Season debut like Christmas Eve for Jets’ newcomers

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This article was published 03/10/2019 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEW YORK — Let’s get this show on the road, but make sure you have a program handy.

A much different looking Winnipeg Jets team will hit the ice at Madison Square Garden tonight to open its 2019-20 NHL season than the one we last saw in meaningful action last spring, bowing out to the eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in the opening round of the playoffs.

Gone are several regulars: Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers, Ben Chiarot and Brandon Tanev all found new hockey addresses during the off-season. Dustin Byfuglien is another notable player not on the roster as he contemplates whether to continue playing or retire.

Five new faces will make their regular-season debuts against the New York Rangers. They include Neal Pionk (acquired in the Trouba trade), Mark Letestu, Gabriel Bourque, Anthony Bitetto and 18-year-old rookie defenceman Ville Heinola. Rookie centre David Gustafsson is also on the roster but will be a healthy scratch tonight, as is defenceman Carl Dahlstrom, picked up on waivers from Chicago earlier this week.

That’s seven new players on Winnipeg’s 23-man roster.

“Now it’s an exciting time for all of us. It’s a bit of Christmas Eve, truly. You’re excited to kind of open up the gifts and see what you’ve got,” coach Paul Maurice said prior to an optional morning skate for his club.

Heinola, selected with the 20th-overall pick in the NHL draft in June, was perhaps the biggest surprise of training camp as he earned the starting nod. Injuries to Nathan Beaulieu and Sami Niku, along with Byfuglien’s absence, helped the cause, but the Finnish rookie has shown in pre-season action that he belongs.

“It means a lot for me. When I was a young boy I was dreaming about this and now it has come true, so awesome feelings,” Heinola said Thursday morning. “I was thinking maybe two or three years (to make the NHL), but now it’s coming so it’s an awesome thing. When I came to camp, I didn’t expect anything. I just came to play hockey and things have gone well so that’s awesome.”

Heinola will be paired with Pionk, as they were for a couple pre-season games.

“We’ve all had our NHL debuts, so for a young guy like him to come into Madison Square Garden, it’s hard to argue that there’s a better stage. It’s going to be a lot of fun. He’s a heck of a player, he’s going to be a good player for a long time, so this is just the start,” said Pionk, who is excited to be facing his former club for the first time.

“I think this is how you draw it up. You know, trades happen, that’s just part of pro sports. I think if you’re asking a guy, you’d say let’s do the first one right away. I’m excited for it.”

Tonight will also be the first game for both forwards Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor, who missed all seven pre-season contests while dealing with contract disputes that ended last week.

“I’m still kind of working on feeling my hands and timing and that kind of stuff, otherwise I feel pretty good, and hopefully I’ll get one step closer to actual game shape tonight,” Laine said before a throng of international media, including several reporters and camera crews from Finland here to watch him, Heinola and New York’s second-overall pick, Kaapo Kakko, all on the same ice.

Connor Hellebuyck starts in goal for the Jets, who play the first four games of the new season on the road. The trip continues Friday night in Newark against the New Jersey Devils, Sunday night against the New York Islanders and Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

Veteran centre Bryan Little is on the trip but won’t play tonight as he deals with a concussion suffered during the final pre-season game last Sunday in Minnesota. He skated on his own this morning as he works his way back from the injury.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg