WINNIPEG – After a memorable regular season in which the Winnipeg Jets won the Central, the Presidents’ Trophy, advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2021 and were one goal away from forcing another Game 7 in their Second Round series with Dallas, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Scott Arniel had the same message.
There is still another level to get to.
“Like last year, and those other years, there was big learning. Just learning what playoff hockey actually means. This year, we learned it, we lived it, we grew through it. But our goal now is to win the Stanley Cup. We know we have done a lot of good things,” said Arniel.
“But now we know what it takes. We still have more to do. As a staff, as players, these guys are all going home with that mentality and we’re going to follow up on this all summer long with this mentality, so that when we get to training camp that's part of our objective.”
Cheveldayoff pointed out that just making the postseason is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. The Jets have accomplished that each of the past three seasons and this one finally got over that hump of the opening round in a gruelling series with the St. Louis Blues. They pushed the Stars to six games, Dallas now is taking part of their third consecutive Western Conference Final.
“So, I think in talking to the guys, again, those common themes are just understanding how important each and every detail is from game to game is what you learn, is what you grow,” said Cheveldayoff.
“Obviously, there's several teams that are participating right now, that have been there before, and that's what we want to get to. We want to get to that point where you have the battle scars, you have the knowledge that, again, you know what to expect and what it's going to take to go beyond that next level.”
Winnipeg had the best power play during the regular season, one of the top offences in hockey and were the best defensive team, period. All of that changed in the playoffs, as the power play finished at 18.6%, goal scoring dried up which is not surprising as the checking tightens up in the second season. Arniel pointed out it doesn’t matter how you win games, you just find ways to do it.
“When it comes to the playoffs, it’s a different game. And all it is about is winning your series. It’s winning those games,” said Arniel.
“And however, that comes about, whether you score four power-play goals or your penalty kill does something or you limit the opposition to limited opportunities to be in your end of the rink, it’s only about winning. It’s only about winning. That Game 6 for us in Dallas, that was a game to be won.”
Game 6 in Dallas. From Mark Scheifele losing his father Brad earlier in the day, deciding to play and scoring the opening goal in the second period. The Stars would end up tying the game in the second and winning on an overtime power play goal from Thomas Harley ending the Jets season.
“But the biggest thing that I had and I knew was that I knew our team, how they were going to handle it. Wasn't like we were walking into something we weren't prepared in the sense of..because we had been a family. Because we had cared for each other,” said Arniel.
“It's been growing here the last few years, and I saw it all year long. And I knew how that was going to be handled. Well, I was 99% sure and they did. They went above and beyond, how they handled that Game 6.”
Cheveldayoff was impressed with how his group handled that day from start to finish.
“In this particular case, Brad was someone who, Mark was our first draft pick and I’ve known that family now for over 14 years. You can’t talk about being a family. You act like being a family. And I was really proud of how all our players came together,” said Cheveldayoff.
“But it’s not surprising. As a group this year that’s what it’s been about. They’ve held each other accountable behind the scenes more so than people even know. They’ve been hard on each other, they’ve pushed each other, they’ve argued with each other. But that’s what you strive for in a team.”
The Jets general manager also has to be pleased with how Arniel handled things in his first season behind the bench. After Rick Bowness retired last spring, Arniel did a fantastic job with his second chance as a head coach in the National Hockey League. Arniel picked up from where Bowness left things and pushed the Jets to the best record in the league and was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy.
“I had the fortune of being able to tell the team that Arnie was being nominated and what I said to them was as much as that’s an individual coaches recognition, what’s a coach’s job?” said Cheveldayoff.
“A coach’s job is to try and get a group of players to come together and play a certain way and to believe in doing something, to believe in what a coach is preaching and go and execute it.”
