The acquisition of center Sean Monahan, acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in a trade last week, pleased the Winnipeg Jets' colormen, who see in this trade a real commitment from management to give them all the tools they need to to win a Stanley Cup.
The veteran's presence, sent to Manitoba for a first-round pick in the next draft and a conditional third-round selection in 2027, will add bite to an offense that has totaled 148 goals this season. For comparison, the Jets' overall performance is much lower than that of the Colorado Avalanche (191) and the Dallas Stars (183), holders of the first two tiers of the Central Section of the National Hockey League.
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Already well-served by goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who mostly shut the door on opponents, the Jets were looking to bolster their attack while improving their chances of going far in the playoffs.
“Everyone is watching what is happening elsewhere in the league to examine the actions of competitors. “Especially when you see clubs that you are fighting against and that are improving, you want to emulate them,” defender Brenden Dillon told the daily newspaper “Winnipeg Sun.”
“In addition to the ups and downs of our training, we also had to deal with injuries. “But we’ve put ourselves in a good position and it’s really nice to be rewarded like that,” he also said.
Stay in control at the right time
As a result, head coach Rick Bowness' troops can count on their new addition starting with Tuesday's clash against the Pittsburgh Penguins. If everything goes according to plan, this will continue to be the case for the rest of the season, which could earn them even more points in the standings. However, the decisive factor for the evaluation by the audience and staff will be the performance in the qualification.
“There is still a lot of hockey to be played and honestly the playoffs are all that will matter, especially in a Canadian market. Everyone wants us to go a long way. “It’s not just about playing in the postseason, it’s about going far,” Hellebuyck said.
“The rest of the campaign will allow us to focus on the details and ensure we are on the right track come the evening. We have 35 games ahead of us,” he added.