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San Jose's Wingels earns a long look

Pacific

Written by Curtis Zupke

Monday, October 17, 2011 23:52

While Martin Havlat readies himself for a return from injury, Tommy Wingels is filling in and making an impression on the Sharks' second line.

ANAHEIM – The No. 57 jersey that Tommy Wingels wears is appropriate in that, like a Heinz ketchup bottle, he's waiting to get squeezed out of San Jose's lineup when Martin Havlat returns.

But the fact that Wingels earned a look early this season is triumph enough.

A sixth-round draft pick in 2008, Wingels not only made the Sharks out of training camp, but also was pressed into duty on the second line with Ryane Clowe and Logan Couture for the team’s first two games.

“It will be his job to maintain his play,” San Jose coach Todd McLellan said before last Friday’s game at Anaheim.

“We really believe in this young man or he wouldn’t be here. One game only in 14 days is hard for us to completely evaluate a player. I think those young players understand that they have to compete and play hard in order to stay in the league, especially the ones that are non-waiver eligible.”

Even if Wingels is re-assigned to the minors, he took a step in his development as a versatile option in San Jose’s system.

Wingels cites more confidence this time around in preseason, only two years removed from his collegiate career at Miami (Ohio) University.

"The biggest thing for me was the mental thing,” Wingels said. “Last year, it was ‘Don’t make mistakes.’ I was new to pro hockey. This year I was a lot more confident in my game. I just had the mindset to come in here and try and make an impact shift after shift.”

Said McLellan, “Last year, I thought, he hoped to fit in. This year he knows he belongs here. It’s been a huge difference.” Tommy Wingels and Harri Sateri

Wingels (right, with goalie Harri Sateri) won the job over a few more highly-regarded players in San Jose’s farm system because of his potential as a third or fourth line winger.

“Tommy’s a smart kid,” Clowe said. “He’s got a real good sneaky shot. If he can continue to skate and be hard on the forecheck – that’s a big part of his game. He’s a real good skater and he’s got to use that as an asset.

"Two years in a row he’s asserted himself as a player making an impact. This year he was more of an energy player on the forecheck – great on offense in (creating) turnovers, which is what they’re looking for. He’s done what they’ve asked.”

Wingels knows he might not be able to do it with the big club much longer. San Jose had only one game in the first six days of the season, which gave Wingels greater rope to assimilate with the club and at least try to impress.

“The only way I can stay up here is if I continue to get better every day, not just in games but every day in practice,” he said.

Asked if he was the one person that won’t be happy to see Havlat come back, Wingels said, “I think Marty can help this team, so I’m excited to see him return. If there’s a spot open, obviously I’m going to do what I can. If they feel like I can impact the team, they’ll do what they have to do. But Marty’s a great player.”

Notes

One has to wonder if Drew Doughty’s freewheeling style leaves him vulnerable to big hits. The Kings defenseman is out 7-10 days with an upper body injury due to an open-ice hit by Philadelphia’s Zac Rinaldo. Doughty, who missed six games with a concussion last season, does not have a head injury, according to the team. … Anaheim will try to replace Jason Blake with one of its young forwards as Blake’s freak forearm laceration leaves the club without a veteran left winger next to Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne. Brandon McMillan filled in on Sunday and Monday. … Dallas acquired winger Eric Nystrom from Minnesota for future considerations in order to get above the salary cap floor. The 10th pick of the 2002 draft, Nystrom has scored more than five goals in a season only once … D Oliver Ekman-Larsson might go a long way toward replacing Ed Jovanovski in Phoenix this season. The 20-year-old had his first two-goal game in the Coyotes’ home opener last Saturday.

Photos by Getty Images