WINNIPEG — Just four games into the season and Kyle Connor is already in mid-season form.
The Winnipeg Jets star winger is tied for second in the NHL with five goals, and his three markers on the power play are threatening the five he scored all last year. He also has a pair of assists, with his seven points putting him top-5 in the NHL.
Connor has helped bring out the best in new linemate Cole Perfetti, who sits right behind with three goals and six points. It took centre Mark Scheifele a few games to find the scoresheet, but his undeniable chemistry with Connor was on full display in Wednesday’s win over the Colorado Avalanche, his night capped by setting up Connor’s game-winner late in the third period.
Scheifele threaded a cross-ice pass through the slot to Connor, who fired a low shot under the blocker of Colorado’s Mackenzie Blackwood. The goal secured the victory and the Jets’ spot atop the Central Division at 3-0-1.
“That was pretty special. Not a lot of guys can make those kinds of plays,” Jets head coach Scott Arniel said. “Your best players need to step up in those type of moments, and those two have done it a lot for us.”
While fans are rightfully marvelling at Winnipeg’s hot start and the stellar play from its top line, it’s starting to feel a bit like a movie we’ve seen before.
It was just last season that a top-heavy Jets squad free-fell to seventh in the Central Division and 26th overall, missing the playoffs entirely. That collapse was only magnified by their Presidents’ Trophy-winning campaign the year prior, which was built on a balanced attack and finding goals up and down the lineup.
Arniel has talked openly about his desire to return as a Stanley Cup contender. While that focuses mainly on improving team defence, the Jets also need a collective effort at the other end of the ice.
Right now, the top line is scoring at a pace that has masked other offensive deficiencies. But they’ve also executed in the offensive zone without sacrificing their defensive responsibilities.
There is no better example than the game-winner against Colorado, which started with sound defensive work in the Jets’ end before transitioning through the neutral zone. Perfetti didn’t get credited for an assist, but without his shoulder check on a defender right before Scheifele’s pass, there might not have been enough space.
“The way the defensive structure looked when Colorado had possession below the dots in our zone, and how we gained possession of that puck and north it went,” said assistant coach Davis Payne, who runs the forwards and power play. “That’s the commitment that gives you a chance to let your skills sort of come through.”
After years playing together, the chemistry between Connor and Scheifele is borderline telepathic. Connor called Scheifele’s vision on the clincher against Colorado similar to possessing a “sixth sense.”
Perfetti has been the main beneficiary, gaining more confidence with each game as he begins the first year of a five-year, US$30-million extension signed over the summer. But earning an opportunity is much different than keeping one, which isn’t always easy when playing with two players who demand the puck.
“Their skill takes over, and you just want to fit in and help them keep producing,” said veteran Alex Iafallo, who has thrived playing on the top line. “Just trying to get them the puck and make good forechecking reads, neutral zone reads, because their speed also helps them get through the neutral zone or stay in the O-zone. You’re just trying to make small, little plays that help push it forward.”
As the top line rounds into form, the other three lines are left playing catch-up.
Most notable is an inexperienced second unit consisting of 18-year-old centre Viggo Bjorck flanked by rookie Isak Rosén and veteran Gabriel Vilardi. After requesting more responsibility during his exit meeting with management in April, Vilardi has been tasked with anchoring linemates with just a combined 60 games of NHL experience — four of which belong to Bjorck, who was drafted eighth overall in June.
While the trio has generated some good looks around the net, they’ve yet to find the back of it. It hasn’t cost the Jets in the standings yet, but the drop-off in play between the top two lines is becoming more and more noticeable.
Asking an 18-year-old to fill such an important role was always going to come with its share of growing pains. Finishing touch aside, there are reasons to believe a breakthrough is only a matter of time.
For now, the coaching staff isn’t reaching for the panic button. Instead, they continue to preach patience.
“We’re still really early on in the process,” Payne said. “We’ve got young guys in there that are sort of learning how this thing works, and we’ve got a group of guys that are learning how to create success together. That sort of team commitment is really strong to this point, and we’re going to continue to lean on all facets of our game.”
Arniel has gone to the line blender a couple of times this season in hopes of creating a spark. He’s kept the top unit mostly intact, but has shifted around the bottom-nine with some promising results.
Sensing his team needed a lift against Pittsburgh, Arniel plucked Iafallo from the fourth line to the third unit, and then swapped Rosén for Morgan Barron on the second trio. The newly created third line of Adam Lowry, Rosén and Iafallo went on to score twice in the third period before Perfetti netted the game-winner.
So far, none of these in-game changes have been made permanent. The Jets are still gaining valuable insight by testing different variations, and drastically overhauling the lines would contradict their message to stay patient.
Iafallo acutely understands the challenges of when a depth chart is constantly shuffled. Considered the club’s Swiss Army knife, he also knows the value of chemistry.
“It’s always changing, which can be tough, but I try to adapt to who I’m playing with,” Iafallo said. “I’ve played with pretty much everybody in this room, so you understand where each guy is going to be. Timing is a big thing.”
Banking points early has created a cushion for when the club’s offence inevitably cools, or the Jets run into a hot goaltender. Improvement on the defensive game has built confidence in tight games, while the steady play from the new tandem of Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson has helped cover up defensive blemishes.
For Skinner, he’s had a front-row seat to it all.
Having witnessed his team gut it out in four consecutive one-goal games, it’s given him a greater appreciation for all the hard work that’s been put in at both ends of the rink.
“It’s been awesome,” Skinner said. “Just the fashion that we’re able to win games, that shows the character in this room. It shows a lot of character, but a lot of experience as well. It’s been a lot of fun seeing how these guys battle every night.”
