Buff, Myers getting more playing time

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This article was published 30/01/2018 (2836 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ALL for one and one for all.

That’s the motto the Winnipeg Jets seem to be adopting following the loss of top-pairing defenceman Jacob Trouba, who is expected to miss up to two months with a serious ankle injury.

“One thing, as we found out this year, one guy doesn’t really matter. We gotta continue to go out there and work together,” veteran blue liner Dustin Byfuglien said prior to Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

His comment wasn’t meant as a slight against Trouba, but rather a sign of how the Jets have weathered other losses this year, including being without No. 1 centre Mark Scheifele since late December. Winnipeg was 8-2-2 without Scheifele heading into last night’s action.

“It’s never easy to lose a teammate. It doesn’t matter what injury or who it is. It’s one of those things,” said Byfuglien, who along with partner Toby Enstrom is expected to take on a bigger role with Trouba sidelined. Same goes for Tyler Myers, who slides into the top pairing with Josh Morrissey.

Ben Chiarot and rookie Tucker Poolman are the third pairing, with Dmitry Kulikov currently sidelined with injury. Kulikov could be ready to return Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights after missing two games.

“Our D corp is pretty solid, and the guys we got below can hopefully step in and pick up,” said Byfuglien. “It’s one of those things we have to continue working as a team and go out there and play.”

Byfuglien was part of the 2014-15 team that made the playoffs despite being hit with a rash of injuries that required them to use 13 different defenceman during the season.

“We’re only losing one guy, two guys. I think at that time we had all six of them down,” Byfuglien said of similarities between this season and that one.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice said Tuesday he knows players like Byfuglien and Myers will welcome the increased minutes that come with losing Trouba.

“They’ll run about 25, which is a number they both really like, so they’re very pleased with that,” said Maurice. “It’s the area of our team we probably have the most depth, the right D position. So nothing changes, they’re gonna get matched in a lot of ways the same way they have. Those four defencemen will play against the other team’s best.”

Byfuglien, who publicly complained earlier this season when he was limited to under 18 minutes in a game, said he’s ready “to take it and go with it” as Winnipeg tries to stay above the playoff line in the ultra-competitive Central Division.

“You gotta come to the rink every day willing to work, knowing that teams are trying to get in or trying to stay on top,” said Byfuglien of entering the post all-star game stretch of the season. “The pace and the grind pick up a little bit harder, but for the most part it’s the game of hockey and we just gotta come out ready to work.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @mikemcintyrewpg