Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele has recorded 100 points in a season for the first time in his career and has also become the first player in the Jets 2.0 era to accomplish the feat.
Scheifele hit triple digits in Monday night’s 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, tallying the secondary assist on a third-period Gabriel Vilardi power-play goal.
Scheifele then set the Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise record for points in a season by recording his 101st — passing Marian Hossa’s 100 in 2006-07 — when he scored his 35th of the season. His 101 points well surpasses his previous career-high of 87.
The 2.0 era’s first-ever draft pick, now 33 years old, seems to be only getting better with age — a testament at least partly to how seriously he takes fitness, nutrition, and on- and off-ice preparation. For example, throughout the Winter Olympic break, he went to Florida to do additional work with former NHL star and now skills coach Adam Oates.
“Age is just a number, you know what I mean,” Scheifele said recently. “A lot of players over the years have proven that. It’s about how you take care of yourself now that makes you better for the future. Every day, you’re getting your sleep, naps, recovery stuff, massage, chiro… in terms of working on your game and making sure that you’re sharp at all times.”
Unfortunately, Scheifele’s monstrous campaign came in one the Jets took a massive step back and will not compete in the postseason. In fact, just a few minutes after Scheifele recorded his 100th point, the Jets were mathematically eliminated from the Western Conference wild-card race after the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Seattle Kraken to clinch.
