With Laine out, Jets lean on depth, versatility up front

WINNIPEG - All season, versatility and depth have been important factors in how the Winnipeg Jets have dealt with injuries.
Now, with Patrik Laine out anywhere from four to 14 days with a bruise - the result of blocking an Alec Martinez slap shot on Tuesday night - the team will lean on its versatility yet again.
"He's such a big part of our team and our offence. Just the power play alone, that leaves a big hole," said Bryan Little. "He's been playing really well lately. Not just scoring goals, but doing everything well. The way he got hurt, he was blocking a shot for the team. It's tough to lose a guy, especially when he's playing like that, right now."

Little skated on the right wing with Paul Stastny and Nikolaj Ehlers at Thursday's practice. The responsibility falls on Little's shoulders after he made his season debut on the wing against the Kings.

"I'm going to try and hopefully keep them going," said Little. "They've been on a roll and have had really good chemistry since day one. Those guys have been playing really well. I want to come in and try not to disrupt that too much, and hopefully pick up where they left off."
Little's new line mates, Stastny and Ehlers, have combined for 19 points in the 10 games they've both been in the line-up (Stastny missed one game against Nashville since being traded to Winnipeg).
Despite the limited amount of time he's played the wing this season - though he played the position earlier in his career - the 30-year-old Little feels the transition has gone well.
"I always think for a centreman switching to the wing is a bit easier," said Little. "It's just a matter of getting used to who I'm on the ice with, my line mates, and getting that chemistry going."
The first test for the new trio comes on Friday night, with the Anaheim Ducks in town. The Jets have won each of the first three games of the six-game home stand, but it doesn't get any easier for Winnipeg.
The Ducks, as well as the next two opponents - the Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins - currently hold down playoff spots.
"We haven't taken our foot off the gas. That's the approach we want to finish the season with," Little said. "We realize we're playing good teams that are fighting for points right now. But at the same time, we want to finish as well as we can, and we want to get as many points as we can right now too. You want to go into playoff hockey playing your best. We have that mindset right now."
The Ducks, Predators, and Bruins average a point percentage of 0.674, while the final six opponents average 0.495. With 98 points in 74 games, the Jets have a point percentage of 0.671, the fifth best in the NHL.

That schedule presents unique challenges in terms of "risk profile," according to head coach Paul Maurice.
"When that game against LA got to 1-1 about the 10-minute mark of the third period, they were still trying, but they're protecting that point. They need that point. They're not pushing back," said Maurice. "The harder teams to play - you'll remember we won seven in a row at the end of last season - are the teams that have skill and have no cost to their risk.
"So for us to beat those last teams down the end (this season), they're making that rink wide pass, and they're going to throw it back through the seam, and they're going to try a bunch of stuff that you wouldn't try if you had to win that game. Their risk profile changes, and they're much more difficult for us defensively to handle.
"I like playing these teams here, this four-game block starting with Dallas, because all four of these games are heavy. They'll be hard-hitting, and they're going to finish their checks, and those teams are coming in with that identity. They're trying to make the playoffs and you saw it early in each game; they're running and finishing every check and it's a hard game. We've handled that pretty darn well."