Tyrel Bauer has made a memorable start to his NHL season, becoming the first player to receive the Winnipeg Jets’ newly introduced Player of the Game award.
Rather than handing out a traditional trophy, the Jets chose something much more unusual: a length of safety rope. The team explained that the rope represents the equipment used to connect a safety harness to an anchor point, tying the award to the team-building experience the Jets recently took part in.
Bauer proved to be a fitting first recipient after his physical play helped change the momentum of Winnipeg’s game against Detroit. His confrontation with Keegan Kolesar came after a heavy hit on J.T. Compher and eventually helped lead to two Winnipeg power plays and two goals.
The incident occurred during a scoreless opening period, with Bauer and Kolesar dropping the gloves shortly afterward. Observers described Bauer as the clear winner of the fight, adding another layer to an already impressive performance.
The 24-year-old defenseman has now fought in each of his first two NHL games, quickly establishing himself as someone willing to stand up for his teammates.
Winnipeg ultimately defeated Detroit 3-2 on Sunday to secure its first victory of the season. Bauer is still searching for his first NHL point and currently carries an $875,000 salary-cap hit.
The Jets also shared a video of the unusual award being presented in the dressing room, showing a player holding a coil of blue rope while teammates looked on.
For a player who just showed a willingness to protect his teammates, the message behind the award couldn’t have been more appropriate.
