Jets sign Raffl; three Jets rookies change numbers

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This article was published 06/10/2015 (3651 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Thomas Raffl got his contract and wound up with the Manitoba Moose on Tuesday.

Raffl, the 29-year-old Austrian left-winger, signed a one-way, one-year deal with the Jets for the league minimum $575,000. He was then assigned to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.

Raffl was in Jets camp on a tryout agreement, granted leave by his Austrian club, Salzburg Red Bulls, to try to make the Jets.

Raffl practised with the Jets on Tuesday before the announcement of the deal was made.

“We would like to recognize and express our appreciation to the EC Red Bull Salzburg organization for allowing Thomas and the Winnipeg Jets this opportunity,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said in a release confirming the contract.

The Salzburg club will receive a development fee from the NHL according to the league’s transfer agreement with Austria.

The contract and Raffl’s assignment leave the Jets with 23 players, a list they submitted as their opening-day roster to the NHL on Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday’s transactions also included the assignment of veteran defenceman Jay Harrison to the Moose. He cleared waivers earlier in the day.

The Jets spent a healthy portion at the end of Tuesday’s practice working on strategy for three-on-three overtime.

“It’s mainly about discipline,” said right-winger Drew Stafford. “Especially after playing a long game. Conditioning is a factor as well.”

Jets coach Paul Maurice was certainly coaching up a storm during the three-on-three simulation time.

“I think everybody’s got pretty much the same idea where the offence is created,” Maurice said. “So what we want to do is try to explore as many different kinds of things as possible in practice that we think are game-changers on the ice.

“I’ll put two or three simple rules into how we’ll approach it and then just put your best players on the ice and let them execute.”

The three Jets rookies who made the team out of camp changed numbers on Tuesday.

Andrew Copp will move from No. 51 to No. 9, Nic Petan has chosen No. 19 after wearing No. 38 for three camps, and Nikolaj Ehlers goes from No. 42 to No. 27.

Copp said he’s just going back to the number he’s always worn.

“I’ve worn nine my whole life,” he said. “I asked the guys if it was alright and they said, ‘Yeah.’ I asked Buff and the trainers and got the go-ahead. The equipment manager (Jason McMaster) asked me if wanted nine. I said, ‘Yeah.’ It’s just something I’ve worn my whole life.”

He said it was no issue the number was previously worn by Evander Kane, or Bobby Hull.

“I guess I’m lucky to have it here,” Copp said. “I’ve gotten a little bit of crap (from his teammates), especially from Troubs, but not too bad.”

There was some reaction from Jets quarters Tuesday regarding Monday’s 41-game suspension handed to San Jose’s Raffi Torres.

“He’s got a reputation for unfortunately having hits like that,” said Drew Stafford. “It’s not really my place to have any kind of opinion on it.

“I played with him a little bit in Buffalo and for what it’s worth, I remember him being a great guy, a normal guy and good teammate.”

Jets coach Paul Maurice said he was not surprised by the severity of Torres’s punishment.

“I understand at times where there’s a reluctance to put a big number on it because there’s the benefit of the doubt the player deserves,” Maurice said. “The first line is always ‘I didn’t mean to catch him like that,’ and with a lot of players it’s the truth. It’s still a suspension and we get a small number and live with it.

“There’s not benefit of the doubt anymore with Mr. Torres. He’s crossed that line too many times so there isn’t a number that would have surprised me.”

Defenceman Dustin Byfuglien missed Tuesday’s practice. The team wouldn’t say why but Maurice hinted about an addition to the family.

“It’s a good story,” the coach said. “I might have something for you tomorrow. Dustin should probably make the announcement if there’s anything to announce tomorrow.”

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca