One of the most interesting teams to follow this offseason and going into the 2019/20 season is the Winnipeg Jets.
After falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in the first round, the Jets underwent a series of offseason changes to make sure they wouldn't be other the cap come the start of the season.
Gone was 50-point defenceman Jacob Trouba, who was shipped to the Rangers for Neal Pionk and a 1st-round pick; fellow right-shot defenceman Tyler Myers signed a five-year deal with the Vancouver Canucks, Ben Chariot inked a three-year deal in Montreal, while Brandon Tanev landed a mammoth six-year contract.
Restricted free agents Kyle Connor or Patrick Laine have yet to ink extensions, and although the Jets should still be a playoff contender in the Western Conference, the team, on paper, just doesn't have the same makeup as their squads over the last number of years.
Regardless, the team's No. 1 set-up man, Mark Scheifele, feels the team is still unified despite some people saying that the team is ripe for a stepback this season.
"People can claim whatever, but I know we have a tight-knit team."
"We have great guys in our room. And there's no question in my mind about the character we have in our room, the unity that we have."
Scheifele also shot down the rumours that there are internal issues inside the dressing room that could ruin the companionship of the club.
"That other stuff, that's the stuff as a team you block out," Scheifele said. "You know what's going on in your room. Anything extra is a bunch of baloney."
After notching a franchise-record 114 points in 2018-19, the Jets tallied 99 last year and will be in tough in what'll be an extremely competitive Central division with the Blues, Avs, Preds and Stars.
You can read the full 1-on-1 interview with Scheifele below.
