What's in your locker?

Seventeen days.

For now, that is the total NHL stay by the winnipeg jets first pick in the 2011 draft. eighteen-year-old centre mark scheifele made a splash in the pre-season, and had his moments when the regular season commenced after the jets kept him on for further evaluation.

In the end, “schife”, as his teammates call him, was sent back down to the OHL for a season of, well, “seasoning”, under the tutelage of coach barrie colts and legendary Jet Dale Hawerchuk.

Such is the life of a hockey player – certainly of one yet to put down roots – that his locker (whether at the Jets’ practice facility, the MTS IcePlex – where winnipeg men caught up with him or at the home rink) is merely a place to gear up and strip off. in fact, not one locker in the room contained anything beyond team gear.

Still, this was just the practice facility. what about elsewhere?

What’s in your locker? Beyond your regular equipment, is there anything else you keep in your locker of significance?
“Not really. I’ve just got a hat, and not really anything else.”

Is it at least a lucky hat?
“Not really. It’s just a plain Winnipeg hat – nothing too interesting.”

What about in the past, when you were a little bit more settled... did you have anything that you used to keep around?
No. I’m not really a big superstitious guy. I just use the equipment and go.”

Do you have anything at home that you’ve kept over the years?
“There’s nothing really superstitious or for good luck that I have kept around; just trophies, first goal pucks and hat-trick pucks.”

Do you have any personal game-day routines – outside of team stuff – that you like to follow, and maybe feel a bit out of sorts if you don’t?
“I have to get a nap in at some point. I love my naps. I also like to have a PB and J bagel whenever I get to the rink. I heard that Crosby likes to do that.”

And do you feel out of sorts if you miss that? (A teammate who has been eavesdropping chimes in and says, “Don’t answer that, Schife”, as though he knows that if that were to appear in print, they are going to make him wish he hadn’t.)
“No.”

What about other guys? What’s the weirdest superstition or good luck charm you’ve seen or heard about?
“One of the guys last year in Barrie who had to wash his own underwear (under layer) before a game; he wouldn’t let the team guys do it. I also find that some guys have to do exactly the same things at the same time on game days, which I think is a little weird.”

By all accounts, “Scheife” will be back with the Jets, and a star when that time comes. And maybe, by that time, he’ll havea few more things in his locker.