Another National Hockey League marathon is upon us and the Winnipeg Jets spiced up the mood before they even dropped the puck, signing Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck to seven-year contract extensions. And who better to break it all down than our all-knowing Two Hens In The Hockey House? Take it away, ladies…
Question Lady: “Well, girlfriend, most of us thought the Jets would be dealing with an elephant in the room—make that two elephants in the room—from the opening faceoff until the trade deadline next March, so Puck Pontiff Mark Chipman and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff fooled a lot of people when they convinced Scheifele and Hellebuyck to scratch their signatures on contracts that keep them in Good Ol’ Hometown for the duration. What’s your take on the deals?”
Answer Lady: “That the Puck Pontiff and Chevy didn’t learn a damn thing from their Blake Wheeler experience.”
Question Lady: “You don’t like what the Jets are selling?”
Answer Lady: “It’s Blake Wheeler all over again. They hitched their wagon to Wheels in 2018 by giving him a five-year extension. At age 32! That was their Stanley Cup window. And how did it work out? His numbers dwindled, the team imploded, the ‘C’ was stripped from his jersey, and they had to buy their way out of his unmovable contract. Now they’ve gone down that same rabbit hole with Scheifele and Hellebuyck. I mean, seven-year extensions for two 30-year-olds? Do the math. It isn’t going to end well.”
Question Lady: “You’re probably right about that, but isn’t this a clear indication that the Jets are in win-now mode?”
Answer Lady: “Win what now? Have you taken a look at their roster? Does that make you want to book a day off work for a Stanley Cup parade? The Jets are no better today than they were before Scheifele and Hellebuyck took a long swig of the Kool-Aid and signed those extensions. It’s essentially the same outfit that crashed and burned in the back half of last season, then surrendered quite meekly vs. Vegas in the playoffs, then bitched a blue streak about head coach Rick Bowness. Have you forgotten that stuff?”
Question Lady: “Not at all, but I don’t think we should look at it like the Jets are opening an eight-year Scheifele/Hellebuyck window. Shouldn’t the focus be on the present, since both those guys are in their prime now? Scheifele is coming off a career high in goals, 42.”
Answer Lady: “Ya, and there’s also a rumor that he actually skated into the defensive end of the ice once or twice last season, although there’s no video evidence to support it. But your point is well taken. Forty-two goals is 42 goals is 42 goals. Just a reminder, though, that it was also the first time since 2016 that the Rink Rat failed to deliver a point a game. It was his lowest points-per-game average (0.84) since 2015. So the question is: Was that the first hint of his inevitable 30something decline?”
Question Lady: “Are you writing him off? Are you saying he’s already reached his best-before date?”
Answer Lady: “Not at all. No doubt Scheifele still has plenty of good tread on the tires, but I direct your attention to Wheeler once again. After his extension kicked in, his production went into a tailspin, from 91 points to a low of 55 in an 82-game crusade. As the age goes north, the numbers go south unless you’re a freak, and I’ve never thought of Scheifele as freakish. He’s a Rink Rat, but not a freak. Look, I said the Wheeler contract was stupid at the time because of the term, and I’m saying the same about the Scheifele and Hellebuyck deals. The term is stupid. It makes no sense.”
Question Lady: “The money’s okay, though?”
Answer Lady: “Well, $8.5 million per year is a lot of coin, but it seems to be the going rate in today’s market. I’m not sure what the Jets will be getting for their $8.5 mill in 2031, but I’m guessing they’ll be paying one or both of them to not play before then. Which is why the term is as dumb as the Wheeler contract. Maybe dumber.
“It boggles the mind that the Puck Pontiff and Chevy would make the same blunder again. But I can’t say I’m surprised. I recall what Chevy said at the trade deadline last March: ‘If you look at all the different components as to why you think you should be able to compete for a Stanley Cup, I think we’ve got it.’ At the time, I thought he actually believed his own bluster. But if that were true, why did he and the Puck Pontiff unload Wheeler? Why does Pierre-Luc Dubois now have a Hollywood zip code? If the pieces were already in place, why change the pieces? Because Chevy didn’t believe it then, and he doesn’t believe it now. He believes in mediocrity, of sneaking into the playoffs. Ditto the Puck Pontiff.”
Question Lady: “So you think there should have been a bigger overhaul?”
Answer Lady: “Absolutely. This core has run its course. We’ll never know what the return would have been in barter for Scheifele and/or Hellebuyck, but we do know that hope has been put on hold because ownership/management sees something that isn’t there.”
Question Lady: “What do you see this season?”
Answer Lady: “A bubble team. But, hey, maybe they’ll finally end a crusade without bitching at, and about, each other and the coach. I suppose that would indicate progress.”
Question Lady: “What do you say we have a natter again at the Christmas break?”
Answer Lady: “That works for me, girlfriend. I’m good as long as it doesn’t interfere with Black Friday next month.”
The River City Renegade 
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