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Nathan Denette \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n
Nashville Predators forward Ozzy Wiesblatt (left) notched a pair of assists during his emotional season debut against the Leafs on Tuesday. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
When the San Jose Sharks selected him 31st overall in the 2020 NHL draft, they announced the pick in ASL to honour the feisty forward and his family.<\/p>\n
After spending his first three years grinding it out in the minors, Wiesblatt finally got the call he\u2019d been hoping for last January from the Predators, who had traded for him the previous summer. Fittingly, he introduced himself to fans prior to his NHL debut using ASL.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m used to just being a regular kid. But you get to the NHL and now people look up to you. It\u2019s a bit weird in a sense, but it\u2019s also really cool,\u201d said Wiesblatt, who played four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Prince Albert Raiders prior to turning pro in 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow I\u2019m seeing kids who can relate to our story, can relate to our upbringing. I will do my best to be the best role model I can.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n
\t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t Wiesblatt, 23, recorded his first NHL assist in his fourth game against Seattle, appearing in one more contest before heading back to the AHL. More determined than ever to return, he trained hard this past summer and made the Predators out of a training camp that was filled with a flood of extreme emotions.<\/p>\n His youngest brother, Oasiz, signed an AHL deal with Nashville\u2019s affiliate in Milwaukee and was invited to Predators\u2019 camp. The 21-year-old had gone undrafted after five years in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers.<\/p>\n \u201cJust super cool. I see the work he\u2019s put in, so to get an opportunity to play in a pre-season game was really special,\u201d said Wiesblatt. \u201cIt\u2019s small steps, and the first of many for him. I know he\u2019s going to be working his butt off.\u201d<\/p>\n What seemed like a dream scenario turned into a nightmare, however, when news came that their brother, Orca, died following a single-vehicle crash in British Columbia last month. The 25-year-old lost control and struck a light standard.<\/p>\n Orca had a connection to Manitoba, having helped the Portage Terriers of the MJHL capture the Turnbull Cup in 2019 alongside brother Ocean, who now plays in the Federal Prospects Hockey League. Orca also spent parts of four seasons with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and was slated to play in the ECHL this season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all been very surreal. I just try to compete as hard as I can every night, try to do the best I can to help this team get wins.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s tough. Still is tough. You go through everything as brothers and my brothers are my best friends,\u201d said Wiesblatt.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t thank the Predators enough, all the way from the top to the guys in the locker room, for the unbelievable support. They\u2019ve done everything they can to help me and be there for me.\u201d<\/p>\n To that extent, there are still plenty of \u201cpinch me\u201d moments as he looks around the Nashville locker room, now sharing space with the likes of future Hall of Famers Steven Stamkos and Roman Josi.<\/p>\n After being a healthy scratch for the first three games, Wiesblatt made his season debut in Toronto on Tuesday and recorded a pair of assists.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all been very surreal. I just try to compete as hard as I can every night, try to do the best I can to help this team get wins,\u201d said Wiesblatt, who is currently skating on the fourth line along with Cole Smith and Michael McCarron.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just one day at a time with me. I\u2019m really just trying to enjoy this. You know, it\u2019s an honour to be in the NHL. Every kid\u2019s dream.\u201d<\/p>\n AROUND THE GLASS <\/p>\n Sibling rivalry <\/p>\n Plenty of folks might be surprised by the sizzling start from Jets centre Morgan Barron, who has three goals and two assists through his first four games.<\/p>\n His younger brother, Justin, is not one of them.<\/p>\n \u201cI see all the work he puts in during the summer and he really wants to take his game to the next level,\u201d the 23-year-old Predators defenceman said Friday.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Angelina Katsanis \/ The Associated Press<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets\u2019 Morgan Barron scores against the New York Islanders, Monday. Barron has three goals and two assists through his first four games.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cNice to see him to get rewarded on the scoresheet. He\u2019s looked good, he\u2019s looked confident. That\u2019s nice to see. Hopefully he\u2019ll cool off a bit (tonight) and then he can get hot again after that.\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed, Justin will be trying to keep Morgan in check as the brothers face each other with their parents \u2014 who flew in Friday from their home in Nova Scotia \u2014 in the stands.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first time we played each other was really cool. Now it\u2019s starting to feel a bit more normal, especially now that we\u2019re in the same division. But it\u2019s always special,\u201d said Justin, who began his career with the Colorado Avalanche, played parts of four seasons in Montreal and is now in his second year with Nashville.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s definitely got the size and weight advantage over me. I just have to try to keep my feet moving and try to stay in front of him.\u201d<\/p>\n Growing pains <\/p>\n The Carolina Hurricanes have scored 19 goals in their first four games \u2014 all victories \u2014 yet their prized free-agent signing, former Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers, is still searching for his first point.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Karl DeBlaker \/ The Associated Press<\/p>\n Former Winnipeg Jet Nikolaj Ehlers is point-less so far in his first season with the Carolina Hurricanes.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n What gives?<\/p>\n It\u2019s likely just a matter of time before the dam breaks for the dashing Dane who signed a six-year, US$51-million deal with Carolina in the off-season.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no shortage of positive signs. Ehlers has already fired 13 shots on goal \u2014 third most on the team \u2014 and he\u2019s been on the ice for six of Carolina\u2019s goals. He\u2019s averaging 16:50 of ice time per game, which is more than a minute higher than his average last season in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n Translation: The guy called \u201cFly\u201d may soon be ready to take off.<\/p>\n Old friends <\/p>\n There\u2019s been no adjustment period for Mason Appleton in the Motor City.<\/p>\n After signing a two-year, US$5.8-million deal with the Detroit Red Wings, Appleton has already chipped in three goals in his first four games \u2014 including a highlight-reel game-winner against the Toronto Maple Leafs.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Paul Sancya \/ The Associated Press<\/p>\n Former Winnipeg Jet Mason Appleton already has three goals in his first four games with the Detroit Red Wings \u2014 including a game-winner against the Toronto Maple Leafs.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Appleton is no stranger to quick starts, but he\u2019s been incredibly precise so far, converting three of his seven shots on goal for a shooting percentage of 42.9 that will be impossible to maintain but is impressive nonetheless.<\/p>\n Detroit makes its lone visit to Winnipeg on Jan. 24.<\/p>\n Brandon Tanev, meanwhile, has yet to register a point in his first four games with Utah. The energy winger, who signed a three-year, US$7.5-million deal makes his return to Winnipeg on Oct. 26 when the Mammoth visit the Jets.<\/p>\n Local flavour <\/p>\n Although it\u2019s taking Ehlers some time to get going offensively, teammate and proud Winnipegger Seth Jarvis has picked up where he left off last season.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Karl DeBlaker \/ The Associated Press<\/p>\n Seth Jarvis already has five goals and seven points through four games with the Carolina Hurricanes this season.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Jarvis, who knows he needs a strong start to ensure his inclusion on the Canadian Olympic team, already has five goals and seven points through four games with the Hurricanes. He\u2019s been a high-volume shooter with 16 shots on goal and could threaten his career-high for goals (33), which was set during the 2023-24 campaign.<\/p>\n Jarvis isn\u2019t the lone Manitoban that is off to a blazing start offensively, as Winnipegger and Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone has accumulated nine assists through five games and currently sits second in NHL scoring.<\/p>\n Five of those nine helpers have come on the power play \u2014 where the Golden Knights are clicking at 28.6 per cent to sit fourth in the NHL \u2014 one was shorthanded and the three assists have come at even strength.<\/p>\n The only guy with more points than Stone is frequent linemate Jack Eichel, whose five goals and 11 points have paced the offensive attack. Much like Jets left-winger Kyle Connor, Eichel is thrilled to have the negotiation behind him and an eight-year contract extension that kicks in next season, carries an AAV of US$13.5 million and takes him through 2034.<\/p>\n mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg<\/p>\n ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0 Read full biography<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Ken Wiebe Raised in the booming metropolis of Altona, Man., Ken Wiebe grew up wanting to play in the NHL, but after realizing his hands were more adept at typing than scoring, he shifted his attention to cover his favourite sport as a writer.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0 Read full biography<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n
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