Speaking of fit, DeMelo is hopeful he can once again be paired with Josh Morrissey, who he spent the final few games of the pandemic shortened regular season with as well as the entire Qualifying Round series against Calgary.
"J-Mo is an excellent player. He makes my job real easy because he takes care of that left side and he's a solid player on all fronts," said DeMelo.
"I think we can take our game to another level. I think we can be even more so dominant. That's the expectation I have for him and I if we were to be back together again."
Falling in four games to the Flames in that Qualifying Round series left a sense of "unfinished business" for DeMelo, who was hopeful that he had made enough of an impression on the Jets organization to earn a long-term contract.
In his 14 games with the Jets after being acquired from the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 18, 2020, DeMelo didn't record a point. However, his pairing with Morrissey routinely went up against the opposition's best and DeMelo also spent time on the penalty kill.
Jets head coach Paul Maurice spoke numerous times about his appreciation for the smart reads and plays DeMelo makes in the defensive zone - plays that may go unnoticed, but can be major factors in winning and losing.
"He's going to take the highest percentage play and make the right decision on it," Maurice said during July's training camp.
"Dylan has a real good sense of his own game. He doesn't play outside of himself. He doesn't cover a lot of ice foolishly. He's very predictable in his game, which is where Josh (Morrissey) excels."
That support means a lot to DeMelo.
"It's nice to get that recognition outside of the locker room. I've always believed in myself and my abilities and it's nice to have that faith shown by the coaching staff," said DeMelo, who finished the 2019-20 campaign with 10 points in 59 regular season games.
"I've always been the kind of guy that does all the small things right," said DeMelo. "Sometimes that translates to points, sometimes it doesn't. I feel like every team I've been on, I think internally everybody has appreciated how I play and how I handle myself on and off the ice."
That appreciation led to the four-year contract - the longest of his career - with an average annual value of $3 million. The negotiations between the two sides picked up a bit of steam a few weeks ago, but intensified over the last week.
"We were always in constant communication, which was good, there was a clear understanding that we wanted to get something done on both fronts," said DeMelo.
"This is life-changing money for me and my family, but it was always fit and stability more so than the money. With the pandemic, everybody has been taking a hit. I'm very fortunate to sign this contract during these times."
With free agency set to open on Oct. 9, DeMelo is looking forward to being able to relax and start to get things in order ahead of a move to Winnipeg, instead of waiting for a phone call.
He's excited to get to the city and "plant some roots" after playing for three teams in four seasons. With a new baby on the way, the ringing endorsement DeMelo's former teammate (and former Jet) Ron Hainsey gave Winnipeg was more than enough to confirm his decision.
"He spoke very highly of Winnipeg and the Jets organization," DeMelo said of Hainsey. "It's cold as everybody says, but I'm from Canada and I've played in Ottawa - I know what cold is about. I heard the summers, the fall and the spring are beautiful there.
"I'm looking forward to exploring Winnipeg and calling it home."
