Who deserves most credit for Jets hot start?

Who deserves most credit for Jets hot start?

Five straight wins, battling for first overall yet again. So, what’s going on with the Jets? Let’s head to Winnipeg to bring in our newest member of our team, Danielle Bane. Danielle, how nice is it to start a new job where you can report so much good news on a daily basis about a team. Gino, it feels a little too good to be true. Coming into a new place, the team’s rolling, everyone’s so nice. I mean, it says friendly Manitoba on the license plates, and I came here, and that was true. Seems a little too good to be true. But you know what? Can’t complain. Things are rolling. The vibes around the team are amazing. And I was just in the locker room. Everyone’s smiling. Everyone’s having a good time. The Jays are going to the World Series. So, so far so good in Winnipeg. Dino, life is good, especially for Mark Shley right now. Tied for the league leading goals, top six in scoring overall. He’s been awesome. Who else deserves credit for such a great start for the Jets this year? Well, Gino, I’m glad you mentioned Mark Schiffley because of course he’s been on a heater. Seven goals like you said, and he’s just been off to an amazing start. But if I do have to give some credit to some other guys on the team or around the organization, I just got to say it’s the stars being stars. And they’ve really stepped up in the absence of a couple key members of this team who are out due to injury, which we will get into a little bit later. But, you know, it’s the stars doing star things and using their star power like Kyle Connor and Gabe Valardi on that top line with Mark Shley. I think they’ve combined now for 23 points. So, they’re really bringing this team over the edge when they need those wins. And then, of course, Connor Hleabuk, you know, just doing what he does best. He did have that shaky start against Dallas in game one. But, you know what? Ever since then, he’s been rock solid. I think in almost every start that he’s had, except one, he’s faced more than 30 shots. So, he’s had more than 30 saves. He’s looking like his old self again. You know, the guys around the room are always giving him props for what he’s doing. So, I definitely have to give credit to the stars. Speaking of hitting stride, how about Jonathan Taves? Four points in his last four games, including his first goal as a Jet on Monday night. You talked to him a lot. How’s he feeling about the way his game is now rounding back into form after so much time away from the game, Danielle? Well, you said it right there, Gino. So much time away from the game. There were so many question marks ahead of this season on how Jonathan Taves would do and no one is a harder critic on Jonathan Taves than himself. And he has such high expectations for himself. So to see where his game’s at right now, I think he has really exceeded expectations, especially by being away from the game for so many years. And you know, he got that first goal. He got the monkey off his back, so to say, in that game against Calgary. A really key goal, that tip in front of the net, you know, that tied things up. And you could see that wasn’t just a celebration of, you know what, this is my first goal of the season. That was a celebration of, you know what, that’s my first goal since being away from the game for over two years. And it means so much to him. You can see like he after games and after practices when he’s speaking to us, he mentions how much it means to him. You saw his parents come for the home opener. They were at the morning skate saying how nervous they were and how much this all means to them and their family. And you know, I’m curious to know from your end, Gino, how do you think he’s looked so far? I think he’s looked great. I I I thought it would take some time. Honestly, I thought it would take more time than this. I think he’s actually ahead of the curve. Uh you mentioned something, Danielle, that I want to follow up on, and that’s injuries. The Jets are doing all this right now without some key bodies. Cole Perfetti has been out with an ankle injury that he suffered in the preseason. Dylan Samberg broke his wrist in the preseason. Madam Lowry recovering from the offseason hip surgery. What’s the latest on those fronts? Is anybody getting close there? Okay, so glad you asked this because some key signs for the Jets is that their captain, Adam Lowry, is skating with the team again. He is in the non-cont yellow jersey, but he’s been taking part in those full practices with his teammates. So, he is really trending towards a return. He had that offseason hip surgery and was scheduled to come back beginning of November. Once we talked to coaches, um, they said, you know, end of October, early November is what they’re targeting for Lowry. So, that’s going to be pretty key. And then you have those other two, Dylan Samberg and Cole Perfetti. They’re more of a mid November to late November return with those injuries. But things are trending in the right direction. And hearing from all the different guys, you know, they’re actually really, really impressed with how the team has stepped up in the absence of those guys. One of those major areas, the penalty kill. you know, two of their best penalty killers are out of the lineup right now, and the PK has still gone 26 for 27. It’s at the top of the league. So, guys are really stepping up and head coach Scott O’Neal has said that it’s about two key things. Everyone being on the same page and really keying into that anticipation and knowing where guys are going to be out there. So, he’s really like the way that things are looking. And the team can only get better when those three guys get back on the ice. And you know what else helps the penalty kill? The goalending. And after giving up five in his first start of the season, Hellbuck’s only given up six total goals over his last fourame winning streak. What are you hearing from the reigning VZNA and MVP winner so far? Well, he’s just looked rock solid ever since that first game. We talked a little bit about him off the top here, but he has been incredible and all of his teammates say constantly after every single win, you know, couldn’t have done this one without Bucky, you know, couldn’t have done this one without Hely. And he’s just been incredible. And Josh Morsy did say today, you know, one of the reasons the PK’s been so good, yes, everyone’s being on the same page, sticks are good, this and that, but he said that classic answer, the best pKer has to be your goalender, and it’s happening. So, he’s that type of guy that has been relied upon, you know, his entire time in Winnipeg. And that’s going to continue to happen here for Connor Hobbuk, for sure. Danielle, great job. This has been a lot of fun. Look forward to a lot more of these chats throughout the rest of the season. Thanks a lot, Gino. Can’t wait.

Flying out of the gates to a 5-1-0 start to the season, the Jets sit two points behind the Avs for first in the Central. What has been the secret to Winnipeg’s success, and who deserves the most credit? TSN’s Danielle Bain joins Gino Reda with more.