Opportunity knocks and Stanley answers

DALLAS — Logan Stanley was probably wondering if he would get the chance to be more than just someone to plug in when his services were required.

A healthy scratch in 43 of the first 53 games this season, Stanley’s opportunities to jump into the Winnipeg Jets lineup were few and often far between.

Between Dec. 13 and Feb. 8, Stanley sat out 21 consecutive games — none owing to injury.

Though Winnipeg’s defensive corps has been incredibly healthy this season, Stanley was clearly seventh on the depth chart.

When Colin Miller was acquired on trade deadline day, it was natural to wonder if Stanley might slip another notch. That simply hasn’t been the case.

By suiting up against the Dallas Stars on Thursday for a third consecutive game, Stanley has emerged as a candidate to be in the lineup for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs later this month.

“It feels good to be playing hockey at this time of the year,” Stanley said. “It’s better than watching, that’s for sure. I’m just trying to play my game, keep it simple and be reliable and build trust with the coaches. We’ll see what happens down the stretch.”

Clearly, Stanley has been through enough in his NHL career to realize he’s not in position to go into cruise control. A player on the periphery of the roster must always be on his toes, since there is always someone on the roster or in the minors that’s hungry to take the job.

There have been plenty of mental challenges for Stanley to endure this season, but he’s kept a level head and found a way to play his best hockey when the games are getting tougher.

“Any way you can have a positive impact on the game, it feels good,” said Stanley. “That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Jets head coach Rick Bowness has downplayed the idea of a competition for the spot on the third pairing alongside Dylan Samberg, repeating the coaching staff is trying to keep all of Stanley, Nate Schmidt and Miller sharp as the regular season winds down.

That may be true, but it’s impossible not to notice Stanley has appeared in six of the past eight games, compared to four for Schmidt and one for Miller.

It doesn’t mean Stanley has won the job, but he’s been able to bridge the gap and given the coaching staff something to talk about.

“He’s not chasing the game, he’s letting the game come to him,” said Bowness. “When the opportunity (is there) to be physical, he’s making his presence felt. He’s making the quick, simple and easy play with the puck. He’s up with the play sometimes, he’s got a heavy shot and he’s getting that through.

“The biggest thing is that he’s been very consistent and there’s no dropoff in his play.”

Stanley’s ability to battle through the long stretches between games is something his teammates and coaches admire.

“He comes to the rink ready to work,” said Bowness. “As frustrating as it was for him — and that’s the last two years. He had the injuries last year that set him back and limited his ice time. This year, when he wasn’t playing, as hard as it was for him, he kept a stiff upper lip and he kept working.”

Stanley’s long reach and ability to help clear the front of the net on the penalty kill is another one of the reasons his his stock has risen.

The final decision of who will be on the third pairing for Winnipeg’s post-season opener and beyond might be related to the matchup and in all likelihood, there will still be plenty of jockeying for position.

That Stanley put himself to be in consideration is a testament to his ability to keep a positive attitude.

“It’s an underrated thing to be able to go out of the lineup for extended periods of time and just keep your mind sharp and stay positive and continue to be a great teammate,” said Jets captain Adam Lowry. “That’s what makes (Stanley) so popular in the room. Whether he’s playing or he’s not playing, his demeanour doesn’t change. He’s cheering guys on and doing extra work in the gym and continuously working on his game, so that when these opportunities have come around, he’s been able to take advantage of them and play really well.”

Stanley, the 25th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, recognizes he has more to give and wants to have a bigger impact.

“The more you play, the easier the game becomes,” said Stanley. “It’s hard to play one or two games and sit out for a few weeks. It definitely gets easier the more that you play and you’ve just got to stay on top of your game.

“We’ve got eight strong (blue-liners), so anyone can play on any given night.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X: @WiebesWorld