GAMEDAY: Jets at Flames

CALGARY -On the schedule, it may look like the fourth consecutive match-up for the Winnipeg Jets (7-3-1) against the Calgary Flames (5-5-1).
But tonight's Jets line-up will have a significant difference than the one that hit the ice in the previous three meetings - Pierre-Luc Dubois will draw in for his first game in Jets colours.
Head coach Paul Maurice said earlier in the week that Dubois gives the Jets a centre depth they haven't had since he arrived as coach in January of 2014.

That being said, Maurice won't be taking notes on every single shift Dubois takes on this night.
"I'll just look for simple, individual reads in a couple of our systems," said Maurice. "I'm not going to talk to him a whole lot on the bench. We'll make some minor corrections. I just want him to play. I just want him to feel the game and we can get to know each other a little bit."

All that being said, Maurice is excited to see the 22-year-old in action.
He anticipates that's the same for his teammates as well.
"It's kind of like a show-and-tell day," said Maurice. "It's not just Pierre-Luc coming in and everybody will watch him. These guys are all proud guys, they're going to want to show the new guy what they do, and what we do. There is usually a little extra energy built into that."
Maurice has kept his lines the same through a couple days of practice leading into tonight's tilt with the Flames, who the Jets are 3-0-1 against so far this season.
Those lines look like this:
Copp-Scheifele-Ehlers
Vesalainen-Stastny-Wheeler
Connor-Dubois-Lewis
Perreault-Lowry-Appleton
Beaulieu-Morrissey
Forbort-Pionk
Stanley-DeMelo
Veteran Paul Stastny likes what he sees when he takes a look at that depth chart at centre.
"If you're rolling four lines, guys might play less minutes but you're playing way more efficient. It lets you go a lot harder, not cheat the game knowing you're going to get your full rest," said Stastny.
"In that sense, it might be different for some guys - maybe getting a different kind of ice time. But over the course of the season, when things are going good, you'll realize how important it is to have that depth and have good players up the middle that can play with different guys."

The addition of Dubois has also meant a new line mate for Stastny. For the past three games against the Flames, Stastny has had Kyle Connor on his left side. With Connor moving to the line with Dubois and Trevor Lewis, he'll have 2017 first-round pick Kristian Vesalainen in that spot and Blake Wheeler on the right wing.
"We just told him 'be yourself,'" Stastny said of Vesalainen. "He's a good skater, he's a smart player. We want him to be the shooter on our line. For me and wheels, it's almost get back to work of trying to possess that puck as long as we can, try to work them a little bit, and try to find him."
Vesalainen has played in four games so far this season. He hasn't found the score sheet just yet, but there will be added opportunity for the 21-year-old tonight. He's averaged 7:25 of ice time in the 2020-21 season, but playing with two established players like Stastny and Wheeler means that number is bound to go up.
"It's going to be a big opportunity for me to show what I can do," Vesalainen said on Sunday. "I have to be good every day and work really hard to keep my position there."

In Maurice's mind, putting Vesalainen in that spot is a reward for the steps Vesalainen has taken in his development. Those steps became very evident in training camp last month.
"This is the next phase of growth," said Maurice.
"Now he's got to go out and play his game without trying to give Stastny and Wheeler the puck all the time. I want this guy shooting the puck.
"I wanted to make sure Kristian felt we respected the work he did."
Puck drop is set for 9 pm CT.
-- Mitchell Clinton, WinnipegJets.com
Game Notes
The Jets are back on the road for the first time in eight games after a successful seven-game home stand, during which they went 4-2-1.
The first four meetings between the Jets and Flames this season took place in Winnipeg, while the last five are in Calgary.
Winnipeg has outscored Calgary 14-9 this season (excluding shootouts) and have earned at least a point in each of the four games with a 3-0-1 record.
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