Don Cherry believes strong character will help lead the streaking Winnipeg Jets into the playoffs.
“Paul Maurice is doing a great job, the GM’s doing a great job, they all got character and that’s why they’re going to make the playoffs like I said at the start of the season,” Cherry said on Coach’s Corner Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada.
The Jets have won four of their last five games including three in a row, sit fourth in the Central Division and if the season ended today they’d be in the top Western wild card spot.
On Friday, the Jets beat the Chicago Blackhawks to become the first visiting team to earn three regular-season wins at the United Center since 2006-07. Maurice called it his squad’s best character win of the season.
“This team is going like you wouldn’t believe,” Cherry said before calling the team’s penalty killing “unbelievable” and giving praise to defencemen Jay Harrison and Mark Stuart and goalie Michael Hutchinson.
Dustin Byfuglien, with 10 points in his last eight games, has been a physical force of late and another reason the Jets are having success.
“This guy’s a monster, I’ll tell you what,” Cherry added. “Six-foot-five. Unbelievable.”
