Everything’s Jake with Trouba

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This article was published 12/11/2016 (3479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DENVER — By all accounts, the much-anticipated launch of defenceman Jacob Trouba’s fourth NHL season was a success.

Trouba, who missed all of training camp and 13 regular-season games while holding out, inked a new deal with the Jets on Monday and finally got into the lineup Friday night and had a strong performance against the Colorado Avalanche — a 3-2 overtime victory for the hosts with an ending from the bizarro world.

Trapped against the boards in his own end by a couple of Avalanche players, Nikolaj Ehlers sent a pass to an area he assumed was safe but the puck went straight through the legs of goalie Michael Hutchinson and into the net.

Winnipeg settled for a point on the road, a night after dumping the host Arizona Coyotes 3-2, and has earned five of a possible six points in its last three games.

The Jets host the Los Angeles Kings today at 1 p.m. at the MTS Centre.

Trouba didn’t play Thursday in Phoenix, but Jets head coach Paul Maurice had hinted strongly prior to that game the team would benefit from some “fresh legs” in Denver the following night.

Out came the right-shooting blue-liner Friday, paired with Ben Chiarot, for the second game of back-to-backs on the road.

Trouba, who ended his holdout by signing a two-year, US$6-million bridge deal, said after some initial trepidation he began feeling more and more comfortable as the closely fought game wore on.

“It went good. I didn’t really know too much what to expect,” he said. “After the first (period) I thought I started feeling the puck a little better and making some better reads. Obviously, there’s some adjusting, but overall I thought it went pretty well.”

Any assumptions he’d be eased in for his debut vanished quickly. He took a regular turn with Chiarot to begin the game but was elevated to the second unit with Toby Enstrom when Tyler Myers was absent for the third period because of a lower-body injury.

Trouba also manned the point on the second power-play unit and played a chunk of time on the penalty kill.

After finishing with more than 23 minutes of ice time, Trouba was asked if he was surprised Charlie Huddy, the Jets assistant coach in charge of deploying the defence, called out to No. 8 as often as he did.

“I think it was a bit of Tyler going down there and having to step up. I like having the ice time and it was something I wanted to be ready for when I was back,” said Trouba. “I’m pretty proud of the condition I stayed in. That was something that was pretty tough for me and I think I did a pretty good job of staying in shape.”

Maurice said he was pleasantly surprised with Trouba’s debut.

“He was far better than I was expecting, not based on (Trouba), just him being out of the lineup for a long as he has and to step into a game,” said Maurice. “I liked an awful lot of what he did. He kept his game simple at times but it looked like he was trying to join the rush. I was really pleased with his game.”

The Jets provided no update on Myers’ condition Saturday but Trouba will likely return to the right side with Enstrom when the Jets take on the Kings today.

Wingin’ it now

Andrew Copp has played six games since being recalled from the Manitoba Moose at the beginning of the month after an injury bug infestation hit the Jets lineup.

After playing the entire 2015-16 season at centre for the Jets, he’s making a relatively smooth transition to full-time work on the left side on a line with centre Adam Lowry and right-winger Brandon Tanev.

‘Getting him to the wing takes some of the pressure off him, in terms of being conscientious about his game. There’s just not as much to do on the wing as there is at centre ice’– Jets head coach Paul Maurice, on Copp 

Copp has two goals and a pair of assists with the big club, but the 22-year-old product of Ann Arbor, Mich., said he’s still learning as he goes.

“A couple of plays I would have liked to have made on the wall or through the breakout or coming up through the breakout. I think it’s just kind of different angles and getting pucks in different spots and it’s something to sharpen up over the next few games,” he said.

“Maybe I can be a little more aggressive, finish checks on D-men… a little bit of freedom, maybe, to be more aggressive and take a few more chances offensively.”

Indeed, the Jets hoped when Copp was demoted to begin the season he’d take the opportunity in the AHL to strut some of the offensive stuff that made him a star with the University of Michigan.

Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice said the signs are there the club’s fourth-round pick from the 2013 NHL Draft received the message loud and clear.

“We felt last year there was a little more offence there. There was play-making and there was some shooting ability,” said Maurice. “We also felt he was very conscientious in his own end. 

“Getting him to the wing takes some of the pressure off him, in terms of being conscientious about his game. There’s just not as much to do on the wing as there is at centre ice. And we see it kind of freeing up his game to make plays, but he hasn’t lost any of his defence-first mentality. He understands it’s a more bigger-minute role than he’s used to and he’s rising to that challenge.”

Howden gets the call

Oakbank native Quinton Howden said this summer it was a dream come true to sign a deal with the Winnipeg Jets. Now, at least for the time being, he’ll be skating with the NHL team.

Howden was recalled from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL Saturday. In another move, the club placed Mathieu Perreault on the injured-reserve list, retroactive to Nov. 4. The shifty forward suffered an upper-body injury earlier this month.

 jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell