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The Winnipeg Jets season is over, and that means our game-day newsletter will be going on hiatus as well.
However, the boys on the beat wanted to weigh in one final time.
FROM THE PRESS BOX
MIKE SAYS: Time flies when you’re having fun, and it’s safe to say the 2023-24 Jets season – the eighth one I’ve covered for the Free Press after moving over from two decades on the justice beat – flew by in the blink of an eye. That is to say: this was a truly enjoyable campaign, for many reasons.
First and foremost, the ability to connect with readers in new and exciting ways such as this game-day newsletter.
Yes, it was a lot of work putting 87 of these together (82 regular-season games and five playoff tilts), but trust me when I say it was a labour of love. If you have any suggestions on how we could improve this newsletter next year, hit “reply” and let us know.
We have also enjoyed other new features such as our Saturday “Dump & Chase” column, the monthly mailbag and the monthly prospects report.
Secondly, the ability to work with people I admire and respect. From sports editor Jason Bell to my new teammate, Ken Wiebe, who is an exceptional hockey writer and an even better human being. (He’s also a heck of a golfer, the only person I know to record two aces in the same round!).
It’s fantastic to have an employer who believes in and strongly supports what we do, including sending us on the road to ensure you have the most thorough daily coverage. I don’t take any of that for granted, and I’m very lucky.
The Jets themselves were a fun group to cover this year, including matching a franchise record in wins (52) and having plenty of good people to interact with on a regular basis.
Among my favourite pieces:
→ a feature looking at how the coaching staff rallied together when Rick Bowness had to take a month-long absence;
→ a deep dive into the strong bond and friendship between Connor Hellebuyck and Laurent Brossoit;
→ a peek inside the Jets locker room and the logic behind the layout;
→ a behind-the-scenes look at the mentorship work being done through the youth hockey academy, and
→ a profile of top prospect Rutger McGroarty, including spending time with his inner circle at the U.S. college Frozen Four.
The hockey season really is a marathon, and I’m looking forward to catching my breath here a bit over the next few months (and playing a few rounds with Kenny, of course).
There will still be plenty of Jets-related content coming your way before we’re back at the starting line in September.
Enjoy the summer, folks, and thanks so much for the continued support of what we do.
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KEN SAYS: It was certainly an interesting first season on the beat with my new employer.
After working at the Free Press in the summer of 1999 as an intern and 2000 as a recent graduate on a three-month term contract, I always felt I would be able to come back.
But as the years flew by, it felt like the opportunity to return to the broadsheet might have passed me by — until I was hired last September.
I’d like to thank colleague Mike McIntyre for welcoming me with open arms as we did our best to provide double coverage, and also to sports editor Jason Bell for his leadership.
Being able to provide daily coverage for the Free Press is an absolute treat and I’m so grateful the company has committed the resources that allowed us to be on the road for the majority of the games this season.
For those who are unaware, having reporters travel these days is the exception rather than the rule. The ability to have conversations with players and coaches is an incredibly valuable tool to help tell the stories that are important to the reader.
As for the season itself, there were plenty of twists and turns for a group that finished tied for fourth in the NHL but suffered another early playoff exit.
There were some interesting storylines that emerged, from the blockbuster trade last summer to Adam Lowry being named captain in August to the bombshell of identical contract extensions for Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck — and everything that followed.
That the Jets became the top defensive team in the NHL this season is something I didn’t have on my bingo card. That the Jets didn’t find a way to employ that structure with any level of consistency in the playoffs is as much a mystery to me as it seemed to be to the players who spoke about it on exit interview day on Thursday.
Nothing is guaranteed in the NHL, so it’s up to the Jets to show if they can be a playoff team again next season.
Then, they will need to try and overcome some of the playoff demons that have haunted them since the remarkable run to the Western Conference final in 2018.
There is a clear foundation that has been put into place, but further roster upgrades are required for the Jets to take the next step, combined with plenty of internal growth.
For as many interesting stories as we’ve already covered since September, the intrigue level will continue to be high as another pivotal offseason begins.
We will continue to do our best to provide the standard of coverage that you’ve come to expect and deserve.
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