Jets awash in roster-spot options

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/10/2016 (3339 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s time to confess: the National Hockey League exhibition season is not usually my cup of tea. However, the Winnipeg Jets have so many legitimate battles going on for positions, I’ve actually enjoyed the experience.

The problem with early exhibition games is too often an opposing player is inferior and unlikely to play an NHL game that year. I’ll see a sweet dangle or shot in the early games and end up checking an unknown jersey number on an opposing lineup sheet.

However, I do like seeing the pattern emerging with rookie Jets forward Kyle Connor.

With three goals in three games prior to Thursday’s action, his “sniper” tag is intact, but I’m even more impressed with the way the puck seems to follow him around the ice. Even when he gets knocked down, he’s ready to make a play.

The puck seems to follow him because, like all good players, he knows where the play is going a little sooner than the rest. Knowing when to use speed to blast through an area of ice or fake that and pull up just enough to be in a perfect spot when the play pushes to the direction they’ve dictated is a terrific skill. Subtle stick movement when battling for pucks is another.

I’ll stop here, as the package Connor brings will be delivered soon — whether it’s now or a little later.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice was on point last week when he suggested observers wait until things get “amped up” before getting serious about who deserves what position.

The Jets’ cuts so far haven’t surprised me, even though some had very good camps. Going into the final two pre-season games, there is still a heck of a fight for the ninth to 14th forward positions, if that’s the number the Jets choose to start the season with.

With Drew Stafford out day-to-day and Shawn Mathias out for maybe another week, some players who might have been cut get one or two last chances to change the coach’s mind.

These upstarts can’t be just a little better than an incumbent player in an exhibition game and expect to have the position handed to him. Coaches already have a level of trust built with NHL veterans, even if it is, at times, misplaced. I don’t know if two “revved-up” games is enough to overcome the trust obstacle.

The list is long on players considered to have jobs up for grabs.

Alexander Burmistrov, Adam Lowry, Andrew Copp, Joel Armia, Marko Dano, Nic Petan and Chris Thorburn are trying to hold off Brandon Tanev and Chase De Leo. Anthony Peluso is getting respect from his coaches by keeping him on board for now.

I’m pretty sure my choices on who should make the final roster won’t totally agree with Maurice’s selections, as he doesn’t enjoy the advantages I have from my couch. I’ll take a stab at it, even with Thursday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers and Saturday’s finale against the Minnesota Wild remaining. However, I’m also acknowledging some things I believe are done deals.

Assuming Mathias and Stafford are ready for opening night, add Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Patrik Laine, Bryan Little and Mathieu Perreault — they are the big eight.

Thorburn has Maurice’s explicit trust, so he’s in.

By the way they’ve used Lowry, including being the big man in front on the power play, another spot drops. Armia is a player with all the tools I was happy to see the Jets acquire in the Evander Kane trade. He hasn’t put in a good, full NHL season yet, but the coach needs to get this guy from Day 1 to see what he’s got.

Maurice knows Burmistrov’s versatility and since its “show-me-or-go-home” time I have a yes here.

I have the next two rated higher than their positioning would suggest.

Today, Connor has to be on this highly speculative list, even though his “stuff” was in games I have no use for.

Dano is a deserving player left off of many fans’ lists, which I don’t get. He’s very smart, plays angles with his body well when battling for pucks and has a nose for the net. He came in learning a new system and showed all the traits I like to see.

Leaving out Petan (who could easily slide into a top-six role when needed), the versatile Copp and the speedy Tanev is tough, but shows the depth in Winnipeg.

De Leo is still hanging in there.

The defence without restricted free agent Jacob Trouba will have its struggles.

Josh Morrissey has shown he can play in a regular-season NHL game and has had a good camp. He should join Dustin Byfuglien, Toby Enstrom and Tyler Myers. Mark Stuart (coach’s trust), Ben Chariot and Paul Postma likely complete the defence corps.

Either Ondrej Pavelec or Connor Hellebuyck will start the season in net. Some of Maurice’s comments have many thinking his mind is made up on a starter.

Is it Pavelec (despite all past evidence)? Or is the coach focusing on the stellar rookie play of Hellebuyck last year as the rookie was ridden into the ground?

Maybe it’s time for the teacher to pay it forward to the kid, Hellebuyck.

Chosen ninth overall by the NHL’s St. Louis Blues and first overall by the WHA’s Houston Aeros in 1977, Scott Campbell has now been drafted by the Winnipeg Free Press to play a new style of game.

Twitter: @NHL_Campbell