Appleton thrilled to be back with Jets

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This article was published 23/03/2022 (1277 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One knew the way to the Matt Frost Media Centre like the back of his hand. The other needed some direction. But Mason Appleton and Zach Sanford did share one thing in common as they hit the podium Tuesday morning — both are happy the Winnipeg Jets looked their way in a time of need.

Appleton, 26, and Sanford, 27, were acquired in separate NHL trades prior to Monday’s 2 p.m deadline as general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff tried to fill a substantial hole on the fly created when he shipped versatile forward Andrew Copp out of town.

“When I got the call I was coming back here I was obviously super thrilled about it because this is all I’ve known,” said Appleton.

The Green Bay, Wis., product was a sixth-round draft pick of the Jets in 2015 who suited up for 187 regular-season games with the franchise. He was exposed in the expansion draft last summer and selected by Seattle, appearing in 49 games with the Kraken (six goals, 11 assists) prior to being sent back to Winnipeg on Sunday night in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft.

Appleton first heard about the swap from Copp himself, who broke the news over the phone.

“Just coming in, multiple guys said to me, they’re like, it’s just like you were on vacation or you were hurt and now you’re back,” said Appleton. “So that’s kind of how it’s feeling which is nice because it’s tough to walk in a room and obviously meet a ton of new faces. So it’s good to be back with familiar people.”

Cheveldayoff said Monday he had tried to re-acquire Appleton on multiple occasions earlier this season, but Seattle GM Ron Francis wasn’t ready to sell just yet. Appleton is making US $900,000 and will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer, meaning the Jets retain control of his rights. That makes him a significant (and much cheaper) addition to help offset the loss of Copp, who will be an unrestricted free agent and was not going to re-sign in Winnipeg.

“I expect him to play in straight lines and use his speed,” said interim coach Dave Lowry. “We all know that speed is his No. 1 asset, and that’s what we look for. Use it attacking, use it getting in on the forecheck. That has been the strength of his game.”

Appleton found great success last year on the third line with Copp and Adam Lowry, with a career-high 12 goals and 13 assists in 56 games. He went back into that role on Tuesday night against Vegas, albeit with different linemates. Lowry is in COVID-19 protocol until Friday, while Copp is now on Broadway with the New York Rangers.

Veteran Paul Stastny — another pending UFA who wasn’t traded by the deadline — moved off the top line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler to play with Appleton. On the left side was Sanford, who was obtained from Ottawa on Monday afternoon in exchange for a 2022 fifth-round pick. The 6-4, 206-pounder will be a UFA this summer and had nine goals and eight assists in 62 games with the Senators.

“I think it’s good for me. It’s exciting, coming here and trying to make a playoff push at the end of the year with these guys,” said Sanford, who got to know the Jets well during four seasons with the St. Louis Blues, including capturing the Stanley Cup in the spring of 2019.

“That bigger, heavier (style), that definitely fits my game. Hanging onto pucks a lot more. Teams in the east are kind of run and gun, up and down the ice. I’m excited to see where I fit on this team and see what I can do to help the team win. It’s nice to be back to something you know.”

Sanford spoke to good friend and former Jets centre Kevin Hayes about the situation he was coming into.

“Same thing, he kind of went through the same situation. He came here at the (2019) deadline trying to help the team win. He says, ‘Great guys,’ and a great opportunity and he’s excited for me too,” he said.

Lowry will likely slide between Appleton and Sanford by the end of the week, while Stastny rejoins Wheeler and Scheifele on the top trio. Nikolaj Ehlers, who took Stastny’s spot against the Golden Knights, would then go back with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kyle Connor, who were joined on Tuesday by Evgeny Svechnikov. The fourth line, for now, is Dominic Toninato, Jansen Harkins and Adam Brooks.

Copp had plenty of tools and will be difficult to replace, but the hope is Appleton and Sanford are up to the task.

“The fact that we bring Apple back and we bring Sanford in, that speaks volumes of what our intentions are,” said Lowry. “They’ll bring speed. They’ll bring skill. And they’ll bring compete into our lineup and that gives us a line you can use in a capacity to play against the other team’s top guys. They give us a responsible line and they bring veteran experience into our lineup. Sanford’s won a Stanley Cup. You bring that in, those are intangibles that we didn’t have. We have someone that’s been through it that can share in on his experience.”

Jets captain Blake Wheeler said bidding good-bye to a beloved teammate like Copp, while also getting some immediate help, is a sign the team isn’t “waving the white flag.”

“I think we’re still very much in the battle, and very much in the fight. The additions, I think, would cater to that, giving a boost and some new faces and some guys that can provide some depth in our forward group,” said Wheeler.

“I think we’re positioned now to be competitive and hopefully fight for a playoff spot.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg