Veteran Niederreiter says this year's Jets have more pilots than 'passengers'
It was just over a year ago when Nino Niederreiter made a frank assessment of the Winnipeg Jets.
The veteran forward said there were too many "passengers" on the team as it was fighting to grab the second wild-card spot for the 2023 Western Conference playoffs.
Flip the calendar to this season and there are a lot of pilots to take the controls.
"We need to have a full team going to be successful," Niederreiter said after Winnipeg's morning skate Tuesday.
"The team-first mentality and buying into our system and go from there, I think that's something we did a lot better job of this year. We're more consistent than last year -- and that's why we are where we are right now."
A group effort was required ahead of Tuesday's Game 2 as the Jets aimed to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven opening-round series against the Colorado Avalanche
Winnipeg hung on for a 7-6 victory in Sunday's Game 1 at Canada Life Centre.
Last season, the Jets won the first game of their opening-round playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights but dropped the next four and were knocked out.
Winnipeg defenceman Brenden Dillon says there's been a different vibe around the team this season.
"It's just a way better, more positive feeling than last year," he said.
The Jets snapped a six-game losing streak late in the regular season and surged with eight consecutive wins to finish the campaign.
"Between the coaches' messaging, between us as teammates' messaging, everyone was just, we know how good of a team we are, we know that we've been here before and we've got to be mature about this and stop it before it snowballs," Dillon said.
The players were dialed in ahead of Game 2.
"The mood is definitely very great in the room, but we all know we've got to be so much better than we were in Game 1," Niederreiter said.
"They kind of outplayed us for most of the game and we found the way to keep getting the lead and found a way to expose their goalie a little bit. We did a good job of it, but we all know it's going to be a whole different game."
BOOST FROM CAPTAIN
Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog was on the ice for Tuesday's morning skate with his teammates, but he was wearing a hoodie and sweatpants and not participating in drills
Landeskog is still recovering from cartilage replacement surgery in his right knee last May and there's no timeline for his return to action.
His presence around the team is still invaluable.
"It's just fun to have him in the room with everybody," Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon said. "He's such a great person, great leader.
"He's definitely giving us good insight. He's kind of like a coach right now."
Injuries have kept Landeskog from playing since June 2022, when Colorado won the Stanley Cup.
Speaking of that Cup victory, MacKinnon was candid about where the Avalanche are now compared to that skilful team.
"I'm not sure we'll ever be on as good of a team as we were in '22, but we're still good enough to win in this room and excited for the challenge (Tuesday) night," he said.
GOALIE SWITCH
Alexandar Georgiev was scheduled to start again for Colorado on Tuesday, backed up by Ivan Prosvetov, recalled from the American Hockey League's Colorado Eagles late Monday afternoon. Goalie Arvid Holm was reassigned to the Eagles.
Colorado regular backup netminder Justus Annumen remains out with an illness.
Prosvetov got into 11 games for the Avalanche during the regular season, registering a 4-3-1 record with a 3.16 goals-against average and .895 save percentage.
Avalanche defenceman Samuel Girard was listed as a game-time decision.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Princess Anne to take part in B.C. ceremony bringing new ship into Pacific fleet
Western Canada's first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel will officially be brought into the Pacific fleet today and Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles, is scheduled to take part in its commissioning ceremony.
NEW Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake recorded west of Vancouver Island
A 4.8-magnitude earthquake was reported west of Vancouver Island Thursday evening.
More than half of Canadians say freedom of speech is under threat, new poll suggests
A new poll suggests a majority of Canadians feel their right to freedom of speech is in danger.
How falling for a stranger she met on a beach led this woman to ditch the U.S. for the French Riviera
Niki Benjamin, from the U.S., had travelled to a paradise island to do some soul searching, and her life ended up going in a very different direction when her dog ran up to a stranger.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Feds giving Toronto more than $104M to host 2026 FIFA World Cup
The federal government will provide Toronto just over $104 million in funding to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Police clear encampments as U.S. campus arrests exceed 2,300 amid pro-Palestinian protests
Police ordered pro-Palestinian protesters to clear out of a tent encampment at New York University early Friday, a move that follows weeks of demonstrations and police confrontations at college campuses nationwide that have resulted in more than 2,300 arrests.
Wally, the emotional support alligator once denied entry to a baseball game, is missing
Emotional support animal registrations in the United States reached 115,832 last year, by an industry group’s count. But in the eyes of reptile rescuer Joie Henney, there’s only one: 'Wally Gator.'