WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Jets top draft pick from 2014 makes no bones about wanting to crack their roster right away, even though Nikolaj Ehlers may know its a longshot. Thomas Morstead Jersey . "Yes, I mean I want to play, I want to give everything I have to make the team this year," said Ehlers, as 24 of the teams young prospects skated together Thursday for the first time since July. "But Im not the one making the decision. The only thing I can do is give my best every single day, every single practice, workout, game. And thats what Im going to do." At 18, Ehlers is one of the youngest prospects, but his resume from just one year in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League shows the kind of talent he possesses — 49 goals and 104 points, rookie of the year and the Mike Bossy Trophy as the top professional prospect. He capped it with CHL rookie-of-the-year honours. Keith McCambridge, coach of the Jets AHL farm team the St. Johns IceCaps, will be taking Ehlers and the 23 other top-rated prospects to the Young Stars tournament in Pentiction, B.C. this weekend. Theyll face off against their counterparts in the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames organizations. "Obviously, you can see why he was drafted where he was," McCambridge says of Ehlers, who he has seen up close only twice — once Thursday and earlier at the Jets prospect camp in July. Ehlers has the kind of speed that makes a hockey scouts eyes blink twice and looks like he was born on skates. "You can see why he was able to put up the numbers he put up in the Quebec league. It will be again a nice test to see how he looks in these games." Ehlers is on a line with Scott Kosmachuk, 20, another junior star from the Ontario league, and Adam Lowry, 21, who has graduated to the from junior to the IceCaps, where McCambridge said he saw the six-foot-five centre grow, figuratively at least. "He was a real strong contributor for us in the back half and a real important guy in the playoffs," said McCambridge, who took the IceCaps to the Calder Cup final. "I think it was huge for my development," Lowry said of his first full season with St. Johns. "I struggled early on and didnt necessarily get off to the start I would have liked to. But I think going deep into the playoffs and just learning the pro game and learning centre a little more . . . I think it made me a much better player." Lowry is ready for the weekend. "Your third time going into the Young Stars tournament you definitely know what to expect," he says. "It doesnt change anything. You obviously want to go in there and be an impact player and make an impression going into main camp." Lowry may be a late bloomer compared to some but he brings size to the line he will play on in Penticton and, with 17 goals and 16 assists in 64 games in the AHL last season, has played at a higher level than Kosmachuk or Ehlers have yet seen. Another AHL player who could be close to making the transition to the NHL is defenceman Josh Morrissey. He saw only eight games with the IceCaps last season in the playoffs, though, and spent the bulk of 2013-14 as captain of the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL, where he had 28 goals and 45 assists in just 59 games. "I thought for a young defenceman he was excellent," says McCambridge, who praises his skating, hockey vision and the kind of presence that people notice when he walks into a room. His AHL experience will be valuable in Jets camp this season, suggests the coach. "He now has those AHL high-end playoff games under his belt so hes even going to have more confidence going into this camp." Morrissey agrees. "It just helps me be more comfortable around older guys. . . Last year I was a little bit nervous and this year I just feel good and ready to go." Hes still just 19 but managed to add 10 pounds to his six-foot frame during the summer and, like the others, wants to make the transition to the NHL as soon as he can. "Im coming in with my goal being to make the Winnipeg Jets this year (but) you know all I can control is myself so Im going to do everything I can." The Jets have shown they arent going to rush any players development but they arent going to wait either, if they think hes ready. While the Jets let forward Mark Scheifele mature in junior for a couple of years before sticking him in their lineup, defenceman Jacob Trouba went straight from a freshman season at the University of Michigan to their blueline without even a whistle stop in St. Johns. In their rookie year last season, Scheifele became a top-six centre and Trouba one of their most reliable defenceman.Akiem Hicks Jersey . He earned a couple days off. Johnson had three hits, including his third homer in two days, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 10-7 on Sunday to keep pace with Washington at the top of the NL East. New Orleans Saints Rickey Jackson Jersey . Bernier left Thursday nights game against the Kings with a lower-body injury and was replaced by James Reimer, who stopped every shot he faced to pick up the victory.Norman, OK (SportsNetwork.com) - The historic Battle of Bedlam is on tap for Saturday afternoon at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, as the 18th- ranked Oklahoma Sooners play host to the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Big 12 Conference regular-season finale. At just 5-6 overall (3-5 Big 12), Oklahoma State is in danger of missing out on bowl season for the first time since 2005. After an excellent 5-1 start to the season, the Cowboys have dropped five straight games, most recently falling at nationally-ranked Baylor on Nov. 22, 49-28. Despite his teams struggles, coach Mike Gundy remains optimistic about his teams progress. Weve had a number of young players who have continued to improve, Gundy said. Unfortunately, we probably played out best game weve played in six weeks last night against what could have very well been the best team on our schedule this year. Oklahoma had sky-high expectations coming into the season as the No. 4 team in the country, but it has fallen well short of its lofty goals by dropping out of the Big 12 race with three losses this season to all three teams ahead of it in the standings - TCU (37-33), Kansas State (31-30) and Baylor (48-14). Since their most recent setback the Sooners have righted the ship with two straight wins to get reintroduced to the polls, most recently downing Kansas at home on Nov. 22, 44-7. (Oklahoma State is) one of the teams that are better than the record indicates, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. They always do a good job with balance, run and pass. Gundys teams are always that way. Its been a one-sided all-time series, with Oklahoma holding to a 83-18-7 advantage, including a 39-9-2 showing in Norman. Oklahoma State doesnt fit in very well in the high-scoring Big 12, as it ranks in the bottom half of the league in terms of both scoring (26.5 ppg) and yardage (369.7 ypg). Daxx Garman (.549 completions, 2,041 yards, 12 TDs, 12 INTs) missed the Baylor game with a concussion and is questionable to return on Saturday. In Garmans absence the last time out, Mason Rudolph had an uneven performance, throwing for 281 yards and two touchdowns but on just 13-of-25 passing with a pair of interceptions. The Cowboys have run more rushing plays this season (431) than passing (339), but they have only picked up 3.5 yards per carry for 137.5 ypg. Desmond Roland (579 yards, eight TDs) and Tyreek Hill (496 yards, TD) earn the most work. New Orleans Saints Ramon Humber Jersey. David Glidden (39 receptions, 549 yards, two TDs) and Brandon Sheperd (27 yards, 483 yards, two TDs) anchor a modest receiving corps. The Cowboys defense has not done a good job picking up the slack for an underachieving offense, as they allow 31.7 ppg and 438.5 ypg. Emmanuel Ogbah is one of the best pass rushers in the league with 16.5 TFL and 11.0 sacks, while Josh Furman (12.0 TFL, 6.0 sacks) has found some success opposite him. Jordan Sterns and Ryan Simmons are tied for the team lead in tackles with 85. Ramon Richards has picked off three passes. The Sooners possess a potent offense, as they rack up 39.3 ppg and 485.6 ypg, and the unit is riding high after a record-setting performance by its freshman tailback the last time out. Just a week after Wisconsins Melvin Gordon set a single-game FBS rushing record, Semaje Perine topped it with a historic performance of his own against Kansas by running for 427 yards and five touchdowns. The guy is just so exceptional in everything that he does, Stoops said. We were thinking about resting him, and then someone said he only needs 35 more yards, and you know, thats just too close not to do it, and there was too much time left in the game. Perines emergence late in the season has left him with 1,428 yards and 19 touchdowns on 214 carries (6.7 ypc). Perine and the running game were leaned on heavily in the Kansas win with quarterback Trevor Knight (2,197 passing yards, 340 rushing yards, 19 TDs, nine INTs) out with a concussion. Even with a bye week in between, Knight will not be ready to play on Saturday, leaving another start for Cody Thomas, whos completed just 20-of-49 passes this season for 222 yards, a touchdown and four picks, although his rushing numbers (149 yards, TD) have been stellar. Thomas presence under center has hindered the production of the receivers, especially Sterling Shepard (59 receptions, 957 yards, five TDs), whos bidding for an All-Conference selection at years end. The Sooners defense has not lived up to the expectations of a Stoops-led unit, but they have nonetheless played admirably this season in allowing only 23.5 ppg while forcing 18 turnovers. Zack Sanchez has a large say in the turnover battle with five interceptions. Dominique Alexander is the leading tackler with 93 stops and Eric Striker generates a strong pass rush with 13.5 TFL and 7.0 sacks. cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '
