Dylan Coghlan is hoping patience truly is a virtue.
The veteran defenceman is back for a second stint with the Winnipeg Jets after an eventful week that included being placed on waivers while on the Mom’s trip in California, having no other team make a claim, scoring a goal in his debut with the Manitoba Moose, then getting a Boxing Day call from the big club.
“It’s frustrating. Everyone wants to play and make a difference and help out in any way they can,” Coghlan said Friday.
JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES
Dylan Coghlan (right) is back with the Jets after a brief spell with the Manitoba Moose.
“Just waiting for a chance and hopefully get it here pretty soon. I feel good. Mentally and physically, I feel ready. And if they find a spot to use me, I know I’ll exceed those expectations.”
The undrafted 26-year-old from British Columbia was acquired in a trade from the Carolina Hurricanes last summer, then signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Jets. He was a healthy scratch in 32 of the first 33 games before being put on waivers on Dec. 19, just a few hours before his team was to face the Anaheim Ducks.
“It’s not a feeling that anybody wants to go through. Am I going to move in the next couple days and move my family, or am I going to be staying here?” said Coghlan, who added it was both strange but also comforting to have his mom on the road with him at the time.
“Obviously I was a little bit down and a little sad, so it was nice to have her there and just hang out with her for that day and a little bit the next morning,” he said.
One of the positives is the Moose and Jets play under the same roof, so a demotion to the minors didn’t mean an upheaval.
“I wasn’t sure what was going to happen and I (Jets coach Scott Arniel) before they put me on waivers, I wanted to be here. And wanted to help this team. And that’s all I’ve wanted, is to play on this team,” he said.
He’ll get another chance as early as Saturday when the Jets host the Ottawa Senators. Haydn Fleury suffered a lower-body injury last Monday in Toronto which now has him listed as week-to-week. With Dylan Samberg still sidelined with a broken foot, opportunity appears to be knocking.
Coghlan spent Friday’s practice doing line rushes with Ville Heinola and Logan Stanley on the third-pair.
“I’m not saying it’s (Saturday), I haven’t decided. But he’s going to get in,” said Arniel.
“I think for him he’s had a great attitude this year. He works hard in practice even when he hasn’t been playing. So he’ll get some looks here in the next few games. And he went down (to the Moose) and played well and did what we asked, and now here’s his chance.”
Indeed, Coghlan opened the scoring last Friday night for the Moose, then played again Sunday for the AHL club.
“It’s just nice to get out there and have fun again. Skating without games can be pretty tiring, and it can get to you mentally,” he said.
Coghlan didn’t look out of place at all when he made his Jets debut on Nov. 29 in Vegas, and he’s now champing at the bit to show there’s more where that came from.
“I’ve always felt like my game was kind of made for this system. This team, and the way they play, and the way they that Arnie wants us to play, I feel like just suits my game,” he said.
Speaking of Samberg, he hit the ice for the first time Friday since suffering his injury blocking a Steven Stamkos slapshot Nov. 23 in Nashville. The shutdown defender skated by himself, which is the next step in his progression.
“It will be a while just doing that. I can’t tell you if it’s five days or 10 days,” said Arniel.
“The one big thing is putting that boot on. The comfort of having his boot on. Hopefully there’s no swelling or anything like that that comes from it. Just every day will be kind of re-evaluating and talking to him, seeing where he’s at moving forward.”
Captain Canada
The Jets were obviously thrilled to see forward prospect Brayden Yager named captain of the Canadian World Junior team, especially after a dynamic training camp where the 19-year-old opened plenty of eyes.
Among those who reached out to him over the past week were the entire Jets leadership group of Adam Lowry, Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele along with Arniel.
“Obviously being named captain is a tremendous honour, especially playing in Canada this year. He’s a good kid, and new to the organization, really excited to be a Winnipeg Jet,” said Arniel.
“We think he’s a real good young prospect that is going through a lot of good experiences. And playing in the World Juniors like this against some of that talent and playing with some of those teammates, that’s a great growing curve for him, and obviously we’re hoping it just continues to make him a better player.”
Yager had 30 points (11G, 19A) in 21 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors this season before he was shipped to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, where he had a goal and three assists in his first two games.
X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg
Mike McIntyre
Sports reporter
Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.
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