‘That’s the identity of our team’

Scott Arniel knows it isn’t going to be easy.

When a team puts together a memorable season that includes a number of franchise records and earns several crisp new banners that will be unveiled next week — yet still falls short of the ultimate goal — there’s a stark realization that more is expected.

The good news for the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets is that a strong foundation has been put in place during the three prior seasons he was on the coaching staff — first as an associate coach under Rick Bowness and then as the bench boss last year when he was the runner-up for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year.

That foundation requires a serious commitment to playing without the puck which, in turn, allows the skilled players on the roster to spend more time on the attack rather than getting stuck defending.

Coming off consecutive Jennings Trophy-winning seasons where the Jets allowed the fewest goals in the NHL, it’s occasionally hard to believe there was a time not long ago when a good chunk of this group didn’t defend well.

As Jets captain Adam Lowry has openly admitted during the past several seasons, the team has turned a weakness into a strength.

“I mean, that’s the identity of our team,” said Jets centre Vladislav Namestnikov. “Team defence first, and then we take it to offence. We create a lot of turnovers from playing defence, and I think we just have to build on what we’ve done previously and just go from there.”

When the subject was broached with Arniel on Thursday, he pointed out that the overall buy-in, especially from the top players, has created a trickle-down effect.

Once that high standard is created, there’s a level of accountability that accompanies it.

“That part of it has certainly helped us to get everybody to do it,” said Arniel, noting that he isn’t doing as much teaching as he gets set for his fourth season because there is so much self-correction being done. “When you have that in place, it allows you to go and do other things instinctively. When you’re out there thinking, I’ve got to go here or I’ve got to go there, you’re not playing on your toes and you’re not playing fast.

“So, now, because we know it so well, we’re able to be quick and be able to do the other things at top speed that allows us to be the team that we are.”

“When you’re out there thinking, I’ve got to go here or I’ve got to go there, you’re not playing on your toes and you’re not playing fast.”

The Jets aren’t merely a one-trick pony though either.

Along with being stingy defensively, the Jets have plenty of offensive weapons — both of the high-end variety and in the secondary scoring column.

Their power play improved to first overall from the bottom third and the penalty went from near the bottom of the NHL to the middle of the pack.

But starting the season without Lowry up front and defensive stalwart Dylan Samberg on the shelf for six to eight weeks, the Jets will be tested on a number of levels.

That’s why the prior building of that foundation is so essential, first in terms of integrating some of the new players brought in this past summer, and with others taking on a larger role because of those injuries up front and on the back end.

“We’ve got a few guys now within our roster that can do that,” said Arniel. “It helps me as a coach that when those big injuries happen, we have key people that you’re confident in.”

The news sounds relatively positive for Jonathan Toews, who left Tuesday’s exhibition game against the Minnesota Wild after tweaking something during the second period.

Arniel said on Thursday that the lower-body issue falls under the day-to-day category, which means Toews should be an option for next Thursday’s season opener against the Dallas Stars — barring something unforeseen.

The other important element to the Jets equation is having the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner between the pipes in Connor Hellebuyck.

Although the Jets have taken great strides to make life for Hellebuyck a bit easier — in terms of the quantity and quality of scoring chances he faces — there’s clearly an advantage to having an elite goalie who happens to be a workhorse as the last line of defence.

Maintaining that without Lowry and Samberg figures to be more challenging, but that’s why the Jets have worked so hard to get that defensive commitment throughout the four forward lines and three defence pairings that are in the lineup on a nightly basis.

Hellebuyck has created an incredibly high standard for himself during his decade in the organization — as evidenced by his low goals-against average and high save percentage for his career.

Those numbers last season alone were borderline absurd, which is why he received more votes than Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers, Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche when it came to awarding the Most Valuable Player award, as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

What will Hellebuyck do for an encore?

“We put that one behind us and focus on the new year, a new me with no expectations,” said Hellebuyck. “You come in and build the game like I did last year and I am really focused on putting my best foot forward every single day. It is a process as you’re not to come in and expect to be the same guy (as you were) last year at Day 1.

“You never are and no one ever is, so I will continue to build my game and work on the process that I know is going to work.”

“I am really focused on putting my best foot forward every single day.”

What we know for sure is that Hellebuyck will be busy, as he’s eclipsed 60 starts in six of his nine years as a starter.

Hellebuyck doesn’t have to put the team on his back and carry them, but the Jets will need him to play at a high level if they want to challenge the likes of the Stars, Avalanche and St. Louis Blues for top spot in the Central Division.

“We didn’t win the Stanley Cup and we didn’t get past the second round. We’ve got some work to do to get there,” said Arniel. “First and foremost, you’ve got to get in the playoffs. Our division didn’t get any easier, the Western Conference isn’t any easier.”

The Eastern Conference isn’t any easier either, not with the Florida Panthers and former Jets head coach Paul Maurice coming off consecutive Stanley Cup titles.

Arniel pointed to the Panthers as another example of why winning the Presidents’ Trophy as the top team in the regular season matters, noting that Florida achieved the honour in 2022 before reaching the top of the mountain in 2024 and 2025.

Becoming battle tested doesn’t happen overnight, but after taking several important steps forward, Arniel believes this group is poised to do more.

“It’s all part of that growth of stepping towards that ultimate goal of winning the Cup. We’ve been doing that in the last couple of years,” said Arniel. “We’ve still got a lot of work to do ahead of us through these 82 games. The first, to be able to be in that spot to compete, but then, to build our brand and continue to build our brand over the course of these (82) games.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld