‘We believe in this group’

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This article was published 15/04/2023 (876 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Reflection. Anticipation. Preparation.

The Winnipeg Jets have had a couple days now to catch their breath following a whirlwind end to the regular-season which saw them stave off an epic collapse and claim the final Western Conference wild-card spot. As they gathered Saturday at Canada Life Centre, there was plenty of talk about where they’ve been — and where they could possibly be headed.

“You can feel it in the room. There is a big belief in the room that we have something special here,” goaltender Connor Hellebuyck said following an optional practice. “It’s the most fun time of the year. This is when push comes to shove and everything is on the line.”

It all starts Tuesday in Vegas, when the Jets begin a best-of-seven first-round series against the Golden Knights that has no shortage of juicy storylines.

“I think we have a lot of belief in this group and in our ability when we play up to our capabilities,” said shutdown centre Adam Lowry. “I think we think we can beat any team in this league.”

Winnipeg is a significant underdog on paper, finishing in eighth place with 95 points. That was 16 less than first-place Vegas. And yet, the Jets came on strong down the stretch, playing some of their best hockey when their season was truly on the line. A 7-4-0 finish was just enough to hold off the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators.

“I don’t think there was a way for us to back in. We had to find our game,” said defenceman Nate Schmidt. “Right now we’re a team that had to be playing our best hockey to get in, which I think sets you up for success in the first round because, hey, we’ve been having to do this so what’s the difference now for our group? I think this group has had to grow and mature a lot in the last month of understanding as a group, as a team, we need to do this.”

Winnipeg will have a full team practice at the downtown rink on Sunday morning before boarding the charter to head to Sin City. They’ll have another on-ice workout on Monday in Vegas, then hope to get off to a hot start at T-Mobile Arena the next night for Game 1.

“We’re trying to ride that momentum. I think we got back to playing the style of hockey that we played early in the year and through the first 40-50 games when we were near the top of the West,” said defenceman Josh Morrissey.

“I think we’ve handled a lot of adversity this year. I think you look at our season, heading back to 12 months ago, a disappointing season, missing the playoffs, lots of changeover in the off-season, some soul-searching. For the most part, not a lot of changes in the player personnel group — some great additions but no big shake-ups in terms of players going in and out — so I think we really rallied in the off-season to come in with the right mindset.”

Indeed, the Jets were among hockey’s heavyweights in early February before a prolonged period of poor play, combined with some unfortunate puck luck, put everything in peril.

“Obviously we rode the high the first 40-50 games and then we faced the adversity of two-and-a-half months of hearing about it every day, feeling the pressure, about the struggles that we went through,” Morrissey said.

“So finding a way to climb out of that and get into the playoffs, I think we’ve handled a lot this year. Every team goes through it but we feel like we’ve come out of it at the right time and we believe in our group. We’ve believed in it all year and I think we’re firing on all cylinders and ready to go.”

In addition to some stellar play from Hellebuyck, a few other significant things happened in recent weeks that helped the cause. Centre Mark Scheifele was shifted to the wing on the top line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kyle Connor, embracing the unique opportunity.

“Obviously it’s been great. We read off each other really well,” said Scheifele. “It’s a group effort every time, but I think we’ve supported each other really well and we’re going to have to do more of that against Vegas.”

There was also the addition of Nino Niederreiter and Vladislav Namestnikov at the trade deadline, which has allowed the Jets to spread the wealth and balance the lineup. Namestnikov is now centring an effective second line with Nikolaj Ehlers and Blake Wheeler, while Niederreiter adds plenty of offensive punch to the third line with Lowry and Mason Appleton.

“I would say the chemistry between the lines is all good right now,” said coach Rick Bowness. “Now, going into Vegas we don’t have that last line change. So we’ll just have to see their matchups and see how everything looks from there on in.”

One of the biggest plot points is the fact this is a rematch of the 2018 Western Conference Final, in which Vegas ended Winnipeg’s dreams of its first Stanley Cup Final appearance by taking the series in five games.

That certainly left a mark around here.

“Five years ago is a long time. A lot of water under the bridge since then,” said Bowness. “Anytime you’re in a playoff series and you lose, no matter how long, it stays with you. I’m sure some of those guys are still upset they ended up losing that series. Anytime you get to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and you lose, that stays with you.”

Those who experienced it say, other than hoping for a different result this time, it won’t be something they spend much time thinking about.

“I think it’s more the lessons as opposed to any carry-over. They’ve got a lot of new faces on that team,” said Lowry. “I don’t think there’s any lingering feelings from that one. Obviously you hope to make it as far as you can in the playoffs, so that’s enough motivation.”

The Golden Knights won all three head-to-head meetings with the Jets this year — 5-2 in Vegas on Oct. 20, 2-1 in overtime in Vegas on Oct. 30, and 6-5 in Winnipeg on Dec 13. That was then. This is now.

“You can feel the belief in this room. Everyone is fighting hard for each other and believing in each other,” said Hellebuyck. “When you have a team like that, anything is possible. And in playoffs, anything can happen. That’s the mindset we are taking into it.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg