Presidents' Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets have sights set on much larger prize
The Winnipeg Jets clinched the franchise's first Presidents' Trophy Sunday for most points in the NHL regular season even though they lost 4-1 to the Edmonton Oilers.
The achievement gives the Jets home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The last Canadian team to win the Presidents' Trophy was the Vancouver Canucks in 2011-12, who also won it the previous season.
DeMelo, who hails from London, Ont., was asked if he felt more pride in ending that drought.
"No, not really, to be honest," he said. "I think we want to be the first Canadian team since '93 to win the cup. That's what we're here for."
The Montreal Canadiens are the last club to claim the cup in 1992-93.
"To be able to have that ability to have home ice throughout the whole playoffs, and hopefully we can go on a long run and use that to our advantage," DeMelo said. "It's not the trophy we are after, but it's a nice accomplishment."
The Jets captured the trophy after Washington lost 4-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier in the night, leaving them unable to catch Winnipeg in the standings.
The Capitals (50-21-9) have 109 points and two games left to play. Winnipeg is at 114 points (55-21-4) and has one match left Wednesday at home against the Anaheim Ducks.
When the trophy news was announced, 15,225 fans at Canada Life Centre gave the team a standing ovation. It was Winnipeg's seventh consecutive full house and 15th of the season.
"It is definitely a great accomplishment," Jets forward Nino Niederreiter said following the game. "After 81 games, being able to get the Presidents' Trophy is a big accomplishment, but it is only the first step as now it is the playoffs that matter most."
Winnipeg's first-round opponent isn't known yet. The Oilers will take on the Los Angeles Kings in their opening round.
Connor Brown, Adam Henrique, Corey Perry, and Viktor Arvidsson into an empty net, scored for Edmonton (47-28-5), which has won three in a row. Connor McDavid had two assists.
Stuart Skinner made 17 saves for the Oilers, who host the Kings on Monday before finishing the regular season Wednesday in San Jose against the Sharks.
Alex Iafallo scored for the Jets, who had a three-game win streak snapped.
Backup goalie Eric Comrie made 35 saves for Winnipeg, which also ended a four-game win run at home.
Winnipeg already clinched top spot in the Western Conference and Central Division for the first time in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers' history. The Thrashers did win the Southeast Division in 2006-07.
Jets head coach Scott Arniel said the conference and division top spots were on the team's to-do list this season, but not the Presidents' Trophy.
"No, never," Arniel said. "Certainly, it jumped on there over the last month or so. At the end of the day, it's a heck of an accomplishment. Guys should be real proud of it.
"Just what we've gone through this year and to be right in the thick of things all year long, as one of the best in the league, it's a heck of an accomplishment. But at the end of the day, it's not the trophy we're after."
Brown flipped a backhand past Comrie 59 seconds into the second period for his 13th goal of the season and a 1-0 lead, extending his goal streak to four in three games.
Iafallo scored on the power play five minutes later. Henrique made it 2-1 at 12:39, seven seconds after an Edmonton power play ended and with the Jets extra defenceless.
Forward Morgan Barron had lost his stick and defenceman Dylan Samberg was lying on the ice grimacing in pain after a hard McDavid shot hit his left leg. He was helped off the ice and went to the dressing room.
Arniel said Samberg should be OK.
Perry and Arvidsson scored in the third period.
Edmonton was without injured defenceman Mattias Ekhom and forward Zach Hyman. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was ill.
"Tonight everyone played a really solid game," Edmonton head coach Kris Knoblauch said. "Whether it was the first or fourth line, all six defence. Obviously, [Skinner] had a solid game. So it was nice to see."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
40 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Vicky Sunohara returns as head coach of Canadian women's under-18 hockey team
CALGARY - Vicky Sunohara returns as head coach of the Canadian women's under-18 hockey team, and Alison Domenico will coach the women's development team a second straight year. Toronto's Sunohara, a two-time Olympic gold medallist who was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame this year, coached the under-18 team to a world championship gold medal in Finland in January.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
After tough start to season, Canada's Leylah Fernandez rides momentum into NBO
MONTREAL – Leylah Fernandez won't sugar-coat it. Less than 24 hours after winning the D.C. Open, Fernandez offered a blunt assessment of her season before that title run. 'The rest of the year hasn't been great,' she said. 'It's been pretty shit, to be honest.' Before Washington, Fernandez held a 16-17 record and hadn't won more than two matches at a tournament this year. So how did she suddenly rattle off five straight wins — including gruelling battles against two of the best in tennis — to capture the biggest title of her career? The 22-year-old from Laval, Que., highlighted the positive energy around her team and the chance to train with other Canadian players in Washington, helping her gain confidence. She also rediscovered her love for the game after a difficult stretch earlier this year, when her mother and sister's surprise health scares took an emotional toll. 'It was difficult to manage and disconnect from my emotions,' Fernandez said at a news conference Monday. 'But after Roland-Garros and while preparing for Wimbledon, we talked a lot about maybe training a little less and just finding the joy of tennis, and it helped me a lot. 'I was just enjoying myself a lot more and I was able to play well in front of a big crowd. I guess everything just clicked in that week, and hopefully it continues for Montreal.' Fernandez, who jumped 12 spots to No. 24 in the world Monday, begins her hometown National Bank Open with a first-round match Tuesday against Australia's Maya Joint — also her opening opponent in Washington. It's a quick turnaround after a whirlwind past 24 hours. Fernandez claimed the Washington 500-level title — her fourth WTA crown — with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Anna Kalinskaya of Russia in the championship game on Sunday, hurried to the airport after media duties and packing, and landed in Montreal at 2 a.m. After 'three or four' hours of sleep, she was at IGA Stadium around 8 a.m. Monday morning for an event with her foundation. Next up on her schedule? Some rest. 'As much downtime as possible,' she said. 'The most important thing is to stay positive, to have a clear mind and to enter the tennis court with a lot of confidence and a lot of motivation to play. 'Play well, have fun, and put on a good show for the crowd.' The 2021 U.S. Open finalist had previously won three WTA 250 titles: the Monterrey Open in 2021 and 2022, and the Hong Kong Open in 2023. Fernandez certainly put on a show in D.C. by eliminating third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in a three-hour, 12-minute semifinal match. She also knocked out top seed Jessica Pegula of the United States in the second round. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'Really tough match. I was up in the third against Leylah, but obviously she's clearly playing some really good tennis,' said Pegula, the world No. 4, on Sunday. 'She's really tricky. I played her a couple of times last year and every match honestly felt like it could have gone either way. I was trying not to be too upset about that match.' In a departure from the pro athlete's usual healthy diet, Fernandez found a winning routine of devouring burgers, hotdogs and cheese fries from American fast food chain Shake Shack after each victory. She'll need to find a new recipe for success with this year's NBO taking place in Montreal. Shake Shack currently has only three Canadian locations — all in Toronto. 'We're gonna have to find a different type of routine,' she said. 'There's definitely a list of restaurants that we want to go to this week that they don't have in the U.S., only here in Canada, so that's definitely on our to-do list.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canadian midfielder Mathieu Choiniere joins Los Angeles FC on loan from Swiss club
LOS ANGELES – Canadian international midfielder Mathieu Choiniere is returning to Major League Soccer, joining Los Angeles FC on loan from Grasshopper Club Zurich through the end of the year. The 26-year-old from St-Alexandre, Que., made 18 appearances for the Swiss club, including eight starts, since arriving last August on a transfer from CF Montreal. 'Mathieu is a proven performer in our league whose experience, intelligence, and versatility in midfield will be a tremendous asset to our group,' LAFC co-president and GM John Thorrington. 'We're thrilled to welcome him to LAFC as we strengthen our roster in pursuit of more trophies.' Choiniere, whose older brother David plays for Forge FC in the Canadian Premier League, has won 17 caps for Canada. Mathieu Choiniere was the first player in CF Montreal franchise history to have progressed through every stage of the academy, which he joined in 2011. He signed his professional contract on July 17, 2018, making his first-team debut the next day in a 1-0 Canadian Championship win over the Vancouver Whitecaps. Over seven seasons with Montreal's first team, he played 139 games across all competitions and was named to the MLS all-star team in 2023 and 2024. Choiniere was named the club's Most Valuable Player in 2023. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2025
