Bowness challenges Jets to find motivation as playoff spot hangs in balance

ANAHEIM, Calif. — That the topic of motivation — or self-motivation, to be more specific — is a topic of conversation for the Winnipeg Jets with 10 games left in the regular season is a serious head-scratcher.

But to borrow the words of Jets head coach Rick Bowness, "here we are."

As the Jets were preparing to hop on a plane bound for Anaheim, Calif., where the Jets will open a three-game road trip against the Ducks on Thursday, Bowness found himself in the middle of a somewhat unexpected back-and-forth.

While the veteran bench boss started the conversation by saying he needed to do more to get more out of his players, Bowness couldn't prevent the truth serum from dripping out as he stood at the podium.

His honesty is appreciated by members of the media, but the fact this is a talking point with the Jets in the midst of a playoff push has to be considered an indictment to some of his players, at least to a certain degree.

How many other teams currently fighting for — or holding on to — a wild card spot are talking about the need to get up for games?

If the Jets are struggling to find motivation at this stage of the season, especially given the circumstances they’re facing, what chance do they have to compete in the post-season, provided they hold off the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators?

Even Bowness seemed perplexed when pressed on the matter.

“That’s what we’re dealing with,” Bowness told reporters back in Winnipeg on Wednesday morning. “That’s part of our job, is to stay on top of them and to keep pushing them and don't let them get into a comfort zone and don't let them back off. Sometimes you're doing that and you’re not even aware you're doing it. So it has to be shown, has to be talked to, has to be addressed. We'll keep pushing, and then the rest is on them.

“If we were allowing this and just not addressing that they can do more, that’s one thing. But we are addressing it, and now that next step, that has to come from them.”

The Jets are coming off a 2-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes and the game was a tale of two games within 60 minutes of action — another thing that’s been perplexing for Bowness and the coaching staff to deal with during this stretch that has included just six wins in the past 18 outings as the Jets slipped to 40-29-3.

“Well, most important thing is to get in,” said Bowness. “And just as important, is playing the right way at the right time. Last night is a perfect example. We had two great periods and a bad period. We’ve been in the game, but you gotta be honest about how you played it. We’re not going to walk away and say, '2-1, that’s great,' that’s not what we’re doing.

“Yeah, we won the game, we needed to win, we got it — that’s the best news. But you have to play a lot better for 60 minutes than we did last night. We've beaten some pretty good teams here lately by playing the right way. There's times we seem like we're right back on track — like two periods last night — then the second period we just go back to careless habits.”

It turns out those careless habits have been tough to break for a Jets team that’s clearly still searching to find its identity in the heart of the stretch drive.

“We do whatever we have to do to win these games right now,” said Bowness. “At the same time, being honest in our appraisal of how we played the game and continue to work on and address the areas that are of concern.”

So where are the players at in terms of taking that honest assessment?

“They should be used to it by now. We’ve been doing it all year, we take an honest assessment of every game, win or lose,” said Bownesss. “Sometimes you win and play poorly and you’ll have to address it, and sometimes you play great and lose. So we’ve been honest with our assessment of how we played every game, so they should be used to it by now.”

Being used to it is one thing, but are the Jets players being honest with themselves in those assessments?

“Yup. And I’ve said this before, the players know when we’re playing, what we look like — who we are. They know that,” said Bowness. “That’s why the honest assessment of how we're playing comes into play. That second period, is that who we are? Is that what we look like when we're playing well? There's not a chance.

“Take the first and the third: is that who we are? Is that how we play? Yeah, it is. Creating more offence that way.”

This is another one of the issues that make the Jets such an enigma.

There are times when clicking on all cylinders when they look like they could have the pieces to go on a playoff run. And there are others when it looks like they belong in the lottery.

Where that leaves them come the middle of April is anyone's guess.

“This is the group we have. Our job is to make sure that they know what we look like and how we're supposed to play,” said Bowness. “Now, the commitment to do that for 60 minutes has to come from them. So if we're sitting there patting them on the back, up to the second, the coaches are wrong. So we address it and what we always do is we move on.”