Three games into his Winnipeg Jets tenure, Luke Schenn has shown his value and positive impact in myriad ways.
“Human Eraser” Strong on Jets Blue Line So Far
Schenn, a veteran of more than 1000-career games acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline, holds the nickname “The Human Eraser” for his ability to remove opponents from the play with hard hits.
Related: Get to Know Jets’ Trade Deadline Additions Luke Schenn & Brandon Tanev
The 35-year-old has immediately shown the Jets organization that his nickname is well-earned. Schenn, who came to Winnipeg with 228 hits in 61 games this season and sits third on the NHL’s list of active hits leaders, has racked up 16 already with the Jets: five in his debut against the New York Rangers, seven on Friday against the Dallas Stars, and four on Sunday against the Seattle Kraken. He also sports a plus-3 rating and has averaged 17:57 in ice time.
Schenn may have not been a flashy addition — and many were disappointed general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff tinkered around the edges of his first-place team instead of making a big splash — but it’s clear his experience and physicality make the Jets an even harder team to play against, and perhaps even a bit more feared.
While by no means an offensive juggernaut with five points this season, Schenn seems a great addition for what the Jets are hoping will be a long playoff run. The most-successful playoff teams combine high-end skill with relentless physicality — just ask the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
Having won two Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Schenn should be able to bring a “been-there-done-that” mentality to performing on the biggest stage and instil lessons in his new teammates on how to handle the pressure. His poise is something that will benefit a Jets club that has no other Stanley Cup winners on it and has made first-round exits in consecutive postseasons.
Schenn’s Arrival Has Caused Addition By Subtraction
Schenn’s biggest contribution to his new team might be who he’s forced out of the lineup.
That’s Logan Stanley, the gaffe-prone 26-year-old the organization just can’t seem to quit. The justification for playing Stanley has been that he is big, hard, heavy, and developing (even though 26 isn’t “development” age and he doesn’t really play hard or heavy for his…
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