The waiting is the hardest part — Jets backup goalie pines for twine time

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This article was published 16/11/2017 (2857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

From the sounds of it, no mutiny is planned, no request for a trade is forthcoming and no fiery goalie controversy is being stoked by Steve Mason.

The Winnipeg Jets netminder, now firmly entrenched as the NHL club’s backup, is saying all the right things and maintaining the air of a genuine team guy — and it’s near-impossible to shoot holes in the sincerity of his words.

Speaking Thursday afternoon, likely not long after learning he’d be an interested observer and not a willing participant in the Jets’ battle with his former employer, the Philadelphia Flyers, Mason admitted he’s clearly disappointed with the position he currently occupies on the winning Central Division team.

But he totally gets the rationale behind head coach Paul Maurice’s decision to ride the sensational start to the 2017-18 campaign by 24-year-old goalie Connor Hellebuyck.

Mason, who has been tapped to tend the crease in just five of the club’s 18 games, said the other half of the netminding duo holds a hot hand and is deserving of a heavy workload.

“I’ve got no issues with sitting, with the way Connor’s playing right now,” said Mason, 29, from Oakville, Ont. “He’s playing some of the best hockey I’ve seen a goaltender play in a long time. As long as he’s playing that way, he deserved the net and I understand that.

“I just have to be ready for the opportunities when they do come up. I think I did a good job the last game there (a 4-1 win in Arizona last Saturday) after sitting for a while. It’s not a fun position to be in, but at the end of the day the team’s in a position where we’re winning lots of hockey games.”

Indeed, Mason had a sound outing in the desert last weekend, stopping 29 of 30 shots by the Coyotes, to earn his only victory of the season. In his previous start — 15 days earlier — he was equally sharp against the Columbus Blue Jackets, another of his former clubs, turning aside 34 of 35 shots in regulation time before surrendering Josh Anderson’s unassisted overtime tally.

But things got off to a rocky start this fall for Mason, who spent the last four seasons in Philadelphia before signing a two-year deal with Winnipeg on July 1 worth US$4.1 million per season. He was in the cage for a pair of lopsided defeats to the Toronto Maple Leafs (7-2) and Calgary Flames (6-3) to begin the season, before the reins were handed to Hellebuyck.

It wasn’t the honeymoon phase he’d envisioned as the team’s No.1 goalie.

“No, it hasn’t been. But at the same time there were no guarantees,” said Mason. “I didn’t have a strong couple of first games and Connor came in and took the ball and he’s running with it. So, it’d be a different story if Connor wasn’t playing so well and I was still sitting. Maybe I wouldn’t be so content with the position we’re in. But he’s deserved to play and there’s no other way around it.”

Hellebuyck routinely mentions the bond that’s quickly been forged between Winnipeg’s two masked men, suggesting he owes much of his recent success to the mentorship Mason has offered.

Mason, the former Calder Trophy winner as the NHL’s rookie of the year (2009), said he’s enjoying the partnership as well

“It’s been awesome, probably one of the best partnerships I’ve had from minor hockey all the way through. We got into camp a little bit early and we hung out away from the rink to get to know each other one on one, which was good. He’s just a good kid… him being a few years younger than I am, he’s bringing back a little bit of youthfulness. He’s fun to watch right now,” Mason said.

“I’d love for that to be me out there playing lots of hockey and winning hockey games, but if it wasn’t me I’m happy it’s him. He’s a good person and I really enjoy working with him. And if I can help him take the next step in his career, that makes me happy as well.”

Mason will need more outings like his previous two to polish up his rather mundane numbers this year — a 1-3-1 record, 3.76 goals-against average and .892 save percentage.

To do that, though, he needs regular work, but that’s now contrary to his coach’s plan.

“We’re at home, we’ve got some rest in between games and (Hellebuyck’s) game is just really good,” said Maurice. “There’s going to be plenty of time for Steve going forward. (When) we get out on the road for sure (and) start talking about possibly splitting games on the road. Don’t hold me to it.

“But when we’re at home and we got good rest and we’ve got a guy playing the way he’s played, we’ll just play.”

He said Hellebuyck — 9-1-2 with a 2.32 GAA and .920 SP heading into the clash with the Flyers — is making the saves he should be making while tossing in some dandies he probably shouldn’t, which gives the bench an immediate lift.

“(Recently) he’s made a higher percentage — and this is subjective — of tough saves,” Maurice said. “So much of goaltending is the mood that’s creating by your play, stopping the right puck at the right time, one of those cliches that analytics people hate.”

Mason said he wanted a crack at the club that chose not to extend him a contract offer.

“I really enjoyed playing in Philly, enjoyed being around the guys there, and it was disappointing not to have that kind of feeling in return,” he said. “I was looking forward to (playing them) but, obviously, that’s not the case. We’ve got one more game against (the Flyers) later in the year, so maybe I’ll get the one in Philly.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell