“How nice is it to go into the season with all 23 men healthy?” a reporter had asked head coach Paul Maurice prior to the Jets first game of the season.
“Why would you do that to me, do you hate me?” Maurice replied, with a hint of sarcasm. “..It’s a long season, we’re healthy today. If there were any wood around here I’d be hitting you over the head with it.”
Well, after 4 shifts and 2:48 of ice time, Bryan Little picked up an injury that has figured to keep him out for at least 6 weeks, and possibly as much as 8. On the bright side, he did have an assist in his 2:48 of ice time, which means he’s currently averaging 21.4 points per 60 minutes, no doubt tops in the league.
The dominoes continued to fall and soon after it was Drew Stafford, then Tyler Myers, Mathieu Perreault, Mark Stuart, Joel Armia, and Shawn Matthias. It’s a pretty big list, and oddly enough the injuries have only happened to veterans on the team – save for 23 year old Joel Armia.
And this is why it is exactly the right time to take notice of what is happening in Winnipeg. Continue reading