Winnipeg Jets head coach admits blunder after players disagree with playoff elimination comment
CBC
Head coach Rick Bowness was the target of some criticism by his players after the Winnipeg Jets had exit meetings Saturday and packed their bags for the off-season.
Veteran forward Blake Wheeler told reporters he didn't like the assessment Bowness gave media after the Jets were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs with a 4-1 loss in Game 5 Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
"I think he could have been honest with us," Wheeler said. "We could have had those discussions behind closed doors. So I didn't agree with how he handled himself after that game."
Asked for his take, goalie Connor Hellebuyck replied, "Yeah, he said it perfectly," referring to Wheeler sitting beside him.
Bowness, who just finished his first year behind the team's bench, had been brief and blunt after the Western Conference loss that pitted the eighth-seeded Jets against the No. 1 Golden Knights.
"I'm so disappointed and disgusted right now, that's my thoughts," Bowness said in Las Vegas.
"No pushback. But it's the same (stuff) we saw in February. It was. As soon as we were challenging for first place and teams were coming after us, we had no pushback. This series we had no pushback. Their better players were so much better than ours, it's not even close."
Wheeler was asked if Bowness's comments would be difficult to get past.
"He's a person, too, so we don't expect him to be perfect all the time, and people make mistakes," Wheeler said. "Those conversations are best had face-to-face. There's certainly healing that can happen, for sure."
Wheeler was stripped of his captaincy before training camp began in favour of a three-alternate group of Adam Lowry, Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele.
After 14 players met with the media Saturday, Bowness had his turn and said he had harsh words with his players after the second period. He admitted his post-game description of being disgusted was probably too strong of a word.
"One of my many faults is that I'm too emotional and that I wear my heart on my sleeve," Bowness said. "That being said, I criticize myself for the choice of words.
"The message, the clear message, is one that I will never accept that kind of an effort in a game like that."
He had called out some unnamed players' efforts and personal pride during the season and said he's not about to change.
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