WINNIPEG – There was history being rewritten off the ice Thursday, while the current chapter was taking shape on it.
As the Jets announced they were officially combining the histories of Jets 1.0, the Atlanta Thrashers and Jets 2.0, the current club was getting down to business — working on its special teams for the first time in training camp.
Even though it was the first day, head coach Scott Arniel liked what he saw.
“Obviously, that’s a teaching day. We still have the numbers, so you’re able to do it and we’ll do it again next week. There are some wrinkles on both units, whether that’s personnel or some of the strategy that we’re trying to do, that we implemented – first by showing them on video.”
Arniel likes the first special-teams session because it gives the Jets a chance to slow things down and teach. With the power play working at one end and the penalty kill at the other, the coaching staff can walk players through different plays and situations almost like a football practice, before bringing everyone together to put it into action.
It also gives players who work on both units — particularly those moving from the power play to the penalty kill — a rare opportunity to work on both sides in the same practice. Arniel acknowledged it makes for a longer, slower session, but with so much new information to absorb, he believes the extra time is valuable.
Winnipeg will practice again Friday before leaving for Denver to play the Colorado Avalanche in their preseason finale.
“You think about how we’ll play tomorrow, then some practice next week and we’re off and running,” said Josh Morrissey.
“There’s been a lot of dialogue this summer on both sides of special teams with coaches and players. Everyone just trying to be part of the solution And be a difference maker. I think a goal would be a top 10 team in both categories.”
Nearly half of the Jets’ 82 games last season — 40, to be exact — were decided by a single goal, and Winnipeg went 16-12-12 in those contests. With the Jets finishing 24th in the NHL on the power play and 21st on the penalty kill, it’s fair to wonder how a few more timely special-teams goals or kills might have changed the outcome. In a season decided by such slim margins, better special teams could have been the difference between watching the playoffs and playing in them.
Injuries also played a part in the special team’s demise.
“Early on, there were a lot of different personnel used in different places. Trying to figure out some of the new guys that we had last year that were new here that went into one of or both of our specialty teams,” said Arniel.
“The biggest thing for me, and I’ve said this before, is that your specialty teams have to play a part for you. Especially in an 84-game schedule, your penalty kill might win you a game, your power play might win you a game.”
It’s easy to forget that just two seasons ago, the Jets boasted the NHL’s top power play. Mark Scheifele hasn’t forgotten, and he wants to see Winnipeg’s man advantage return to those heights.
“Yeah, obviously we knew our power play wasn't what it needed to be last year, and we want to get it back on track to be at the top of the league where we expect ourselves,” said Scheifele.
“So, we got some fantastic players on this team to do that. So just got to keep it going.”
Training camp is only seven days in and there has been a lot of dialogue between the coaching staff and the players and that will be the case as the season opener approaches.
“There will be mistakes that happen. We videotape that whole practice today because there's lots of questions on the ice as it was progressing,” said Arniel.
“Both units, power play, penalty kill, we have it on video and we can kind of maybe show some stuff tomorrow or use it in video for pregame against Colorado. But it's all part of that, kind of everybody getting it by next Friday.”
