Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/poolman-swimming-not-sinking- 450852903.html

Poolman swimming, not sinking

By: Jason Bell

VANCOUVER — nearly had no hockey town to call home six years ago.

He was fresh out of East Grand Forks High School and on the hunt for a junior team. A couple of organizations near his home in Minnesota, and from neighbouring states North Dakota and Wisconsin, gave cursory looks, but made no grand gestures offering a place for him to hang his skates.

Poolman’s long-term plan to play college hockey seemed like a long at best, and the to one day earn a living in the game had fast become a figment of his imagination.

"I never thought I’d get a chance," he said matter-of-factly Thursday afternoon, swiping sweat from his forehead while sitting in the visitors’ dressing room at Rogers Arena, home of the .

"I wanted it, but you start to wonder if it’s going to happen."

Poolman finally got his shot — a gig with the Wichita Falls (Texas) Wildcats of the North that eventually paved the way to a three-year stint with the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

Now, he’s getting an even bigger chance to shine.

The 24-year-old defenceman played the second game of his NHL career Thursday night, taking a regular shift for the against the Canucks.

The Central Division club doubled up on the hosts 4-2 and has won two straight contests since the calm, steady blue-liner — who wasn’t drafted until his final year of eligibility — was inserted into the lineup Monday night in Edmonton.

With sidelined with a lower-body injury, Poolman learned two hours before puck drop he was slotting in.

"It was definitely a wave of energy and emotion. I just tried to relax," he said. "I went back to my phone and texted a few people and went back and checked to make sure they got it. It was exciting. I got to talk to my mom and dad after (Monday night’s) game, just quickly because we had a flight, and then I talked to them (Tuesday). It was awesome."

His folks, Mark and LeAnne Poolman, along with brothers Colton and Mason, back home in East Grand Forks, tuned in to a newly purchased NHL cable channel to watch his debut against the Oilers.

Poolman, just shy of 6-4 and about 210 pounds, said he tried to stick to the basics against Oilers star Connor McDavid and the rest of the Pacific Division squad.

"It went fine. I didn’t want to over-handle, just stick to the structure and if there was a play to be made, try to make it," he said. "I didn’t really have an opportunity to do anything special. By the time we had the lead, I really wanted to play it safe.

"I’m happy with it. I just want to, hopefully, help the team out any way I can."

His games in Edmonton and Vancouver were like mirror images.

In each, he took 19 shifts and had about 14-and-a-half minutes of ice time. He was credited with two shots against Oilers’ goalie Cam Talbot, and is still looking for his milestone first NHL .

Poolman is tall, physical and mobile, keenly aware of scenarios unfolding around him and opting for smart, sensible plays that have, almost exclusively, been the right ones.

Indeed, it’s a small sample size, but to say he has impressed would be an understatement.

"Right from Day 1 in training camp, he looked very comfortable, just a smart, smart player. He doesn’t get himself into trouble trying to do too much and he was like that in his first game. He looked very mature and composed on the ice," said Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice, prior to the Jets-Canucks tilt.

"He did one play (in Edmonton), kick it to a forward, jump into a hole and get it back and then kick it to the outside, so there’s some (puck-moving ability) there as well.

"But he’s smart. He’s not trying to sell that as what he does for the team. He’s selling a real, good, simple game and that there is some upside to what he can do. Once he gets more experience in the NHL, he’ll be able to do a little bit more of that."

Looking back, Poolman said the last-ditch effort in the fall of 2011 to latch on with Wichita Falls paid dividends. He spent a year there and then moved on to a productive season with the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League, catching the Jets’ attention in the summer of 2013.

Winnipeg called his name in the fifth round (127th overall) of the NHL draft.

He played one more season in Omaha and had several colleges circling, but made one of the easiest choices of his life — committing to the school across the river from where he grew up and where his dad played football in the late ’80s and has served as the hockey program’s athletic trainer for more than two decades, doubling as the Fighting Hawks’ strength and conditioning co-ordinator.

"I grew up around the UND rink and that’s probably the reason I love hockey so much because I was always hanging out there," he said. "It was the last school I visited. I didn’t want to make any decisions because that’s the school I wanted to go to."

Poolman won a national collegiate championship in 2016, but suffered a pair of injured shoulders in the playoffs in March of this year and was done for the year. The Fighting Hawks couldn’t repeat, losing 4-3 in double- to Boston University in the NCAA West Regional semifinal.

Tucker signed a one-year, US$1.775-million, entry-level deal with the Jets on March 30 and went under the knife to fix his right shoulder the day after. He underwent a procedure on the left shoulder three weeks later.

During training camp, he was eager to give the shoulders a workout and was demonstrably pleased with the way they responded, especially after some physical play in the pre-season.

A hard hit by Oilers’ rugged winger Milan Lucic earlier this week was the best test of all.

"That was a good little welcome," Poolman said, laughing. "Some guys finish their check but only go halfway, and I just thought it was going to be more of a bump. He finished it."

Maurice said it’s another lesson learned for a player whose path to the show had more bumps than others.

"There are all kinds of late bloomers," said Maurice, in his third full season behind the Winnipeg bench. "There are other players, too, that are 22 or 23 who feel they’re behind their potential because they’re not there, yet. But there’s time. (Poolman) stayed with it... he’s worked hard to get here and he seems very patient, too.

"The guys willing to grind and work, and are comfortable with where they’re at but push themselves to get better, those guys have a little different taste when they get here."

Right now, Poolman is savouring every minute. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/healthy-myers-back-in-action- 450852883.html

Healthy Myers back in action After an extended recovery, defenceman is healthy and ready for action

By: Jason Bell

VANCOUVER — Tyler Myers is like a raw rookie, jacked to be in the NHL but taking a cautious approach until he reaches a certain comfort level with his game.

He desperately wants to return to the form he demonstrated in Winnipeg between the time he was traded to the Jets in February 2014 and the early stages of the 2016-17 season, before his own injuries and health problems with his newborn son drastically shortened the year.

Myers played just 11 games, picking up two goals and three assists, and his absence combined with the amount of time missed by blue-liners Toby Enstrom and Jacob Trouba thrust a dagger into the squad’s playoff aspirations.

The 27-year-old defenceman is an imposing 6-8 and 220 pounds, with tremendous mobility and a long, active stick. He’s shown some offensive ability since coming over from the Buffalo Sabres, but nothing that compares to the 48 points he registered during his inaugural season in the league (2009-10) when he was named the NHL’s Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year.

Even a reasonable facsimile bodes well for the Jets and their six-man defensive unit.

Myers was a workhorse for Winnipeg on Thursday night, taking 27 shifts and playing a team- high 25 minutes and six seconds of ice time against the Vancouver Canucks, while flashing a deadly accurate shot to score a short-handed goal, the eventual winner, late in the second period at Rogers Arena.

Winnipeg knocked off the Canucks 4-2, evening their Central Division record at 2-2-0.

"It felt good," Myers said during a post-game scrum with reporters. "The start of the season it feels great to be back out with the guys. I feel good, still, obviously, getting used to some situations and some different plays. But it’s coming back quick."

Team Blake Wheeler said the return of a healthy Myers is critical to the Jets’ success this season.

"What a great addition. He does stuff like that and you realize how much you missed a guy like that all of last year," Wheeler said. "It was nice for him to come out and score a big goal."

Myers, who had 31 shifts and 20:43 of ice time in Edmonton on Monday, was a combined plus-6 in the Jets’ back-to-back triumphs to close out a three-game road swing in Western Canada.

He said he and his teammates remained calm, cool and collected — and were duly rewarded.

"We did exactly what we wanted to," Myers said. "These last two games, we adjusted nicely and kept things simple. Teams are going to make a push on us at some point. It happens in every game. But we aren’t getting too cute when things aren’t going our way.

"These two games are a good start to creating a new habit of how we need to play to win. We just have to roll with that momentum going back home."

● ● ●

Four games into the season and production from the Jets’ bottom-six forward group has been meager and a cause for concern.

The only points from the crew have come with the team down a man.

Brandon Tanev slipped in a short-handed goal on a breakaway in Calgary, while set up Myers’ short-handed marker in Vancouver.

Shawn Matthias has had at least six glorious scoring chances early in the season but has failed to convert, while is also pointless. Both forwards have played all four games for Winnipeg.

Nic Petan and Marko Dano have been blanked in the three games they’ve suited up for, while Joel Armia has nothing to show for the two games he’s been in the lineup.

Dano, who didn’t have a particularly strong training camp and hasn’t upped his game much since cracking the club’s 23-man roster, played sparingly (5:46) in Vancouver and didn’t do himself any favours when he got nabbed for an interference call just more than five minutes into the game.

That led to Daniel Sedin’s first tally of the year, a power-play goal set up by Brock Boeser, Jets rookie defenceman Tucker Poolman’s former University of North Dakota teammate who was making his NHL debut.

That raised the ire of Jets head coach Paul Maurice, who singled out the infraction after the game as the one of the club’s five he "didn’t like."

● ● ●

Winnipeg begins a three-game homestand tonight (6 p.m., Bell MTS Place) against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The visit Wednesday and the division-rival stop by Friday. Both contests are 7 p.m. starts.

Don’t be surprised to see goalie Steve Mason return to the crease against Jeff Skinner, Justin Williams and the rest of the Hurricanes, even though Connor Hellebuyck’s play was superb in Edmonton and Vancouver.

Hellebuyck made 30 saves against the Canucks, just 72 hours after a 37-save performance as the Jets downed the Oilers 5-2 Monday.

The 24-year-old product of Commerce, Mich., said he’s locked in right now. "I’m getting more comfortable in front of the net and a lot of that is the guys in front of me. We’re blocking shots and doing all the little things right and you can tell it’s really paying off," he said. "If we continue this, I like our chances.

"I’m here to give my best every day and I’m going to work hard and get better every day. That’s what I’m trying to show right now." https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/manitoba-moose/home-opener-a-thriller- 450862853.html

Home opener a thriller Manitoba comes out hard, but Cleveland claws back to win

By: Mike McIntyre

They were playing a team called the Monsters on Friday the 13th. But it proved to be a nightmare on Donald Street for the , who were downed 4-3 by Cleveland in their home opener at Bell MTS Place in front of more than 7,500 fans.

Like any thriller, this one had plot twists, some gratuitous violence and the enemy springing back to life to claim a victim.

Manitoba had the visitors running for their lives early, dominating the first period and outshooting the Monsters 19-7. You could probably count on one hand the number of times the Moose registered 19 shots in a frame last season. Heck, there were many games where they barely eclipsed that mark. But Manitoba appears to have far more offensive weapons at their disposal this season, as evidenced by the nine goals they put up last weekend against the reigning champion in splitting their first two games of the year.

The Moose opened the scoring late in the first after some nice puck movement in the offensive zone that ended with defenceman Julian Melchiori ripping a shot past goalie Brad Thiessen. Forwards Cam Maclise and Brody Sutter, who form two-thirds of an intriguing fourth line with Winnipeg Jets prospect Mason Appleton, drew the assists.

Brendan Lemieux may be a bit leaner these days, but he doesn’t appear to have shed his mean streak. The feisty Moose power forward dropped the gloves with Cleveland’s Justin Scott following a spirited gathering in front of the Moose net. The pair exchanged a series of big blows before heading to the box for five minutes each.

The second period was a much different story as the Moose appeared to go from Jekyll to Hyde.

"It was like two different teams," Moose head coach Pascal Vincent said of his squad’s sudden transformation.

He thinks only being up a goal after dominant 20 minutes came back to bite.

"Obviously Cleveland was going to come back hard. We knew that. But we didn’t stick to our plan," he said. "Learning the pro game is also learning the momentum switch of the games and making sure it doesn’t happen again. Developing a winning culture is also about developing winning habits."

Cleveland peppered goalie Michael Hutchinson with eight shots in the first three minutes and tied it up when forward Calvin Thurkauf took advantage of a defensive breakdown. He got at least three whacks at the puck before burying it.

The Monsters kept coming in waves and took a 2-1 lead on the power play as forward Carter Camper scored on a rebound.

Manitoba answered back 31 seconds later when three of the organization’s most promising prospects teamed up for a highlight-reel goal. Defenceman Sami Niku made a great breakout to forward , who fed a super saucer pass to linemate . Roslovic then snapped home a wicked wrister to tie it up with his second goal of the year. Niku, a smooth- skating Finn playing in his first pro season, now has three helpers through three games.

But Cleveland regained the lead 49 seconds later as forward Joe Pendenza snuck one through the five-hole of Hutchinson. The Monsters outshot the Moose 18-6 in the middle frame.

Manitoba tied it just 1:42 into the third period, as J.C. Lipon threaded the needle and made a perfect pass to spring Patrice Cormier on a breakaway. The captain made no mistake, executing a perfect deke to fool Thiessen.

"I thought our line was average at best, all three of us. So it was kind of nice to help the team in that way," Cormier said. "But we got scored upon the next shift again, so we need to be better for sure."

Cleveland jumped back in front, this time for good, a few minutes later when Pendenza scored on a two-on-one break after Niku got caught up ice during a Moose chance that was turned away.

"A misread defensively. That’s something we can’t afford," Vincent said. "Our plan is to play well offensively, to create chances, but in a smart way. We were a little bit over-aggressive offensively trying to push the pace, but in a wrong way. We need to be smart about it. That’s a learning curve."

Hutchinson finished the night with 29 saves on 33 shots.

Manitoba is now 1-2-0 on the year, while Cleveland improves to 1-1-0. The teams meet again on Sunday at 2 p.m. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/manitoba-moose/old-linemates-connor- motte-meet-up-again-450862693.html

Old linemates Connor, Motte meet up again

By Mike McIntyre

Manitoba Moose forward Kyle Connor got to face off Friday against an old friend.

The ’ was a teammate of Connor’s at the University of Michigan, forming one of college hockey’s most feared forward lines, along with J.T. Compher, during their final season in 2015-16.

While Compher broke camp this fall with the , both Connor and Motte were dispatched to the American Hockey League for more seasoning after getting their first tastes of NHL action last season.

Motte played 33 games last season with the , the team that picked him in the fourth round of the 2013 draft. He scored four goals and added three assists. He then was part of a big summer trade, heading to the Columbus Blue Jackets along with in exchange for .

● ● ●

Cleveland has another face on its roster that will be familiar to Moose fans.

Jordan Schroeder played two seasons on the farm in Winnipeg between 2009 and 2011, when he was a prospect with the Vancouver Canucks. He since has gone on to play 144 NHL games with the Canucks and the Minnesota Wild. He was traded to Columbus this summer.

Schroeder’s stay with the Monsters may be brief. He was injured in the pre-season, but was activated off injured reserve this week and sent down to Cleveland on a conditioning stint. He was held out of Friday’s game, but is expected to be in the lineup for Sunday afternoon’s rematch in Winnipeg.

● ● ●

Moose lines and defence pairs for their home opener were as follows:

F:

Connor-Roslovic-Robinson

Lemieux-Sgarbossa-Spacek

DeLeo-Cormier-Lipon

Maclise-Appleton-Sutter

D:

Niku-Melchiori

Schilling-Stoykeywch

Kulevich-Gotovets

Scratches: F: Harkins (injured), Beauvillier (injured), Kramer (suspended); D: Nogier (injured), Kostalek (injured), Flood (healthy), Beaudoin (healthy)

● ● ●

The Moose honoured the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Friday night, following the baseball team’s back-to-back American Association championships.

Several members of the team and office staff — along with the trophy — were in attendance at Bell MTS Place. They received a warm welcome as Queen’s We Are the Champions played.

Perhaps some of the Goldeyes’ good fortune can rub off on the Moose, who have been well outside the playoff picture in the two seasons since returning to Winnipeg.

Winnipeg Sun http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/10/13/myers-little-step-up-for-jets

Myers, Little step up for Jets

BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN

Tyler Myers and Bryan Little spent a lot more time watching hockey than they’d care to remember during these past two seasons.

Missing chunks of time to injury and spending countless hours rehabbing instead of being on the ice contributing can be frustrating for even the most positive person, but Myers and Little found a way to persevere.

Little was injured in the first period of the season opener in 2016 after getting tied up with Bryan Bickell of the Carolina Hurricanes.

His left knee injury forced him to be out of action for 23 games but he worked his way back to finish a productive campaign with 21 goals and 48 points.

Myers wasn’t quite as fortunate after going down with a groin issue on Nov. 11, just 11 games into the season.

What began as a day-to-day ailment eventually forced Myers to miss the remainder of the season or 71 games to be precise.

Compounding matters was the premature birth and subsequent health challenges for his son.

But following a strong summer of training, Myers is feeling – and looking – more like the player the Jets acquired in that big trade with the Buffalo Sabres.

With Dustin Byfuglien sidelined with a lower-body injury on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks, Myers logged a team-high 25:06 of ice time – including 4:19 on the kill and 1:29 on the power play.

“It feels great to be back out with the guys. I feel good,” said Myers, who seems to be settling into a groove with new defence partner Dmitry Kulikov. “Still obviously getting used to some different situations and different plays, but it is coming back quick.”

Aside from his strong defensive play, Myers delivered the eventual game-winner, a shorthanded marker that came as the towering blue-liner beat Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom high to the glove side.

Myers had only gone seven games between goals, but it was nearly a calendar year since he found the back of the net in a game – the last one coming on Oct. 27 against the .

“That was a nice one, really nice,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “What a great addition. He does stuff like that and you realize how much you missed a guy like that all of last year. It was nice for him to come out and score a big goal.”

The Jets are back in action on Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes to open a three-game homestand.

Little made a significant contribution to Thursday’s result as well, chipping in a pair of assists as he was once again used in all situations.

“It was Bryan Little’s line to be the best line for our team,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said following the game. “They were good at both ends, battled hard. Your (first) line can’t drive the bus every night. We totally take Bryan Little for granted. He’s been that good.”

Little isn’t taken for granted by the players on the Jets’ roster.

His patience was on delay as he brought the puck into the zone late in the second period, created some space for himself and found Jets sniper Patrik Laine alone in the slot.

A split second was all Laine needed to corral the pass and rifle it toward the net.

The laser of a shot was past Markstrom before he had time to react and the goal put the Jets ahead for good.

“It was a great pass. (Bryan Little) is an elite centre,” said Laine. “He can see and make those plays. I just needed to take the puck and shoot it.”

Not many NHLers can shoot the puck like Laine does, but the point is well taken.

Every triggerman needs a centre with good hands and vision that can get him the puck.

Little continues to log important minutes and show why the Jets weren’t afraid to invest in him for another six seasons on a contract extension that kicks in next summer.

And when Myers and Little play the way they did on Thursday, the Jets can be a dangerous team to play against.

Changes coming for Jets? Chances are pretty good Joel Armia will be summoned from the press box on Saturday.

After sitting out the past two games as a healthy scratch, the Finnish winger is likely to replace Marko Dano in the Winnipeg Jets lineup against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Dano, who had a game-low 5:46 of ice time, had no shot attempts in Thursday’s 4-2 win by the Jets over the Vancouver Canucks and he also took an undisciplined interference penalty that head coach Paul Maurice talked about during his post-game media address.

The Jets used Friday as a travel day and there was no media availability, so there’s no way of knowing whether defenceman Dustin Byfuglien will return from a soft-tissue injury that’s kept him out of the past two games.

Maurice said on Thursday that Byfuglien was “possibly an option” but it’s obvious he won’t be rushed back into the lineup before he’s fully healthy.

Jets centre Matt Hendricks, who has been on injured reserve since blocking a shot in a pre- season game against the Ottawa Senators on Sept. 27, is progressing but isn’t going to be activated until next week at the earliest.

While Connor Hellebuyck has put together consecutive strong starts between the pipes, don’t be surprised to see Steve Mason back in goal against the Hurricanes.

-- Wiebe

Metro Winnipeg http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2017/10/13/winnipeg-jets-players-catch-monstrous- sturgeon-in-vancouver.html

Winnipeg Jets players catch and release monstrous sturgeon in Vancouver

By: Braydon Holmyard

Dustin Byfuglien may have finally met his match.

The 6-foot-5, 260 pound Winnipeg Jets defenceman is one of the more intimidating forces on the ice, but he's certainly not the biggest fish in the sea.

Byfuglien and teammate Matt Hendricks, both dealing with minor injuries, took advantage of a mandatory off-day and went sturgeon fishing on the Fraser River in B.C.

As you can see, it was a successful trip.

The beast was nearly 10 feet long and 600 lbs, according to the Sturgeon Slayers, and was released after its photo op. Jets head coach Paul Maurice was asked by reporters if he took issue with his injured players fishing on a day off.

“No issue at all. Just a little bit jealous," he said.

If coach Maurice wants to get in the action, he'll have to find time to get out on the water with his star defenceman. Byuglien seems to have a knack for catching the massive creatures.

The Jets beat the Canucks 4-2 on Friday night without Byfuglien, Hendricks or the giant sturgeon in the lineup.

ESPN.com http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets-vancouver-canucks-nhl-1.4352569

Barry Melrose: The key player in the spotlight -- and on the spot -- for each team

By Barry Melrose

We asked ESPN analyst Barry Melrose to go coast-to-coast and name the most important player for each team this season. Who will be on the spot -- and in the spotlight -- for each squad?

The former NHL coach and defenseman dished out some surprises -- and even coined a new superlative for Connor McDavid. Here's Melrose's take on who will be each franchise's difference-maker over the next six months.

Winnipeg Jets: Dustin Byfuglien. He's so dynamic. There's nobody in the world like him at his size (6-foot-5, 265 pounds) -- nobody who skates the way he does, is as physical or shoots as well. But he's one of the league leaders -- if not the leader -- in minor penalties. He's very undisciplined at times, and that has to change.

TSN 1290 (AUDIO LINKS) http://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/ferraro-hellebuyck-impressive-in-this-season-s-starts- 1.884405

Ferraro: Hellebuyck impressive in this season’s starts

TSN Hockey analyst joins the Afternoon Ride to discuss the Winnipeg Jets win in Vancouver. Ferraro discusses the why the Jets 3rd & 4th lines are important in the roles they play, how Patrik Laine’s size and skill helps his shot, and how he would use the Jets goalies in the upcoming sparse schedule. http://www.tsn.ca/radio/winnipeg-1290/green-jets-have-started-to-buy-in-to-defensive-structure- 1.884287

Green: Jets have started to buy in to defensive structure

TSN 1290 Hockey Analyst Josh Green joins Kevin Olszewski and recaps the Jets win vs. Vancouver.