The kids are all right

The youngsters on the Winnipeg Jets lineup continue to impress.

Although he was held off the scoresheet in Sunday’s shootout win over the New York Rangers, Jets forward Brad Lambert has increased his production of late (four points in five games heading into Tuesday’s clash with the Vegas Golden Knights).

As important, he’s beginning to take on more responsibility away from the puck on a line with Morgan Barron and Isak Rosen.

“He’s been playing a more direct game,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel.

“When he gets the puck, he’s heading north. Even if he doesn’t have the puck, he’s using his speed. We saw it in all three (road) games, where he either split the D and somebody advanced the puck to him that way. There were times where he got the puck and he drove down the walls and got it down deep and made the next play from there, compared to going east-west and holding onto it and getting inside the blue line and turning it over there.

“He’s playing a faster game and then, on the other side of it, lots of responsibility when he doesn’t have the puck. I think he’s really recognizing that he has a role to play to get the puck back. His defending has certainly been a lot better.”

Tuesday’s game will be Lambert’s 14th this season and there’s plenty of runway remaining for the speedy forward to show that he’s ready for a middle-six role next season.

For a team that wants to play faster and find some complementary scoring, Lambert is someone in the organization with the potential to supply both of those things.

The same can be said for Rosen, who has one goal in nine games going into Tuesday’s action since the Jets acquired him in a trade from the Buffalo Sabres.

“It seems like this time around (Lambert) has just got a different feel about him,” said Jets left-winger Kyle Connor, when asked for what he’s seen from Lambert and Rosen.

“He is playing with a lot of speed and that is his best asset and it is great to see him use it, making plays. Obviously, I am more familiar with his game than Rosen, but Rosen has fit in seamlessly. (He’s the) type of player that can play anywhere in the lineup and do whatever is asked of him. He can make plays and he is really smart in the offensive zone.”

 

DeMelo not bitter over benching

Dylan DeMelo either wasn’t ready to peel back the onion — or perhaps the memory of being benched for nearly a full period on the weekend was something he didn’t care to review in great detail on a game day in the heat of a playoff race.

The defenceman gave a direct and straightforward response when asked about riding the pine for roughly 18 minutes to start Saturday’s shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“Just trying to bury it, move on and just try to get back and play my game,” DeMelo said after the morning skate and before the Jets faced the Vegas on Tuesday. “The focus was just bury it, move on.”

That’s good advice and — to DeMelo’s credit — he did an excellent job of stabilizing his game after being limited to 37 seconds in the first frame, including watching the puck go into the back of the Jets’ net twice during those two shifts.

It’s not easy to come back after an extended absence to take a regular shift, but DeMelo responded by getting back to playing efficient hockey after he was moved to the third pairing with Haydn Fleury for most of his remaining shifts at even strength.

DeMelo was also on the ice to kill off an important minor penalty in overtime.

What was the conversation after the first period between Arniel and DeMelo like?

“He knew. I just talked to him briefly. I just told him that I need more,” said Arniel. “I thought that for the next five periods — actually (add) a couple of overtimes in there — I thought he was one of our best defencemen. He responded the way that I hoped he would respond.”

DeMelo has provided a lot of important minutes for the Jets since his arrival in a trade with the Ottawa Senators back in 2020, so this drastic measure wasn’t something Arniel did with a cavalier attitude.

With Neal Pionk just back from injury, he knew he was going to need to lean on DeMelo in the second period and beyond and the message sent was clearly received.

DeMelo is set to start Tuesday’s game on the third pairing with Fleury, though that has more to do with providing some additional balance to the defence corps on the whole and is a testament to the strong play rookie blue-liner Elias Salomonsson has provided while skating alongside Dylan Samberg.

“He’s (Salomonsson) been playing great no doubt about it. Each game he’s getting more comfortable, kind of thrown into the fire in a top four role,” said DeMelo. “He thinks the game very well. He moves very well. He’s got good instincts. He stepped in, has done a fantastic job, and he’s got a very, very bright future.

“He’s going to be a player in this league for a long time, and it’s been great to see him do that and continue to grow. Like I said, I think each game he’s getting more confident, making plays with the puck, offence, things like that.”

 

Injury updates

Forwards Nino Niederreiter and Vladislav Namestnikov, both of whom are dealing with lower body injuries, joined their teammates on the ice in yellow non-contact jerseys for the morning skate on Tuesday, but there is still no timetable for a potential return.

Niederreiter has been out since the Olympic break after undergoing surgery, while Namestnikov was injured against the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 27.

“That’s the first time I saw them (lately). So, I just introduced myself,” Arniel joked. “I don’t even know where it’s at. They’re in conditioning (mode) now. Obviously, to have them out there is great. I have no idea if that’s a week or two weeks or where we’re at.”

As for Colin Miller, Arniel said the veteran defenceman suffered a setback as he recovers from a knee injury. Miller hasn’t played since getting tangled up along the boards in a game against the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 11.

winnipegfreepress.com/kenwiebe