The
Right Decision?
While the lockout canceled his chance for a breakout NHL season,
Jeff Jillson picked the minor leagues as the place to get some
valuable ice time in 2004-05.
Dan Hickling
Minor League News
ROCHESTER,
N.Y. -- With his hockey career already at a crossroads, Jeff Jillson,
like every other locked out National Hockey League player, had
a tough decision to make.
He could
skip over to Europe, as over 300 of his NHL brethren have done;
or stay at home and wait (in vain?) with fingers crossed for the
end of the labor stalemate.
On the other
hand, he could take a step back, and sign with an American Hockey
League club, in this case the Rochester Americans, then see what
happens.
For Jillson,
the last choice was the best choice.
Best for
him, because Rochester patterns its system after that of its NHL
parent, the Buffalo Sabres, where the 24-year old defenseman wound
up in a "Deadline Day" deal in March 2004.
And best
for the Amerks, who with Jillson's help, have become among the
elite teams in the AHL's Western Conference.
"Things
have gone great, so far," said Jillson. "We have a great
bunch of guys here."
For Jillson, being one of "the guys" is something of
an accomplishment. He's had trouble staying in one place long
enough to carve himself a niche in the dressing room.
Drafted 13th
overall by San Jose in 1999 out of the University of Michigan,
Jillson has already been featured in three trades, from the Sharks
to Boston, back to San Jose (on paper) and finally to Buffalo.
That doesn't
count the numerous trips he's made between the NHL and AHL.
To say that
this was going to be a critical year for him would be making an
extreme understatement. He has all the talent necessary to become
a dominant NHL defenseman, but unlocking it and putting it all
together has proven to be an elusive challenge.
However,
this season, he may have turned the corner and is on pace for
a career year.
After a slow
start, Jillson has become a big part of the Amerks' success heading
into the final months of the season, racking up 6 goals and 10
assists, to go with his nifty plus-12 rating.
"I just
felt as far as the atmosphere and schedule, it would really be
beneficial to my improvement as a player," Jillson said of
his decision to play in the AHL. "I hadn't spent much time
in Buffalo's system, so it’s another plus to be able to
work with the staff, and some of the guys I played with toward
the end of last season.
“It's
the same kind of schedule, and it's a great league. By no means
do you come down here and just go through the motions. You have
to be prepared every night.."
Known as
an offensive defenseman, Jillson said he has learned plenty about
keeping things clean in his own end, this year.
"You
have to be responsible and limit mistakes, so I'm working on my
overall consistency," he said. “Defensively, (it means)
being assertive and taking care of my own end, and obviously (offensively)
it translates the other way."
The lessons
didn't come easily at first. Jillson, like the rest of his Amerk
teammates floundered in the early going, as the club went winless
in its first six starts.
"It
all comes down to making a simple play," he said. "The
first couple of weeks I was here, I was trying to do too much
and getting into trouble, and making some dumb plays.
“But
I kind of settled down and realized that the first play is usually
the best one. You get the best result, without all the risks.
That's one of the big things I've learned, and it's helped me
a lot."
In Jillson’s
mind, there is no question he made the right decision.
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