Chisholm set for Jets season debut

WINNIPEG – Declan Chisholm has been waiting almost two years to play in a National Hockey League regular season game.

The Ontario product will be making his season debut tomorrow against the Chicago Blackhawks and it will be the first time he plays at Canada Life Centre in a Jets jersey during the regular season.

“A lot of hard work. You’re staying after every practice, every morning skate and you’re in the gym extra too,” said Chisholm after practice on Friday.

“So, a lot of hard work and a lot of preparation and then it’s patience.”

Chisholm playing Saturday afternoon means that Nate Schmidt will come out of the lineup. Chisholm also took Schmidt’s spot on the second power play unit at practice today. The 23-year-old has been a huge part of the power play at the American Hockey League level with the Moose the last two seasons.

“I love getting on the power play. It’s so much fun. Especially up here with the talent they have,” said Chisholm.

“So yeah, I got to see the second power play for the first time since camp, I think. So That was really nice to get some touches in and I kind of feel like, feel like a little bit of last year.”

Jets head coach Rick Bowness said that Chisholm needs to get into a game after one stint down in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose earlier this season.

“We got to see what we have here. We got to get him into a game,” said Bowness.

“Somebody has to come out. It’s unfortunate when that happens but we just sent the kid down, he does what you ask him to do. When he plays, he plays well.”

Winnipeg has dropped three straight games and have only been able to score three times during the slide. There is no question, the Jets are defending well. But it’s the offensive side of the game that has been slumping.

“We had an awesome game in Florida. We shut them down. We had a good game against Dallas, in terms of not giving them anything. We didn’t score. I think the biggest issue we have between those games (earlier in the season) and where we are now is getting that timely goal,” said Bowness.

“The same thing in Nashville, getting that timely goal. Dallas, it’s 1-0 (for the Stars) late in the game, we needed that goal to tie it up we didn’t get it. Even last night, we’re up 1-0. We had some grade “A” opportunities to make it 2-0. So, what’s missing right now is that timely goal.”

Considering who the Jets were up against last night in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, you have to appreciate what the team did to contain two of the league’s best players. But Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo would like to see the team have the puck a lot more.

“Maybe too much time defending. We spent a lot of time in our d-zone. I’m not sure what the time of possession was but it felt like we were defending a lot. So ideally, we are not defending that much,” said DeMelo.

“But the guys did a pretty good job pretty much all that game of having our reads right and playing hard and making it really tough on those top end guys. Even strength they get nothing, Bucky was a big part of that, he made some huge saves. We have to do a better job of creating offence and not playing as much defence.”

ICE CHIPS

Vladislav Namestnikov got tied up with Oiler defenceman Darnell Nurse last night and left the game. He did not return, and Bowness said today that the Russian forward will not play against the Blackhawks and will likely miss Monday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes.