Heisinger likes what he sees in St. John’s

ST. JOHN’S, Newfoundland and Labrador – If members of the St. John’s

IceCaps had a feeling big brother was watching during a recent home stand against the Worcester Sharks, that’s likely because a member of the Winnipeg Jets front office was in town to assess the team’s progress.
 
Craig Heisinger, senior vice president and director hockey operations/assistant general manager of the Jets, the parent club of the AHL IceCaps, watched two games from the media box of Mile Once Center in St. John’s on December 9 and 11.
 
Heisinger, who also serves as general manager of the IceCaps, used the opportunity to measure the development of the Jets’ top prospects and get a better look at the market that hosts Winnipeg’s top minor league team.
 
Almost immediately he noted how similar St. John’s and Winnipeg are in terms of their love of hockey and the support they throw behind their local teams.
 
“ St. John’s and Winnipeg are a lot alike. Both cities are excited to have top-quality hockey return,” said Heisinger. “Both communities have really embraced their new team and are not going to let their second chance go to waste. Playing here for the IceCaps is very much like playing in Winnipeg for the Jets. In both cities, you’re playing for a high-profile team.”
 
Heisinger likes the fact that fans in St. John’s recognize the IceCaps players off the ice and are quick to approach them for an autograph, a friendly chat or for the chance to get a picture taken with a local hockey pro. He said players in St. John’s know they will be recognized when they travel throughout the city, much like a member of the Jets is when he goes about off-ice business in Winnipeg.
 
The Jets’ assistant general manager feels this is a great way to prepare prospects for the pressures and expectations that come with being a professional athlete.
 
“Fans in these cities keep players accountable, on and off the ice. That was a big reason for us coming here and not going to a market that wanted hockey but wasn’t passionate about it,” said Heisinger. “We wanted a market that was passionate and would know who the players are. Part of becoming a professional hockey player is getting used to this type of environment and we wanted our players to experience this before getting a shot at the NHL.”
 
Due to injuries in Winnipeg, several IceCaps have been recalled at one point or another this season and placed immediately in the Jets’ line-up.
 
Forwards Jason Jaffray, Carl Klingberg, Aaron Gagnon, Ben Maxwell and Kenndal McArdle have all suited up for both the Jets and IceCaps this season, as have defensemen Mark Flood, Paul Postma, Arturs Kulda and Brett Festerling, as well as goalie Peter Mannino.
 
Jaffray and Flood are still in Winnipeg, with Flood appearing to have found a permanent spot with the NHL club.
 
Heisinger has high praise for all the IceCaps that have seen time with the Jets in the 2011-12 campaign and also spoke well of the players brought up from the Colorado Eagles of the ECHL to fill spots on the St. John’s roster vacated by call-ups to Winnipeg.
 
“They’ve come up and done a great job in Winnipeg,” said Heisinger. “The same thing has happened here with the call-ups from the ECHL; guys like Tommy Maxwell, Jake Marto and Kyle Bushee. Those guys have gone into the IceCaps line-up and haven’t missed a beat.”
 
By all accounts, Heisinger appears happy with the state of the Jets’ AHL affiliate and with the development of the team’s prospects in St. John’s. While not commenting directly on the play of the team’s forwards and defence, he did offer remarks on the state of the IceCaps goaltending.
 
Unlike most AHL teams, St. John’s has carried three goalies since the beginning of the season. Mannino, Edward Pasquale and David Aebischer have been splitting the goaltending duties fairly evenly, with none of the three getting the nod as the club’s number one puck stopper.
 
All three have played well when called upon, leaving Heisinger with no reason to change the three-goalie system.
 
“I don’t think it’s any different than having 13 or 14 forwards or seven or eight defensemen,” said Heisinger. “Those guys have to rotate in and out as well, so I don’t see why the goaltending situation is any different than that.”
 
Notes: Klingberg, Kulda and Festerling were all recently re-assigned to the IceCaps by the Jets. All three failed to register a point during their time with the NHL club, having played six, nine and five games respectively … The IceCaps played their last game prior to the Christmas break on December 18 in Portland. The team doesn’t play again until December 28 in Hamilton. The IceCaps next home game is not until Jan. 6 when the Manchester Monarchs roll into St. John’s … Daniel Koger’s time with the IceCaps has come to an end. Koger was signed to a professional tryout contract and dressed for three games with St. John’s before being released. Prior to his call up to the IceCaps, Koger had been playing with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.
Contact Darcy.MacRae@prohockeynews.com Photos by Jeff Cull for Pro Hockey News