Sit back, Jets fans, as Scheifele sets own pace

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/03/2016 (3498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If you were into competitive sports growing up, you may have been one of those players who did extra work away from the field or rink. Maybe you did this for fun or to become a better player — hopefully, improving faster than those you were competing against.

I’ve witnessed similar enthusiasm in different sports in my youth, through to a professional hockey career, plus numerous instances where I’ve been coaching young players (up to 20 years of age).

One of my favourite memories came about after a neighbour talked me into coaching his daughter’s hockey team.

After agreeing, I was immediately confronted with a young woman wanting to better herself in the hope she could continue playing on the boys team she had been with for years as her “other” team. A short while later, there was a net in the driveway, a shooting surface and a puck, joined by the shooter. It made me smile and think back to my days growing up.

When practising my shot off-ice, I was always aiming at the cross bar: obviously hoping the puck would go into the net after striking it. The sounds I wanted to hear — ping, clunk, ding (all crossbars) — might happen once in a blue moon for me but the idea was right: any player that can go “bar down” (crossbar into the net) has a chance of scoring a lot of goals. It’s a very fine art, there’s no room for error.

The best of the current Winnipeg Jets at “bar down” — Mark Scheifele — was named Monday as the NHL’s second star of the week after posting six goals and one assist in four games.

Snipers such as Scheifele, 22, learn their craft by practice (with a nice touch of natural talent thrown in — such as Scheifele’s extremely quick release of the puck when it hits his stick).

He trains with former NHLers Gary Roberts (physical training and mindset) and Adam Oates (skills coach). That is why we are seeing the Scheifele of today: he’s an ambitious student of the game and puts in the extra work. His speed and on-ice awareness loom large as well.

Originally, however, his progression caused some concern for Jets fans.

Some of those folks suggested the Jets should have taken Sean Couturier instead of Scheifele with the seventh pick in the first round of the 2011 NHL entry draft (Couturier went to the Philadelphia Flyers at No. 8).

I had watched a gangly Scheifele join the Barrie Colts (Ontario Hockey League) as a rookie and have an excellent 2010-11 (66 games, 22 goals, 53 assists). It didn’t shock me when the Jets chose Scheifele.

He has always made a jump, and then seem to plateau as he figures things out. It’s worked from Day 1.

I encountered a “Couturier crew” on Twitter. They had math on their side, as Couturier burst into the NHL right away (2011-12) with a nice rookie season (77 games, 13 goals, 14 assists). His second season was not as great offensively (46 games, four goals, 11 assists). He was, however, earning the reputation as an excellent defensive player.

Of course, Scheifele’s output at the same time, NHL-wise, was a two-year total of 11 games, one goal, zero assists, and being sent back to junior by the Jets both seasons.

However, he followed up his rookie year in the OHL with steady improvement, especially when he moved forward with a terrific final season (2012-13) with the Colts: 39 goals and 40 assists in 45 regular-season games and 15 goals and 26 assists in 21 playoff games.

While I respect Couturier’s game, I’ve battled over the years with the Couturier bunch as to who will become the better player. I’ve always stuck by my assertion that by the time they’re 24 (Couturier is 23), Scheifele will have separated himself in a good way because offence is most important and any smart player can learn to defend (something Scheifele is getting much better at).

There’s been a lot of discussion about Scheifele being left off the initial 16-player roster of the 2016 World Cup’s Team North America (players under 24 years of age). But I understand why Couturier got named to the team as he’s had years of playing against the top players in the NHL as a checking centre. There’s a role waiting that’s well-suited for him.

I could pick apart a couple of other players though who were selected instead of Scheifele but that’s for another day, and may not be needed if the Jets centre is added later.

Scheifele’s underlying numbers (measured by math, not just points) have been good once again this season, following up 2014-15’s strong performance with another campaign of improvement.

His numbers and play of late show he’s a No. 1 centre, but I wouldn’t jump so fast with this Jets team.

Look back to his history of making a move forward, and then plateauing while he figures things out. Playing against the best from other teams may be another adjustment period.

Let the kid play and move forward at his pace. Do not anoint him until it’s time.

Chosen ninth overall by the NHL’s St. Louis Blues and first overall by the WHA’s Houston Aeros in 1977, Scott Campbell has now been drafted by the Winnipeg Free Press to play a new style of game.

Twitter: @NHL_Campbell