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JESSIE ALCHEH \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
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Winnipeg Jets centre Mark Scheifele has 70 points in 57 games this season and should eclipse the career-high 87 points he put up last year.<\/p>\n
His sole focus right now is to do whatever he can to keep his team in the playoff race for as long as he can, no matter how slim those hopes may be mathematically.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s plenty of examples throughout the history of hockey of that happening,\u201d Scheifele said in an interview before departing for the three-game road trip that continues on Friday against the Anaheim Ducks. \u201cAll we\u2019ve got to focus on is trying to get in. Not every shift and not every period and not every game is going to go your way. You just have to keep pushing forward and keep looking to the ultimate goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a 3-2 overtime victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, the Jets started the arduous process of chipping into the deficit, moving within nine points of the Seattle Kraken in the chase for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n
With 25 games left in the regular season for both the Jets and Kraken, the margin for error is razor thin and Winnipeg will essentially need to go on the equivalent of a magic carpet ride to remain relevant in the chase.<\/p>\n
Scheifele certainly did his part to contribute to the first victory coming out of the Olympic break.<\/p>\n
Reunited with Kyle Connor and Gabe Vilardi, Scheifele made two smart passes to help the Jets overcome a pair of one-goal deficits to get the game to overtime.<\/p>\n
The vision to realize Connor would be open on the first goal was elite, since most Canucks defenders and goalie Nikita Tolopilo figured Scheifele was going to keep skating around the net rather than sneak a no-look backhand dish in front of the net against the grain.<\/p>\n
Scheifele surveyed the situation along the boards and found the stick of Vilardi through traffic for the equalizer with 1:15 to go in the second period.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll we\u2019ve got to focus on is trying to get in\u2026 just have to keep pushing forward and keep looking to the ultimate goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
There were numerous situations over the course of the contest where Scheifele showcased his ability to create space for himself down low and below the goal line.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, playing basketball and lacrosse were the biggest things. You kind of understand leverage and you understand how to protect the ball in those scenarios,\u201d said Scheifele, who has recorded 23 multi-point games this season. \u201cAt a young age, that just translated over into hockey. It\u2019s obviously something I still work at, but the innate skill came from those two sports.\u201d<\/p>\n
By the time Cole Perfetti ended the game at 1:37 of overtime, Scheifele had logged 21 shifts for 23:18 of ice time, finishing with three shots on goal, five shot attempts and a blocked shot while winning 55 per cent of his draws.<\/p>\n
It was a dominant performance from the Jets\u2019 top trio, as they combined for nine shots on goal and 17 shot attempts while combining for four points, all of which came at even strength.<\/p>\n
To reiterate, for Scheifele, this isn\u2019t about the 2028 World Cup or any future international competition.<\/p>\n
What drives Scheifele first and foremost is the continual pursuit of excellence.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a daily pursuit and it continued throughout the Olympic break when he made his way to Florida for some additional work with skills coach Adam Oates.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s one of the best players in the NHL,\u201d said Jets goalie Eric Comrie. \u201cI see him every single day. The meticulous love for the game just drives him. He truly loves this game. He just wants to be the best he can be.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t ETHAN CAIRNS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Scheifele (left) celebrates with goaltender Eric Comrie after defeating the Vancouver Canucks in overtime, Wednesday.<\/p>\n \u201cMost guys go for the break and they don\u2019t bring their gear. He goes and sees his skills coach and works the whole time and he\u2019s in the gym doing his program, doing his workout.\u201d<\/p>\n Scheifele isn\u2019t doing that for extra credit, it\u2019s part of his investment in the quest to fend off Father Time.<\/p>\n \u201cAge is just a number, you know what I mean,\u201d said Scheifele, who turns 33 on March 15. \u201cA lot of players over the years have proven that. It\u2019s about how you take care of yourself now that makes you better for the future. Every day, you\u2019re getting your sleep, naps, recovery stuff, massage, chiro, all of that jazz to go along with that, in terms of working on your game and making sure that you\u2019re sharp at all times.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you get older, the statistics show that you start to slow down. But if your hands don\u2019t slow down, no one can stop you.\u201d<\/p>\n There are no signs of Scheifele\u2019s hands slowing down, as he\u2019s up to 70 points in 57 games, with 27 goals and 43 assists.<\/p>\n With a strong finish, Scheifele should eclipse the career-high 87 points he accumulated last season.<\/p>\n While Scheifele is quick to point out that he\u2019d happily trade some of that offence for more wins, he recognizes the responsibility that comes along with being a No. 1 centre.<\/p>\n \u201cYou always want to have the best year that you can,\u201d said Scheifele. \u201cI would say that for sure it matters, but it comes second to the team. If our line is going and we\u2019re producing, we give our team a better chance to succeed.<\/p>\n \u201cI see him every single day. The meticulous love for the game just drives him\u2026 He just wants to be the best he can be.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not the craziest dangles, it\u2019s doing things the simple way and being consistent for your linemates. Obviously I play with some pretty great players. At the end of the day, it\u2019s the continual work. Knowing that the job is never over and there\u2019s always something to work on. Every game there are always little things that you could have done better and could have resulted into something more.\u201d<\/p>\n Scheifele isn\u2019t only investing in his own improvement either. You can regularly find him working on the finer details of the craft.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the little things you don\u2019t see every single day,\u201d said Comrie. \u201cThe amount of stuff he does, the little techniques, picking pucks off the wall, finding guys in the slot \u2014 even with that, he\u2019s always so welcome with sharing that information with the younger guys and the new guys that want to learn.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a true leader and he\u2019s going to continue to get better because of his love for the game and how dedicated he is to it.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t Scheifele\u2019s enthusiasm was apparent from the first interview he gave inside Xcel Energy Centre after he was chosen seventh overall by the Jets in the 2011 NHL Draft and he\u2019s found a way to keep that fire burning brightly even with 936 NHL games on his resum\u00e9.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s what I love to do. This is what makes me happy,\u201d said Scheifele. \u201cPlaying the game, working on my game. I just try to absorb as much as I can and just keep pushing to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n That willingness to share knowledge and help others get better behind the scenes, whether it\u2019s before workouts get underway or long after the formal portion of the proceedings is complete, is part of Scheifele\u2019s game that doesn\u2019t end up on the stat sheet.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t ETHAN CAIRNS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Scheifle, (left) celebrates with Cole Perfetti after his game-winning goal in overtime against the Canucks Wednesday in Vancouver.<\/p>\n But that doesn\u2019t mean it goes unnoticed.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes you get guys talking to guys in the dressing room or on the bench and giving them advice that way. Scheif likes to give advice or help guys on the ice with skill things,\u201d said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. \u201cHe\u2019s extremely talented. He has skills that those guys envy and they hope that they can mirror, so when he works with guys they\u2019re real appreciative of that.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a coach, you love to see that, helping guys do a little bit extra that maybe helps them score a goal or make a play when they\u2019re in certain situations on the ice.\u201d<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/kenwiebe<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Ken Wiebe Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, Sportsnet.ca and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t
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