Arniel sees Kyle Connor’s benching from the Jets’ perspective

If you watched Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel’s interview after practice today, it’s one of those moments that makes you pause and think about what’s really going on in a player’s head.

Connor says he couldn’t control the scratch

Kyle Connor just won Olympic gold with Team USA, but things didn’t go as he planned. That was him scratched for the gold medal match. Not injured, not sick, just a call from the coach. You’d think that might sting, especially after the high of hoisting the gold medal.

It probably stung Connor, but did Arniel see a positive spin on things from the Jets’ perspective? He said it was a “nice surprise” when Connor called and said he was ready to practice and play. Arniel made it clear: this wasn’t Connor sulking or reclaiming his place. The man was enthusiastic.

And Arniel’s take on the scratch itself? He thinks it might light a fire. If Connor had been left out of the gold medal lineup (even on a stacked U.S. team), Connor could have proven something to himself, to his coaches, to the audience. Arniel didn’t say it as a lecture; he said it as someone who has seen how these things can flip a switch.

Connor is rated as one of the Jets’ consistent players

It’s interesting because Connor has been one of the Jets’ most consistent producers for years: 40-plus goals in a few seasons, always reliable. But this year has been mixed for the team overall, and sometimes a little shakeup (even a healthy Olympics scratch) can reset a player’s mentality. Arniel seems to think that’s exactly what’s happening here. Connor comes back hungry to play.

From the outside, it’s easy to wonder if the scratch was a blow. Maybe. But Arniel puts it the other way around: this is motivation, not punishment. Connor’s Olympic run was incredible – he helped build a championship team – and now he’s channeling that energy back to Winnipeg. If Arniel is right, we could see a sharper, more focused version of Kyle Connor down the road.

From the Jets’ perspective, Connor is ready for action

That’s something you don’t always get from a coach’s press: a real, human read on how a player can turn a tough moment into fuel. We’ll see if it translates on the ice, but Arniel sounds optimistic, and honestly, Jets fans should too.

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