Sheppard's progress slower than hoped

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: November 21, 2008 - 2:21 PM

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Doug Risebrough still believes James Sheppard eventually will start scoring, but the Wild general manager said Thursday it's coming a lot slower than he hoped.

The Wild was expecting Sheppard to break out during his sophomore season, but so far, Sheppard's offense has been nonexistent.

Sheppard has no goals and two assists and is a team-worst minus-9 in 17 games.

"The other night, he was matching up against [Sidney] Crosby, so it was natural for him to think, 'I better stop this guy from scoring,' rather than, 'When can I go on offense?'" Risebrough said. "Right now he's conceding offense to play defense, and I understand that, but then there's a real tendency not to even try to shoot, not to even try offensively.

"But, hey, we're a team trying to find a goal here or there, so 'Getting it from you is OK, too.'"

Sheppard is young, so Risebrough said he thinks the 20-year-old so worried that games are so close that "he's got a tendency to not want to [make mistakes]," and thus, only focuses on defense.

Sheppard also needs to improve dramatically in the faceoff circle. Among regular centermen, Sheppard ranks 87th in faceoff percentage (.397). Last season, he ranked 86th (.415).

Asked if he thinks that affects Sheppard's offense, Risebrough said, "For sure." The theory there is that when Sheppard loses a draw, he spends much of the shift chasing and trying to get the puck back. By the time the Wild gets the puck back, he's forced to go for a change.

But Risebrough is not concerned.

"Usually guys who don't produce a lot of points in junior are probably not going to produce a lot points in the NHL," Risebrough said. "Look at Shepp's junior stats. They're phenomenal, so it's going to happen."

In Sheppard's last two seasons with Cape Breton of the QMJHL, he scored 63 goals and 180 points in 122 games.

Squeezing the stick

With the Wild playing the rival Canucks, coach Jacques Lemaire reinserted enforcer Derek Boogaard, who was scratched Tuesday in Pittsburgh because Lemaire wanted more of a skating lineup.

Boogaard's return meant rookie Colton Gillies, 19, was scratched for the sixth time in 12 games.

Lemaire said he feels Gillies has started to "squeeze his stick a little bit," which has caused him trouble making plays and controlling the puck.

Lemaire said, "When I see that he slows down, give him a few days so he doesn't feel pressure at all. It's hard for a kid to come up. You've got be strong and need a lot of talent to produce and do well.

"He's a great skater, has the size to play in the NHL. It's just that stamina that he's missing."

Lemaire said he'd rather put Gillies in the press box than "being scared to put him on the ice."

"Then, you like him more in the stands as a coach," Lemaire said, laughing.

Etc.

• Forced to make a roster move, the Wild returned goalie Nolan Schaefer to AHL Houston after Josh Harding ("lower body") took part in Thursday's morning skate.

Defenseman Tomas Mojzis, who cleared waivers, remains on the roster, although the Wild could send him to the minors over the next 30 days.

• Forward Craig Weller was scratched for the sixth time in eight games; Mojzis for the seventh consecutive game.

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