Dynamic Dane a happy guy

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This article was published 27/09/2014 (4022 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The advice can come from anywhere and everywhere. But for Winnipeg Jets first-round pick Nik Ehlers, the best tip he’s received through a few weeks with the club might be the simplest:

Soak all this up and live in the moment.

Ehlers found out Friday morning he would suit up against the Minnesota Wild tonight on a line with Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd. It was the latest in a series of “pinch me” moments the 18-year-old Danish Dynamo has experienced since hearing his name called out by the Jets at the draft.

“When I look back at (draft) day it feels like it was yesterday, to be honest,” Ehlers said. “It was an amazing day with the family and amazing to get drafted. And now two months later I’m here playing on a line with Little and Ladd. When I saw I was on a line with them, it was pretty cool. I must say I got a little smile on my face when I saw that.

“The first few days (of camp) was pretty amazing. I was still like, ‘OK, I’m here. I’m finally here.’ But now I know that I’ve got to do everything I can to get on the team. I’ve put all the other stuff on the side for now and I’m just trying to play my best to get ready.

“It’s pretty cool that they’re trusting me and giving me every chance to show what I can do.”

The Jets opted to move Ehlers up to that line with Dustin Byfuglien listed as day to day with an undisclosed injury. The Jets will also line Adam Lowry up alongside Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler, with Evander Kane also dealing with some bumps and bruises.

A third forward prospect who has been steady — Nic Petan — will centre a line with Matt Halischuk and Carl Klingerg while JC Lipon, Jim Slater and Chris Thorburn will also work together.

Ehlers has flashed some of the offensive skill that led him to being selected in the first round by the Jets last June, but many see Lowry’s game as being more NHL-ready right now. Here’s head coach Paul Maurice, when asked what he wanted to see from Lowry in what will be his third exhibition game:

“The same thing we saw in the first two games: A real good recognition, a little more of a comfort level. He’ll play with a couple of guys that he’s going to have to work real hard to keep up to, which is good, and we’ll see how he reads off that.”

MAN DOWN: T.J. Galiardi took a puck near the eye in Friday morning’s first session and Maurice said he was off to see a specialist in the afternoon. An update on the injury is expected today.

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“I can’t tell you whether it’s a cut or anything more until he sees the right people,” Maurice said. “It was around (the eye). Speaking from personal experience, those things close up so fast, you’re not sure until you get a guy who knows what he’s doing to look at it. He walked out of here under his own power.”

Maurice said forward Eric O’Dell is week-to-week, but Byfuglien, Kane and Paul Postma are day-to-day and the club is being cautious about rushing their returns.

Ondrej Pavelec will start in goal for the Jets and will be backed up by Danny Taylor.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait