Woo called up to Canucks Winnipeg D-man waiting to make NHL debut Dump & Chase
By: Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe Posted: 5:05 PM CST Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 Last Modified: 8:15 PM CST Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 Updates

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This article was published 16/02/2024 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER — It was the call Jett Woo had been patiently waiting for. While he’s yet to make his NHL debut, the Winnipeg product was sure to savour every second of his first promotion to the Vancouver Canucks.

“I had shivers. I was so excited,” the 23-year-old said about (finally) getting summoned from the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League earlier this week.

“It’s one step at a time. Enjoy the process, and taking it all in. But the call up just kind of solidifies how I feel. It means a lot and it’s been a great experience for me.”

Just a few hours later, Woo was headed back to the farm.

Woo, a second-round draft pick of Vancouver in 2018, has spent the first four seasons of his professional career in the minors. The defenceman is up to 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) through 42 AHL games this year along with 39 penalty minutes. That’s closing in on the career high of 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) he put up last year in 68 games.

“For me, personally, I’ve always tried to work on my defence. Just rounding out my game offensively, jumping into the rush, trying to be a leader off the ice as well,” Woo said of his progression.

“We’ve got a great culture down there, a great group of guys. great coaches and staff.”

With Canucks defenceman Carson Soucy placed on injured reserve and Nikita Zadorov serving a two-game suspension, opportunity finally came knocking with the big club as some blue-line insurance was needed.

“It’s not a straight line for everyone. There’s been ups and downs. I just have to trust myself and the team and wait for my shot,” Woo said of his mindset.

“You see a lot of guys that I played with in Abbotsford come up and stick. There’s a lot of excitement within the organization, both up and down. It’s a lot of fun to be a part of.”

With Zadorov having served his punishment and Vancouver now carrying eight healthy defenceman including Woo, action with the Canucks this time around wasn’t in the cards. But there’s still plenty of value in getting a few NHL practices under his belt.

“I think it’s just good for me to get the speed going here, to learn the systems and everything and kind of get my head on straight in case I do get a chance to play,” said Woo.

Meanwhile, Woo’s family back in Winnipeg remains on stand-by should something change in the coming days.

“I talked to them the other day and they said they have their bags packed just in case,” he said. “It’s been my dream since I was a kid to play in the NHL. And, since I was 18, to play for the Vancouver Canucks. Now, there’s just that next step I have to get to.”

AROUND THE GLASS

It was an incredibly scary moment for former Jets captain Blake Wheeler on Thursday night as he needed to be taken from the ice on a stretcher after suffering an apparent knee injury in a game against the Montreal Canadiens.

The 37-year-old New York Rangers forward got tangled up with Canadiens D-man Jayden Struble in the first period, causing an issue to his right leg/knee.

Wheeler’s high pain threshold and tolerance level was evident on numerous occasions during his time with the Jets, so when he tried to get up and fell back to the ice, you knew it was serious. Unfortunately, news emerged Friday that his regular-season is over, and a return at any point in the playoffs is a longshot.

“I’m not saying this is true, but maybe he played his last hockey game,” Jacob Trouba, the former Jets defenceman who is now the captain of the Rangers, told reporters. “It’s emotional. It’s something you think about. You don’t take things for granted.”

Wheeler signed a one-year deal worth $800,000 with the Rangers after the Jets bought out the final year of his contract and his goal was to chase a Stanley Cup. He got off to a slow start, but was looking more like himself of late and was up to nine goals and 21 points in 54 games before suffering the injury. The Rangers are currently leading the Metropolitan Division and are a legitimate contender.

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There’s been plenty of oxygen used and words written about the five-game suspension given to Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly for cross-checking Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig in the head after the former Brandon Wheat Kings captain had the audacity to take a slapshot into an empty net in the latest Battle of Ontario.

The hot takes have been coming at a fast and furious rate, with plenty of room for interpretation. Our two cents: The suspension should have been longer.

Rielly was incredibly lucky Greig didn’t suffer a concussion or the penalty could have been north of 10 games. There’s no issue with responding, but a cross check to the head is never OK, even if there wasn’t intent. There were a number of alternatives available to Rielly and it’s hard to imagine the appeal is going to lead to a reduction in the number of games he serves.

One thing that’s hard to understand: The act of attempting and scoring on ‘The Michigan’ is a celebration of skill and not showboating in the eyes of many, but taking a slapshot into an empty net is a severe violation of ‘The Code’ that must be punished with brute force?

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Great news for the NHL on Thursday as Connor Bedard returned to the Chicago Blackhawks lineup for a game against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Bedard had been out of action since with a fractured jaw. If you thought Luke Richardson was going to ease him back into things, think again, as Bedard had more than 21 minutes of action in his first game back — recording one assist, four shots on goal and six shot attempts.

Bedard is a supreme talent and remains a front-runner for the Calder Trophy, though Minnesota Wild D-man Brock Faber has definitely shown that he’s a worthy candidate. Bedard has 15 goals and 34 points in 40 NHL games this season.

Jets fans will be seeing plenty of those two in the Central Division for many seasons to come.

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Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews notched his fifth hat trick of the season on Thursday, a ridiculous feat for the guy leading the chase for the Rocket Richard Trophy. The last player to record five hat tricks in a single season was San Jose Sharks winger Jonathan Cheecho in 2005-06. Matthews is up to 45 goals in 51 games this season to go along with his 66 points.

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Every year, NHL general managers are looking for value contracts and Matt Duchene has emerged as one of the best ones in the NHL this season. After having the final three years of his seven-year, US$56 million contract bought out by the Nashville Predators last summer, the Dallas Stars inked Duchene to a one-year contract with an average annual value of US$3 million.

Duchene scored twice in a 9-2 victory over his former team on Thursday night to move him to 21 goals and 52 points in 53 games this season, which leaves him second on the team in points behind Jason Robertson (55) and goals behind Roope Hintz (23). That’s a signing that has definitely worked out for Stars GM Jim Nill and one would suspect Duchene (33) earned himself a raise on his next deal.

To celebrate his big game, Duchene (and his teammates) then went to the legendary Tootsies, where he took the stage, grabbed a guitar and belted out a a few tunes.

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It was a big moment for Winnipegger Isaac Poulter this week as he signed a two-year, two-way entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils.

Poulter, a product of the Winnipeg Monarchs system, spent two seasons with The Rink Hockey Academy before graduating to the Western Hockey League with the Swift Current Broncos, where he spent four seasons.

The undrafted goalie began his professional journey with the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL last season, but has emerged with the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League while working his way up the depth chart. Poulter has appeared in 23 AHL games this season, posting a 2.68 goals-against average and .909 save percentage.

 

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld