Moose players looking forward to being closer to Jets

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This article was published 04/05/2015 (3809 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The colours were right but, truth be told, the logo on the front of the uniforms J.C. Lipon and Scott Kosmachuk modelled Monday was not the one they hope to be wearing next fall.

Lipon and Kosmachuk, two Winnipeg Jets prospects who spent this past season with the St. John’s IceCaps, were tapped on the shoulder Monday to be part of the franchise name and jersey unveiling by the re-born Manitoba Moose. And their first reaction to the new look?

“It’s cool. I used to be a fan of the Moose growing up, being from Saskatchewan,” said Lipon. “It looks pretty cool to me.”

Waiting for their turn to be thrust in front of a media scrum, both Kosmachuk and Lipon had a brief conversation with Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff Monday morning. And that, in itself, was a huge part of the Jets decision to move their AHL affiliate into their own building after plans to set up shop in Thunder Bay died when a new arena development there was shelved.

Now the Jets big guns can keep a much closer eye on their prospects, the communication between the NHL and AHL staff will be face to face and the logistical headaches — especially the cost of travel and the distance between Winnipeg and Newfoundland — are changed dramatically. An example: on one occasion last year it cost the Jets $2,500 for a one-way ticket to get Patrice Cormier to Winnipeg from St. John’s on an emergency recall.

“I think it’s going to be great from my perspective with the prospects being closer to the NHL club, not only for the fans but for the brass to be able to keep a little bit of a closer eye on us,” said Kosmachuk, a right winger who had 14 goal and 28 points in 70 games for the IceCaps last year, his first as a pro.

“It’s obviously going to give you that much more motivation. There’s going to be more people watching your practices. Coach Keith (McCambridge) he runs a great practice and is tough on you, but just having the mindset that you’re in the city of Winnipeg and knowing that everybody is going to be at your back door, you’re going to be that much more as a player.”

The Moose, Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs), San Jose Barracuda (San Jose Sharks) will be the only AHL clubs playing directly in the backyard of their parent clubs next year, although seven other affiliates are within an hour or so of the bigs.

Logistically it makes a huge difference for a prospect, especially those with young families, wives or girlfriends, to know they are setting up shop in one city, whether they are playing for the Jets or the Moose. But just being in a big-league environment can be huge as well.

“I have some buddies that played in Toronto in that system and Boston (the Bruins AHL affiliate is in Providence) and maybe it’s a little bit more exciting being closer to the bigger team and feeling the buzz of the city and getting used to the city as well,” said Lipon, who just completed his second season in St. John’s.

“Being close to them, having friends or having even lived with guys that are on the big team it will definitely be good to see how they grow and they can teach you things.

“It will be different here, for sure. But we had great support out in St. John’s, too. I definitely enjoyed it out there as well.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait