Scott Arniel took the podium Saturday afternoon to break down a hockey match, only to provide his two cents on a growing and unpredictable game of chicken involving his NHL club.
asserted
Arniel → take → club
The Winnipeg Jets head coach spoke less than three minutes following a 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at Canada Life Centre — a game entirely overshadowed by the latest chapter in franchise goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s ongoing trade holdout.
asserted
coach → speak → holdout
“I really don’t care right now on that scenario,” started a visibly frustrated Arniel.
asserted
Arniel → care → scenario
“My focus is we’ve got St. Louis coming up.
asserted
Louis → get → ?
I’ve got to do some review against Carolina, there are some areas I want to fix.”
asserted
I → get → Carolina
Just minutes before puck drop, it was reported that Hellebuyck notified the Jets on Oct. 2 — before Winnipeg’s first regular-season game — that he planned to end his absence.
asserted
he → report → absence
Rather than welcoming the star netminder back into the fold immediately, the Jets opted to leverage the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement.
asserted
Jets → welcome → agreement
According to reports, the club used Article 15.13, subsection (c)(v) to suspend Hellebuyck for three weeks for failure to report to training camp.
uncertain
club → accord → camp
The suspension is set to expire on Friday, Oct. 23, just two days before Winnipeg hosts the Montreal Canadiens in the annual Heritage Classic outdoor game at Princess Auto Stadium.
asserted
Winnipeg → set → Stadium
“That part, that falls down on Chevy,” noted Arniel, noting whatever happens next will be handled by general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff.
asserted
happens → fall → Cheveldayoff
“I know there is stuff that happens.
asserted
that → know → ?
I’m going to face that one when it happens.”
asserted
it → go → one
Cheveldayoff was not made available for comment.
asserted
Cheveldayoff → make → comment
“I don’t know what next week is going to look like and at the end of the day, for me, I’ve got 23 guys and all they care about is winning hockey games,” added Arniel.
asserted
Arniel → know → games
I’m not worried about who is here and who is not here.”
asserted
who → ’m → ?
Inside the locker room, players seemed caught off guard by the news.
asserted
players → seem → news
Forward Kyle Connor, Hellebuyck’s close friend and U.S. Olympic teammate, preferred to stick to hockey.
asserted
Connor → prefer → hockey
Connor had been among the most vocal about the situation during training camp, saying that if Hellebuyck wanted to return, he would first have to recommit to the group.
asserted
he → say → group
“I’m not gonna really comment on that,” Connor said Saturday, following the Jets loss.
asserted
Connor → go → loss
“Maybe we talk later down the road, not right after the game.
asserted
we → talk → game
So, we’ll save that stuff for later.”
asserted
we → save → stuff
Captain Adam Lowry was slightly more forthcoming, though much like Connor, it wasn’t clear how much he or the rest of the team knew about Hellebuyck’s pending return.
asserted
he → know → return
Hellebuyck hasn’t been with the Jets since last April, when he used his end-of-season media availability to question Cheveldayoff’s roster decisions and direction of the franchise.
asserted
he → use → franchise
While the summer was filled with trade speculation, it wasn’t until late-August that Hellebuyck broke his silence and demanded to be dealt.
asserted
Hellebuyck → fill → silence
“It’s going to be one where we have a conversation with Chevy, we have a conversation with Arnie and we see the next steps,” Lowry said.
asserted
Lowry → go → steps
“Obviously, it’s within his rights.
asserted
it → ’ → rights
At this moment, I think we’ll leave it there.
asserted
we → think → it
I think once we all find out more, we’ll be able to comment more.
asserted
we → think → more
But I think it’s unfair to speculate one way or the other how it’s going to shake out.
asserted
it → think → ?
There’s still a lot of time, I guess, between now and then.
asserted
I → ’ → time
So, we’ll see.”
asserted
we → see → ?
While concrete details regarding what happens on Oct. 23 remain scarce, several reports surfaced this past week hinting at a potential reunion.
asserted
reports → regard → reunion
There’s a still a chance the 33-year-old Michigan native doesn’t report on Friday.
asserted
native → ’ → Friday
Given the overwhelming sense from the past week that Hellebuyck was no longer welcome in Winnipeg, Lowry was asked to confirm if that sentiment was shared inside the room.
asserted
sentiment → give → room
“He’s a good friend of mine.
asserted
He → ’ → mine
Do I love the decision, do I love the way
asserted
I → love → way
it’s dragged on?
asserted
it → drag → ?
But we’ll handle the situation when it comes,” Lowry said.
asserted
Lowry → handle → situation
“Obviously, we’re disappointed, he’s one of the best goalies in the world.
asserted
he → ’re → world
“If he does show up, there’s going to be conversations.
asserted
he → show → ?
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
