Less anxiety and more optimism after this morning’s Jets practice

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/03/2015 (3872 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Jets were likely in the same mode as their 29 NHL rivals today, watching coverage of the league’s 2 p.m. trade-deadline activities.

But there seemed to be less anxiety and more optimism around the locker room at the MTS Centre after this morning’s practice, largely because their team has been adding elements as it continues on in the Western Conference’s first wild card spot for the post-season.

The Jets are 6-2-2 in their last 10 and are coming off a decisive 5-2 win Sunday over the Los Angeles Kings.

“There’s a sense that everyone has that confidence right now, which I don’t think was really there before,” centre Bryan Little said before today’s practice. “We’re going out and playing L.A. and St. Louis and we all believe we can beat teams like that right now, whereas before, I don’t know if that was really inside us.”

In the last few weeks, the Jets have been active with their roster. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has brought in defenceman Tyler Myers and right-winger Drew Stafford from Buffalo, and left-winger Jiri Tlusty from Carolina.

Sunday, he added forward Lee Stempniak from the New York Rangers but Cheveldayoff hasn’t moved on anything yet today.

Stempniak has yet to arrive.

The others have been a big part of the team’s latest push, Little said.

“For those guys, they talk about it being a fresh start to come here,” he said. “Those guys were on teams that were struggling a bit and they seem re-energized coming here when we’re in the middle of the push.

“You can tell. They look fresh out there, and hungry.

“They’ve been helping our team since they got here.”

After their short practice today, Jets coach Paul Maurice wasn’t saying where he’ll place Stempniak in the lineup. The new forward doesn’t arrive until later today.

He also said he was satisfied with the way the lineup was evolving lately, through Cheveldayoff’s work.

“I’m fine with our team,” the coach said. “I think we’ve got good depth at all our positions and I really like the way our defence is rounding out. I’m good with where we’re at.”

The high level his team has shown in the last week, Maurice said, will not be difficult to replicate in the stretch-drive games ahead.

“Our schedule will dictate that for us, with the names of the teams coming in that we have in our stretch, that we have to play this way,” Maurice said. “And our focused group… they’ve been focused all year.”

Jets captain Andrew Ladd, Blake Wheeler and Toby Enstrom didn’t practise today, taking maintenance days. The Jets aren’t back in action until Wednesday, when they finish off a four-game homestand (2-0-1) against the Ottawa Senators.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca