Silent wars
Lost in the hubbub surrounding big names like Kane and Pavs and Buff, borderline players fight for spots in quiet desperation
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/09/2014 (4354 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
If the highlights of the first week or so of Winnipeg Jets training camp were to be displayed on a ticker, they might read like this:
… Trimmer Pavelec hopes to prove he’s a No. 1 stopper… Kane to patrol left side with Scheifele and Wheeler… Wheeler named alternate captain… Young guns Morrissey, Ehlers, Lowry and Petan impressing… Byfuglien moves to right wing with Ladd, Little…
And yet lost in the shadows of those top storylines but still quietly unfolding is one of the most compelling narratives of Jet camp: the slugfest for jobs deep down on the depth chart.
It works this way all across the NHL, so the Jets are no different. The big-name stars return after summer knowing training camp is a necessary evil. Their main concerns are all about staying healthy, making sure the cable is hooked up in their condos and getting a signature on a lease deal with the local car dealership.
But then there are vets such as Matt Halischuk, T.J. Galiardi, Adam Pardy, Keaton Ellerby and Eric Tangradi — and prospects such as Scott Kosmachuk, Carl Klingberg, Julian Melchiori and Ben Chiarot — all of whom are still wondering/worrying if they will soon need to have their mail forwarded to Newfoundland.
“Not knowing where I’m going to be, whether it’s Guelph, St. John’s or Winnipeg, is a little bit of a stressful situation,” said Kosmachuk, the 20-year-old winger who had 49 goals in 68 games with the Guelph Storm last year.
“And so I’m just living day by day and trying to bring it every day. I want to work my tail off in every shift and get out there make the most out of every opportunity I get. Wherever I land, I’ll be happy with because it’s a step up from junior.
“You control what you can, trust the staff and the organization here that they’re going to make the best decision for your development. They have an investment in you and you have to believe in that.
“You don’t want to get ahead of yourself. You want to give yourself every opportunity to develop. But at the same time my goal is to play in Winnipeg.”
At least Kosmachuk’s career is still best represented by an upward, shooting arrow.
A guy like Tangradi, meanwhile, is with his third NHL team — drafted by Anaheim, traded to Pittsburgh then to the Jets — and even with 136 games on his resumé, is still trying to establish himself as a regular.
“I don’t think I’d be satisfied just being on the team here,” Tangradi said Friday. “I want to try and be a guy that can contribute every night and that’s my goal through this camp.
“I have to add all the elements together: be gritty, use my speed… when I’m playing my best hockey I’m not doing a lot of thinking, I’m just playing, protecting the puck and using my big frame.”
Tangradi is in the final year of a deal that pays him $675,000, while Ellerby, Halischuk and Galiardi are on two-way deals that make them vulnerable to assignment to the AHL. And staying on the NHL radar screen can be a lot harder when a guy is 25 or 26 and in the minors fighting with younger prospects for attention from the big club.
“It’s definitely motivating,” said Tangradi, who is on a one-way deal, entering the final year of his contract. “There were some times last year… a lot of games sitting up in that press box that just kinda make you sick to your stomach. When you’re on the last year of your contract you definitely don’t want to be watching games.
“This is a very big camp for me and I have the mentality that every day I step on the ice is a game day for me. I’m going to try and work with that mindset this season and see where it takes me.”
Kichton, meanwhile, is an interesting study. Refreshingly candid, he made no secret of his desire to stick with the Jets, but understands developing his game might be better served with the IceCaps.
“There’s a lot of D-men here, a lot of good D-men on one-way contracts,” said Kichton. “I still feel I have a lot of things to work on. Obviously, you want to play here but you’ve got to be a realist too.
“Hopefully I’m going to prove that I really do belong here. You’ve got to show these coaches that even though you do have one year of pro under your belt, you’re able to make that step. Right now, I’m just focused on getting better each practice.”
ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @WFPEdTait
