Jets invested in winning, say team’s all-stars after Monahan acquisition

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This article was published 05/02/2024 (609 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PITTSBURGH — They may have been busy with all-star festivities in Toronto, but a big move made by Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and his staff sure got the attention of Connor Hellebuyck and Kyle Connor.

“They’re investing in us. And they believe in us,” is how Hellebuyck viewed Friday’s trade of a first-round draft pick to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for veteran centre Sean Monahan.

Hellebuyck can speak of that investment from previous experience, as he and Mark Scheifele inked simultaneous seven-year contract extensions just as the season was about to start that are worth a combined US $119 million.

“You’ve seen right from Day 1 of the season that that ownership, management, players — everyone has been invested in this team. The goal is to win a Stanley Cup here,” said Connor, who leads the Jets with 19 goals despite missing five weeks of action with a knee injury.

“Obviously, getting a trade done pretty early compared to the deadline, I think it’s awesome. You kind of get a guy into the fold, and Sean is a veteran player. We know what he brings. We’ve played against him a ton when he was in Calgary. He’s going to help us and he’s awesome. It really shows everybody in this whole organization is bought in.”

After last year ended in so much disappointment, along with plenty of question marks about the future of the core, Connor made it clear he had no interest in a rebuild. Safe to say his wishes have been granted.

“You always want to have direction, whatever that is. You never want to be caught in the abyss of not knowing where this team, franchise is going. If it’s going one way or another, you can kind of make a decision as a player,” said Connor.

“You want to be in that winning category. That’s the goal of everybody who plays this game, is to win a Stanley Cup and give yourself the best chance you can. The way that management and the coaching staff every day, we approach this like a team that’s going to be buying at the deadline, that’s going to be pushing for first place, pushing for a playoff spot. It’s very encouraging to see.”

Hellebuyck, who is the Vezina Trophy favourite right now and perhaps a Hart Trophy candidate, said it’s nice to be rewarded by management and ownership.

“I think it’s been clear since me and Scheif signed, that we’re going for a Cup,” he said.

“There’s still a lot of hockey be played and really, it comes down to playoffs especially in a Canadian market. Everyone wants to see you go far, not only just to make playoffs but go far. The remainder of the season is going to be really focusing on our details on making sure that they’re there night in and night out. And we have 35 games to do it.”

As for the all-star event itself, both skaters said it was nice to rub shoulders with the NHL’s elite.

“All world-class, first-class, they treat you well,” said Connor.

“I was able to have a lot of family up as well, being in Toronto it’s only four hours from Michigan. That was awesome getting to share the experience with them. It was cool meeting the guys that you play against that maybe you don’t know. Just talking sticks, talking whatever. It’s always fun to pick each other’s brains. They are obviously the best of the best.”

Who he was most excited to spend some time with?

“Quinn Hughes, we get to play in the summer a lot. Test out our connection in some three-on-three, I guess, against some other guys,” he said.

“Kucherov, didn’t get to play with him but being on his team, getting to talk to him and picking his brain about the game. He’s obviously one of the elite players in the league. All of those guys. They are all the best at what they do. It was fun to pick their brain about a lot of stuff.”

Hellebuyck, who has now faced four trips to the mid-season showcase, said it never gets old.

“The more you go there the more you know guys, get to know guys and then now I have kids and really made the whole experience about them and getting them in as many things as I possibly could,” he said.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg