Early-season success has Jets believing

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This article was published 09/11/2022 (1032 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE Winnipeg Jets are off to their best start since their return more than a decade ago, boasting an 8-3-1 record through 12 games to sit atop the Central Division.

The Jets have picked up points in each of their last seven games (6-0-1), all while adjusting to new systems brought in from new head coach Rick Bowness. It’s often said you’re only as good as your record, which, heading into Wednesday night’s action, had Winnipeg tied for sixth place with the Carolina Hurricanes in the entire 32-team NHL.

But where do the players inside the locker room believe they’re at through the first dozen games?

“This room is in a lot better place than it was last year. As a team, we really worked on coming together and being better teammates,” said Jets forward Kyle Connor. “We always had the skill and always had the goaltending. It seemed like we always had the assets and the capabilities, and through training camp and through the off-season, everything we did is finally coming together and we’re realizing we need to play as a team.”

Despite the early success, it hasn’t been all sunshine and roses. While the Jets have played some of their best hockey of late, with wins over the Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens the past week, they’ve also had victories where they clearly weren’t the best team on the ice.

Prior to their current three-game win streak, the Jets returned home from a three-game road trip where although they collected five of a possible six points, they were grossly outplayed for long stretches. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck had to stand on his head in a 6-4 win over the L.A. Kings and a 2-1 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, while Winnipeg erased a 2-0 deficit to the Arizona Coyotes to edge out a 3-2 OT victory.

“To put up a record like that, to win against Dallas, a top team as well and a division opponent, it does give you confidence as a team that we can go up against anybody in this league,” Connor added. “I talked about it before, the first couple games I thought we were really inconsistent. We knew it was there, but I think we’re finally starting to realize we need a full 60 every night to be able to win this thing.”

Bowness, who missed eight of the first nine games after contracting COVID-19, returned just as the Jets got back from the loss in Vegas. Though he was happy with the five points in three games, he was far from satisfied with the way his team played.

He’s seen a big improvement over the past week, most notably a team-wide commitment to playing the right way without the puck. But he’s also aware the team can and will have to give more as the season goes on.

“I believe in this team. And they believe in themselves, and that’s the most important thing,” Bowness said. “They’re starting to realize that they are a very good hockey club and we are battling for first and we are playing a lot better.”

As Connor noted, there’s a much different feel in the locker room compared to previous years. That’s especially true when compared to last season, when the Jets came out of the gate 9-3-3, atop the Central, only to miss out on the playoffs by season’s end.

The improved focus Winnipeg appears to have right now is a testament to how Bowness communicates with his players, and the efforts he makes to keep things fresh. As an example, with the Jets having a rare three-day break between games, he decided to change up his top-six forwards, putting Connor with Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois and Blake Wheeler between Cole Perfetti and Mason Appleton.

“And Friday we’ll go back to the lines the way they were,” Bowness said. “Sometimes give them a different look. Now they’ve got to think a little bit more and think a little differently, and that’s just a bit of a challenge. Try to stay one step ahead.”

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton