Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Grittiness is Hawryluk’s game
Forward’s feisty approach is what Panthers are seeking
CORAL SPRINGS — Jayce Hawryluk began his professional hockey career with a smash and a break. Now he hopes to break into the Florida Panthers’ crowded lineup and make his NHL debut this season.
In the first game of last summer’s rookie tournament in the IceDen, Hawryluk known for his feisty attitude on the ice, broke his right hand in a fight with Capitals rookie Jakub Vrana. That delayed his professional debut with the Springfield Thunderbirds, Florida’s AHL affiliate, for nearly three months.
As Hawryluk was recovering, he watched several of his Thunderbirds teammates — such as forwards Kyle Rau, Michael SgarWeegar bossa, Jared McCann, Greg McKegg, Seth Griffith, Shane Harper, Paul Thompson and MacKenzie — take turns getting called up to the Panthers.
“Obviously, you never want to be injured and always want to put yourself in a situation to be called up by the big club,” Hawryluk said
Thursday after development camp practice. “I’m young still and have a lot of time. I learned a lot about patience, but I’m happy for those guys that got called up.’’
Hawryluk, 21, the 32nd overall draft pick in 2014, finished last year with 9 goals and 26 points, along with 47 penalty minutes in 47 games. He realizes that with the recent departures of right wings Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith to Vegas, and the uncertain status of impending free-agent right wing Jaromir Jagr, that there are opportunities at his position.
“I definitely feel I’m ready to play at the next level,” said Hawryluk who in his last season in the WHL juniors scored 47 goals and 106 points for the Brandon Wheat Kings. “I’m going to work my butt off this summer to put myself in the best situation to make the team in October.
“I still will work on my game on and off the ice. I feel like I can push for a spot this year and I know there are some openings. There will be some young players making the team no matter what, so I can be one of those guys.”
Hawryluk will not only compete with first-round draft pick right wing Owen Tippet for a vacancy, but also his longtime WHL nemesis and Thunderbirds teammate, left wing Dryden Hunt.
“Grittiness,” Hunt said of what Hawryluk brings. “I played against him a lot in the WHL and I wanted to rip his head off every game. He’s also a very skilled player and does a lot of great things out there. He’s kind of a pest, too, so it’s really hard to play against a guy like that who can score as well as he can.”
Hunt, 21, and Tippett, 18, possess perhaps the hardest shots in camp. Hunt notched 13 goals and 31 points in 70 games in his first pro season.
“It took me a while to transition into the professional level, the speed and quickness of the game but we got great coaches down there and the last couple of months I found my game,” said Hunt, who topped Hawryluk in 2015-16, scoring a league-high 58 goals along with 116 points for the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Panthers general manager Dale Tallon has made it clear he wants the team to play nastier this season, and the rugged, 5-foot-11 Hawryluk fits the bill.
“The injury set him back,” Tallon said. “We have high hopes for him. He’s a kid who plays with a lot of passion, a lot of energy. He’s got not only speed and skills, but he’s got a lot of grit.”
Malgin hopes to stick
He may be the only player in the Panthers’ development camp with NHL experience, but center Denis Malgin knows he’s still in for a fight for a roster spot this season.
“Last year I came over from Switzerland with no English and everything felt new,” said the 5-foot-9 Malgin, who scored six goals and 10 points in 47 games with Florida and 12 points in 15 games in Springfield. “Now I’m here, I know things, so it’s easier.”
Malgin, 20, grabbed a spot on opening night last season partly because of injuries to forwards Nick Bjugstad and Jonathan
Huberdeau in the final week of preseason. He seemed to tire during the season and was sent down to the minors Jan. 15 before being recalled Feb. 28.
“I think I showed last year I can handle [the speed and physical nature] of the NHL,” he said. “I learned to never give up and play 100 percent every game, back check, and always go hard every shift. … I have more confidence this year.”
Lightning 1, Panthers 0
A thunderstorm knocked the lights out in the IceDen at the end of the second practice session Thursday, but the players cheered and happily continued to shoot around until electricity was restored a few minutes later.