Good start for youngsters

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This article was published 23/09/2014 (4020 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There have been dandier debuts. And far worse, too.

But with all eyes on him every time he stepped on the ice Monday night, Winnipeg Jets’ 2014 first-round draft pick Nik Ehlers also occasionally flashed the kind of skill set that is going to thrill fans in these parts for years.

“It’s hard. It was my first game,” said Ehlers after Monday’s 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. “Obviously, sometimes I tried too much that I can’t do here. But I got to get used to it, I’ve got to find new ways to play my game.

“We’ll see. I’ll hopefully have some games to play here. We’ll see.”

An admitted student of the game and puck nerd, Ehlers also offered up a pretty honest assessment of his play just moments after pulling off his gear. And it’s that dedication that has Jets brass confident his game is only going to grow and grow.

“I want to play harder, try and keep the puck when there’s a guy behind me and just go out there and play my game.

“I think I did pretty well. (Head coach Paul Maurice) said to me before the game to go out there and have fun. This is amazing, this is a dream come true for you, so just go out there and have fun and play your game. That’s what I did.”

Meanwhile, Adam Lowry — now 21 — looked every bit the veteran during his 22 shifts totalling 16:57 of ice time. He was steady defensively, didn’t get too far out of his comfort zone and used his 6-5, 201-pound frame to finish his checks regularly.

He was especially effective in his close to six minutes on the Jets’ penalty-kill unit, which nullified all six Wild power plays.

“That’s something I take a lot of pride in, my defensive ability, especially on the penalty kill,” said Lowry. “That was a very strong part of our team in St. John’s last year, with John Albert and Patrice Cormier, and I thought it carried over tonight.

“I thought guys made really good reads and we got some big stops when we needed them.”

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Lowry finished with five hits, tying him with Dustin Byfuglien for the game high in the physicality department.

“That’s going to be an important part of my game at this level, being physical and getting on the body and forcing some turnovers with my size,” said Lowry. “I tried to get on it early and get out some of the nerves.”

Lowry jumped off the page in a pre-season game last year for the Jets as well, before ultimately being shipped to St. John’s. But his game was more consistent Monday, as was his comfort level.

“It helps knowing what to expect a little bit, having played in one of these last year,” said Lowry. “Coming in you realize you have a little bit more time than what you actually think. That just helps calm the nerves a little bit.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPEdTait