Jets’ line retooling to continue

Adjustments not just about the top snipers

By: Ed Tait Posted: 10:09 PM CDT Wednesday, Sep. 30, 2015

Paul Maurice has got a couple more games to keep his line blender churning.

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Paul Maurice has got a couple more games to keep his line blender churning.

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This article was published 30/09/2015 (3691 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Paul Maurice has got a couple more games to keep his line blender churning.

The Winnipeg Jets boss had it humming in the third period of Tuesday’s exhibition win over the Ottawa Senators and figures to tinkering with his line combinations in the final two contests tonight and Saturday against the Calgary Flames.

Maurice reunited Blake Wheeler with Andrew Ladd and Bryan Little in the final 20 minutes Tuesday and is also trying to find a good spot and linemates for Alex Burmistrov, Nikolaj Ehlers and, in particular, Adam Lowry.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Trevor Hagan
Winnipeg Jets' head coach Paul Maurice, second from right, signals at a referee during the third period while playing the Ottawa Senators during pre-season NHL hockey action in Winnipeg on Tuesday. — THE CANADIAN PRESS/Trevor Hagan Winnipeg Jets' head coach Paul Maurice, second from right, signals at a referee during the third period while playing the Ottawa Senators during pre-season NHL hockey action in Winnipeg on Tuesday.

“It’s not all about (the Ladd-Little line) it’s about how the four lines are structured as a group,” said Maurice Wednesday. “I got to something I didn’t mind there in the third period, and it really wasn’t about (the Ladd-Little) line, it was about Adam Lowry, and I’m still focused on getting that young man in a role to excel at and that he’s going to do here for a long time.

“We’ll play with that a little bit.”

Maurice said the six players who did not dress Tuesday — Thomas Raffl, JC Lipon, Anthony Peluso, Jacob Trouba, Jay Harrison and Adam Pardy — would all be back in action against the Flames tonight. He also indicated while Ladd and Little, who played their first game of the pre-season Tuesday, would be in the lineup for the final two dress rehearsals, Wheeler would likely not play in both.

“It’s always nice when you get some kind of stability throughout the year and you get used to playing with someone,” said Little. “It’s just a matter of finding the right combinations and sticking with it. Right now that’s what I think we’re trying to do, trying to find out who works best with who.”

A CREASE LESS CROWDED: The Jets announced Wednesday goaltender Connor Hellebuyck had been assigned to the Manitoba Moose, leaving Ondrej Pavelec and Michael Hutchinson to fight for minutes with the big club.

Hellebuyck is heading into just his second year as a pro after going 28-22-5 with a .921 save percentage last year in St. John’s.

Moose training camp officially began Tuesday at the MTS Iceplex, and Hellebuyck joins Eric Comrie, David Leggio and Jussi Olkinuora among the goaltending candidates.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait