WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
It was an up and down year for Sean Croft and his Winnipeg Jets. After a decent pre-season, the year started off lukewarm, yet the Jets found themselves in a wildcard spot. A run of 14-18-4 put all of their dreams to an end, as they were unable to catch up to the rest of the Western Conference. The team lost their last 6 games, and currently hold the #10 overall pick in the NsHL Entry Draft next month. Their AsHL Affiliate, the St. John's IceCaps were a completely different story during the regular season. They finished with a record of 62-12-8, yet amazingly were the third best team in the AsHL this season. They were viewed as a contender for the league title.
Then, the unimaginable happened: swept. We were able with Sean Croft this morning in regards to the state of the Winnipeg Jets.
JT: Why were the IceCaps swept, in your opinion?
SC: Jake Allen is an NsHL talent. He's got a ton of skill and he's a tough guy to beat. Obviously, he was a huge factor. Mike McComish is lucky to have both him and Mrazek in the system. They are gonna be tough for a long time. I also think we were just burned out. The end of our season wasn't as strong as the first three quarters. I think the guys just got tired, and obviously it followed them into the post season.
JT: Are you still happy with what you guys were able to accomplish this season?
SC: We had a fantastic year. We really played very hard and saw a lot of growth. With that said, we all had a goal in our mind. We had a team good enough to win a title, and to not get a win in the first round is something that will sit on all of us for this entire summer.
JT: On to the Jets, it's another top 10 pick. How do you feel about the progress you made this season?
SC: Obviously you can't do worse than worst so anything better than #30 in the league was an improvement. We jumped up 10 spots in the league, which, for what it was, is pretty good. You tend to see these rebuilding teams linger in the top five for a few years before they start to make up ground. For us to move that much, it's great to see.
JT: It seems like you have, at the very least, a top three in terms of offense, but how close do you believe you are to a top six?
SC: I think we are almost there. Branden Gallagher and Brock Nelson are talented kids. I think this year was tough for them. They were back and forth between the AsHL and NsHL. They flourished on one level, struggled at the next. They are still developing though, so you need to be patient. My hope is that with the right amount of attention and practice, that they can both make a case for the top six next year.
JT: Travis Zajac is in the final year of his contract next season. There have been rumors for over a year that he would be moved. Is there any chance you move him next month at the draft?
SC: No. Travis Zajac is a Jet, please let's move on from this. Not to get on your case but I'm tired of answering this question.
JT: Between the lackluster season the Jets had, in addition to the first round sweep of the IceCaps, have you considered a coaching change?
SC: No. We're very happy with Paul and Ted. With the organization still in flux, so to speak, I don't think it would be fair to blame either one of them.
JT: What personnel changes are coming?
SC: It's been brought to our attention that both Evgeny Nabakov and Sheldon Souray are retiring, and Ryan Jones sounds like he's Europe bound. He wants the opportunity to play at the highest level he can, and if that's where he believe his best choice is, then good for him. He always has a spot here with us, and we'd love to have him back, which he knows.
JT: What kind of activity can we expect from the Jets this offseason?
SC: You can expect us to continue to build our prospect pool at the draft, that's for sure. We'll also look to improve some of our depth. Obviously, we want to give our guys from St John's the chance to prove what they are worth, but if the opportunity to make a trade or add a free agent comes around, we certainly would investigate anything that makes our team better right now.
JT: And by right now you're implying what?
SC: We aren't subtracting talent, we are adding it.
Jay Trotter
Jet Fuel
