself exactly two months into his NHL comeback. And not even as the centre, the position he’s played all his career, but as a winger. So what was that conversation with the Jets bench boss like?
“I think there’s a little part of it where it’s a little bit of a check to your ego,” Toews admitted.
“And I think I’ve always prided myself on the way I play at both ends of the rink and playing a two-way game as a centerman, so the second you kind of see your name on the wing, it’s a bit of an adjustment. It really takes you a minute to get past that and to move on and to just be happy to get the chance to go out there and do a job. That being said, don’t think too much about it, and I’m excited for tonight’s game.”
The struggle is real for Toews, who has just one secondary assist over his last 12 games. It will be interesting to see if moving his way down the lineup, where he’d be able to get softer matchups, can free him up.
It’s fascinating that when training camp started, Toews was projected to start the year centering the second line between wingers Cole Perfetti and Gustav Nyquist. Now, he’s a fourth-line winger, Perfetti is on the third line and Nyquist is a healthy scratch.
Speaking of Perfetti, I thought he was on the verge of a breakthrough 10 days ago during that road game in Nashville where he finally buried one of his many chances and scored a big goal. Instead, his play has dipped considerably in the four games since. No goals, no assists, no points and just four combined shots. He really needs to pick it up if the Jets are going anywhere this season.
KEN SAYS: Given how tight that season-opening, one-goal game was, it’s surprising that the fortunes of the two clubs have gone in vastly different directions.
Most folks assumed the Jets and Stars would be battling for top spot along with the Avalanche, but Winnipeg has yet to meet expectations on that front and faces an uphill climb to get back into that discussion.
Meanwhile, the Avalanche and Stars have shown to be the class of the Western Conference to date as the Jets try to pull themselves out of this tailspin.
Cole Koepke is riding a hot streak for the Jets, with two goals and three points during the past two games but it’s clear Winnipeg is still looking for someone in the middle-six to step up offensively.
Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Koepke (Matt Slocum / The Associated Press files)
The Stars have been led by Mikko Rantanen (12 goals, 39 points), but they’ve got tremendous contributions from a pair of Olympic hopefuls in Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson.
Robertson, in the mix for Team USA, leads the Stars with 18 goals and is second to Rantanen with 38 points while Johnston leads the NHL with 12 power-play markers (to go with 16 goals and 34 points) and has worked his way into the discussion for the large group of forwards battling for the final few roster spots on Team Canada.
The Stars should also benefit from the return of defenceman Thomas Harley, who has been out since Nov. 13 with a lower-body injury.
If you think the Jets are catching a break by not having to face Jake Oettinger this evening, it’s not a big dip at all, since DeSmith is off to a fantastic start this season. Although Oettinger has played twice as many games, DeSmith has only lost one game in regulation (6-1-3), a lower goals-against average (2.16) and higher save percentage (.921) than the Stars No. 1 netminder (who boasts a record of 14-4-2 to go with his 2.49 GAA and .909 save percentage).
PROJECTED LINES
WINNIPEG JETS
FORWADS:
- Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo
- Niederreiter-Lowry-Vilardi
- Pearson-Namestnikov-Perfetti
- Koepke-Barron-Toews
DEFENCE:
- Morrissey-DeMelo
- Samberg-Pionk
- Stanley-Schenn
GOAL:
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: D Miller, F Nyquist
INJURED: G Hellebuyck (knee), D Fleury (flu)
DALLAS STARS
FORWARDS:
- Robertson-Hintz-Benn
- Duchene-Johnston-Rantanen
- Back-Hryckowian-Bourque
- Steel-Faksa-Blackwell
DEFENCE:
- Lindell-Heiskanen
- Harley-Lundqvist
- Capobianco-Petrovic
GOAL:
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: RW Bastian, D Kolyachonok
INJURED: D Bischel (lower body), D Lyubushkin (lower body), F Seguin (knee), F Erne (knee), F McDonald (lower body)
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
Jonathan Toews on visiting the Children’s Hospital on Monday afternoon along with his teammates:
“Regardless of the day, it’s easy to get caught up and focus on your problems or the things that you feel aren’t going perfectly well in your life. But then when you go visit people who are going through some real stuff, it snaps you out of that immediately, pretty much. So as you said, it definitely gives perspective.
“I think it gives you a little bit more inspiration, too, to keep counting your blessings instead of focusing on the negative and just going from there. So I think it was a good thing that we did that yesterday. Obviously a lot of guys in this locker room understand the influence that they have, so it’s pretty cool to be a part of that.”
WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON
Mike has an early story coming on Toews and how he’s handling his demotion to the fourth line.
Ken will handle Jets vs. Stars games duties, with analysis and post-game reaction from the locker room.
You can find both pieces online and in Wednesday’s print edition.
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