WINNIPEG – With pride the only thing left to play for the Winnipeg Jets are auditioning both of their first round picks from the 2015 NHL Draft.
The Jets recalled both forwards Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic from the Manitoba Moose on Monday to finish the NHL season.
“Really exciting.” said Roslovic. “I’ve not only been working on my game, but working to get to this point, and to be here for the last few games, it’s good.”
“Definitely happy to be here and look forward to the next couple games.” Connor said.
Connor, 20, was sent to the Moose after playing the first 19 games of the season with the Jets. While he got off to a slow start with just three goals in his first 14 AHL games, Connor turned the corner in February and has been arguably the team’s best player ever since. In his last 17 games with the Moose Connor has 24 points and he feels his game has grown with 68 professional contests now under his belt.
“Eveywhere.” Connor said. “My whole game, 200 foot game, winning more battles all around the ice and just learning how to play more of a pro style game.”
“When he went down to the Moose he started to make improvements in the areas of the game that are part of the growth that he’s going to need to play here regular.” head coach Paul Maurice said.
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Neither player is expected to play on Tuesday when the Jets face the St. Louis Blues, but with their next game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, it would be a chance for Roslovic to make his NHL debut in his hometown.
“Pretty excited obviously to play in Columbus. So being from there, it’s going to be fun even if I just get to go watch.” Roslovic said. “Being from a small hockey market like Columbus, watching it grow, it’s been really cool.”
Roslovic and Connor are one and two respectively in Moose scoring this season, and while the call ups are essentially a reward for their strong play this season, Maurice indicated they won’t put much stock in each players performance at the NHL level.
“You don’t want to attach a whole lot of permanents to one game.” said Maurice. “If he’s minus-3, it doesn’t mean his career is coming to an end, and if he scores three, he’s not getting a 10 year deal. So a bit of a payoff for a year’s work that was solid.”
WATCH: Jack Roslovic, Kyle Connor and Paul Maurice on call ups
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