Four Jets participated in the Olympics in February: forward Nino Niederreiter (Team Switzerland), defenseman Josh Morrissey (Canada), and Connor and Hellebuyck (USA). As for the rest of the Jets, defenseman Dylan DeMelo said the break was, “really big for our group.”
“Just with how demanding the schedule has been physically, but honestly more so mentally. Your brain is going to tell you, ‘you can’t do it’ before your body does. We were in a real tough grind there mentally, like I’m sure a lot of teams were,” he said.
“We were able to attack it fresh. We changed a few things. I feel like that’s been really implemented in our game and we have a little more speed in our game now. I feel like we’re playing more as a five-man unit on the ice, and I feel like we’re getting results because of it.”
It’s been a long road for the Jets. The journey isn’t done yet but if their current play keeps up, the postseason could beckon again.
It won’t be easy. Of their eight remaining games, only three are at home. All eight are against teams either in playoff position or in a dogfight for a spot, including the Stars on Thursday and at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
“We just said to take care of our own business and that’s what we’re trying to do. We’ve got ourselves here, but we can’t take our foot off the gas. It doesn’t get any easier in going into Dallas and then Columbus, so a lot of heavy lifting still to go,” coach Scott Arniel said. “We have got to make sure that we continue to do those things that keep us in games and that gives us a chance to win.”