Beware the palace coup, Pavelec

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/09/2015 (3693 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The smart kings can sense a palace coup before it really gets going. They have someone beheaded, or pass out free parcels of land to quell the uprising.

For Ondrej Pavelec, current king of the Winnipeg Jets’ crease, the time is now to re-establish his grip on the crown.

It’s unlikely Pavelec has access to a guillotine, and those eager to threaten his domain are already men of means. No, if Pavelec is going to stave off the rush of youth, he’s going to have to do it with a rising save percentage. Stop the puck and stop the revolt.

Pavelec must build on last year’s improvement to entrench his rule. Sag a bit and prepare for the worst.

Heading into the fourth year of a five-year contract, with three younger goalies in the organization beginning to bark for a piece of the action, Pavelec remains the No. 1, but he is not uncontested.

Jets coach Paul Maurice has proven he has the ability to think like a GM as well as a coach. And if he begins to see the future in one of his other goalies, he’ll encourage it.

Maurice wants to win games right now, of course, but as we’ve seen with the way he’s handled young players such as Mark Scheifele, Adam Lowry and Jacob Trouba, he’s not obtuse in regard to the big picture. Maurice’s stability within the organization is such he can afford to think about tommorrow as well as today.

None of this is to say the Jets are hoping for Pavelec to fail. Quite the opposite. But they are at the point where they’ll want to develop some certainty with Pavelec or begin to consider moving on.

There isn’t much rope left for Pavelec. He’s either the guy or he isn’t.

Last year he fought off Michael Hutchinson’s advances and regained clear-cut No. 1 status down the stretch and into the playoffs.

Pavelec posted a .920 save percentage last season, significantly better than his career .908 mark. Is he the goalie we saw last season? Was he held back by previously porous defences during his time in the Thrashers/Jets organization? Is he a No. 1 capable of winning playoff games and rounds?

The Jets view themselves as an organization on the rise, with talent on the big league roster and lots more in the pipe. They have big plans for the future and they’re going to want to establish strength in the net. Now is Pavelec’s time to make his statement.

Second-year pro Connor Hellebuyck has had the goalie of the future tag for some time.

He’ll begin the season in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, but it won’t be difficult for Maurice to keep an eye on his work, with the affiliate now being located in Winnipeg. The Moose aren’t so much a farm team as a garden team now. Waiver issues aside, Maurice will be able to see what’s growing much easier and suggest fresher ingredients when he finds the Jets’ recipe getting stale.

If Pavelec and/or Hutchinson struggle, the Jets will find a way to get a look at Hellebuyck.

My guess is the incumbents won’t be running to the trainers about a hangnail this season. Not with the Moose and Hellebuyck stationed on the opposite side of the rink.

Pavelec has lived with pressure from the moment he arrived in Winnipeg. At times it wore on him, but last season he seemed to come to terms with the heat. He shrugged off the bad times and didn’t get heady with the good. He matured.

The push from below likely won’t faze him. He’s found a way to be comfortable in his own skin. To trust his game and to believe in himself no matter what is happening around him.

There is going to be a push from below. But don’t be surprised if the king pushes back.

Right now Pavelec is the only No. 1 in the bunch. The rest may aspire, but last season Pavelec, along with an assist from Hutchinson, backstopped his team to the playoffs.

Pavelec is the boss for a reason and no one should expect him to give up that title without a fight.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @garylawless