It is generally believed, most of the time rightly, that the same ingredients, when mixed together, will result in the same dish. The Winnipeg Jets are demonstrating that the opposite is possible.
The roster that defeated the Arizona Coyotes last Sunday night was pretty much the same as last year. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, the team’s rock in net, was in charge. All six uniformed defensemen were part of the organization in 2021-22, as were seven of 12 forwards, including five members of the top 6.
Do not look for drastic changes in the workforce, there have been none. The coaching staff has certainly been renewed. But according to the latest news, it’s not them who score the goals.
It is nevertheless the best team of the Western Association which will face the Canadian, in Montreal, this Tuesday evening. And not the one who missed the playoffs by eight good points last season.
During the Jets’ previous visit to the metropolis, for an exhibition game at the end of September, Pierre-Luc Dubois said that, although management had kept his team almost intact, he expected results. different. You could smile and wonder where he was going with that.
Let’s be good players and give the striker his due. Because he was right.
“Even last year, we knew we had a good team,” he said on Monday on the sidelines of a press conference during which he associated his name with a foundation helping to disadvantaged young people.
“We realized that when things aren’t going well, things can go downhill quickly,” he continued. The race for the playoffs is decreasing more and more: when there are 20 games left, you can have a 2% chance of making the playoffs. This year, we arrived with a little more confidence, in great shape, with new coaches. And we wanted to prove to the world that we were a good team, that it was not just us who thought it. »
From words to deeds
Dubois, first and foremost, moved from words to deeds. With 49 points in his first 44 games, he is in a good position to beat his career-high 61 points in a full season. If he doesn’t ring the bell, the bar of 90 points will be accessible to him.
“It’s a long season, he warned several times. I still have a lot to accomplish individually. But I think it’s going in the right direction. »
Even if he feels that it did not appear “statistically” last season, although he amassed 60 points, he believes he has reached “another level”, if only “mentally”. He feels better able to tackle one of the most persistent challenges facing all athletes, that of consistency. “Knowing what it takes, every night, to perform well,” he says. These are questions I have been asking myself since the beginning of my career. »
Obviously, he seems to have found some answers. Last season, he had points in 45 of the 81 games he played – a ratio of 55.6%. Since the start of this campaign, he has scored almost three out of four nights – 72.7%, or 32 of 44.
“I think I have taken a step to move on to the next stage,” he concluded.
Not the only one
Dubois, in fact, is far from the only one to have moved up a gear. Kyle Connor can dream of a 100-point season. Forward Cole Perfetti, with 26 points, is second among league rookies. Connor Hellebuyck has regained his place among the best in his profession.
But no one on the whole team exploded like Josh Morrissey. With 38 games left to play, the defender has already beaten his personal best by a sizable mark. It is used in all situations, both offensive and defensive. We knew he was good, but at this point? It makes you wonder what he ate during the summer.
“If I knew, I would eat it too,” laughed Dubois, adding that in this season when the Jets no longer have a captain – the “C” has been removed from Blake. Wheeler – Morrissey was among the players who took it upon themselves to lead by example. “He does everything on the ice, summed up the Quebecer. It’s fun to play with, and it’s fun to watch. »
In fact, it’s all the players on this team who seem to be having a great time. It is difficult to separate this phenomenon from the arrival of head coach Rick Bowness.
The oldest head coach in the NHL, the 67-year-old veteran arrived disarmingly calm at training camp. “It’s going to be fine” would probably sum up his message pretty well. This slogan has been undermined by the pandemic. This time it came to fruition.
“He had no stress,” recalls Dubois. He showed us videos from last year, good things we did. It calmed the players down. We realized we could have a good season. And we are first in the west. »
What more ? Not much, probably.
(Re)launch of the Pierre-Luc Dubois Foundation
If Pierre-Luc Dubois wears the look of a management graduate in the photo that caps this article, it is because he had invited members of the Montreal media on Monday, it was to launch the foundation that bears his name. .
“Relaunch” would probably be the right word: although the 24-year-old skater had already taken over from the Vincent Lecavalier Foundation before the COVID-19 pandemic, it is only today that the organization can really promote its activities and thus raise funds.
The Foundation will lend pieces of hockey equipment free of charge to underprivileged young people identified by the province’s school system, whether they are part of organized leagues or not. Dubois said he has long wanted to give back to his community. He notably recalled that, when he was very young, when he lived in Rimouski, he spent all his evenings on the local outdoor rink, where he rubbed shoulders with opponents of all calibers and from all walks of life.
“What I liked the most was that all the young people had a smile. We were just happy to play, even though it was minus 30 outside. At the same time, the Foundation launched its new website, which contains all the information for making donations.