Winnipeg Free Press http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/Live-coverage-Jets-vs-Leafs-340463282.html

Burmistrov went from goat to hero in 2 minutes Hits the ice after bad penalty, immediately pots winner for Jets By: Tim Campbell TORONTO — How long does it take to go from the doghouse to the penthouse? It took Winnipeg Jets left-winger Alex Burmistrov two minutes 12 seconds Wednesday night and the conclusion to that mini-drama in which he was headed for potential goat horns was a decisive one. Burmistrov came up with the winning goal with just 2:05 left in a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. The first two minutes of Burmistrov’s journey were spent in the penalty box, nabbed for holding Leo Komarov’s stick. When he popped free, he took the precisely cleared puck by Brian Little, worked a two-on-one with Blake Wheeler and beat Leafs goalie James Reimer to snap the 2-2 tie. "Oh, I can’t even explain even how big that is for me," Burmistrov said after his second goal of the season but first against a goalie, delivering the Jets to 8-4-1. "Because it’s been tough for me since I came back, learning this game back." Burmistrov had been in the penalty box as well in the first period, leading to Toronto’s power-play goal by P.A. Parenteau. The victory pulled the Jets to a 5-2-0 mark on the road so far this season, with Thursday’s game in Ottawa coming up. The Leafs played a spunky game, though they never led, and dropped to 2-8-2 under new coach Mike Babcock. The response: The Jets, including their coach Paul Maurice, were looking for a response game after a 5-1 defeat Sunday in Montreal. They got it, though at times there weren’t many free paths to the net. Still, they leaned hard on the Leafs in the third period of the 2-2 game and outshot the home team 14-5 in the final frame. Power declining: Winnipeg’s power play had just two chances Wednesday. It was poor in the second period and the same for the first minute of one in the third, then some big-time pressure kicked in that had the Leafs on the run.

Still, that makes just two power-play goals in the last seven games, and the team’s percentage has sagged to 21.6 per cent. Bryan Little’s short-handed goal into the empty net technically allowed the Jets to claim a saw-off on the special teams Wednesday. Little soars: Bryan Little ended the game with a 10-16 mark on faceoffs, but don’t always assume the stats tell the final story. Little was having a miserable night in the faceoff circle through two periods at 2-14 according to the ACC stats folks. He was instrumental in the Jets’ push to win the game in the third. In that period, the veteran Jets centre, who gets most of the tough assignments against the opposition’s elite players, won eight of 10 faceoffs, did some great penalty-killing work, sent Burmistrov and Wheeler away for the winning goal and then added his own empty-netter while on the penalty kill. Little, who played 19:42, ended a plus-two on the night. Pulling the trigger: Mark Scheifele seems to enjoy playing against the Maple Leafs. The 22-year-old centre from nearby Kitchener scored Wednesday night, his fourth goal in five career games against Toronto. Scheifele’s goal was an important first-period response for the Jets, coming from a fine forecheck just 37 seconds after the Leafs had scored on the power play. Lineup adjustment: The Jets have ruled out rookie centre Andrew Copp for Thursday in Ottawa. It will be the third game he’ll miss due to an upper-body injury suffered Saturday in Columbus. Copp was placed on the injured reserve list Wednesday, and to take his place on the roster, they recalled centre Patrice Cormier from the Moose. Cormier sat out the game versus the Leafs as the fourth line was Nic Petan in between Anthony Peluso and Chris Thorburn. TRANSITION TO NHL GAME A MAJOR JOB TORONTO — Alex Burmistrov’s facial expressions after Wednesday night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs told a story of relief framed by nerves. The 24-year-old Russian is learning to play again in the NHL, and it’s been no smooth return to the Winnipeg Jets. Not that he’s been a distraction or a disruption. Quite the opposite.

But he’s been introduced to a role that’s more defensive, and Wednesday before he fired the winning goal with 2:05 left in regulation time to beat the Leafs, he was at times as close to a liability as you can get. Burmistrov took a first-period penalty that led to a Toronto goal. There were turnovers and hiccups with his linemates. He got away with a foul in the third period before he was finally called again for holding Leo Komarov’s stick at 15:43 of the third in a 2-2 tie. Burmostrov’s teammates helped him out with the penalty kill, and he returned the favour, combining with Blake Wheeler for the winning goal as he raced from the penalty box. “Just a great feeling right now,” Burmistrov said, rolling his eyes heavenward. “We won the game and I scored the big goal.” He described his angst for much of the game with a look of great worry. “When you take the first penalty and they score a goal, then you’re going back in in the last minutes of the game, with the game tied, it was not a great feeling,” he said. “I was nervous.” The joy emerged, though, when the story came around to the winning play. “I was so happy they were killing,” Burmistrov said. “As soon as Litts (Bryan Little) got the puck, I’m going, ‘OK, I’ve got a chance to go.’ And it was a good play by Wheels. He was calling from, like I think, our zone, that he was coming with me. “I saw what was happening. You can see Toronto had guys there for a minute-something I think. And of course they were probably pretty gassed there. It’s a good thing Litts saw the time, and (he did) not rim the puck. He put it in the middle of the zone at the right time. “I guess that’s a Russian-American friendly right there. “Good job by Wheels.” Wheeler chuckled about Burmistrov’s description of giving him the puck after Little’s fast pass near the centre line. “I think everyone in the building knew I wanted that puck,” Wheeler said. “I might have woke my kid up back in Winnipeg. I slammed my stick pretty hard. “It was a tough game. There wasn’t a whole lot of opportunity, and I saw the opportunity for a two-on-one, and I just wanted to be involved.” Wheeler empathized with his teammate over the happenings in Wednesday’s game and so far in the season’s first 13 games. Burmistrov has scored just twice, the first being an empty-netter, and then Wednesday’s decisive marker.

“That’s the worst feeling as a player, knowing you put your team short in a tie game, under five minutes to go,” Wheeler said. “At some point it’s going to happen to everyone. It’s just part of the game. “So that’s unfortunate but it’s just huge for Burmi’s confidence to make a big play like that and make himself feel like he’s making positive contributions. “That’s a tough transition coming from the KHL back to the NHL, and I think that’s hopefully a big moment for him. I can’t speak to the transition but I know when I played in Munich and came back in the NHL, it was definitely a transition, just the style of play. “Making a positive contribution tonight is just going to wipe away any hesitations he’s had, and hopefully he takes off from here.” MAURICE PRAISES STEADFAST JETS TORONTO — Jets coach Paul Maurice admired his team’s patience Wednesday night. It paid off in a 4-2 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are low in the standings but gave the Jets plenty of opposition. “I think we, based on our last game (a 5-1 loss in Montreal), had the right mindset for this one the way it was going to be played,” Maurice said. “We didn’t get to a frustration level and there wasn’t a lot of offence to be had. “But at 2-2, I don’t think we gave up an even-strength shot the first 10 minutes and had some chances and didn’t get any discretionary calls to go our way so we had to kill some penalties. “We caught a break and there weren’t any breaks to be had in the game.” http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/Jets-lose-Copp-to-injury-call-up-Patrice-Cormier-340129812.html

Byfuglien, and Jets, happy to have him on the ice tonight against the Leafs By: Tim Campbell TORONTO — There is clear relief around the Winnipeg Jets even a day after the NHL ruled that defenceman Dustin Byfuglien would not be handed further discipline after clobbering Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher on Sunday night. The league conducted a hearing into that hit on Tuesday but exonerated Byfuglien. "It definitely feels good to be playing," Byfuglien said after this morning’s day-of-game skate at Air Canada Centre. The contest against the Maple Leafs starts at 6 p.m. CT tonight (Sportsnet, TSN1290). "It’s tough for them to make calls. They’ve got a job to do, too. I just said my words and I’m not trying to make body contact or any of that. They’ve got to do what they’ve got to do but I’m happy I get to play. "As a team we’ve just got to move forward now."

Byfuglien had to wait about three hours between hearing and decision, and practise in between on Tuesday. While he was waiting, he expressed some frustration that he was under the microscope for the check. "Yeah, I was just kind of wondering what kind of afternoon it could turn out to be, the grumpy one or the one that was just getting prepared for the game," Byfuglien said today. "Yeah, it (the decision in his favour) was nice. I think my wife was more relieved than I was." Jets coach Paul Maurice said this morning he was certain Byfuglien wasn’t guilty of anything illegal. "I guess pleased is the word but I didn’t think he was getting suspended," Maurice said. "I didn’t think there would be a penalty on the play. I’d go through the reasons why but he wasn’t checking, he had touched the puck and was arcing back up the ice. "It was almost the exact same play (against) Calgary when he scored that goal but their guy got out of the way. Buff’s going to the puck and like I said, if you watch him as much as we do here, he lays off 85 per cent of what he does. He is that big and strong. He is careful what he does on that ice but some of the collisions don’t look like it. "But he has to be or he’d be getting reviewed with everything, he’s so big." Jets captain Andrew Ladd said the team was happy about the result of the hearing. "Obviously we don’t want to lose the big man for any period of time," he said. "He’s such a big part of our back end and our power play and our physical game. We’re obviously happy with the decision and excited to have him in here tonight." Tonight, the Jets are out to atone for a poor performance in Montreal, a 5-1 loss to the Habs. "I think any time you go through a loss like that, they kicked our butts pretty good, you should be pissed off and we need to get another crack at it," Ladd said. "We had a good skate today and we’ll have a good test against a team that plays extremely hard and is going to play a tight game tonight." Maurice indicated the focus has moved to tonight’s game, that the Montreal game and the discipline hearing are now in the rear-view mirror. "We did not like our game from behind the bench and on the bench so we’ve got to answer for that and get ourselves back to feeling good," the coach said. "It’s about how you play the game." The Jets recalled Patrice Cormier today from the Moose and placed rookie centre Andrew Copp on the injured reserve list. Copp was hurt Saturday night in Columbus in the game in which he scored his first NHL goal. He didn’t play Sunday in Montreal and missed Tuesday’s practice. It looks like tonight's goaltending match will be Ondrej Pavelec for the 7-4-1 Jets against James Reimer for the 2-7-2 Leafs.

Winnipeg Sun http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/11/04/burmistrov-scores-late-beauty-to-give-winnipeg-jets-win-over-maple-leafs

Burmistrov scores late beauty to give Winnipeg Jets win over Maple Leafs BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN TORONTO – Alex Burmistrov went from potential goat to hero in a span of two minutes and eight seconds. As the Winnipeg Jets forward sat in the penalty box serving a minor penalty for holding-the-stick that he took with four minutes and 13 seconds to play in regulation time of a tie game, time probably seemed to stand still. But after surviving the stress in the sin bin, Burmistrov came out of the penalty box, took an outlet pass from Bryan Little, dropped the puck to Blake Wheeler and finished off a two-on-one rush for the decisive goal in a 4-2 triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday before a crowd of 19,113 at Air Canada Centre. To say that Burmistrov was breathing a sigh of relief after coming up with the game-winner is a gross understatement. “Oh, I can't even explain how big it is for me,” said Burmistrov, who had gone 11 games without a goal after scoring an empty-netter in the season opener in what was his first NHL game since 2013. “It's been tough for me since I've came back. Learning this game (again). It's a great feeling right now that we win the game and I scored that big goal.” The Jets, who improved to 8-4-1 on the season, close out a four-game road trip on Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators. Burmistrov's impact stretches beyond the traditional stats, but the fact he hadn't got much going offensively following two seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League had been weighing on him. Big-time. That's one of the reasons Jets head coach Paul Maurice was so happy to see Burmistrov deliver such a big goal. The two men had an exchange on the bench that ended with a smile, but may have taken on a much different tone had the game turned out differently. “Well, that is a perfect example of the doghouse to the penthouse,” said Maurice. “Those are tough penalties to take and it's a big goal for him. He's wanted to produce and we've asked him to be in a different role and he's excelled at it. I know the plus-minus and the stats aren't good. Those guys need a little payoff if you ask them to do a tough job. They've got to put some pucks in the net and that was a big one.”

Not only did Burmistrov take the late minor, he was also in the box in the first period after taking a penalty for holding in the offensive zone, which led to a power-play marker from P-A Parenteau that made it 1-1, erasing a Dustin Byfuglien goal that put the Jets on top at 3:41. “When you take a first penalty and they score a goal and you go back (to the penalty box) in the last minutes of the game, with the game tied, it was not a great feeling,” said Burmistrov, who has two goals and four points in 13 games. “I was nervous and worried for the boys. I was so happy they killed it.” Mark Scheifele and Bryan Little also scored for the Jets. Burmistrov was paying close attention to how the play developed before he got out of the box and when his penalty expired, he received a heads up-pass from Little before getting the puck to Wheeler. “I think everyone in the building knew I wanted that puck. I might have woke my kid up back in Winnipeg,” said Wheeler, who had two assists and now has six goals and 16 points in 13 games this season. “I was slamming my stick pretty hard. It was a tough game. There wasn't a whole lot of opportunity. I saw the opportunity for a two-on-one and I just wanted to be involved.” Wheeler was thrilled to see Burmistrov involved, knowing full well how frustrated he's been with his lack of production to date. “We've all been there where maybe the offence isn't there,” said Wheeler. “(Burmistrov) is a dynamic player, he's used to playing with the puck, he's used to creating offence. When that's not happening, sometimes the rest of your game gets affected, you start doing things differently than you would normally. You're a step slower, you're not anticipating as well. “It's a tough transition coming from the KHL back to the NHL. I think it's just huge for (Burmistrov's) confidence to make a big play like that and make himself feel like he's making positive contributions to our team.” http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/11/04/byfuglien-relieved-by-nhls-decision

Byfuglien relieved by NHL's decision Jets look to regroup against Maple Leafs BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN TORONTO — Understandably, Dustin Byfuglien was happy to avoid a suspension for his hit on Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher. The Winnipeg Jets defenceman waited patiently to hear the decision of the NHL Department of Player Safety after being subject to a phone hearing on Tuesday morning and shortly after noon, Byfuglien found out he wouldn't be sent to the sidelines. “I was just kind of wondering what kind of afternoon it would turn out to be, a grumpy one or one where you were just getting prepared for a game,” said Byfuglien. “Yeah, it was nice. My wife was more relieved than I was.

“It definitely feels good to be playing. It's tough for them to make calls and they've got a job to do too. I just said my words. I'm happy I get to play and as a team, we've got to move forward now and keep rolling.” Although Byfuglien has been warned about his hits on several occasions this season, he's not about to remove the physical element from his game. “I can't. I've got to play the way I play. That's who I am,” said Byfuglien. “I just go out there, I play hard and do my job and just keep it simple.” The Jets (7-4-1) face the Toronto Maple Leafs (2-7-2) on Wednesday at Air Canada Centre as they continue a four-game road trip and look to rebound from Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Canadiens. “They kicked our butts pretty good and you should be pissed off and ready to get another crack at it,” said Jets captain Andrew Ladd. Ladd was also happy with the NHL's decision not to suspend Byfuglien. “We're happy with the decision. Obviously, you don't want to lose the big man for any period of time,” said Ladd. “He's such a big part of our back end and our power play and our physical game.” Jets head coach Paul Maurice didn't want to speculate on what might happen with Byfuglien following Tuesday's workout, but revealed that he wasn't anticipating a suspension for the play in question. “I guess pleased is the word. But I didn't think he was getting suspended. I didn't think there would be a penalty on the play,” said Maurice. “I could go through the reasons why. He wasn't checking. He touched the puck and was arcing back up ice. Almost the exact same play as (against) Calgary, when he scored that (overtime) goal. But their guy got out of the way. (Byfuglien) was going to the puck. “If you watch him as much as we do here. He lays off on 85 per cent of what he does. He is that big and strong and he is careful out on the ice. Some of the collisions don't look like it but he is and he has to be or he'd be getting reviewed with everything.” Jets forward Nic Petan had a good feeling when he walked into the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday, which makes perfect sense, since the last time he left the rink he had a gold medal wrapped around his neck from the world junior hockey championship as a member of Team Canada. “Winning it on the last day here was special. I think anytime that I walk in here, I'm going to remember that day,” said Petan, who has one goal in nine games this season. “I'm excited for my first (NHL) game here.” The Jets have several players on the roster from Ontario, so there should be plenty of folks supporting the visitors. Both Ben Chiarot and Anthony Peluso are expecting roughly 50 friends and family members, Mark Scheifele is expecting around 25 and Bryan Little is expecting a number as well.

Ondrej Pavelec gets the start in goal for the Jets, while the Maple Leafs counter with Morweena product James Reimer. For the Maple Leafs, Winkler product Byron Froese is ready to suit up for his sixth NHL game and first against the team from his home province. “It's exciting. It's definitely I would love to be in, but at the same time, it's just another hockey game and I've got to make sure I do my job,” said Froese, who was playing for the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL at this time last season. “It's been just a great opportunity for me and something I'm not going to take for granted, for sure, because this is where I want to be.” Froese picked up his first NHL point in Monday's 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars. NHL.com

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=786363

Toronto Maple Leafs feeling unlucky in 4-2 loss to Winnipeg Jets The Canadian Press TORONTO - The Toronto Maple Leafs felt they were one bounce away from winning back-to-back regulation contests for the first time in nearly 11 months. However, it was the Jets who caught a lucky break as Bryan Little caught Alex Burmistrov stepping out of the penalty box late in the third period leading to the game-winning goal in Winnipeg's 4-2 victory over Toronto on Wednesday night. "Obviously a bit of an unlucky break on that third goal with the guy coming out of the box," said Nazem Kadri, who had several chances to score his second goal of the season. "It's a tough one to swallow, but at the same time, a lot of positives." With the game tied 2-2 and Burmistrov in the box for holding the stick late in the third, Maple Leafs forward Brad Boyes had an excellent chance in the slot that Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec got his glove on. Just before Toronto's power play expired, James van Riemsdyk also had a chance to bury the go-ahead goal, but Pavelec got his right pad on it. Burmistrov completed a 2-on-1 feed from Blake Wheeler 17:55 for the game winner and Little added the empty netter with 26-seconds remaining as the Jets (8-5-1) improved to 8-0-1 when scoring three or more goals this season. "We had a great look from Boyes right at the end on the power play, we had a great look from van Riemsdyk on the breakaway there — lots of good things happened for our hockey club," said Leafs head coach Mike Babcock. "We looked like a competitive organized group today. I'm disappointed with the outcome. "I still thought with the group of players on the ice you've got to know what's going on on the clock. We could've been in a better situation there."

Entering Wednesday's contest Kadri was 10th in the league with 46 shots on goal. He had two in the loss including a grade-A chance in the second period. With the Leafs trailing 2-1, Kadri picked up the bounce off of van Riemsdyk's shot and put the puck through the crease with Pavelec out of position. "Feels unlucky," said Kadri. "Hitting knobs, (pucks) rolling on the goal line. I wish we could catch a break with the guy coming out of the box on the 2-on-1. I mean that's something that'd be definitely nice and favourable, but at the same time we've got to keep working right? "Not much we can really do at this point. Just come to work and try to fix it." Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau and Leo Komarov had Toronto's (2-8-2) goals while Reimer made 30 saves in the loss. "It's very unfortunate that we come out of this game with nothing to show for it. We played hard tonight; I thought we deserved a little better," said Parenteau. "A few bad bounces are tough to swallow." The Leafs conclude their four-game home stand on Friday night when they play host to the Detroit Red Wings. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=786004

AHL notebook: Coach's job more than coaching By Patrick Williams - NHL.com Correspondent Manning an American Hockey League bench means being part-coach, part-career counselor, part-psychologist, part-father figure and juggling those roles constantly. Manitoba Moose coach Keith McCambridge's to-do list this season is especially busy as he works to introduce nine rookies into pro hockey. Helping his players handle the transition to the pro game is McCambridge's job. "You wear many different caps as a coach in this league," said McCambridge, 41, who is in his fifth season as coach of the Winnipeg Jets' AHL affiliate. McCambridge spent two seasons as an ECHL coach and two more in the AHL as an assistant coach before taking his current job. He also brings 11 seasons of playing pro hockey with him. Manitoba Moose coach Keith McCambridge, 41, is in his fifth season as coach of the Winnipeg Jets' AHL affiliate. (Photo: Jonathan Kozub/Point Shot Photography) However, a 1-6-1-1 start has further complicated McCambridge's job. He must navigate the slow start in hockey-mad Winnipeg where the Jets, who have made a draft-and-develop philosophy an organizational mantra, relocated the franchise from St. John's, Newfoundland, to MTS Centre during the summer. Landing in Winnipeg means that the Moose have access to NHL-level practice and training facilities. But it also means there is that much more focus and attention on a team that is the

third-youngest in the AHL, according to eliteprospects.com. Along with the nine rookies, the Moose have three players in their second AHL seasons. "You have that 1-on-1 chance to talk and be the psychologist," McCambridge said. "That's a big part of coaching. The 1-on-1 time that you have with the players. The newer players is a feeling-out process, and there's a lot this season of getting to know them better and watching and seeing how they function [daily]." Second-year goaltender Connor Hellebuyck shares a crease with rookie Eric Comrie. On defense, rookies Joshua Morrissey, the 13th pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, is paired with prospect Jan Kostalek. Rookie Chase De Leo joins prospects Scott Kosmachuk and JC Lipon at forward. Veteran NHL defenseman Jay Harrison helps mentor the defensemen while Patrice Cormier, Matt Fraser and Matt Halischuk provide experience at forward. But the core of the Moose roster is young. "Those first-year players, you have to let them know and realize that this is their job, this is their livelihood," McCambridge said. "So recognize that you're close to the [NHL]. But you've got to put the work in to give yourself a fighting chance at it. "I think it's a big [adjustment]. I'll start first with players that are in the first year of pro. Understanding that the intensity and coming to work and trying to get better every day is something that I've found over the years take a little while for those guys to really sink their teeth into." For AHL rookies, the move into pro hockey also usually means their first taste of adult life and responsibilities off the ice at 20 or 21 years old. Billet families or the sanctuary of a college campus are no more. "The young players are something that you have to continue to drive that home and away from the rink also," McCambridge said. "Taking care of yourself, eating the right foods, getting the right sleep. Sometimes they're living with two or three other guys, making sure that they're taking care of their bodies and getting rest and everything from eating right to paying bills and dealing with traffic and all of the above. "They have to realize that they have to make sure that they're eating at the right times, getting the right sleep and all of the away-from-the-rink distractions of, 'Have I paid my bills?' That's all part of not only being a good hockey player, but just as importantly growing up and being a good young man." All systems go: A common approach for an AHL team is to mirror as closely as possible the structure and systems that their NHL parent team uses. Doing so can ease the adjustment period for players who are recalled to the NHL team. "We like to follow really closely with how we're going to play the game and our structure so that when those [player recalls] come, it's a lot easier transition for the player," McCambridge said. "He doesn’t have to worry about where he needs to be on the ice or adjusting to a new system." However, matching the NHL team's structure and systems can become complicated when the AHL roster does not necessarily have the same strengths and skill sets as those of the NHL roster.

"Our [league] is a bunch of new players," McCambridge said. "We're putting those into place, so there is a learning curve that takes place with that. "There is a little give-and-take. Winnipeg is a very fast team. You have to find a balance. You balance the things that you focus on more as a coaching staff compared to other things. You focus on the strengths of your team and you work on the areas where you feel have weaknesses." On the rebound: Rockford IceHogs goaltender Mark Visentin won his first game of the season Sunday, shutting out the Iowa Wild 2-0. He signed an AHL contract with Rockford in the summer after missing last season because of an ankle injury. Before the injury, Visentin, the 27th pick of the 2010 NHL Draft, spent two seasons in the AHL as an Arizona Coyotes prospect. When Arizona did not retain Visentin after last season, he signed an AHL contract with the Chicago Blackhawks' top affiliate. But it was an AHL contract that offers a well-traveled pathway to the NHL. Visentin, 23, landed with a team that has a history of sending goaltenders to the NHL. Rockford has been a goaltending pipeline for the Blackhawks since the affiliation began in 2007. Blackhawks goaltenders Corey Crawford and Scott Darling spent time in Rockford. Former Blackhawks goalies Antti Niemi and Antti Raanta learned the North American game with the IceHogs after coming over from Finland. "After being here a few weeks you really see that they really do care about developing us down here in Rockford, and pretty much give us all the resources we need to do it," Visentin told the Rockford Register Star. Around the AHL: Springfield Falcons forward Dustin Jeffrey won the AHL/CCM Player of the Week Award for the period ending Sunday. He had two goals and five assists in three games. … At 8-3-0-0, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers' 16 points lead the AHL. … The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins enter the week with a six-game winning streak. … Winless before last week, Springfield went 3-0-0-0 and outscored opponents 16-4. … The Grand Rapids Griffins, expected by many to contend for the Calder Cup this season, have started 1-6-0-0. … Providence Bruins rookie Frank Vatrano has started with a league-leading 10 goals in his first 10 games. Providence teammate Alexander Khokhlachev has four goals and nine assists in 10 games, and is tied for the AHL lead in scoring with 13 points. … Rookies occupy the first four spots among goal leaders. Along with Vatrano, Devin Shore of the Texas Stars has eight goals; Rockford's Tanner Kero and Nick Ritchie of the San Diego Gulls each have six goals. Kero and Shore are on recall to the NHL. … Shore on Tuesday was named the CCM/AHL Player of the Month for October. Shore had eight goals and three assists for 11 points along with a plus-7 rating in nine games for Texas during the month. Providence Bruins center Frank Vatrano (10 goals, two assists) was named Rookie of the Month and Calvin Pickard of the San Antonio Rampage 5-0-1, 1.79 goals-against average, .946 save percentage) was named the Goaltender of the Month. … Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goaltender Matt Murray won the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the top rookie in the AHL and the Aldege "Baz" Bastien award as the league's top goaltender last season. The 21-year-old has not slowed down, starting this season with a 1.83 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage in six games. The Hockey News

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/how-the-winnipeg-jets-are-bucking-analytics-and-winning/

How the Winnipeg Jets are bucking analytics…and winning By: Ken Campbell The way the Winnipeg Jets play the game is not supposed to be a winning formula. Just ask the analytics community. What has developed into conventional wisdom states that in order to have success, teams have to enter the offensive zone with possession of the puck. Chip and chase is supposed to be dead. Except it’s not entirely and the Jets are a good example of that. You watch the Montreal Canadiens play and they are now entering the zone with the puck because they’re a team that’s built for success playing that way. But sometimes you watch the Jets and you’d swear it was throwback night to the early 2000s. Because that’s what works for them, and it was on full display in their 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday night. For most of the night, the Jets were more than content to dump the puck into the Maple Leafs zone and give up possession, then use their speed and size to get the puck back. As a result, they won the shot attempts game by a fairly significant margin, 69-57. The truth is, the Jets are a middling possession team. In fact, they’re right at 15th in that category. Their percentage of shot attempts in close games is under 50 percent and they’re in the bottom of the league in offensive zone faceoffs and 18th in shots per game. But they’re also sixth in the league in goals per game and are hanging in third place in by far the toughest division in hockey. Something must be working here. “I don’t put much stock into analytics,” said Jets right winger Blake Wheeler. “I put stock into winning hockey games. We’re not a puck possession team. We’re not a team that’s going to slice and dice you and create offense that way. We’re a team with a lot of size and a lot of speed and when there’s not a lot of space out there like there wasn’t tonight, you don’t have a choice. It’s either get in on the forecheck and try to create something that way or do a lot of backchecking.” But the numbers don’t lie. Analytics people will tell you that entries off carries generates between two and three times the number of shots that dumps do. But Winnipeg is one of those big, heavy teams, along with the St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings, that can make something out of a dump-in by using its size. “Last year we had a much higher percentage of retrievals on dumps than other teams,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice. “We still had a higher percentage (of success) with puck possession, skating it in and carrying it in. That being said, tonight we knew there wasn’t going to be anything off the rush. That’s the most we’ve dumped the puck all year and I think we did a good job of recognizing that was the game that had to be played.” Unfortunately, we can’t validate Maurice’s theory until the NHL institutes player tracking, but it makes sense. The Jets are one of the heaviest, tallest and youngest teams in the league. They have a team that is built to buck analytics and still be able to have success.

“We don’t encourage dumps, except for tonight,” Maurice said. “We want to skate it in every chance we can. If not, we just don’t want to slow down while we’re doing it.” REDEMPTION FOR BURMISTROV When Alexander Burmistrov scored the game winner with 2:05 left, he and Maurice were seen having a laugh at the bench. Burmistrov had taken two of the Jets three minors, one for holding and another for holding the stick, the first of which led to the Maple Leafs goal that tied the game 1-1. His goal, however, came when he was sprung from the penalty box. “That is a perfect example of the doghouse to the penthouse,” Maurice said. “That is classic. We’ve put him in a different role and he’s excelled at it. I know their plus-minus and their stats aren’t good, but he played head-to-head against (Anze) Kopitar and (Jonathan) Toews, so it hasn’t allowed him to cash in or take chances.” The play started when Bryan Little dumped the puck out just as Burmistrov was leaving the penalty box. After gaining the zone, Burmistrov made a drop pass to Wheeler and went to the net, with Wheeler giving him the puck back for a tap-in. “I think everyone in the building knew I wanted that puck,” Wheeler said. “I might have woke my kid up back in Winnipeg. I was slamming my stick pretty hard.” The Toronto Star

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2015/11/04/nikolaj-ehlers-leads-group-of-rookies-making-waves-in-the-nhl.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Nikolaj Ehlers leads group of rookies shaking up the NHL At the end of October he ranked third in Jets’ scoring, but he humbly notes he still has "a lot to prove." By: Mark Zwolinski Nikolaj Ehlers realizes he still has “a lot to prove,” even after a sensational first month to his NHL career. But as one of several rookies off to noteworthy starts, Ehlers already has proven one thing for certain — the current NHL rookie class has the potential to go down in history as one of the very best. “I’m finally here, but that doesn’t mean I can let go of the hard work that got me here,” Ehlers said, as his Winnipeg Jets prepared to square off against the Maple Leafs Wednesday night at the Air Canada Centre. “My dad and mom are here. My dad played a lot of hockey and they both supported me my whole life. They were in Montreal to see my first game, and that was special for all of us.” A native of Aalborg, Denmark, Ehlers’ October ended with him ranked third in Jets’ scoring and solidly entrenched in an excellent class of rookies gaining momentum and making headlines around the league. That class suffered a significant loss with Oilers rookie Connor McDavid out months with a shoulder injury, but the elite group still boasts quality and quantity.

Ehlers joins a mini-class of three rookies with the Jets alone — with Nic Petan and Andrew Copp also cracking the lineup this season. Add to that returnee Alex Burmistrov — who left the Jets for the KHL in 2013 then returned this season on a two-year contract — and the Jets have four newcomers. That’s a marked contrast to the Leafs’ commitment to grounding their top teenage-rookies with a developmental season or two in the AHL. The Coyotes’ Max Domi emerged as the leading rookie from the NHL’s opening month, something of a surprise given McDavid and the Sabres’ Jack Eichel, both of whom are considered generational talents, potentially on par with Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, who broke out of the 2005-06 rookie class to help define the next decade of NHL and international hockey. Dylan Larkin marks the first teenage to crack the Detroit Red Wings lineup in over a dozen seasons while other rookies such as Sam Reinhart, Anthony Duclair, Artemi Panarin, Oscar Lindberg, Colton Parayko, Jared McCann and goalie Mike Condon are getting considerable ice time and making sound contributions to their clubs. Ehlers began turning heads in North America while with the Halifax Mooseheads, who drafted him sixth overall in the CHL import draft in 2013. He scored 86 goals over two seasons, and was named winner of the Mike Bossy Trophy as the Quebec major junior leagues top pro prospect. Once he made the decision to join Halifax, he left behind a short but impactful legacy with Danish hockey, having played on national teams coached by his father, Heinz, debuting as the youngest player in the National A League at 16 years old, and helping his country gain promotions at several world-class junior tournaments, including the World Junior Championships. Winnipeg drafted Ehlers ninth overall in 2014 but returned him to Halifax, where he completed the second of back-to-back 100 point seasons, and then notched 31 points in 14 playoff games. Though he was not on the prospect radar like McDavid or Eichel, hockey scouts and insiders were forecasting him as a potential star in the NHL. “Probably the speed of the game and the size of the players, that’s what I notice the most since I’ve been here (with the Jets),” Ehlers said. “It has been difficult, but I find I’m a little more used to it and I’m more comfortable now.” Ehlers’ comfort level has been boosted by rooming with Petan and playing on a line with 22-year-old Mark Scheifele, a rookie himself just two seasons ago. “It’s tough because we’re (the line) going against top players every night, it takes time to be comfortable with that,” Scheifele said. “You won’t grasp it right away. You have to stick with it, take care of your own zone first. “I have been talking with Nikolaj a lot and its exciting to see him grow into the game. You try to help as much as you can, and he’s a smart player, he’s doing some great things for us.” Ehlers is happy to talk about his linemates (Mathieu Perreault is also on the line), and also realizes advice is extremely important in his rookie season. “They have helped me a lot,” Ehlers said.

“Mark is still a young guy and he’s trying to help me on and off the ice. It makes me feel better and I like to play with those guys on a line. When I look at my decision to come here from Europe, I don’t regret a single thing about it.” The Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/jets-glad-byfuglien-can-keep-his-physical-presence-in-their-lineup/article27108716/?cmpid=rss1&click=dlvr.it

Jets glad Byfuglien can keep his physical presence in their lineup BY STEPHEN WHYNO The Canadian Press Dustin Byfuglien wasn’t sure what kind of day was in store as he awaited word from the NHL on whether he was getting suspended for a hit on Brendan Gallagher. “I was just kind of wondering what kind of afternoon it could turn [out] to be: a grumpy one or one that you’re just getting prepared for a game,” Byfuglien said. Fortunately for Byfuglien and the Winnipeg Jets, Tuesday turned out to be a day of preparation. The league decided the big defenceman didn’t make enough contact to the small Montreal Canadiens forward’s head to warrant more discipline, so Byfuglien and the Jets move forward knowing his game is a lot about playing on the edge. “I’ve got to play the way I play,” Byfuglien said Wednesday as he prepared to face the Toronto Maple Leafs. “That’s who I am. I just go out there, I play hard and do my job and just keep it simple.” Byfuglien has a history with the NHL’s department of player safety. He was suspended four games late last season for a cross check on New York Rangers forward J.T. Miller and had been fined three previous times. The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder is not shy physically, but Jets coach Paul Maurice doesn’t think Byfuglien is a reckless player. Quite the opposite, actually. “You watch him as much as we do here, he lays off 85 per cent of what he does,” Maurice said. “He is that big and strong, and he is careful on the ice. Some of the collisions don’t look like it, but he has to be or he’d be getting reviewed with everything.” The NHL reviewed Byfuglien’s hit on Gallagher, and in a video announcing there would be no fine or suspension, directory of player safety Patrick Burke said the league largely accepted the explanation given for the hit. Because Byfuglien made a play on the puck and kept his skates on the ice and his elbow tucked, the league decided not to punish him. Maurice compared it to a play in the Jets’ game against the Calgary Flames, except that Jiri Hudler got out of the way. Byfuglien scored a goal on a rush up the ice seconds after. That’s the kind of play the Jets need out of Byfuglien, which is why they’re glad he’ll be available during their road trip that continues in Ottawa on Thursday.

“Obviously we don’t want to lose the big man for any period of time,” captain Andrew Ladd said. “He’s such a big part of our back end and our power play and our physical game.” Maurice said he didn’t expect the NHL to suspend Byfuglien but was pleased it turned out the way Winnipeg wanted. Byfuglien didn’t quite know how it was going to go. He pleaded his case in the hearing, waited and was glad he could continue the season uninterrupted. “I think my wife actually was more relieved than I was,” Byfuglien said. “It’s tough for them to make calls. ... “I’m not trying to make body contact on anything of that. They got to do what they got to do, but happy I get to play and as a team we just got to move forward now and we got to keep going.”