NHL notebook: Faceoff crackdown may prove to be an assist to young centres

Jets coach Paul Maurice hopes the crackdown on faceoff violations aids his young centres, whom he believes have already been early adapters to keeping their feet still.

“We’re younger in the middle, and we’d like to think there’s an advantage to the younger teams,” said Maurice. “There wasn’t one prior to this. The veterans seemed to have a real advantage.” I

In fact, only one player under 25 was in the top 20 in terms of faceoff winning percentage (minimum 250 faceoffs) last year: Elias Lindholm of the Carolina Hurricanes (13th).

LEGENDS GROW: The Maple Leafs will add four sculptures to their Legends Row on Thursday outside the Air Canada Centre. Bronze statues honouring Charlie Conacher, Red Kelly, Frank Mahovlich and Wendel Clark will join Ted Kennedy, Darryl Sittler, Johnny Bower, Borje Salming, George Armstrong, Syl Apps, Mats Sundin, Dave Keon, Turk Broda and Tim Horton. RYAN TRYIN’: Senators coach Guy Boucher said he was deliberately hard on star Bobby Ryan last year. The winger had a rough regular season, but a superb playoffs. “Last year, I shortchanged him. And I did it on purpose,” said Boucher. “We wanted him ready mentally and emotionally and physically. It was a hard grind for him, but it was the right grind for him. Right now, everything is in the right

place. I know he’s going to have a great season.”

YOUTH PREVAILS: Ex-Leaf P.A. Parenteau was one of a handful of players released from professional tryout contracts. At 34, Parenteau had hoped to catch on with the Red Wings. He mused when he was breaking into the league that there was more room for players in their 30s. Now, with the league so young, he’s noticed changes in how the game is played. “The game is a lot faster than it was three or four years ago,” Parenteau said. “They bring a lot of speed, they bring a lot of energy. Sometimes there’s not as much poise in the game anymore. Everything is chip the puck and go get it. That’s what the game has become.”

OLD MAN AND THE C: Jaromir Jagr, 45, joined his ninth team and first Canadian one. Weirdly, he was drafted in 1990, the same year as Keith Tkachuk. Tkachuk’s son, Matthew, is now Jagr’s teammate. The scope of Jagr’s career was particularly epic for 19-year-old forward Matthew Tkachuk, because his father Keith was drafted in the first round with Jagr. “It’s crazy to think about,” Matthew Tkachuk told Sportsnet. “My dad’s been retired for however many years now.” Ten Flames were not even born in 1991 when Jagr won the first of his back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kevin McGran