Jets' Ladd on pessimistic predictions: 'They don't really mean anything'
In the eyes of many, the Winnipeg Jets will enter the 2014-15 NHL season without much of a hope of taking off in the NHL's Central Division. But according to captain Andrew Ladd, the overt pessimism surrounding his team's chances will only fuel their desire to prove people wrong.
As per the Free Press:
You learn that they are predications and until you start playing games and see where you're at from that standpoint, they don't really mean anything. It's just a bunch of chatter that everybody likes to talk about in the summer when there's nothing else going on. I think as a group we can use it as motivation to tell each other that no one's really giving us a chance and there's nothing wrong with that.
The sentiment is echoed by forward Blake Wheeler.
"The great thing about it is that everyone starts at the same point," Wheeler added. "It's a great opportunity for us to try to get off to a better start than we've had in the past.
"I think our team is motivated, not just wins or losses, but we're trying to prepare ourselves to get off to a good start. The preparation is what it's really all about this year. The rest will take care of itself."
Wheeler led the Jets in scoring in 2013-14 with 69 points (28 goals, 41 assists), while Ladd ranked fourth with 23 goals and 31 helpers to his credit.
The club finished seven points out of a playoff spot, but showed improvement under new head coach Paul Maurice, who promises a hard training camp. The Central has only improved over the summer, and the Jets remain in tough to move up the standings, regardless of their motivation level.