Little’s status changes, could return this season

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/03/2016 (3478 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Bryan Little’s potential return to the lineup before the end of the regular season is certainly good news, whether the Jets are ailing or not.

It also comes as a totally unexpected development, given the grim circumstances that surrounded his injury Feb. 18.

Then, the team’s No. 1 centre was levelled in a game in Tampa by Lightning defenceman Anton Stralman and was said to be done for the season because of a compression fracture in his vertebrae.

Little said he could barely walk that night and though he missed his 20th straight game Wednesday night at the MTS Centre when the Jets played the Ottawa Senators, Little’s jersey colour in practice earlier in the day said much.

It was a regular practice jersey, not the no-contract orange injured players are required to wear when they start making progress back from injuries.

“It just means I’ve been cleared for some contact,” a winded Little said after his own post-practice conditioning skate. “It’s pretty exciting. It’s at a point now where everyone’s pretty safe and I feel pretty comfortable that we can do that.

“We’re not going to take any chances at this point of the year so that gives you an indication how good it’s feeling at this point of the year.”

Could Little yet play this season?

Jets coach Paul Maurice didn’t rule it out.

“It’s going to be the doctor’s call,” Maurice said. “The line on that one is at 100 per cent and not short (of that). We want him to build the strength in a hockey environment to help the healing process and a reconditioning process.”

Little sure sounded like he wants to.

“It’s tough to say,” he said. “They’re not going to put me in unless I’m absolutely 100 per cent and I don’t want to play unless I’m absolutely 100 per cent. Everything feels really good right  now. I think I’m close to 100 per cent. It’s just a matter of everything being strong enough to take a hit.

“I haven’t really talked to the coaches or doctors about what their plan is yet but before, I remember at one point a couple of weeks ago, they said they’re not going to let me play unless they’re 100 per cent comfortable with it. And I understand that.”

❚ ❚ ❚

Little’s memory of the difficulty he had after being clocked by Stralman was still fresh in his mind.

“It felt really bad,” he said. “Honestly, from that night to two days (later) it got better but I had trouble walking to get X-rays that night after the game. I knew something was definitely wrong. And then it started to feel better right away and you start to think it’s not too bad and then I got tested in Florida and they’re telling me it’s all good, it’s all clear and then I thought I might be back in a week or two weeks.

“Then we got here and it’s a good thing we double- and triple-checked it. Because they ended up finding something and like I said, it’s a good thing we made sure or else I’d have been playing.”

Little also wanted to make sure to correct the suggestion Stralman’s hit was a dirty play.

“It’s tough,” ‘Little said. “Let’s just say I put myself in a bad position, when I look at it again. I was leaning forward, kind of losing my balance and reaching back. It was the three no-no’s of skating right up the middle of the ice. And I think he was just doing what any defenceman would do. He saw me with my head down and he took advantage of that.

“He didn’t (hit me in the head). I don’t know why the replay shows it but I think my head just missed his side. Everyone kept asking me about my head afterwards but my head’s fine. I don’t think it got hit. It was right here (points to his neck and shoulder), and it compressed my back.

“My head was fine. If anything, there might have been some whiplash of getting hit. I don’t think it was a dirty play. I just put myself in a really bad spot.

“I give him credit. He messaged me a few days after. He went and got my number from Toby (Enstrom) and texted me to ask me how I was doing and say sorry about everything. He seemed like a really good guy.”

❚ ❚ ❚

The Jets came out winners on a free-agent signing Wednesday.

They inked 24-year-old forward Brandon Tanev to an entry-level deal, mandated to be for one year (this season), at a pro-rated US$925,000. Tanev, brother of former Moose defenceman Chris Tanev, will be a restricted free agent this summer.

Tanev completed his college career at Providence College with a season of 15 goals and 28 points in 38 games.

Over four seasons and 149 games, he had 77 points.

A number of NHL teams were after his services.

“We’re happy he chose us,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “Just from what I’ve watched on the video that was cut, he has real good speed and, more importantly, on the puck, real high intensity.

“The biggest challenge you have sometimes with young players coming into the NHL from amateur is the pace, almost turning them pro in the idea that parts of your shift aren’t coasting, you’re on the puck. And he’s got that.

“He killed some penalties for them, he’s a smart player. But the thing I’m excited to see is his ability to get on the puck and stay on the puck.”

There’s a strong chance the Jets will put Tanev into the lineup in the coming days.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca