High-flying Jets pair to shoot with stars

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This article was published 30/12/2019 (2077 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DENVER — There hasn’t been a whole lot to celebrate lately for the Winnipeg Jets, with just two wins to show for their past eight outings. But they got some good news Monday, as a pair of players were named to the NHL’s all-star game.

Centre Mark Scheifele and goalie Connor Hellebuyck will be members of the Central Division squad that will battle the other three divisions in three-on-three tournament format for bragging rights and some prize money at the Jan. 25 event in St. Louis.

“Good for them, good for us. Connor’s been so strong, right from the start of the year, and I’m glad he got that recognition. Mark has started to cement himself as an elite player in this league year over year and it’s good that that recognition is there, because they’ve both put an awful lot of time into becoming better pros,” head coach Paul Maurice said following Monday’s practice at the University of Denver campus.

His squad, at 21-15-3, will look to ring in the new year on a winning note as it takes on the 23-12-4 Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night. And the Jets will likely need big contributions from their all-stars.

Scheifele, 26, leads the Jets with 40 points (17G, 23A). He participated in the 2019 all-star game in San Jose, along with captain Blake Wheeler and Maurice behind the bench.

“Obviously, it’s a huge honour to be selected for it. Definitely, very excited. Just taking in the whole experience. When you get it that first time, you just try to soak it all in and try to enjoy every moment of it. I’m going to try and do the same thing this year,” Scheifele said.

Hellebuyck, 26, is tied for third in the NHL with 17 wins, and his .923 save percentage is eighth-best among qualified goalies. He appeared in the 2018 all-star game in Tampa Bay, the same season he was a Vezina Trophy finalist.

“I remember just kind of being in a blissful moment and being with all those elite guys and seeing how much fun everyone was having and the smiles on faces. I look forward to seeing that again and being part of it,” Hellebuyck said.

“This is exciting, I’m going to enjoy every minute of it. It’s a testament to the guys in front of me, making my job pretty easy.”

Patrik Laine is Winnipeg’s nominee for the “Last Men” honour, in which fans will vote one player from each division to be added to the all-star rosters. Voting opens Wednesday and closes Friday, Jan. 10, either at nhl.com/vote or on the NHL App.

As for the most important game on hand, Winnipeg’s lineup against Colorado is a bit of a mystery, as only around half the players hit the ice for Monday’s skate. Maurice said all of those missing were for “maintenance,” the result of a pair of heavy back-to-back games against the St. Louis Blues, which took a toll.

Mathieu Perreault could return after missing the past six games with a concussion, although who comes out and how the lines will look won’t be known until puck drop at the Pepsi Center.

“We just have to play our game for a full 60 minutes. Colorado’s got a lot of firepower up front and some D that activate very often. We’ve got to be on our game, all game,” Scheifele said.

“If we give them any room to move or any room to make some plays, they’re going to make us pay. So, we definitely have to take away their time and space.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg