In the past, a four-game homestand that saw only two wins would have been disappointing for the Winnipeg Jets. But this season, it’s a success.
“We need to grind out a win at home like we do on a road,” Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler said recently.
These are not words that would be used to describe the Jets home-ice play over the past two seasons, in which the Jets were dominant.
In 2017-2018 – the Jets held the league’s best record at home with only seven losses in 41 games. (32-7-2)
Last season, Winnipeg finished with the NHL’s fifth-best home ice record. (25-12-4)
But that was the past, and the new normal, as stated by Wheeler, is in order to win this team must grind.
The grind being that: it will never, ever be easy. That your opponent is trying to compete and has all the same motivations the Jets have like job, money, points, wins, more minutes, power play time, etc.
The grind being the adversity that is always there. That it gets harder as you have more success.
Now, no one is saying the Jets roster is made up of a bunch of grind guys — the team has a tonne of skill.
But the skill has to be able to grind it out, with Wheeler sending the message through his words and his play, that this team needs to be able play in the mud in order to hit pay dirt this season.
Leah Hextall has been an on-air presence for the largest networks in North America: ESPN, Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada. Follow her on Twitter @leahhextall.