DeMelo: Jets 'really haven't done crap' despite 8-0 start
The Winnipeg Jets are thriving as the NHL's only remaining undefeated squad this season, but defenseman Dylan DeMelo knows they can't win the campaign in eight games.
"We understand that we still have a lot of work to do. ... It's great that we've gotten a great start, but we really haven't done crap, to be honest with you," he told reporters Monday. "It's still so early, and that's kind of our message, is not to get complacent, and not to be relaxed. Keep the foot on the gas and see what we can do with this thing."
Winnipeg has been effective all over the ice this season, ranking second in both goals for per game (4.50) and goals against per game (2.00) while owning the league's top power-play unit (43.5%) and the sixth-ranked penalty kill (87.5%).
Four Jets - Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, and Neal Pionk - have hit the 10-point mark, while reigning Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck leads all goalies with six wins while sporting a dazzling .940 save percentage and 1.66 goals against average.
Despite the early success, DeMelo wants to see even more out of his club.
"For sure, everything," he said when asked what the Jets can improve. "Our power play's doing great. Yeah, let's score some more goals. PK's doing great? Yeah, let's keep denying them. Just keep pushing in all aspects.
"Any time you settle or get complacent, that's when things start to unravel so, internally, we're trying to push each other to be better."
The Jets have found plenty of different ways to win this season. They kicked things off with a 6-0 thrashing of the Edmonton Oilers, but half of their victories have been decided by one goal, including three in overtime. Winnipeg has allowed the first goal on six occasions but the team has only gone down 2-0 once, which happened in a dramatic 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
DeMelo is a fan of how the Jets have been able to maintain their "composure" and stick to their plan.
"I think that's been a real good testament," DeMelo said. "Those are the top teams - teams that play their style and impose their will throughout the 60 minutes. Even if maybe things aren't going their way, they don't get away from it. I think that's something that we've really improved on in the last couple years."
If the Jets beat Toronto on Monday night, they'll move within one victory of the longest season-opening win streak in NHL history, established by the Maple Leafs in 1993-94 and matched by the Buffalo Sabres in 2006-07.
Winnipeg enjoyed two other 8-0-0 runs in 2023-24 and hasn't lost a regular-season game since March 30.