WINNIPEG – Motivation comes in many forms, and when you’re an NHLer who hails from, or even close to, the centre of the hockey universe, finding a way to try to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs has a certain incentive attached to it.
No, there is no banner for being the best team in Canada or anything other than the two points in the standings available in Thursday’s marquee matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and the Maple Leafs. The game can be seen on SN NOW Premium starting at 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET.
But that doesn’t mean there won’t be any significance attached to what will be the second and final meeting of the regular season between the two Canadian teams near the top of the standings in their respective conferences.
There is certainly some residue left over for these two teams that faced off 10 times during the pandemic-shortened season in the all-Canadian – ahem – North Division battle for supremacy.
When you see a team that often in a short span of time, it’s natural for there to be lingering bad feelings, even if the turnover on each roster is substantial.
As Jets centre Mark Scheifele spoke to reporters in Etobicoke, Ont., after a rare practice at the Ford Performance Centre, he was once again asked about the viral video of him addressing his teammates in the locker room on Dec. 5, 2021, when he boldly exclaimed, “Hey, boys, is there anything better than beating the Leafs?”
“Obviously, they get a lot of attention, nationally, and rightfully so,” Scheifele told reporters. “They have a lot of fantastic players that are fun to watch. But for me, a Kitchener kid from an hour down the road, I always get my friends and family to come to the game. To beat the Leafs, it feels great. Obviously, every win feels great, but to beat a team a lot of my buddies root for is a good feeling.”
That Scheifele is still discussing 13 months later a harmless clip that was taken far more seriously than intended tells you all you need to know about the intensity of a rivalry that was prevalent long before the heat was turned up during the 2020 season that saw both of those teams knocked out in consecutive rounds by the Montreal Canadiens.
Just imagine where things would stand if those teams had met in the second round, with a spot in the conference final on the line.
Alas, this isn’t a column on revisionist history.
For the record, trying to defeat the Maple Leafs is not what the Jets consider to be their Stanley Cup, though trying to knock off a team many view as a contender does represent part of the daily rigours of an 82-game season.
Much like the Maple Leafs – who will once again attempt to move beyond the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2004 with legacies at stake and jobs on the line – the Jets have grander goals in mind.
They’ve never made it past the Western Conference final and there’s plenty of urgency on that front this season, given the current landscape and the uncertainty regarding the future of multiple core pieces who can become pending unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2024 (barring a series of contract extensions).
Being the top team in Canada during the regular season could represent a nice talking point, but the Jets want to be the last team standing.
"It's a cool thing to say, but at the end of the day, it's another game,” said Scheifele. “We want to be our best, and if we play our best, we know we can be at the top of the standings. That's our focus."
Outside of Friday’s tidy 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Jets haven’t been at their best as often as they’d like of late, which is why head coach Rick Bowness shook up his lines during Wednesday’s workout, tweaking the top lines and bumping rookie Cole Perfetti onto a unit with Adam Lowry and Saku Maenalanen.
That leaves Scheifele alongside Nikolaj Ehlers and Morgan Barron, while Blake Wheeler moves onto a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kyle Connor.
The fourth unit featured Kevin Stenlund between Karson Kuhlman and Sam Gagner, a healthy scratch during the past two games – leaving Axel Jonsson-Fjallby as the extra forward, barring any changes in the morning.
“I’m not happy with the last five games, I’m not happy with the way those lines looked. So, we’re going to change it up. It’s as simple as that,” Bowness told reporters. “I missed all of that Canadian Division year. I remember watching it closely, but look, they’re a great hockey club. (Maple Leafs head coach) Sheldon (Keefe) has done a wonderful job building a very tough team to play against defensively – and obviously, they can score.
“We’ve taken pride all year in being a hard team to play against now. We want to get back to being the team that we know we can be, which is (being) very hard to play against, and hopefully that's going to show itself (Thursday) night, which should be a great hockey game. Two great hockey teams from Canada going head-to-head, you’ve got to love it, man.”
Gagner got his first taste of the rivalry back in late October, when the Maple Leafs earned a convincing 4-1 win on a Saturday night – where the Jets scored first before giving up four unanswered.
Having the opportunity to go head-to-head with childhood friend John Tavares is something Gagner always enjoys.
“We’ve played a lot together and a lot of games against each other, too. A lot of games on the backyard rink growing up,” Gagner told reporters. “We’re certainly competitive every time we get on the ice together.”
That’s a common theme for many combatants who will hit the ice on Thursday.
You can be assured that Dubois will be keeping tabs on Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews as often as Bowness is able to get him on the ice against him.
Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey will also be under the spotlight, since a trip to Toronto represents an opportunity to go up against the likes of Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Co. – and also a chance to bolster his case for Norris Trophy consideration.
Speaking of the Jets in the discussion for hardware, goalie Connor Hellebuyck is sure to be ready to showcase his stuff in what will be his 35th start out of 46 Jets games.
For as much fun as it is to see where the next twists and turns of this matchup might go, this rivalry isn’t about to take on the historical importance of the Battle of Alberta, that much is clear.
But if both of these hockey clubs continue on the path they’re on during the stretch run, perhaps they’ll meet one day on a stage where the stakes are much higher.
Should that occur, you can bet the intensity will reach new heights and leave a lasting impression on everyone involved.
Not to mention provide each fan base with ammunition when it comes to out-of-context quotes, potential bulletin-board material, highlight-reel goals, spectacular saves and ultimately, bragging rights.
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