Jets Were Open to Trading Mark Scheifele, He Talks Odd Summer

Mark Scheifele is slated to be back with the Winnipeg Jets this coming season. For a period of time this summer, that didn’t feel like a lock as his comments following last season and his desire to ask management some “tough questions” led a number of fans and media members to the assumption that he wasn’t long for staying and that a trade might be on the horizon.

Scheifele is a good player, but things haven’t exactly gone as according to plan in Winnipeg. A team that was considered one of the young, up-and-coming squads in the NHL, many believed that franchise had the tools to make a run. Not only have they not done so, but their former coach also bailed part way through the season and players are starting to leave, with more rumored to follow. The Scheifele speculation garnered much attention, but there was also a lot of chatter surrounding Pierre-Luc Dubois, who refused to sign a long-term deal, electing instead to ink a one-year contract worth $6 million.

Murat Ates of The Athletic took a look at the Scheifele and Dubois situation and noted in a recent article that the Jets were actually open to moving Scheifele if Dubois had chosen to commit to the team. He explains:

If the Jets had Dubois locked up long-term, there is a chance that they would have shopped star scorer Mark Scheifele. Scheifele looked disengaged defensively last season and sounded deeply frustrated when the season was over. He’s also set to become a 31-year-old UFA in 2024 and a pricey one at that, given that he’s scored at least a point per game in each of his last six seasons.

Related: Mark Scheifele Hasn’t Officially Asked Jets For Trade

He goes on to say that the Jets need a plan for their centers but doesn’t expand on what happens with Scheifele if Dubois looks to be leaving. Should Dubois continue to sign short-term deals and force his way out of Winnipeg, do the Jets recommit to Scheifele? Do they look to him to change his attitude and motivate him to be an integral part of what they’re doing there?

Scheifele Speaks About His Comments

Scheifele sat down with Sara Orlesky and noted that he felt bad that so many people misinterpreted his comments about the direction of the team. He said he was confident he was coming back but when the media ran with what he’d said, he then started to second-guess where he sat with the organization. He simply wanted to talk hockey with management, “literally until the headlines started.”

Scheifele fully admits the season didn’t go as he wanted it to and he could have handled things a bit better. There were times he liked his own game and the team’s effort level, but times he didn’t. He believes the adversity will make their team better overall.

He’s excited about new head coach Rick Bowness coming and said he’s heard nothing but great things about Bowness as a human being. He’s excited to talk to him about hockey and what the strategy is for the team this coming year.

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