The waiting is finally over as the Winnipeg Jets started their 15th training camp in Winnipeg.
54 players are vying for only 23 jobs, and they have just three days of skates before their first pre-season test on Sunday against the Minnesota Wild.
Jets hopefuls were skating in three different groups at the Hockey For All Centre, but prospect Kieron Walton was not on the ice and is in concussion protocol after getting hurt at last weekend’s rookie tournament.
Forward Mark Scheifele is entering his 13th season with the Jets. The 32-year-old had a devastating end to his season after the death of his father just hours before they were eventually eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs where he was in the penalty box for the series-clinching overtime goal.
Before taking any questions, Scheifele thanked his teammates, fans, and even opposition players for all the support he received over the summer, but he only wanted to talk about hockey.
Scheifele has high hopes for the season after the Jets took a big step forward by winning the Presidents’ Trophy as the best team in the regular season last spring.
“I’m really excited to get the season started,” said Scheifele. “Obviously a lot of unfinished business after last season, so just really excited to get going again.
“Obviously won the President’s Trophy, obviously didn’t win the Stanley Cup last year, so we didn’t reach our goal, but the thoughts are continually to push towards winning a Stanley Cup.”
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Scheifele is a big fan of the moves they made over the summer but admitted you can’t easily replace a player like Nikolaj Ehlers who signed with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Scheifele looked up to his new teammate Jonathan Toews as a youngster and still remembers meeting Toews when he went out for dinner with then Jets captain Andrew Ladd when Scheifele was just a fresh-faced 18-year-old on his first NHL road trip.
“I show up and it’s Tazer (Toews) and Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa and Brent Seabrook,” Scheifele said. “I was like – I nearly crapped my pants. But I brought that up to him the other day and he was like, somebody actually did bring that up to me the other day, so it’s kinda cool to relive that story. It was a pretty unbelievable night for me. I was absolutely terrible the next night too. I was in awe of all the guys I was playing against, and I just had dinner with.”
Training camp had barely even begun when the talk shifted to next summer. Jets captain Adam Lowry and sniper Kyle Connor are both entering the final season of their contracts and are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next July.
General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said he would have liked to have Connor’s contract done yesterday.
“We’ve had great dialogue with KC’s representatives and continue to have that,” he said. “He’s a big part. Adam’s a big part. We had great success as a group and we’d like to keep on pushing forward.
“Every conversation you’re kinda hopeful that this is the one that closes it.”
Connor is making an average of $7.1 million on his current seven-year deal and is due for a raise after leading the club in goals and assists last season with 41 markers and 56 helpers for a career-best 97 points.
“He’s earned the right to sit back and figure out what he wants to do with his family and his self,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “As a coach, I’m going to do everything in my power to talk him into getting it signed as fast as possible.”
Connor is trying to keep his mind solely on hockey and leave it in the hands of his agent.
“Really just focused on myself and being the best player I can,” said Connor. “Let the business take care of the business and all I can do is control how I come to the rink every day and that stuff will take care of itself.”
The Jets are back on the ice for camp on Friday starting at 9:30 am.
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