The Winnipeg Jets will have more spaces available during the team’s training camp in September, as seven players will be participating in the World Cup of Hockey that runs during the same time. The players aren’t the only ones who will be absent from camp, with head coach Paul Maurice joining the coaching staff for Team Europe.
There is speculation among some fans as to how this will affect the development of the rookie players, as well as the team’s ability to iron out kinks in the preseason.
The eight-team international tournament, set to run from September 17–October 1 at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, starts a mere three days before the Jets training camp starts in Winnipeg and ends three games into the preseason.
There’s no doubt that Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien will be playing for Team USA, having just been ranked 42nd and 45th respectively in the NHL Network’s first-ever Top 50 Players Right Now series. Adding to the list of veterans missing from camp are Mark Scheifele (centre), Jacob Trouba (defence), and Conner Hellebuyck (goalie), who will be suiting up for North America, the tournament’s U24 team. Michael Hutchinson, the Jets’ backup goaltender for the last two seasons, will be the only NHL-experienced goalie left at training camp. Starter Ondrej Pavelic will be playing in the tournament for the Czech Republic.
The impact of these absences goes beyond what they do on the ice; their leadership, too, will likely be missed. While Maurice will have the opportunity to watch his players perform on a bigger stage, he’ll be notably absent while a handful of young players are vying for spots on the Jets roster. Hoping to get a spot alongside the likes of Byfuglien and company, it’s possible the rookies will only get an opportunity to play with them halfway into the preseason.
There’s been much talk this offseason about Wheeler’s growth and leadership, as well as his likelihood of being named captain, a space that has been vacant since Andrew Ladd’s departure before the 2015 trade deadline. In an interview for NHL.com, Wheeler said, “Regardless of what letter I have on my jersey, my role on the team and who I am with the team is not going to change.” In training camp, where young guys compete for spots, that attitude from a veteran player may be something they never get to experience.
Competing for his own spot beside Wheeler, newly drafted left-winger Patrik Laine will be competing for Finland in the World Cup. Already missing the Jets prospect camp earlier this year, the young shot will miss his first-ever NHL training camp. Having spent most of the summer rehabbing from minor surgery, it will be interesting to watch what he can do on the world stage. All eyes will be on Laine as he competes with and takes on the highest-calibre players during the tournament.
The Jets aren’t the only teams in this situation, with every NHL team losing at least one top player. Only six teams are sending more players than the Jets, with the Blackhawks topping the list with 12.
All might not be lost. If Team USA is defeated before their anticipated exit, the Jets could see the early return of Byfuglien and Wheeler, giving them a chance to step into that leadership role and participate in more preseason games.
As Jets fans, and Canadians, one can only hope.
