Postma fits role to the letter

Opinion

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This article was published 21/11/2014 (3966 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Paul POSTMA could always do the big things but it’s a newfound ability to consistently do the little things that has made all the difference in his game.

Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings wasn’t a game tape many of the Jets will be filing away for a peek come contract time but Postma had lots of strong moments and was one of Winnipeg’s best players.

It was just another strong game in a string of many for the 25-year-old who has finally found regular work in the NHL after being a player the organization felt was always wanting in key areas and never quite ready for prime- time work.

A swift skater with a thunder clap of a shot, Postma has picked up points at every level prior to the NHL, and in spot duty over the last few years he’s always managed to show a flash here and there.

But unreliable play against the rush as well as in his own zone made him a hazard and difficult to trust.

A little faith from head coach Paul Maurice and a handy role model in Toby Enstrom has gone a long way towards sanding those rough edges off Postma’s game.

“Confidence and the chance to play every night has made such a difference for me. I used to make a mistake and let it ruin the rest of my game but knowing the coach believes in me and that I’m going back out there has made a big difference for me,” said Postma. “I’ve tried to learn a lot from watching Toby. He’s got a great stick and he’s always in the right position. I’ve been trying to do a lot of the little things he does.”

Postma will never be a banger but neither was Nick Lidstrom, and the notion a defenceman has to be physical to be effective is outdated thinking.

The top asset in a defenceman in today’s possession-mad NHL is the ability to retreat quickly and retrieve the puck and then efficiently move it out of the defensive zone and get his team back on the attack.

Postma has distinct talents in these areas and now that he’s proven himself capable of handling sheltered third-pairing work, it might be time to give him a little more rope.

Postma has a very strong 54.8 Corsi percentage and he’s scoring at a rate of 0.66 points per 60 minutes of play. The averages for third-pairing defencemen in those categories are 49.4 Corsi percentage and 0.56 points per 60 minutes of play.

Postma has one goal and two assists this season and is averaging just more than 13 minutes of ice time per game.

It all starts with belief for Postma. Belief from head coach Paul Maurice and then Postma’s belief in himself.

A lack of confidence bred inconsistency into Postma’s game in the past but that hasn’t been the case for much of this season.

The question becomes, what could he do with a little more responsibility?

The power play has been a disaster and ranks among the worst in the NHL. Postma can move the puck, see the ice and get his shot to the net.

It’s certainly time to shake up the power play. Why not give Postma more than just mop-up duty? It certainly can’t hurt and if it results in some positives for the team while aiding the development of a young player, it’s a move the Jets should consider.

Maurice showed his strength as an evaluator when, after just one pre-season game due to injury, he declared Postma a starting-six defender.

The same evaluation should tell him Postma is a fit for the power play and that he deserves a another push up the depth chart.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @garylawless