Experienced Fleury always ready when called on

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This article was published 13/11/2024 (332 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TAMPA — There was a time not long ago when being a healthy scratch for 11 consecutive games would have been a lot for Haydn Fleury to handle.

Not that it’s ever easy to be a spectator for that long, but the Winnipeg Jets defenceman has developed some significant scar tissue over the course of his professional hockey career and along with that, he’s come up with some important coping mechanisms.

That combination allowed Fleury to jump right back into the lineup on Tuesday night against the New York Rangers like he never left.

“The more mature I’ve gotten and the more mature my game has gotten on the ice, I’ve found coming in and out a little easier,” said Fleury, who expects to be back in the lineup on Thursday as the league-leading Jets face the Tampa Bay Lightning. “I don’t think it’s as big of a whirlwind. Keep it simple early, get into it early. On the first shift, get a bump in or make a strong pass. Something like that. Whatever it is, get yourself into the game and after that, the game slows down and you get going from there.”

Skating on a defence pairing with a partner he had for the bulk of training camp helped smooth the process, but it’s also a testament to Fleury’s ability to stay ready for whenever the next tap on the shoulder from head coach Scott Arniel came.

That’s also a skill that gets developed over time.

Being on the periphery of an NHL roster brings its own set of challenges and it’s not for the faint of heart.

You can’t reach this level without believing in yourself, but recognizing what you’re good at and how to bring the best out of one’s skill set is a lesson that many young players struggle with, some for a significant amount of time.

“When you’re young — and for me, I was a high pick — but realistically for any young player, it’s the same kind of learning curve,” said Fleury. “At times, I’ve really shown some good spurts, but the spurts weren’t as long.

“What I’ve learned over the years is that it takes longer for some guys. For me, I’m constantly getting better. But with getting better, you’re cleaning up the game.”

Fleury has transitioned from high draft pick and top prospect into a journeyman, though that classification is not meant as a derogatory term.

Since being chosen seventh overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2014 NHL Draft, Fleury went from being a high-scoring blue-liner in the Western Hockey League to a mobile puck-mover who checks with his feet and can contribute on the penalty kill.

That’s not an easy metamorphosis, but Fleury has embraced the role change, thanks in part to the benefit of time.

“As you grow up, you realize there’s a select few really good offensive defencemen in this league,” said Fleury, who has played a total of 247 NHL games with the Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, the Lightning and Jets. “Everybody has to defend and be able to play in their own end. That’s one of the things I had to learn coming out of junior, where I could get away with so much because of my feet. I didn’t have to focus on certain things, but once you get to pro, everyone is a good skater.

“What makes me successful (now) is using my feet defensively in the D-zone, taking away time and space, being long and all of that. The rest of my game comes from there. If I’m aggressive in the neutral zone and the O-zone, I can let my passing ability and everything else take over from there.”

While some players like watching from the press box when not in the lineup, Fleury prefers to be at ice level, where he has a better gauge for the speed at which the game is being played.

“I find the games are too slow from up there. You don’t get a real grasp for how the game is played from way up top,” said Fleury. “I like to watch it downstairs on the TV, where you’re getting a smaller view and the game looks a lot faster.

“As I’ve gotten older, you figure out what works for you.”

Fleury, 28, credits his work with Lightning assistant coach Rob Zettler, a hard-nosed defenceman who bounced around a fair amount while amassing 569 NHL games on his resume with six different teams after he was originally chosen in the third round by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1986 NHL Draft.

“We had a really good relationship and he was someone that really took the time with me,” said Fleury, who suited up in 53 games with the Lightning during the previous two seasons. “I played some really good hockey last year and I got everything sorted out. Everything was just starting to click, but the injuries derailed that. It took the life out of me for a bit, but getting back to it this summer and once (training) camp got going, I was able to pick up where I left off.”

Arniel has liked what he’s seen from Fleury since joining the organization as an unrestricted free agent.

“He’s a guy that we brought in and hoped that he could (provide) good depth for us,” said Arniel. “He had a really good training camp. He’s an experienced guy who has played in this league and knows what it takes.”

With Logan Stanley sidelined for at least the remainder of the road trip with a mid-body injury, Fleury has an opportunity to further ingratiate himself with the coaching staff and that’s become even more important with Ville Heinola taking another step closer to returning to action as he works his way back from an ankle injury.

When you’ve been around the block like Fleury has, you can’t worry about anything other than playing as well as possible, since there’s always going to be someone gunning for the job you have — or the job you ultimately want.

ken.wiebe@freepresss.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld