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JOHN WOODS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Jets\u2019 Kyle Connor (81), Dylan DeMelo (2), Mark Scheifele (55) and Cole Perfetti (91) celebrate Connor\u2019s goal against the Colorado Avalanche during third period NHL hockey action in Winnipeg on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
To borrow a funny old Thanksgiving-related phrase from former defenceman Nate Schmidt, the hockey club was \u201cleaking gravy.\u201d They looked like a group that could use a timeout \u2014 which they\u2019ll get since they don\u2019t play again until hosting the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nice for sure. We\u2019ve been going pretty hard,\u201d defenceman Dylan DeMelo told the Free Press on Saturday following an off-ice workout for his group.<\/p>\n
The Jets will stay away from the rink entirely on Sunday, then will hold a full team practice on Monday. There will also be a lengthy video session to go over the highs and lows so far this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe played a lot of good hockey in that five-game stretch. So a lot of things to build off. But also a lot of things to clean up and get ready for a huge stretch of games here against good opponents,\u201d said DeMelo.<\/p>\n
Divisional play is always a key area and teams will play their seven closest rivals four times each this year under the new 84-game schedule. Winnipeg\u2019s most impressive outing so far was their only Central clash, a 3-2 triumph on Wednesday over Colorado.<\/p>\n
Four of Winnipeg\u2019s next five games are within the division, with Minnesota, Chicago, St. Louis and Dallas all on deck.<\/p>\n
\u201cTeams that we know, teams that we\u2019ve had a lot of hard battles against. We\u2019re going to be have to be really good, be at our best in this stretch,\u201d said DeMelo.<\/p>\n
One area of concern would be secondary scoring, or a lack of thereof. The Jets have 13 goals this season, with Kyle Connor (six) and Cole Perfetti (three) accounting for most of them. DeMelo, Mario Ferraro, Adam Lowry and Alex Iafallo have one each, with the other 15 skaters who have suited up combining for a grand total of zero.<\/p>\n
In terms of defensive play, the Jets were quite porous against the Ducks, who used their speed to create chaos.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets\u2019 Cole Perfetti\u2019s (91) shot goes high and wide against the Colorado Avalanche during third period NHL action in Winnipeg on Sept. 22. Perfetti has three goals in the Jets first five games, one of only two players with more than one goal.<\/p>\n \u201cWe hadn\u2019t given up many rush goals against in the first four games, and then we got exploited (Friday) with it. That\u2019s something to work on, some reminders for us,\u201d said DeMelo.<\/p>\n \u201cSo it\u2019s a good learning lesson, You\u2019ve got to take the positives out of it because it is a long year. Things happens, we\u2019re going to have games like that. We\u2019re going to have better games, worse games. Take the positives and just continue to try and build that thing.\u201d<\/p>\n There were plenty of question marks surrounding the Jets, especially with 10 different players in the opening night lineup compared to a year earlier, including plenty of inexperienced ones. Throw in the cloudy goaltending situation, with Connor Hellebuyck suspended for refusing to report to the team while he awaits a trade, and a 3-1-1 start is nothing to sneeze at.<\/p>\n \u201cWe would have taken that. If you can get off to a good start it\u2019s important,\u201d said DeMelo.<\/p>\n \u201cThat being said, it\u2019s just a start. We still have a long way to go. But a very encouraging first five games, different contributions from everybody in the lineup. It\u2019s been exciting. Definitely a good feeling in the room. Vibes have been really good. Just trying to keep that going. Keep working. We\u2019ve got such a long way to go, and I think our game can continue to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n The Jets are no strangers to strong starts. They won the first eight games of the 2024-25 season, and 14 of the first 15, to set an NHL record. There was no turning back that year, as the club went on to capture the Presidents\u2019 Trophy.<\/p>\n Last year, Winnipeg got out of the gate by winning nine of the first 12 \u2014 but followed that up with a franchise-record 11 game winless streak which dug a hole they could never escape from.<\/p>\n Might either of those scenarios provide some valuable lessons this time around?<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a different group of guys. Some new blood in here, some new energy. Every year is different,\u201d said DeMelo.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets\u2019 Josh Morrissey (44) defends against Colorado Avalanche\u2019s Zachary L\u2019Heureux (68) during first period NHL hockey action in Winnipeg on Oct. 7. Morrissey missed Friday\u2019s game against the Ducks due to injury and is listed as day-to-day.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s things you can maybe look back on and try to rectify and maybe avoid. But even then, this group is so different than it was last year. Whichever way it goes, it\u2019s not going to be indicative of years previous. This year I feel like we\u2019ve laid down a better foundation. A lot of good things we can lean on.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t In addition to getting some potential help from whatever the eventual Hellebuyck trade brings \u2014 some additional offence should be high on the wish list \u2014 the Jets are also counting on the quick return of top defenceman Josh Morrissey, who missed Friday\u2019s game with an upper-body injury he suffered against the Avalanche.<\/p>\n Morrissey is considered day-to-day, which is yet another thing the Jets are thankful for.<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely. He\u2019s a huge, huge part of this team. One of our best players, one of the best defencemen in the league. He affects our game in so many ways, and in the room as well being the leader that he is,\u201d said DeMelo.<\/p>\n \u201cSo any time he\u2019s out we feel bad and we try to fill that void the best we can collectively as a group, because he\u2019s such a crucial part of this team. So we hope he\u2019s back soon and we\u2019ll keep holding the fort down until he comes back.\u201d<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/mikemcintyre<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Mike 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
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