Scheifele happy to be back, eager to get season in full swing

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This article was published 16/08/2022 (1207 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mark Scheifele insists there’s no hard feelings between himself and the Winnipeg Jets. And the club’s top centre, who sounded like a guy ready for a change of scenery at the end of last season, says he’s coming to training camp next month with a positive outlook on the future.

“I’m really excited about this year,” Scheifele, 29, said Tuesday morning from Southwood Golf & Country Club, where he’ll compete in this week’s Manitoba Open on the PGA Tour Canada under a sponsor’s exemption.

“I had a really good talk with Chevy (general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff) at the end of the year. I’m going to keep that between me and him. That’s obviously confidential between me and him and I respect him too much to talk about that in the media. We had a good talk. A lot of the guys were honest in their year-end meetings. Obviously, last year wasn’t the season that we wanted to have. A lot of guys were frustrated, a lot of guys were angry. I think that showed towards the end of the year. The team’s made a lot of changes and I’m really excited and interested in the changes that will happen.”

This was the first time Scheifele has spoken publicly since his eyebrow-raising year-end interview which raised plenty of doubt about his long-term future with the organization that drafted him in the first round, seventh-overall, in 2011.

“I obviously think there’s a lot of big questions to be asked this off-season about where the team’s going and and what’s all going to happen. I’d love to be in Winnipeg, but I also have to see where this is all going and what direction this team is going in and I guess we’ll see this summer,” Scheifele said at the time. “I just have to know where this team is going and what the direction is and what the changes are going to be, if any. I have to think about my career and what’s going to be best for me. Those are going to be…talks with my agents and everyone in my family and stuff like that and figure out what I really want.”

The biggest change so far is behind the bench, where Rick Bowness takes over from interim coach Dave Lowry, who replaced Paul Maurice in the middle of last season.

“I’ve heard nothing but amazing things. I’ve had different conversations with him. He seems like an absolutely amazing guy. A fantastic human being is what I’ve heard over and over,” said Scheifele. “He seems like a great communicator, which I’m really excited about. I haven’t really had that. He seems like a guy who wants to know what’s going on, know the mood of the room, know what our opinions are. I’m really excited to have that opportunity with him and talk hockey.”

Significant roster moves, however, haven’t happened, short of a handful of free-agent departures such as backup goalie Eric Comrie, veteran forward Paul Stastny and depth winger Evgeny Svechnikov. Nor have there been any trades or major signings this summer.

“That’s not really my job. That’s Chevy’s job to do all that,” Scheifele said when asked if he’s surprised by the lack of movement. “With the squad that we had last year, everyone was touting us as the next Stanley Cup champions. I think we have a great team, we have a great group of guys. Obviously, last year wasn’t the best for our team but we have a fantastic roster, a lot of great pieces and a lot of guys who are going to be fighting for spots. I think we’re going to have to just stop talking about it and show it on the ice.”

Scheifele pointed to the addition of Morgan Barron, the re-acquiring of Mason Appleton and the emergence of Cole Perfetti as three pieces that can help, in addition to another year of seasoning for stars such as Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers.

Coming off a year in which he battled both illness (COVID-19) and major injury that ended his season early, Scheifele, who can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024, said he’s ready to put ‘21-22 behind him. He still had 70 points (29 goals and 41 assists) in 67 games.

“I’ve had a great summer of training and skating. I’ve changed some things in my training,” he said. “Obviously, it wasn’t a fantastic year. I had spurts of really good times and I had spurts of bad times and it was kind of one of those years that you have to learn from and not dwell on. I think I’m in the prime of my career and my body feels great.”

Captain Blake Wheeler, centre Pierre-Luc Dubois and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck can also become UFA’s in two years from now, which, Scheifele said, puts added importance on the coming campaign.

“Oh, for sure. That obviously goes through my mind all of the time,” he said. “It’s given me a lot of motivation this summer and why I looked at making some changes this offseason in terms of how to put myself in the best opportunity to be the best player that I can be this year.”

For now, his immediate focus shifts from the rink to the links. Scheifele will be in tough competing against some of the top golfers in the world but plans to enjoy the experience, just as he did in 2018 when he shot rounds of 87-86.

“I’m definitely a better golfer (now). I’ll tell you that,” Scheifele said.

“I think I was a 10 handicap when I played last time. I liked golf, but not as much as I do now. I’d say ever since playing in this tournament and seeing how good these players are and the talent they have, I found a newer love for it. It’s right there behind hockey in terms of the sports I love. I’ve definitely improved a lot since that day. I’m definitely still going to be nervous. I’m probably still going to black out on the first tee and spray one right. It’ll be one of those really fun experiences I get to do again.”

There’s one other notable difference — Scheifele is now a member at Southwood, so he knows the course a lot better than he previously did.

“It’s kind of a bomber’s course. If you can hit the driver far, if you’re in the fescue you can get some tough lies, but you can cut some corners and shorten some holes by hitting good drives. As soon as the wind comes out, it’s a completely different animal,” he said.

Scheifele, who is now a 1.7 handicap, will tee off Thursday at 2:40 p.m. along with Manitoba’s Colwyn Abgrall and Kade Johnson of Saskatchewan. The trio is back Friday for the second round beginning at 9:30 a.m.

“Golf is the only time that hockey is off my mind. It’s almost like my therapy,” said Scheifele, who will have Winnipeg product and former Jets teammate Adam Brooks as his caddy. “I get on the golf course, or I get on the range, and hockey kind of goes out the window.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg