Warriors McFaull Still Flying w/ Jets

As we get ready to open a new WHL season on Thursday, it's still not known at this time how many and which Warriors will be back in time from NHL main camps.

There is currently five players with the pros... Dylan McIlrath and Collin Bowman are skating with the Rangers; Cody Beach is with St. Louis; Quinton Howden is skating with the Florida Panthers; and Kendall McFaull is a province away with the Winnipeg Jets.

We had the opportunity to catch up with McFaull Tuesday, and he says the seeing the fans reaction to the return of the Jets has been amazing.

"I know for the first practice we were in a Junior A rink, and it was packed. There was 2000 plus fans there waiting for us to get on the ice and the went nuts. They were chanting 'Go Jets Go', it was probably the first time I stepped onto the ice for practice and had shivers."

According to McFaull that was just the first of many exciting moments. He says skating at the MTS Centre, the home of the Jets, was a surreal experience.

"I was actually just thinking that today when I was one of the last guys leaving the ice. I was kind of looking around and thinking how awesome it would be to play in that rink with it jammed pack."

The Rosetown product and third year Warrior was originally drafted by Atlanta in 2010, and after the team moved north in the summer, he looked at this year as a fresh start.

"They even mentioned that in our first meeting. They don't really know who anybody was, so I came in trying to make the best impression and I think I've done that."

The Jets, along with other NHL teams, are expected to announce a number cuts later today, and McFaull admits he's nervous to see if his stay is extended. "Our last practice Wednesday I have to try and put in my best performance, that way I can stick around for a bit longer."

In total, seven Warriors attended rookie camps back in early September, and five of them went to main camps. Even though he's been focused on himself, McFaull says he's tried to stay in touch with the other guys over the last two weeks.

"Met with Dallas (Ehrhardt) and Thomas Heemskerk in Penticton (at the Young Stars Tournament), I had a good chat with them. I've been talking with Collin Bowman and (Dylan) McIlrath a bit, I still haven't heard from Quinton (Howden) but other than that I've been talking with a few of the guys."

McFaull watched from the stands Tuesday night in Winnipeg as the Jets skated to a 6-1 pre season win infront of a sold out crowd.

Cody Beach wasn't in the lineup for the Blues in their 3-1 win over Tampa Bay.

According to the New York Rangers website, McIlrath is scheduled to play today in a pre season game against New Jersey. There was no word on whether or not Bowman would be playing.

An upper body injury sustained during a rookie game with Nashville has limited Quinton Howden's ice time with the Panthers.

Dallas Ehrhardt and Joel Edmundson returned from Calgary and St. Louis last weekend. Ehrhardt didn't receive an invite to Flames main camp, while Edmundson's first pro camp with the Blues was cut short after suffering an ankle injury during the Traverse City Prospects Tournament.