Line juggling to solve Jets’ early woes

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This article was published 18/10/2014 (4040 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

 

In the wake of three games of near non-existent offence, the line juggling starts Sunday for the Winnipeg Jets.

Coach Paul Maurice switched up some forward combinations today at practice at the MTS Centre and we’ll see some of those Sunday night when the Jets are home to the Calgary Flames (6 p.m., City, TSN1290).

Rookie Adam Lowry moves from left wing to centre, a position he played with much success in junior and for the majority of time last season with the AHL’s St. John’s IceCaps.

It’ll be Lowry with T.J. Galiardi and Michael Frolik if today’s practice is a guide.

The fallout from that will include Mathieu Perreault moving from centre to the left wing with Mark Scheifele and likely Blake Wheeler. Dustin Byfuglien will move over to a line with Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd.

The Jets, after opening the season with a 6-2 win in Arizona, have lost three straight and have scored just one goal doing that.

Lowry, 21, has played his first four NHL games at left-winger, his natural position for most of his playing days until he was moved to the middle when he played for the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos.

Maurice said today it’s not too much to ask Lowry to now play centre for the Jets.

“He understands that better,” the coach said after this morning’s practice. “I also think that’s the future of our organization and him. He’s going to play center ice sooner rather than later.

“I haven’t liked what we’ve seen off the line (Perreault, Lowry, Chris Thorburn) as it was structured so he does a lot of good things in the game. Some of the things that are just going to get better out of experience — the speed of the game, all those things, the decisions with the puck and how quick they have to be made.

“But the guy’s in the right spot for the most part all over the ice. He has a real quick read to that and that’s a big part to playing centre ice. And the willingness to be under the puck and do the things we’re probably not getting throughout the lineup.

“I’d like to see him there … I know that’s where he’s going.”

“If he can handle it now, I have no problem with a young man at centre ice. I’ve seen it before and it’s been done well. We’ll give him an opportunity there.”

Wheeler missed today’s practice, but Maurice said he’s in for Sunday’s game.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca