Bowness praises Jets’ chemistry for record start

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This article was published 15/11/2024 (330 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FORT LAUDERDALE — Rick Bowness is enjoying his retirement from coaching and isn’t second-guessing his decision, even after watching the Winnipeg Jets get off to the quickest start in franchise history.

The former Jets bench boss isn’t simply a casual observer as he enjoys this season off in Florida though.

He’s consistently been tuned in as the Jets exploded out of the gate with a 15-2 record as they prepare to face Paul Maurice and the Florida Panthers on Saturday to close out a three-game road trip.

Bowness was giving out hugs and handshakes after showing up for the Jets’ workout on Friday afternoon at Baptist Health IcePlex, the Panthers’ practice facility.

He was greeted warmly by players and staff members and went out for a meal with his former coaching staff after the on-ice session was over.

“It looks like he’s rested and enjoying retirement,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “I know he’s getting lots of golf in.”

Bowness also took some time to shed some light on why he thought the Jets had been able to take the league by storm during the opening quarter of the season.

“I love the chemistry. You watch them and it’s the same guys as last year,” said Bowness, who coached the Jets for two seasons before stepping away after the Jets were eliminated in five games by the Colorado Avalanche.

“The lines are the same, the defensive pairings are the same. Samberg has moved up a bit. What you can see is that they keep pushing each other. We had a great year last year, we had a tough, terrible playoff but we keep pushing each other.

“Arnie and his staff are doing a fantastic job.”

“Arnie and his staff are doing a fantastic job.”–Former head coach Rick Bowness

When the Jets had a quiet off-season on the free agency and trade fronts, there was plenty of skepticism surrounding whether or not the team could take a step forward, but they’ve quieted many of those critics with the strong start.

Bowness was responsible for putting together the trio of Adam Lowry, Mason Appleton and Nino Niederreiter and they continue to excel — as they’ve outscored opponents 11-2 at five-on-five this season.

“They’re a dominant line and in my mind, they’re the best third line in the league today and that’s important. They’re all big, they’re all heavy. They’re hard to play against and frustrating to play against, which is what you want.

“They read off each other well, they trust each other and they just go and play the game the right way.”

Although the Jets need to break through during the playoffs to erase some of the past disappointments, Bowness sees a group that is taking the steps required to deliver when the stakes are highest.

“I can see that with the leadership of this team, they’re doing a fantastic job.”–Rick Bowness

“They’ve taken steps to improve that,” said Bowness. “I can see that with the leadership of this team, they’re doing a fantastic job. You’re not winning in our league without that chemistry that this team has. They’re going to keep doing it.”

After winning eight consecutive games to open the season, the Jets won seven straight after losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs, so it will be interesting to see how they respond to Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“There are going to be wins and losses. It’s all about how you respond,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey.

“If you win a game, you can’t be too high. You lose and you can’t be too low. It’s the way the NHL works. The bigger mindset always has to be finding ways to get better, ways to recover and get back so you can be at your best and improve the next game.

“For us, even through all the wins we’ve had so far, the mentality has always been on to the next game.”

Around the glass

Praise for Scheifele: There’s been plenty of chatter around NHL circles about the strong start for Jets’ centre Mark Scheifele and what that could mean for his chances of suiting up for Team Canada at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.

Before facing the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper was asked for his thoughts on how Scheifele has been playing.

Cooper was an assistant coach with Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and also was the bench boss for Canada at the men’s world hockey championship when Scheifele was on the roster for both events.

He’ll also have input on the roster selection process, though Cooper made it clear he wasn’t going to weigh in on where Scheifele stands as of this moment.

“I can’t comment, obviously, on anything coming up,” said Cooper. “But for me, if you’re going to talk about somebody who is a student of the game, who follows everything and knows everything that’s going on, it’s Mark Scheifele and I really appreciate that about him.

“He really cares about the game and I think he would probably be known as an offensive player for most of his career and I would say the best two-way play of his career is going on right now. There’s no doubt about that.”

That’s quite an endorsement — and is probably a sign that if Scheifele can maintain that level of play for the next several weeks, he could hear his name announced with Morrissey when Team Canada is unveiled in early December.

On an unrelated note, Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel both showed in Thursday’s game why they’re also in the discussion to wear the Maple Leaf in February. Cirelli and Hagel both scored a goal, while their tenacity and responsible two-way play also have them in the mix.

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The next step? Bowness was always an insightful interview, so it’s no surprise that he is dabbling in being an analyst on TV, though he’s not ready to make that his post-coaching career.

“I did one game for TNT and I’m going to do a couple of games for Sportsnet at the end of the month,” said Bowness. “It’s not something I would want to do on a regular basis. It’s fun, it’s enjoyable and it keeps you around the game a little bit. But would I look to make a career out of it? No.”

Is Bowness watching games differently than when he was behind the bench?

“I’m not breaking down games. I’m watching a period here and a period there, other than our team,” said Bowness. “I’m enjoying that.”

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Carrying the torch: Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman understood the enormity of the shoes he was being asked to fill and he also recognized that he wasn’t going to try and be Steven Stamkos after he was named captain of the organization.

“Obviously a big void to fill when Stammer left (to sign with the Nashville Predators), but it’s a great honour and guys have stepped up and taken the next step in their leadership as well,” said Hedman, who has spent his entire career with the Lightning and helped the organization capture three Stanley Cups since breaking into the league in 2009. “It’s been a process, but it’s been a lot of fun.”

Being part of the winning culture the Lightning have built reinforced the importance of authenticity for Hedman as he moved into the new role.

“One hundred percent. That’s why I got chosen, because of what I’ve done before,” said Hedman. “There’s a little bit more responsibility, but it doesn’t change who I am around the guys or anything like that. A lot of guys look to the captain to kind of steer the ship in the right direction and that’s what I’m trying to do every day.”

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Necas flying: When it was unclear whether or not forward Martin Necas was going to ink a new deal with the Carolina Hurricanes as a restricted free agent, the Jets were one of the teams that reportedly had shown interest and it’s easy to see why.

Necas, who ended up signing a two-year extension with the Hurricanes worth US$13 million (US$6.5 million AAV) that takes him to unrestricted free agency, is off to the best start of his NHL career, tied for third in NHL scoring going into Friday’s action with nine goals (including three game-winners) and 25 points in 15 games.

Necas wanted more responsibility and Rod Brind’Amour wanted a more consistent effort and it looks like both sides have found common ground.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

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mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

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