JANKOWSKI PICKING UP RIGHT WHERE HE LEFT OFF IN RETURN TO AMERKS
Mar 23, 2022By Suzie Cool
At the beginning of the 2021-22 American Hockey League season, Rochester Americans forward Mark Jankowski spent some time in the Flower City before being recalled to the Buffalo Sabres for a two-and-a-half-month stint. In his 13 games prior to his call-up, Jankowski combined for five goals and seven assists while establishing himself as leader and an immediate culture-driver early on.
Realistically, Jankowski could’ve signed almost anywhere in the AHL with the way his resume looks.
Prior to this year, Jankowski had appeared in 78 games in the AHL while tallying 70 points on 34 goals and 36 assists in three seasons with the Stockton Heat. From 2016 to 2020, Jankowski had appeared in at least one game with the Calgary Flames over the span of four seasons before spending the shortened 2020-21 campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Over his five seasons in the pros prior to hitting the Buffalo circuit, Jankowski had appeared in 253 games in the National Hockey League while registering 75 points and 40 goals.
When Rochester officially signed Jankowski to a one-year AHL deal for the 2021-22 season on Oct. 15, Amerks head coach Seth Appert knew that the forward could’ve have went anywhere in the league.
WATCH: MARK JANKOWSKI POST-GAME
“He could have signed anywhere in the American Hockey League, he chose specifically to come here because of wanting to be here. ‘Janko’ wanted to be in Rochester, he wanted to play for our coaching staff and he heard great things about our guys in the room. Then in his months with us, he felt that way, he loved it here.”
Jankowski missed Opening Night with the Amerks, but went on to appear in the next two games before missing another three and then hit the ground running once the month of November began. In the month of November alone, Jankowski combined for eight points over a 13-game span while establishing himself as one of the go-to centermen on Rochester’s roster and top face-off guys.
Then, Jankowski got recalled to the Sabres, and from December until mid-March he appeared in 19 games with Buffalo, totaling five points on two goals and three assists. Not getting as much playing time as he had hoped and having been designated a healthy scratch most more often than not, Jankowski was reassigned to Rochester last week, hoping to provide the Amerks a much-needed offensive boost in their last 19 games of the regular season.
Even though the return of Jankowski, albeit a welcome one for the Amerks at the expense of being sent down, proved to be immensely beneficial this past weekend, it’s not always something you want to see as a coach.
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“You never want to get sent down as a player, especially of his caliber who’s played almost 300 NHL games. I think the saving grace in the situation was how much he enjoyed being here in the first place,” discussed Appert when asked how Jankowski handled the move. “That’s the positive of it. In a tough situation, at least you’re coming back into a situation that you really enjoyed. He felt comfortable in that he’s loved in the locker room and he’s such a good human that’s handled it so well.”
Nevertheless, Jankowski made an immediate impact in his return to Rochester, essentially picking up right where he left off in November. The veteran forward appeared in the weekend set against the Cleveland Monsters, centering a line in-between rookies JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn that went on to combine for 13 points on five goals and eight assists.
Jankowski added that leadership presence between two highly skilled prospects and it delivered, exactly as Appert thought it would, and especially at a time where the Amerks really need to start buckling down on the points.
It comes as no surprise that Jankowski fit right back in the way that the had left Rochester in November and Appert knows just how much it means to have someone of Jankowski’s caliber back in his lineup.
WATCH: SETH APPERT POST-GAME
“His approach to this whole season down here with us has been so incredibly impressive. His play but also the way that he goes about his business, how quickly he folded into the group, didn’t act like – I mean, this is a guy that’s been in the NHL for a long time – didn’t act like he was above being here.”
Appert then finished with, “It was a huge boost.”
Even Jankowski admitted that it was easy to come back and immediately produce for a team and a staff that have made it so welcoming to be a part of from the beginning.
“It’s a great group here and, like I said, we have a lot of great leadership. The staff has been amazing.”
Jankowski then finished by saying, “Being away so long and then coming back – just the character and the leadership of this group made it really easy.”