Winnipeg Jets notebook

Posted: 3:00 AM CST Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015

Big Buff named NHL's first star of the week THE NHL has recognized Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien as its first star of the week.

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Big Buff named NHL's first star of the week THE NHL has recognized Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien as its first star of the week.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/01/2015 (3888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Big Buff named NHL’s first star of the week

THE NHL has recognized Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien as its first star of the week.

With six points in four games (3-3-6), Byfuglien was placed on top of the league’s weekly star list, the first Jets player to make the grade since Andrew Ladd topped the list late in the 2012-13 lockout season.

Since he was moved back to defence six weeks ago, Byfuglien has steadied the injury-plagued Jets with hard-hitting defence and offence that has included 20 points in the 21 games he has played on the blue-line, and is plus-seven.

John Woods / Free Press files
Winnipeg Jets' Dustin Byfuglien, second from left, celebrates his second-period goal against the Florida Panthers on Jan. 13. — John Woods / Free Press files Winnipeg Jets' Dustin Byfuglien, second from left, celebrates his second-period goal against the Florida Panthers on Jan. 13.

The league also announced Detroit’s Tomas Tatar and New York Islanders Kyle Okposo were the second and third stars of the week respectively.

The Jets are off until Wednesday when the Columbus Blue Jackets visit the MTS Centre.

Penalties part of being competitive: Maurice

NOT only will you not be hearing any apologies from the Winnipeg Jets for the number of penalties they’ve taken in the 2014-15 season, they’re starting to wear it almost like a badge.

Winnipeg is the NHL’s most-shorthanded team this season, 193 times as of Monday, and has played shorthanded 333 minutes 29 seconds, more than 53 minutes more than the next most short-handed team.

“The only penalties we don’t like are caused by being out of position,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “We take penalties that maybe you don’t like but put them in a compete category.

“Finish your check, do you job, compete as hard as you can and sometimes things get away from you.”

Some would describe the Jets’ brashness as undisciplined. Maurice is adamant it’s all about being competitive.

He even said last week he was reluctant to talk to his team anymore about the number of penalties being taken, that when he’s done so twice recently, the Jets didn’t play very well.

Maurice was asked on the weekend how he viewed Anthony Peluso’s instigator penalty Friday in Chicago.

The response was unapologetic.

“That was Anthony’s read on the game,” he said. “Thought it was a pretty good read. I didn’t have a problem with the hits, they’re clean, but clearly they were making a statement that they were coming out to be more physical in the first period and Anthony made a statement that we were willing to do that.”

That discussion then rolled around to something the Jets have been involved with both ways recently — clean, hard checks starting fights.

“So much of it is the time of year,” the coach said. “You get into the playoffs, everybody takes hits and everybody gives them. But this time of the year, you need to feel certain players have to have protection in the way that they play. Score of the game’s important, where you’re at is important. Sometimes you’ve got to take those, and you don’t like it, to get the win. Sometimes you’ve got to make sure everybody knows you won’t take those.

“Oh it’s far more peaceful now. In the last three or four years, there’s been a stretch of games where, it was early in the year maybe two or three years ago, where it just seemed that there was a fight after every good, clean hit. And that seemed to cause a big problem.

“But 15 years ago, there would be consternation if there wasn’t a fight after that hit. It’s a far more peaceful game, a kinder, gentler world.”

Did the coach actually blame it on the time of year?

Turns out he was being a bit sarcastic.

“Right, it’s that time of year,” he said. “Maybe you close it off around Game 50, 60, 82.

“You are who you are as a team and you have to be true to that. So we’re trying to build that connection with our players in the locker room, that team-ness, and when you’re in that process where everybody takes care of everybody, I think you see it a little more and we’re fine with that.”

— Tim Campbell