Namestnikov ‘a true pro’

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This article was published 13/02/2024 (648 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Teamwork makes the dream work. There are countless examples these days of an “all for one, one for all” mentality on display when it comes to the Winnipeg Jets.

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Dominic Toninato have gone from playing regular minutes with the big club to being pushed off the roster and down to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. Rasmus Kupari worked his way back from injury, briefly got in the lineup and is now parked indefinitely in the press box as the 13th forward.

Then there’s Vladislav Namestnikov, whose reward for capably holding down the fort as the team’s second-line centre for a good chunk of the season was an immediate demotion to the fourth line as soon as Sean Monahan was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens.

Pride, and even ego, are big parts of what make professional athletes tick. Those, however, often have to be put aside when it comes to the greater good.

“It does (have to be put aside), yeah,” Namestnikov said Tuesday following his team’s practice. “You think about it a bit. At the end of the day, I think we’ve gotten better as a team. Everyone’s just got to do their roles and move on. Whatever position the coach thinks is the best, that’s what we’re going to go with.”

That can be easier said than done, of course. For Namestnikov, it’s meant going from skating with Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti in a top-six role to a lower-profile between Morgan Barron and Alex Iafallo.

You won’t hear any complaining.

“(Monahan) makes our team that much better. To make that move, Chevy (GM Kevin Cheveldayoff) is telling us he believes in us,” said Namestnikov. “We welcome him with open arms, and we’re trying to help him adapt as quickly as possible.”

That’s the kind of attitude coach Rick Bowness loves to hear.

“He’s a true pro. Maybe his minutes are down but he’s still playing important minutes,” said Bowness.

“(Monahan) makes our team that much better. To make that move, Chevy (GM Kevin Cheveldayoff) is telling us he believes in us”–Vladislav Namestnikov

“He’s still killing penalties. He’s still on the power play. I have him out there in key defensive situations. So, maybe he’s lost a couple of minutes, but he’s still playing very important minutes for us. That’s part of what we’re dealing with right now and part of that is being a pro. Handling it. Never accepting it but being a good pro and being a good teammate. And certainly Vladdy is that.”

Make no mistake these are good problems to have, especially compared to an alternative where there isn’t enough quality to complete. For Winnipeg (31-14-5), the return of several injured players plus the addition of a new one has made for some tough decisions.

“I think a real strength of our team, and a real strength of our organization right now is the depth we have. Guys are able to come in and play meaningful roles and really do the job for us when we have injuries,” said alternate captain Josh Morrissey.

“It’s part of the NHL, part of the numbers game. We’d love to carry a bigger roster. For everyone, whether your minutes change with trades or injuries, we’re all used to that. It’s part of the adapting element you need to be a successful NHL player. And a successful team.”

While it might have been an issue in past seasons, there’s no sense of selfishness on the squad, said Morrissey.

“The one thing I think we have here is a great group of guys. We’re all on the same page,” he said. “Regardless of how guys’ roles look, I think everyone’s done a great job of pulling on the rope and doing what’s been asked.”

The trio of Namestnikov, Iafallo and Barron has a combined 55 points this year, which makes them potentially more explosive than a traditional fourth line.

“I think those two are really hard on the forecheck and tenacious. We can be a hard line to play against. We have to take advantage of that and just build off each other.”–Vladislav Namestnikov

“We’re all defensively responsible and we can bring offence to the table as well,” said Namestnikov, who sits eighth in team scoring with 25 points (six goals, 19 assists) in 47 games.

“I think those two are really hard on the forecheck and tenacious. We can be a hard line to play against. We have to take advantage of that and just build off each other.”

They’ll play their fourth game together Wednesday night as the San Jose Sharks come to town. Game time is 6:30 p.m.

“We have no problem with that line playing against anybody in this league. They all know how to play,” said Bowness.

“I think you also have to stay one step ahead of the whole picture. When you get into March, we have 16 games. We are going to need four lines, there’s just no question about that. It will show the value of having that fourth line. And that fourth line has to know that their coach trusts them.”

There’s also the added bonus of knowing certain players, such as Namestnikov, can take on more if required down the road. The Jets, after all, fancy themselves playing meaningful hockey well into the spring. They may be fully healthy now, but things can change.

“I know what I can bring to the table. I know what kind of player I am, someone who can bring both sides of the game, offensively and defensively,” said Namestnikov.

“I kind of expect that from myself. Sometimes I get bumped up and can play another role, and sometimes I get bumped down. I guess that’s the versatility I can bring to the team.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg