John Shannon on Jonathan Toews’ Comeback and the Winnipeg Jets’ Hot Start

John Shannon on Jonathan Toews’ Comeback and the Winnipeg Jets’ Hot Start

[Music] We welcome in the host of 100% hockey with Mard and Shannon. And of course you know him as a regular contributor on Jets broadcast on 680 CJ OB the one the only John Shannon joins us now. John Jonathan Taves scored his first goal on Monday. three points in his last four games, doing all the little things that we remember Jonathan Taves being so good at. Um, just thoughts on what you’ve seen from Taves compared to what your expectations were at the beginning of the season and how impactful this could be for the Winnipeg Jets moving forward throughout the season in the playoffs, assuming that he’s able to stay healthy. I I didn’t I didn’t know what my expectations were because you you just don’t know how a body reacts after being off that long. You just don’t know. I mean, we have seen really good players, elite players, take a year off or a year and a half off and come back and then fail miserably. Well, you know, that’s not what Jonathan Taves has done. He’s he’s been impressive. He’s great in the faceoff circle, Andrew. That’s his that to me is and you you’ve been around this club to know over the last four or five years how many times have they lost one of those key faceoffs late in a game in a key game and you wonder why can’t they get better in the faceoff circle? Well, you know what? Now they are. They are better in the faceoff circle because Jonathan Taves is there. Uh this is a team now and particularly after Adam returns in a couple of weeks. You go Shley, Taves, Lowry, Baron, you can’t even find a place for Namastoff and you’re going is there a better group of centers in the National Hockey League? Everybody fulfills a certain role for the club. Is there any team better? And there may not be. there may not be when you look at the depth of center position for the Winnipeg Jets. I um like many people I tried to, you know, keep expectations in check and I mean they still are. There’s a lot of things that can happen. It’s a long season, but he’s so far ahead where I think I was maybe not expecting but trying to convince myself, okay, let’s not get too ahead of it because we know what a great player he is. And all along I I have said and I truly believe that there’s not a chance that Taves goes through what it took to come back and make this happen if he didn’t think that he could be a very very good version of himself. And that’s proving itself out to be. And you know from Jet fans and I have a lot of conversations with people off the air. I actually can’t blame them for looking at this guy, seeing the thing that he’s doing, knowing what this team has sort of been missing for the last couple years about what the potential for this Jets team is. Because John, on the other side of things, removing Taves from the equation, you’re without Perfetti, you’re without Samberg, you’re without Adam Lowry. And it’s very clear that the guys that are in the lineup right now are doing everything they can to stay within that top 12 on the depth chart when everyone comes back, which is not going to be an easy feat. And that level of competition along with a guy like Caves coming in, I think this team a constructed. Well, he’s so smart. You know, you know, he he brings to the game um on the cerebral side something perhaps that others can learn from. And and I think that that’s part of part of what what he brings to the table. you know, he knows the game so well. He he’s he is a a consumate leader in so many ways. He understands also too that he’s not going to be the best player on this team anymore. You know, there was a time in Chicago for a decade it was, you know, was Jonathan Taves and Patrick Kane and and and maybe Marian Hosa on a good Tuesday and and and the rest of the guys on the forward lines come coming along. Jonathan Taves understands what his role is on this team and is going to deliver. Um I I’m much more confident now than I was even during camp about what he can bring to this club and then what how how many more dimensions that he creates for this club. I mean the simple one is faceoff circles. That’s where he’s going to be his best. But at the same time, I just think that there’s so much off the ice in the room that he brings that can help some of those young guys, even some of the veterans who say, “Well, listen, I can still learn from Jonathan Taves.” And that makes this team that much more worrisome for the other 31 teams in the NHL. One of the other real positives for Winnipeg that, you know, he’s been allowed to sort of, you know, find his way and grow a lot quicker than I think a lot of people expected it would happen. Uh because this team is still being driven by the heart trophy winner Connor Hellabuk who’s had a brilliant start to the season and I mean we’ve been spoiled for a lot of great stuff from Mark Shley and Kyle Connor. John, uh, the start from those two players has been nothing short of phenomenal. And, uh, I mean, you’re on, you know, OB and following every game. I mean, the ceiling that these two players have that they’re showing on a nightly basis along with the best goalender in the National Hockey League, there’s a lot of pieces right now of a team that, you know, uh, you know, should absolutely, in my opinion, be in the conversation amongst the best teams in the league right now with the best potential for when it really counts in the spring. Oh, I think they are. I I think there is that discussion. You know, I I I think that there’s so many reasons why this is happening right now. You know, getting Kyle Connor under contract for eight more years, I think, reinforces not just to him and not to the fan base, but to his teammates that he believes in the Winnipeg Jets. Uh I think that Mark Shley, we, you know, we there’s tons of talk about Mark Shley. Is he going to make the Olympic team? Well, let’s remember who did not play in the final game of four nations for the United States. Oh, yeah. And so Kyle Connor in many ways is in the same boat. Kyle Connor’s got to prove to people that he deserves to be in the top 12 and one of those forwards for the Americans in Italy. So I I think both Shifley and Connor are trying to prove to their own nations exactly who they are and what they are, and they’re prepared to do anything to play at the Olympics. So th those those things alone, the new contract and then the goal to make the Olympic teams, I think Connor’s made the Olympic team. I just don’t think he wants to be a healthy scratch. Uh I I think I’ve I’ve really helped this club. And this is where I I also think that there’s a real belief in without Perfetti, without Samberg, without Lowry that those two guys said we have to pull, we have to pull a little bit more. we have to do more until everybody gets back healthy. And that’s exactly what they’ve done. You know, this you cannot measure in in my mind and and I’m, you know, I’m not an analytics guy. I know you find that hard to believe. I’m not a big stats guy that way. Um but you cannot measure uh the impact of what this team did um when Mark Schiffley’s father passed away and how they grew together as a family. You know, that’s the that’s what everybody inside True North uses is that we’re a family. And I I think we’re seeing that that this family is working together, striving together, and trying to get to that next level beyond the second round of the playoffs. Well, and and you know, and that family, I think, would love nothing more than to help uh a player like Mark Schiffley achieve what is certainly a goal and a dream of his, and that would be to wear that Canada jersey in the Olympics. Uh it’s not going to be easy. I mean, Canada’s roster is absolutely stacked. You’ve got other players that were in similar situation to Shley. Uh, you know, when we’re talking about Nick Suzuki, the young players like Celebrini and Bedard. Um, like in your opinion, John, what do you believe the chances for Mark to make this team? And I mean, obviously he’s had a great start. What is it going to take for Mark to be on the right side of that line once Hockey Canada makes their final decisions? Which the decision, by the way, is not till the end of the calendar year, Andrew. So, we’re not going to know about it until December 31st. So, there’s still a lot of hockey uh to go uh to measure these guys and see whether they’re they’re right for the position. The other aspect to remember is this is not a 23man roster. This is a 25man roster. So, there’ll be an extra forward picked. There’ll be an extra defenseman picked. Um, do I think there’s a I think there’s a great chance that Mark Shiffley makes the Canadian team. The the question then becomes is and you’ve seen this. I mean, to me, the the best example was 2010 in Vancouver was we had eight superstars knowing full well that they may only play nine minutes. We they may play 11 minutes. You have to become a role player. And the measure between now and the end of December will be the discussions about can these guys be as successful by not playing 22 minutes a game, by not playing minute 15 shifts. This is what’s going to this is what it’s going to take. You’re going to have to sacrifice everything in your career and how you’ve played the game to play for Canada, to play for the United States. You are going to have to be a different player. And people are going to have to understand that. Billy Garren’s group is going to have to see it. Doug Armstrong’s group’s going to have to see it. And if you can do that, then you’re going to be on Canada or you’re going to be on the United States. Well, I can tell you that that level of extra motivation certainly isn’t hurting uh when it comes to some of the top players on the Winnipeg Jets, and I’d imagine that’ll be the same. By the way, we haven’t mentioned the one guy that it’s funny. We’ve talked about Hellbuck. We’ve talked about Taves. We talked about Shely. We’ve talked about Connor. I know where you’re going this When do we ever talk about Josh Morrisy? Well, I was going to bring that up. When do we ever talk about Josh Morris? And I he he’s I I actually I wrote it on my column on cgjob.com on Friday. Josh Morrisy is the quietest star in the National Hockey League. Not the Winnipeg Jets, the National Hockey League. This guy in particular with Samberg out of the lineup. This guy has done everything and more and just, you know, he he he kind of, you know, he walks on a cloud. You don’t see there’s there’s not a great deal of emotion. It’s being efficient, being quiet, being motivated, doing your job. Josh Morrisy does not get enough credit inside the city of Winnipeg, outside the city of Winnipeg, throughout the other 31 cities for being one of the top defenseman in the National Hockey League. He just doesn’t I don’t and I don’t know why, you know. Uh it’s I think a little bit of it is a Winnipeg thing. I think a little bit of I mean just if we’re looking at the last couple years I mean who’s been stealing all the spotlight? It has been Connor Hleabuk and you know I mean I think that kind of diminishes to be honest Heluk’s brilliance of what the team and particularly the defenseman and their number one defenseman have done in front of them. Um and listen points-wise it’s been a little bit of a quiet start. Uh, of course he got that assist on on Monday in the midst Connor I thought did a great job. Like how are we not talking more about him being the franchise assist leader for defenseman. What happened right in the aftermath of the George Springer home run and uh, of course, Jonathan Taves scoring his first goal that everybody was talking about. And I think Josh is just fine with that. But there is a couple of opportunities this year for Josh to to really kind of take that spot and maybe get a little more people talking about them. One is going to be Milan where he almost assuredly would be one of the top six Canadian defensemen. And the other point is a little later on come playoff time where if the Jets can go further than they’ve been before, force people to watch the Winnipeg Jets as uh one of the last teams standing. Uh just a quick thought on this upcoming weekend, John. I know you’ll be talking about it on OB. Seattle, Calgary, and Utah. Three teams, none of them were in the playoffs last year. Seattle’s had a long start. Few nice wins on the road. Calgary really struggling. We saw them Monday. And of course, the Utah Mammoth, who I referred to as the Grizzlies earlier. Shout out to the old IHL. Um, they’re looking good. 5-2, just getting a win over the Colorado Avalanche. I mean, um, a lot of hockey in a short period of time against three teams that, for all different reasons, I think will be very hungry coming in to challenge the Jets at Canada Life Center. Yeah. You know, one of the key things to the start of this season, if you looked at the Jets schedule, was that they they I don’t want to say it was easier, but they were playing teams that didn’t make the playoffs. Yeah. And they and they I think in their hearts, they knew they had to take advantage of of this situation. Uh, and this was one of the weekends you looked at and said, “Okay, like even though Seattle’s been off to a good start, their last two games have not been their best. Calgary is Calgary. Lots of discussion after Monday and lots certainly lots of discussion after Saturday in Vegas. Um, to me, the one to watch is the Utah game because I think I do think that Utah is primed to become a contender, primed to be in the top 16. Uh, and it’s even doubly important when you consider that that is a central division game. So, it’s a four-pointer no matter which way you look at it. And when you look at what they have done and with Sergeev on uh on the back end and all those great young goal scorers up front, um Clayton Keller’s playing pretty well. Uh Dylan Gunther is can shoot the puck. This is a and and JJ Peter has has been pretty good since he got traded from Buffalo. They’re they’re a fun team to watch. Uh at the same time I would say that you know this is an important year in Utah too for the coach and the manager because they’re they are the expectations are high and and they know the pressure they’re on under in order to try to get to that next level. So it’s going to be fun to watch that game against the Jets. Yeah, it certainly will. And they’re in the toughest neighborhood the national and remember how bad remember how bad the Jets were last year in Salt Lake City that he got our Neil swearing. Adam Lowry got Adam Lowry got hurt. The only positive that came out of the Utah game last year was that Morgan Baron got moved back to center and Morgan Baron hasn’t looked back since. Yeah, I mean you he’s day to day. We hope that he’ll be in the lineup tomorrow night against the Kraken. Uh he’s been one of the best stories of the early part portion of this first half a dozen games for the Winnipeg Jets. [Music]

John Shannon @100PercentHockey joins Andrew “Hustler” Paterson on Winnipeg Sports Talk to discuss the Winnipeg Jets’ strong start, led by stars Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Connor Hellebuyck.

They break down Jonathan Toews’ impressive return, his impact in the faceoff circle, the Jets’ newfound center depth, and why this team might be among the NHL’s elite.

Shannon also weighs in on Josh Morrissey’s underrated excellence, the Olympic roster hopes for Scheifele and Connor, and what to expect from upcoming games against Seattle, Calgary, and Utah.

John Shannon joins Winnipeg Sports Talk (00:00)
Jonathan Toews’ comeback and early impact (00:30)
Winnipeg Jets’ new depth down the middle (02:05)
How Toews’ leadership is influencing the team (03:25)
Hellebuyck, Scheifele & Connor driving Winnipeg’s strong start (04:45)
Olympic motivation for Scheifele and Connor (06:10)
Jets’ team chemistry and “family” culture (07:50)
Josh Morrissey: the NHL’s quietest superstar (10:30)
Why Morrissey deserves more recognition (12:00)
Previewing the weekend vs. Seattle, Calgary & Utah (13:05)
Why the Utah matchup could be a measuring stick (14:15)
Final thoughts from Hustler and John Shannon (15:05)

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Follow John Shannon on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jshannonhl

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