Mark Scheifele on Suspensions, Losing Friends, and His Golf Handicap

Mark Schefiele would be the first to tell you that the 2021-22 NHL season did not go his way, or really anyone on the Winnipeg Jets’ way.

And as a matter of fact, he did.

The 29-year-old forward had recently been selected as the sponsor’s exemption for the PGA Tour Canada’s 2022 CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open, and met with local media at Southwood Golf and Country Club in advance of Thursday’s 2:40 PM tee time to talk hockey, golf and his ongoing summer training regimen.

“A lot of golf,” Scheifele smiled, when asked what has kept him busy over the long summer months.

“I had a week in California with (now ex-teammate) Eric Comrie,” he expanded. “We call it ‘Man’s Week.’ It’s just us and the two dogs. We golfed every day and took the dogs for walks… Then Josh Morrisey’s bachelor party at Bandon Dunes. It wasn’t like the traditional bachelor party where you’re partying your face off. We walked 36 holes a day. I got back to Calgary and started skating and my golf game went down the tubes. I started getting the pulls. Shooting, you’d like to think it’s the same as a golf swing – but it’s definitely not.”

Scheifele, who actually served as a sponsor’s exemption back in 2018, knows his game has certainly improved in the four years since shooting and 86 and an 87 at that running of the Manitoba Open.

“I’m around 1.6,” he said of his current handicap. I think I was a 10 handicap back then. I’ve definitely improved a lot since that day. I’m definitely still going to be nervous. I’m probably still going to black out on the first tee and spray one right. It’ll be one of those really fun experiences I get to do again.”

But enough about golf.

No one really wants to talk golf with the Jets’ first ever draft pick since returning to Winnipeg, right?

Right.

In going out the way he did last season, it marked back-to-back years to which the team’s alternate captain seemingly took nothing short of a dramatic exit, stage right.

Two years back, it was a sweep at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens that ended Winnipeg’s playoff season. And for those who can recall, Mark Scheifele was suspended for the final three games of that series, as well as the 2022-23 season opener following a hit on Jake Evans.

This past year, well, we can just call it a rather unfortunately timed string of comments in his season-ending media availability, to which Scheifele insinuated that he wasn’t sure of the team’s direction and ultimately did not know where he would be playing hockey come the fall.

“It was kind of one of those ‘the way media takes it’ things,” he laughed. “But that’s life; I was probably a little too honest. I’m usually just the cliché monster when it comes to the media, but I’m a guy that loves to talk hockey and that’s kind of what I wanted to get some answers in, to talk hockey with management and see what’s happening. It’s something that I think about each and every day and I was confident I was coming back literally until the headlines started.”

Despite the whirlwind he created in his exit meeting, Scheifele actually had a decent 2021-22 campaign, posting his sixth-straight season at 1+ point-per-game over the full year of hockey. He scored 29 times and had 70 points in 67 games, while dealing with suspension, injury and COVID all in the process.

But still, there was more.

“It was really hard last year,” he said. The start of the year was kind of a bit of a disaster. It took me a couple of months to feel like myself again. And then you have no fans in the building in December and then you have Paul leave and you have a new coach come in and then you have the trade deadline and then my best friend gets traded.”

Clearly, there was a lot on his mind.

Losing former roommate, and proclaimed ‘best friend’ Andrew Copp was certainly tough for Scheifele. Having lost his former coach and former Jets legend Dale Hawerchuk two years prior may have also still been weighing on the current superstar. Changing coaches mid-season was also another iron in the fire.

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But make no mistake, Mark Scheifele is back and ‘all-in’ for 2022-23, much like that of what his new coach, Rick Bowness said upon his first media availability in Winnipeg.

“I’ve heard nothing but amazing things,” the Jets’ top centre said of Bowness. “He seems like an absolutely amazing guy. ‘A fantastic human being’ is what I’ve heard over and over. He did wonders when he came in in Dallas. I’m really excited to talk a lot more hockey with him. We’ve kind of just had brief conversations about stuff… We had a good talk. A lot of the guys were honest in their year-end meetings. Obviously last year wasn’t the season that we wanted to have. A lot of guys were frustrated, a lot of guys were angry. I think that showed towards the end of the year. The team’s made a lot of changes and I’m really excited and interested in the changes that will happen.”

Scheifele said that alongside his excitement surrounding the upcoming year and changes to the coaching staff, he has also adjusted his offseason training – and not just by way of additional golf games either. He actually has been down in Michigan training with Copp and some of his current American teammates in Kyle Connor and Connor Hellebuyck. Scheifele also had a couple sessions with Adam Lowry, Cole Perfetti and Josh Morrissey when in Alberta earlier this summer.

“I’ve had a great summer of training and skating. I’ve changed some things in my training. That’s been an exciting time for me. I’m excited to get back at it. It’s been too long without hockey. But it’s been a good summer of training and skating,” he said. “Obviously last year wasn’t the best for our team but we have a fantastic roster, a lot of great pieces and a lot of guys who are going to be fighting for spots. I think we’re going to have to just stop talking about it and show it on the ice.”