Scheifele smiles through the boos with big game for Jets against Maple Leafs

TORONTO — The louder the boos got, the wider Mark Scheifele’s smile became.

There’s a long-time NHL credo that says getting jeered by the opposing crowd means you must be doing something right for your own team to earn the fans’ wrath. That was never more true than at Scotiabank Arena on Monday after the Winnipeg Jets forward had a hat trick and an assist for a four-point performance in a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

With so many supporters having made the 65-mile trek east from his hometown of Kitchener to see him play in the Jets' only visit of the regular season to Toronto, the satisfaction of putting together such an outstanding game was just that much sweeter.

There was just one question.

Wasn’t a three-goal performance worthy of more hats being thrown onto the ice than the handful of chapeaus that were chucked from the seats, even for a visiting player?

"I was hoping I was going to see a couple right away,” Scheifele said, breaking into a mischievous grin. “Maybe the Jets fans couldn't get the seats closer to the ice.”

Whatever the case, there were no shortage of backers there to see him. And he knew it.

“Yeah, it is always fun,” he said. “I love coming to Toronto just because I have the opportunity to play in front of lots of friends and family, being so close to home.

“Obviously I get a bit extra excited to play here, so getting the win before the break here is huge."

That wasn’t Scheifele’s only extra motivation on this day. Far from it.

The 31-year-old first became a quasi-villain for Maple Leafs fans when he made the now-famous comment “Is there anything better than beating the Leafs?” in the jubilant Winnipeg dressing room after a 6-3 win on Dec. 5, 2021.

Interestingly, prior to Monday, the Jets had gone 0-5-1 against the Maple Leafs since Scheifele had uttered those words three years earlier. That included a 6-4 loss against Toronto at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg on Oct. 28, a defeat that snapped the Jets' season-opening eight-game win streak.

"I think the biggest thing is we didn't play our best when we played them last,” Scheifele said. “We were excited to get another crack at them and show them the game that we can play. All in all, it's a big win for us and that's pretty much it."

A win that left the Jets (25-10-1) in first place in the overall standings with 51 points.

“They don't hand out awards at Christmas,” he said. “But obviously, we're happy. It's good to get a couple days off and get recharged and get going for the next half the season.

“So, just very happy with our team, and I'm very happy to be part of it.”

One issue that Scheifele was not so thrilled with: not being picked for Canada’s entry at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off Feb. 12-20.

Asked if has left his teammate with a chip on his shoulder, Jets forward Kyle Connor, a member of Team USA, replied, “Whether it is or not, his play has been great all year. He’ll be on that (2026) Olympic team, I got no doubts. He’ll take this motivation and he’s the type of player that can ramp it up like that.

“It’s too bad he didn’t make the team, but it is what it is. Obviously you’ve seen what he’s done since.”

To date, Scheifele has 42 points (21 goals, 21 assists) in 36 games and is on pace to eclipse his career high of 84 points (38 goals, 46 assists) set in 2018-19.

"Obviously you're disappointed,” he said. “At the end of the day, you just want to play well for your group of guys. There's always a little motivation that you can draw from in every game.

“Just a matter of playing good for the Winnipeg Jets and controlling what I can control.”

These days he’s doing just that.

And then some.