Selanne tribute deserved: Maurice

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This article was published 10/01/2015 (4265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LOS ANGELES — He’s an icon, respected throughout the NHL and adored in Winnipeg.

But a question the Winnipeg Jets are wrestling with as Sunday’s matchup with the Anaheim Ducks and including the extensive tribute to Teemu Selanne prior to the game: Do they sit on the bench for 90 minutes to take it all in or remain in the locker-room to get ready for an important contest that wraps up this road trip?

“We’re still deciding on how we partake in that ceremony,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice. “Anaheim has been good about it… they need closer to an hour and a half because I think they’re showing every second shift he played.

“We want to respect that. There’s nights where a good player from that franchise is being celebrated. I’m not sure the other team has to be a part of that. But there are certain players… with Carolina we went through it a lot when Ronnie Francis was at the end of his career. That player deserves some respect, not just from his home team.

“We’re going to make a decision on how to participate in it before it all by checking with a lot of people,” Maurice added. “Anaheim… what Teemu Selanne wants and expects from us, what we think is appropriate and still try to prepare for a National Hockey League game. We want to do this in the most-respectful way we possibly can. He deserves and he’s earned that.”

GETTING CLOSER: Both Mark Stuart and Toby Enstrom continued to practice with the team on Friday and could see action as soon as this weekend against the Kings and Ducks.

“They have (looked good) for a few days and are getting stronger every day,” said Maurice. “I’m comfortable from a fitness point of view, that part I’m not worried about. We’ll talk more with the trainers because they’re still at the stage where they have to come back the next day and feel as good and stronger than they did the day before. But they’re very, very close.”

Asked if he’d push the club by declaring himself ready, Stuart offered a tactful response:

“I’m going to leave it up to them. It’s my job to do my work in the weight room and off the ice and then get out there and continue to get better and make sure that I’m ready to play. And I’ve got to prove to them that I am ready and leave it up to them to go from there.”

Evander Kane also practised Friday wearing a regular, not a non-contact, jersey.

“Same with the other guys… he’s full contact and once a guy gets to full contact you’re saying he’s got enough healing in there that you can have at him,” said Maurice. “At the same time, he’s still fresh off that injury. The doctors have to tell us there’s been enough healing and then they’ll have to feel whatever residual pain there is he’ll have to deal with and then we’ll have to decide if he’s had enough practice time to be an effective player.

MTS CENTRE RECOGNIZED: The home of the Jets was ranked 26th among North American venues by Stadium Journey Magazine in its list of top 100 stadium experiences of 2014.

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The magazine visited and reviewed more than 2,000 sports venues across the continent for their rankings. Winnipeg’s downtown arena was rated 4.7 out of five based on food and beverage, atmosphere, neighbourhood, fans, access, return on investment and extra features.

The ranking puts the MTS Centre third among NHL arenas, behind the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., and the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md., ranked first.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait