Parents key in helping Tucker Poolman achieve NHL dream

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/04/2018 (2702 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Like many hockey players, Tucker Poolman feels like he owes his supportive parents plenty for helping him achieve his dream of making the NHL.

And the rookie Winnipeg Jets defenceman said that dedication was on full display last Friday when his father, Mark, made it to the game in Winnipeg — despite having knee surgery earlier that day in their hometown of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

“My mom’s a nurse and was against it, for sure. I think they had a spirited debate about whether it was smart or not,” Poolman told the Free Press on Sunday following his team’s practice. “But at the end of the day, the rest of the family came up, all four of them. Mom and both my brothers and my dad.”

Poolman said his father was “in some pain, for sure” as they made the two-and-a-half hour drive north, but he was feeling good by the end of the night. Not only did he get to see Tucker play, but he got to take in his first-ever playoff Whiteout as the Jets eliminated the Minnesota Wild.

“I think he had some pain killers, he had some nausea medicine. So he was there, it wasn’t like he was loopy or anything,” Poolman said with a chuckle. “They thought it was awesome. I think they had a really great time. Our family in general has seen a good amount of hockey in different buildings in college and stuff like that. But they said it was a really great experience.”

As for Poolman, he said having his dad witness such a big accomplishment — and knowing what he went through to get there — provided some extra motivation.

“There’s an extra boost there. Even if you have a few bumps and bruises. It was nice to have him there, it was a great game,” he said.

***

It pained him to watch from the above, unable to participate in what would have been the biggest game of his NHL career. But Josh Morrissey said the way his team responded in eliminating the Minnesota Wild last week helped ease his frustration of serving a one-game suspension.

“Obviously, you never want to miss a game, especially a playoff game. So it was tough, for sure. But the boys played great, and a huge series win,” Morrissey said Sunday as he spoke about the NHL sanction for the first time.

Morrissey was banished after a cross-check to the neck of Minnesota forward Eric Staal in Game 4. No penalty was called on the play.

“Obviously from my sense, I know how it really unfolded. It was a complete accident. People can think otherwise or whatever, I know I would never do that intentionally at any point in a game, especially situationally in a 0-0 game on the PK,” said Morrissey. “I know I have to be in control of my body and my stick and everything like that and I got a little bit careless with it. But I had zero intent on making a dirty play or anything like that at all.”

Morrissey noted he’s taken two cross-checking penalties in his career so far but said he understood what the league decided to do.

“I understand the scenario and everything, and it didn’t look good. I was happy that he was okay, seemingly, and able to play the rest of the game and the next game as well. So it was tough, a tough couple days for me especially. Because that’s not the way I try to play the game or carry myself,” said Morrissey.

“I think the league does a good job going through the protocol and the system. It was a different experience, one that I hope I never have again.”

***

There’s plenty of debate about how much of a home-ice advantage there truly is during NHL playoffs.

Just look at Nashville, Boston and Pittsburgh, who all took 3-1 series leads into their own building this weekend and couldn’t close it out. Which perhaps makes Winnipeg’s dominating 5-0 victory over Minnesota Friday, along with their 3-0 record at Bell MTS Place in the post-season, so much more impressive.

“I think every playoff team would feel that. You step out on the ice, you get something close to the net, and the crowd is buzzing. And the opposite is true on the road. We have a special environment here, for sure,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said Sunday.

Winnipeg had the best home record during the regular-season, and they’ve reeled off 12 straight wins in their own backyard dating back to late February.

I had thought for a long time the first couple years here, you get asked about the loudest game, for me that would’ve been Game 3 in the (Stanley Cup) Final in Carolina. That was the loudest building I’d been in. But that last game is the loudest building I’ve been in,” said Maurice. “It took about two hours after I got home that I could turn the volume down on your T.V. just to hear. It had an impact. It’s a really intense environment and a huge advantage for us.”

***

Kyle Connor led all NHL rookies in goals this season with 31. But that still wasn’t good enough to make him a finalist for the Calder Trophy as the league’s best first-year player.

Mathew Barzal (New York Islanders), Brock Boeser (Vancouver) and Clayton Keller (Arizona) were the three nominees announced Sunday.

Barzal would appear to be the clear favourite, as his 85 points (22G, 63A) were 20 more than the next highest producer in Keller (23G, 42A). Boeser finished fifth in overall rookie points (29G, 26A) but missed the last 20 games of the season with injury.

Connor finished fourth in rookie points. (31G, 26A).

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg