Sport-scan daily brief

3. Adam Lowry: 20, 6-5 forward played mostly centre for the Western Hockey League's Swift Current Broncos this season. The 2011 third-rounder scored 45 goals and had 88 points.

4. Eddie Pasquale: 22, Pasquale was on recall to the Jets for a couple of weeks but didn't get any action. The goaltender was excellent last season in St. John's, less so this season.

5. Carl Klingberg: 22, Atlanta's second-rounder of 2009; left-winger is finishing his second full season in North America, has nine goals and 21 points this season.

6. Scott Kosmachuk: 19, the right-winger has had seasons of 30 and 35 goals for the Guelph Storm (Ontario Hockey League), is junior-eligible again in the fall.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.04.2013

668006 Winnipeg Jets

Winnipeg Jets open Jacob Trouba door just a crack

By Paul Friesen,Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 08:46 PM CDT | Updated: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 08:53 PM CDT

Trouba Jacob Trouba will come to Winnipeg immediately to learn but his college coach doesn't think he'll play any more than five games with the Jets

Don’t expect Jacob Trouba to help lead the Winnipeg Jets to the Promised Land this season.

Fans might be hoping the 19-year-old defenceman out of the University of Michigan will help anchor a Jets’ push for a playoff spot in the NHL’s there-for-the-taking Southeast Division.

But odds are the next team we’ll see Trouba play a key role on will be Team USA at the World Hockey Championship in Finland and Sweden, next month.

As mouthwatering as Trouba’s talent is, the Jets are expected to bring the Michigan native along slowly, which likely means not playing him in more than five games, including the playoffs, thereby preserving the first full year of his entry-level contract.

“I don’t think they’re going to play him more than five games,” Red Berenson, Trouba’s head coach at Michigan, told the Winnipeg Sun, Wednesday. “The plan is to give him some experience and keep him around the team.”

Winnipeg’s first pick, ninth overall, in last year’s NHL draft, Trouba will arrive in Winnipeg, Thursday, after choosing to leave college and turn pro after just one season.

It’ll likely be a week of practice before the Jets even consider giving him his first taste of NHL action.

By the time the World Championship starts May 3, the Yanks will come calling.

“He’s been invited already by the USA team,” Berenson said. “That was a possibility even had he stayed in school.”

Given his history with the American program, Trouba’s participation is a no-brainer.

His trophy case includes gold medals from this year’s World Junior Championship, the 2011 World Under-18 Championship and a silver from the Under-17 event in 2010.

Unless they’re in the Stanley Cup playoffs and Trouba is playing a key role, the Jets would likely give their blessing for him to join the U.S..

Much like Berenson gave his blessing for Trouba to leave the Wolverines, making him the first player to turn pro after just one year at Michigan since Max Pacioretty, five years ago.

You should know Berenson doesn’t often advise players to turn pro so soon.

“I’ve had a lot of players leave school early, and in most cases, not all, they weren’t ready for the next level,” Berenson said. “And I advised them not to leave. Jacob’s a little bit of an exception.

“He’s been as good a freshman defenceman as we’ve had at Michigan in all my years here.”

That covers 29 years, and players like Jack Johnson (Columbus) and Mike Komisarek (Toronto).

Berenson, who himself played more than 1,000 games in the NHL, compares Trouba to former NHLer Rob Blake, a physical defenceman who was good at both ends of the rink.

“I told him from Day 1, ‘You’re going to play in the NHL,’ ” Berenson said. “It’s just a matter of when (he’s) ready.”

Trouba himself doesn’t discount the possibility of this being more of a learning experience than anything.

“Trying to soak up as much information as I can about what it’s about, what it takes to play there, and what I need to do this summer to really put myself in a position to be with the Jets next year,” he said. “I mean, they’re in the heat of a playoff race. I just want to try to help and do what I can. If I get in the lineup, then I get in the lineup. But that’s up to the coaches.”

Trouba didn’t rule out reporting to the Jets farm team in St. John’s, but his old coach says the AHL is no place for him, calling college and its emphasis on practice a better path to development.

“For a kid to leave early to play in the minors is a big mistake,” Berenson said.

Just like rushing him into the NHL would be.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.04.2013

668007 Winnipeg Jets

Cheveldayoff stands pat, gives Winnipeg Jets vote of confidence

By Ken Wiebe ,Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 08:34 PM CDT | Updated: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 08:45 PM CDT

MONTREAL — Kevin Cheveldayoff is banking on his group and hoping the best trades will be the ones he didn’t make.

The general manager of the Winnipeg Jets had a rather quiet day as the NHL trade deadline passed on Wednesday afternoon without much action.

The Jets did claim centre Mike Santorelli off waivers from the Florida Panthers and recall centre Aaron Gagnon from St. John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League, but no trades were consummated.

By essentially standing pat, Cheveldayoff gave a vote of confidence to his players, while running the risk of seeing eight guys — including defenceman Ron Hainsey — walk as unrestricted free agents this summer.

The initial reaction of fans via social media wasn’t kind, but Cheveldayoff continues to preach patience.

“The hard part, and I feel for them because you’re always looking for that quick answer, that quick fix. Man oh man, you wish you could find it sometimes. Everything comes at a price,” Cheveldayoff said during a conference call from Uniondale, N.Y. “These players earned the opportunity. They got us to this point. If I did something to take away, without adding something right now, I didn’t feel that was the right message to send to this group.”

The Jets are back in action on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens and will attempt to snap a four-game losing skid.

Although the Jets were looking for a Top-6 forward, either they were unwilling to pay the high asking price or unable to part put together a package of prospects or picks that was suitable to another team.

Throughout the course of the day, there was speculation that the Jets were involved in talks with the Buffalo Sabres about right-winger Drew Stafford but it didn’t happen.

Whether that was because the Jets weren’t interested in surrendering a first-round pick or the Sabres didn’t want to take Alex Burmistrov in return, remains a mystery.

“I’m not really going to discuss any individual teams or individual players, with respect to where things may have gone or may not have gone,” said Cheveldayoff.

Santorelli, 27, has two goals and one assist in 24 games with the Panthers this season but is only a couple years removed from posting career highs in goals (20) and points (41).

“I’m super excited,” Santorelli said in a telephone interview from Florida. “It’s an exciting situation, every game is so meaningful. A change of scenery is good for players. I’m going to come in, work hard and bring it every night.

“I like to play a high-tempo, speed game and get pucks to the net and make plays when I can. My role has changed quite a bit after my first year (with the Panthers). I’m looking forward to getting the (scoring) touch back.”

The move to add Santorelli was spurred by a lower-body injury to Nik Antropov, who left Tuesday’s game during the third period and is expected to be out for at least two weeks.

Gagnon has dealt with injuries and overcame a slow start, putting up nine goals and 18 points while compiling a franchise-high 11-game point streak.

Gagnon has 14 goals and 26 points in 47 games this season, with two assists in 28 NHL games.

To make room for Gagnon, the Jets reassigned forward Patrice Cormier to the IceCaps.

Cormier had no points in 10 games with the Jets this season while seeing limited ice time.

AROUND THE GLASS

Cheveldayoff said that LW James Wright, who has missed the past seven games with an upper-body injury, is close to returning to action. The Jets GM also said he’s been in discussions with the representatives for Jets prospect Adam Lowry about getting a deal done that would see him join the IceCaps on an amateur tryout offer. Lowry, a third-round pick (67th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, had 45 goals and 88 points in 72 games this season as the captain of the Swift Current Broncos in the Western Hockey League.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.04.2013

668008 Winnipeg Jets

Newest Jet Trouba here to learn

By Paul Friesen ,Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 12:08 PM CDT | Updated: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 12:12 PM CDT

Newly-signed defenceman Jacob Trouba says he’s willing to do whatever the Winnipeg Jets want him to, even if it means reporting to the farm team in St. John’s.

During a media conference call Wednesday, the 19-year-old says he has no idea if he’ll get into the Jets lineup this season.

“I’m flying in tomorrow afternoon, and that’s really all I know right now,” Trouba said. “That’s not up to me.

“Most importantly, I want to learn as much as I can, with being around the Jets. Trying to soak up as much information as I can about what it’s about, what it takes to play there, and what I need to do this summer to really put myself in a position to be with the Jets next year.”

The ninth-overall selection in last year’s NHL draft, Trouba decided this week to leave the University of Michigan after just one season and signed an entry level contract with the Jets Tuesday.

“I just feel like I was ready for this,” he said. “This is a goal of mine and a dream come true. I just felt like it was the right time.

“It’s definitely going to be a challenge, playing against bigger guys. But it’s something I need. I’m not going to get any better if I’m not challenging myself.”

With 12 goals and 17 assists in 37 games this season, Trouba was named to the CCHA all-rookie team, while being named its best offensive defenceman.

While scouts say the hard-hitting, 6-foot-1, 183-pounder appears ready for the NHL, the Jets like to preach a patient approach with prospects.

“As of right now, there are really no expectations or plans in place,” GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said Tuesday. “We’re talking about a kid coming out of college, who hasn’t had the opportunity to come to an NHL training camp.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.04.2013

668009 Winnipeg Jets

Jets claim centre Santorelli off waivers, Antropov on shelf

By Ken Wiebe ,Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 11:21 AM CDT | Updated: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 06:56 PM CDT

MONTREAL — The Winnipeg Jets have brought in a couple forwards for the stretch drive, but neither in a deal, as NHL trade the deadline came and went on Wednesday afternoon.

Although there was some speculation the Jets were discussing a possible trade with the Buffalo Sabres, the only moves of the day saw general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff claim Mike Santorelli off waivers from the Florida Panthers and Aaron Gagnon recalled from the St. John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League.

Forward Patrice Cormier, who had no points in 10 points with limited ice time, has been returned to the IceCaps.

Santorelli, a 27-year-old centre, has two goals and one assist in 24 games with the Panthers this season.

“Practice was just winding down, I got pulled over and that’s how I found out,” Santorelli said in a telephone interview from Florida as he was gathering his belongings. “I’m super excited. The Jets have a great team and it’s a fun time of the year when you’re right in the mix of things. I’m looking forward to coming in here and helping as much as I can.”

Santorelli is scheduled to arrive in Montreal on Wednesday night and is expected to be in the lineup on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens as the Jets try to snap a four-game losing skid.

“It’s an exciting situation, every game is so meaningful,” said Santorelli. “A change of scenery is good for players. I’m going to come in, work hard and bring it every night.”

The Jets also announced Wednesday morning that forward Nik Antropov would be out for two weeks after suffering a lower-body injury during the third period of Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders.

Originally a sixth round pick of the Nashville Predators (178th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Santorelli has 33 goals and 58 points in 198 NHL games with the Panthers.

Back in 2010-11, Santorelli actually produced a career-best 20 goals and 41 points while playing 82 games for the Panthers and Predators.

“I like to play a high-tempo, speed game and get pucks to the net and make plays when I can,” said Santorelli, noting he was a Jr. B teammate of Jets captain Andrew Ladd as a member of the Port Coquitlam Buckaroos. “My role has changed quite a bit after my first year (with the Panthers). I’m looking forward to getting the (scoring) touch back.”

Santorelli is also a stud in the shootout, going 9-for-18 (50%) during his NHL career.

“It’s been successful and I’d like that to continue,” he said.

Gagnon has 11 goals and 24 points in 43 games this season and was named AHL player of the month earlier this week after producing nine goals and 18 points during an franchise-record 11 game point streak.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.04.2013

668010 Winnipeg Jets

Dustin Byfuglien is the answer on right wing for Winnipeg Jets

By Ken Wiebe ,Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 08:54 PM CDT | Updated: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 09:11 PM CDT

MONTREAL — Since the cavalry didn’t arrive in the form of a trade, it looks like Claude Noel has no choice but to have Dustin Byfuglien play forward for the foreseeable future.

To be perfectly clear, I’m not calling for this as a permanent move.

Byfuglien’s best position is defence, but with only 10 games left in the regular season, this looks like the best available option.

The calls for Byfuglien to play forward have sparked a debate that doesn’t figure to be quieting down anytime soon.

Until the Jets are able to address the limited productivity from two-thirds of the second line, moving Byfuglien from defence to right wing provides the best chance to spark a stagnant offence that has been held to 17 goals over the past 10 games.

During that span, the Jets have given up 34 goals, as the Jets won only three of those contests.

The Jets will attempt to snap a four-game losing skid on Thursday against a Montreal Canadiens team that is battling for second overall in the Eastern Conference standings.

For much of the season, the Jets top trio of Andrew Ladd, Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little, along with Evander Kane, have been supplying the bulk of the offence (46 goals, 107 points combined)

However, the Jets’ top unit has not produced a point during the past five games and looking to shake things up, Noel actually moved Byfuglien up front for the third period of Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders.

The move didn’t pay immediate dividends, but Byfuglien looked pretty good on the wing, given the difficult circumstances.

If Byfuglien is able to find the mojo he played with during the Chicago Blackhawks run to the Stanley Cup in 2010, the Jets will be thrilled.

Byfuglien was a force during those playoffs, recording 11 goals and 16 points in 22 games, playing with brute force and making life miserable on opposition goalies.

It’s been well-documented that Byfuglien’s preference is to remain on the blue-line, but for the short term, it would be best for all parties to have the big man up front.

“Buff going up there is probably just a way to find some offence. He’s a big guy that can get in on the forecheck and he’s tough to handle down low, which is something we need right now,” said Ladd, who has seen Byfuglien at his best on both forward and defence. “He’s a special player in that he can play both positions and knows how to do it. He’s won a Stanley Cup in that (right-wing) position and he was one of our (Blackhawks’) top forwards in doing that. He’s a valuable guy for us and he’ll play wherever he’s told.”

Following Tuesday’s game, Byfuglien told reporters he was keeping an open mind about the possible switch and would play wherever Noel wanted him, revealing his primary goal is to put the team first.

Since the Jets players and coaches were unavailable to the media on Wednesday because of a scheduled day off, it’s not known or sure if Noel is going to continue the experiment.

But the fact he didn’t dismiss the suggestion outright when asked about it during Tuesday’s post-game scrum means it’s being considered, at the very least.

There’s no guarantee the move will work, but the status quo hasn’t been nearly good enough of late.

While not pretending to be a math major, it looks like the Jets might have to win as many as seven (or more) of their games in order to hang onto the Southeast Division title or qualify for the playoffs.

But if the Jets are unable to stop the bleeding, they’re going to run out of time and lament the glorious opportunity that has presented itself.

Can Byfuglien be part of the turnaround by playing up front?

Right now, the potential reward is worth the risk.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.04.2013

668011 Websites

ESPN / GM McPhee: We weren't going to be sellers

By Scott Burnside

Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee said the Capitals had been looking for a top-six forward for a long time, and the fact that the team has suddenly gone from woeful underachievers to vying for a Southeast Division title didn’t really factor into his decision to acquire veteran winger Martin Erat from the Nashville Predators Wednesday afternoon.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the Capitals, a team that struggled mightily under rookie head coach Adam Oates when the lockout-shortened season began on Jan. 19, have closed to within two points of the division lead with two games in hand.

"We weren’t going to be sellers," McPhee told ESPN.com Wednesday night after he sent a top prospect, Filip Forsberg, who was the 11th overall pick in last June’s draft, to the Predators for Erat and minor league center Michael Latta.

“We’ve been looking for another top-six forward for right now and for the future,” McPhee said. "He fit the bill."

Erat has two more years left on a contract that will cost the Capitals $4.5 million against the salary cap, although the actual money paid is less ($3.75 million and $2.25 million).

The Capitals and Predators had been in discussions about the trade for a few days and McPhee got some inside intelligence on Erat from a former teammate, Washington forward Joel Ward.

“I talked to Ward about him and he said great things about him as a person and as a leader,” McPhee said.

The Capitals had to give up a talented youngster in Forsberg. But McPhee said that’s the cost of making an important addition.

“As long as we continue to draft well we can continue to do [things] like this,” he said.

The trade deadline period saw much discussion about the path McPhee and the Capitals would chart. Center Mike Ribeiro is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and teams were interested in the talented pivot who would have yielded an attractive package of picks and prospects. But Ribeiro has played well for the Capitals, with 35 points in 36 games, and it’s believed the team would like to keep him long-term. No deal was struck by the deadline.

McPhee said he’d prefer not to talk about the amount of interest Ribeiro received from other GMs and said he’d deal with the team’s potential unrestricted free agents down the road.

“There were a lot of discussions about a lot of things,” McPhee said.

ESPN LOADED: 04.04.2013

668012 Websites

ESPN / The deadline: Who got better, who got worse?

By Scott Burnside

A trade deadline day that began at a snail’s pace and finished with a great flurry of activity has, like all trade deadlines, the potential to alter the playoff grids in both conferences and perhaps even who hoists the Stanley Cup in late June. Lots of road to travel before that time and every year the best-laid trade-deadline plans often go awry. So, herein a look at the teams that, at least for a few minutes anyway, seized the moment to make themselves better and will walk away feeling that they made the most of the opportunity.

Got better

Columbus Blue Jackets

Who’da thunk it? The sad-sack Columbus Blue Jackets, perennial sellers of good players, shocking the hockey world by acquiring three-time 40-goal scorer Marian Gaborik from the New York Rangers. In giving up Derek Dorsett (currently injured), Derick Brassard and John Moore, the Blue Jackets gave up three everyday players. But for a team that has qualified for the playoffs just once (and were swept by Detroit in that lone playoff visit) but suddenly finds itself in the hunt for a surprise postseason berth, Gaborik is a definite impact player -- when he’s himself. Gaborik has suffered through a miserable season in New York with obvious friction existing between him and head coach John Tortorella. But he’ll renew acquaintances with former Ranger teammates Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky, who went to Columbus in the Rick Nash deal last summer, and he’ll get a fresh start on a team desperate for scoring help (they rank 29th in goals per game and 27th on the power play). The Blue Jackets still possess three first-round draft picks in the coming draft and they have Gaborik under contract for one more season at a $7.5 million cap hit. In order to clear room, new GM Jarmo Kekalainen also managed to unload netminder Steve Mason to Philadelphia. Mason can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Blue Jackets also acquired forward depth in the form of Blake Comeau, who came over from Calgary for a fifth-round pick.

New York Rangers

In the space of 24 hours, the Rangers have dramatically altered the make-up of their team. Whether it brings them closer to their identity of a year ago, when they were the top team in the Eastern Conference during the regular season and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals or not, we’ll find out. But by bringing in Ryane Clowe, Derick Brassard and John Moore, the Rangers hope they have filled in some of the spaces created when Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky were dealt to Columbus in the Rick Nash deal and Brandon Prust signed in Montreal. Derek Dorsett will also contribute when he gets back to full health. The Rangers are still the lowest-scoring team in the NHL so they need someone, whether it’s Brad Richards or Nash or any of the newcomers -- including Clowe (who has yet to score this season) -- to step up. Still, the relationship between Tortorella and Gaborik wasn’t healthy, and having new faces in the lineup might be enough to push the Rangers back into the top eight and after that, who knows? The Rangers also received a sixth-round pick in 2013 for Gaborik.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild continue to shoulder themselves into discussion as a Stanley Cup contender and that discussion will continue with the acquisition Wednesday of Buffalo Sabres captain Jason Pominville. The Wild had to give up highly regarded prospect Johan Larsson, the 56th pick in the 2010 draft, as well as goaltending prospect Matt Hackett, who has played a handful of NHL games, along with a first-round pick in 2013 and a second-round pick in 2014. The Wild also obtained Buffalo’s fourth-round pick in 2014. But Pominville, who has twice reached the 30-goal plateau and recorded at least 20 goals in six straight years heading into this season, will add the kind of scoring depth that all Cup-contending teams possess. Pominville is also a character guy who can play at both ends of the ice. The Wild are going toe-to-toe with the Vancouver Canucks at the top of the Northwest Division standings and this is a move that could prove to be the tipping point when it comes to gaining home-ice advantage in the first round or beyond.