WINNIPEG — Training camp is a time for experimentation and Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice is taking full advantage, shuttling Bryan Little over to the wing after years of playing centre.
“I just found out about it last week,” Little said. “The way he brought it up, I think it’s more of a trial right now to see how it goes. I think training camp is a time of the year where you can, you know experiment a bit and fool around with the lines. So I’m glad we’re doing it right now to see if it works out before the season gets started.”
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But it’s only a temporary assignment with a glut of centremen on the Jets roster.
“I think there’s a chance he could be even more productive on the wing.” Maurice said. “There’s a lot more to the centre ice job. It’s something we’re gonna look at and we’re gonna change that again. Probably somewhere between day 7 and 10 he’ll go back into the middle and we’ll look at a different unit.”
“He said if I have a problem with it or if I feel it’s not working out to tell him,” Little said.
When training camp opened on Friday, Little was skating on a line with Andrew Ladd, with sophomore Adam Lowry playing centre.
“It’s always nice to get the opportunity to play with two players like that,” Lowry said. “Obviously nothing is set in stone but to go into camp and have that opportunity to play alongside with Laddy and Litts, it’s a great opportunity for me.”
Ladd is playing in the final year of his contract and could be an unrestricted free agent next summer. But now that camp has started he’ll focus on hockey as his agent and General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff try and hammer out a new deal.
“I’m sure both sides were hoping to have something done by now,” Ladd said. “My agent obviously keeps me informed of what’s going on and how the process is going but I think it’s easier to put it on the back burner now that we’re getting going and you can just focus on going to the rink everyday.”
Dustin Byfuglien is in a similar situation in the final year of his deal, but he also says he wants to stay.
“Ya, I mean we got beautiful lakes and stuff around here and everything’s great,” Byfuglien said.
Tyler Myers was absent on day one with Maurice saying he has a “minor tweak” but its not thought to be serious.
Grant Clitsome on the other hand failed his physical and is not expected to play at all this season after back surgery back in January.
The Jets will have two practice sessions for the next three days before their first exhibition game Tuesday at home to the Minnesota Wild.
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