NHL

NHL

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Thursday marks Day 29 of Winnipeg Jets franchise goaltender Connor Hellebuyck’s suspension this season after not reporting to training camp.

Letting the malcontent masked elephant back in the room

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Yesterday at 5:43 PM CDT

CHICAGO — Buckle up, folks. The next plot twist in the ongoing soap opera between the Winnipeg Jets and Connor Hellebuyck could be a doozy.

Let’s start with a few cold, hard facts. Or, if you prefer: “Previously on As the Hellebuyck Turns…”

The franchise goaltender, with five years remaining on a contract extension he willingly signed with Winnipeg in 2023, refused to report to training camp last month as he awaits word on a trade request made at the end of last season. He’s the first NHL player in more than a quarter century to essentially go on strike.

The Jets are under no obligation to move Hellebuyck, but have indicated they would try to accommodate him if another team meets their needs. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has made it clear he needs to “get this right” and wants a haul for a three-time Vezina Trophy winner and one-time Hart Trophy recipient.

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NHL

MIKE MCINTYRE / FREE PRESS Preparations have started at Princess Auto Stadium for the NHL Heritage Classic between the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 25.

‘We know we’re not going to beat Mother Nature’: Ice prep begins at Princess Auto Stadium for Heritage Classic

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Preview

‘We know we’re not going to beat Mother Nature’: Ice prep begins at Princess Auto Stadium for Heritage Classic

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026

Derek King typically has ice in his veins.

But the Manitoban admits there may be a few more butterflies than usual as he prepares for the ultimate home game — the 2026 Heritage Classic between the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens.

“This is so exciting to be back,” King, the NHL’s vice-president of hockey operations and facilities operations, said Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s definitely going to be a fun event to be part of.”

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Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026

NHL

Duane Burleson / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Winnipeg Jets centre Cole Perfetti (right) and winger Kyle Connor (left) have already combined for five goals and 10 points in three games.

Jets trending in right direction after picking up points in first three games

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

Jets trending in right direction after picking up points in first three games

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

Welcome to a small sample size season, when sweeping observations and hot takes can quickly become outdated and — occasionally — out of touch.

With that as a cautionary backdrop, the Winnipeg Jets are off to a 2-0-1 start that has them temporarily occupying top spot in the Central Division.

“We were optimistic that we’re a better team than we showed last year,” said Jets captain Adam Lowry. “We want to play fast. We want to compete hard, and we want to give ourselves a chance to win every night, so I think we’ve done that.”

As the Jets welcome the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday to open a three-game homestand, they’ve gotten off to a fast start in a season that required one.

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Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

NHL

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets defenceman Mario Ferraro said his No. 38 jersey happened by chance, but he’s kept it ever since.

Get know your Jet: Mario Ferraro

Mike McIntyre 8 minute read Preview

Get know your Jet: Mario Ferraro

Mike McIntyre 8 minute read Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

“Give it 110 per cent.” “Get pucks in deep.” “One shift at a time.” “Play our game.” “Keep it simple.”

Hockey has a language all its own. Unfortunately, after hearing the same phrases repeated often enough, that language can start to sound a lot like white noise.

So we’re going to try something different.

The Free Press will occasionally sit down with a Winnipeg Jets player at his locker-room stall for a wide-ranging conversation about the stuff you don’t always hear in a media scrum.

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Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

NHL

John Woods / THE CANADIAN PRESS Winnipeg Jets centre Viggo Bjorck said Thursday he’s battled some early butterflies, but he’s just focused on improving his game and not concerned about getting his first NHL point.

Bjorck banking on patience that first NHL point will come

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Preview

Bjorck banking on patience that first NHL point will come

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026

Viggo Bjorck believes it’s just a matter of time.

But the 18-year-old rookie forward for the Winnipeg Jets says he’s not worrying about his first NHL point after plenty of close calls and near misses so far.

The more important number is 3-0-1 — his team’s record at this point as they head into action on Friday night, hosting the Anaheim Ducks at Canada Life Centre to close out a busy stretch of five games in eight days.

“Just got to keep trying. Eventually it will come, I believe,” Bjorck said following his team’s optional skate on Thursday, which he participated in.

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Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026

NHL

Gene J. Puskar / The Associated Press Files Winnipeg Jets’ Mark Scheifele, centre, recorded two assists in the Jets’ win over the Avalanche, Wednesday.

Scheifele’s scoring ‘drought’ ends with pair of assists in win over Avs

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Preview

Scheifele’s scoring ‘drought’ ends with pair of assists in win over Avs

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026

Mark Scheifele insisted he wasn’t worried.

But make no mistake: When a prolific point producer coming off a career-best offensive season puts up zeroes in his first three games, people are going to start talking.

Is this an ominous sign, some fans wondered? Is Father Time starting to catch up, others pondered?

Let the record show the so-called drought officially ended on Wednesday night in a big way when Scheifele assisted on Cole Perfetti’s second-period goal, then set up Kyle Connor’s dramatic game-winner with 60 seconds left in regulation.

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Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026

NHL

NICK WASS / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Former Washington Capitals goalie Clay Stevenson is joining the Jets and will immediately step into the role as backup goalie.

Jets pick up netminder as relatively new 23-man roster announced

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Preview

Jets pick up netminder as relatively new 23-man roster announced

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Monday, Sep. 28, 2026

Let’s get the caveats out of the way: Nothing is set in stone, nor written in permanent ink, and what you see right now could change in the blink of an eye.

With that being said, allow us to introduce you to the 2026-27 Winnipeg Jets — where change is very much in the air.

The 23-man roster submitted to the NHL offices by Monday’s 4 p.m. deadline includes seven players who were not on the team at this time last year. In fact, there could be as many as 10 new faces in the opening-night lineup on Friday against Boston when you factor in three regulars didn’t start the 2025-26 campaign due to injury.

That’s a lot of turnover, which isn’t surprising for a team that finished 26th overall in the standings and was — to most fans and pundits — too old and too slow.

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Monday, Sep. 28, 2026

NHL

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Jets power-play unit stalwart Kyle Connor (left) was involved in the penalty kill skate on Thursday, suggesting the forward could see some double duty at times this season depending on the circumstances.

Jets focus on power play and penalty kill as shortened pre-season winds down

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Preview

Jets focus on power play and penalty kill as shortened pre-season winds down

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026

You can point the finger of blame in a number of directions when it comes to finding fault with last season’s Winnipeg Jets.

A lineup that was too old and too slow. Injuries to key players. Regression from other core members. Inconsistent goaltending. The list goes on.

Well, here’s another culprit that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough: spotty special teams. More specifically, a power play that was anything but potent and a penalty kill that was far too porous.

That has to change — and fast — if this team is going anywhere.

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Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026

NHL

Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender Thomas Milic (32) (Mike Deal / Free Press files)

New Jets show promise despite loss to experienced Oilers

Mike McIntyre 9 minute read Preview

New Jets show promise despite loss to experienced Oilers

Mike McIntyre 9 minute read Sunday, Sep. 20, 2026

Preseason hockey games are always more about the process than the result, and that’s especially true when the opposing rosters appear to be a major mismatch on paper.

So a 5-2 loss by an inexperienced group of Winnipeg Jets skaters against a star-studded Edmonton Oilers squad on Saturday night in the Alberta capital was neither surprising nor alarming.

There was, however, plenty to like from the visitors’ perspective despite the outcome.

Let’s break it down.

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Sunday, Sep. 20, 2026

NHL

Mike Deal / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor, who is close friends with goalie Connor Hellebuyck, said Thursday there were ‘signs throughout the whole summer’ that the netminder had not returning to the club for the season on his mind.

Jets vets weigh in on franchise goalie Hellebuyck not reporting to training camp

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Preview

Jets vets weigh in on franchise goalie Hellebuyck not reporting to training camp

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Thursday, Sep. 17, 2026

Hockey is the ultimate team sport, where it’s supposed to be about the crest on your chest rather than the name on your back.

So how is Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request and subsequent training camp strike playing out inside the Winnipeg Jets locker room — particularly among other core players he’s gone to battle with over the years?

“Obviously the news is heartbreaking,” Jets forward Kyle Connor said Thursday.

“It feels like we had such a special group here and for whatever reason — I can’t speak to the reason until we hear from the man, I’m not going to speculate on what it is but I know that a lot of guys in that room that are heartbroken.”

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Thursday, Sep. 17, 2026

NHL

Mike Deal / FREE PRESS

Jets GM insists club’s not working under any deadline in netminder’s trade request

Mike McIntyre 8 minute read Preview

Jets GM insists club’s not working under any deadline in netminder’s trade request

Mike McIntyre 8 minute read Thursday, Sep. 17, 2026

Connor Hellebuyck and his family were subject to so much post-Olympic vitriol that both the Winnipeg Jets security team and even police had to get involved.

General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff revealed new details about the situation when asked about it Thursday by the Free Press, acknowledging it may have played a role in the star goaltender now refusing to report to training camp while he awaits word of a trade he’s demanded.

“That’s the dangers of being on social media today,” said Cheveldayoff, who took aim at the mostly anonymous trolls.

“You open yourself up, obviously to the fans and you want to make that connection, but some of the fans aren’t true blue fans. There’s a lot of things that probably get said that have nothing to do with anybody in our market. They might not even be from a Canadian market.”

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Thursday, Sep. 17, 2026

NHL

Fred Greenslade / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (centre) turning up to training camp will be a major plot twist since the netminder has been absent so far this fall.

Plotlines aplenty in pre-season prep

Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe 10 minute read Preview

Plotlines aplenty in pre-season prep

Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe 10 minute read Wednesday, Sep. 16, 2026

Welcome to a Winnipeg Jets training camp like no other — one where the on-ice storylines and battles threaten to be trumped by what’s happening away from the rink.

Yes, the dark cloud that is the Connor Hellebuyck situation looms over the organization as it prepares to try and turn the page on a terrible 2025-26 campaign which ended with a 26th-overall finish.

It’s not going to be easy, especially in a highly competitive Central Division and Western Conference and with such a major unresolved issue.

But the work starts now, and Free Press hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe get you set for what to expect ahead of the 84-game regular season, which begins Oct. 2.

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Wednesday, Sep. 16, 2026

NHL

MIKE SUDOMA / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck says he privately requested a trade several months ago.

‘Moving on is the best path forward’

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

‘Moving on is the best path forward’

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026

Connor Hellebuyck has broken his silence in an effort to expedite his departure from the Winnipeg Jets.

In a statement released by agent Ray Petkau on Thursday afternoon, Hellebuyck confirmed he has asked to be moved by the team that chose him in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL draft.

“I have never forgotten June 23, 2012. That’s the day the Winnipeg Jets took a chance on a goalie playing in Odessa, Texas. I gave everything I had from that moment to prove the Jets made the right decision,” Hellebuyck said in the statement.

“Several months ago, I privately requested a trade. I have tried to handle the situation quietly and respectfully, while giving the organization time to explore its options. With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request. My position has not changed and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family.”

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Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026

NHL

CASSIDY DANKOCHIK / THE CARILLON Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff took questions Friday at the Hockey For All Centre during Jets development camp.

Jets GM Cheveldayoff happy with off-season additions

Mike McIntyre 8 minute read Preview

Jets GM Cheveldayoff happy with off-season additions

Mike McIntyre 8 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

The work is far from over, and the biggest question facing his franchise has yet to be answered.

But Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff believes his hockey club took significant steps in the right direction during a busy week that helped reshape the roster.

It began with the selection of Swedish centre Viggo Bjorck eighth overall in last Friday’s NHL draft, then continued when the Jets landed goaltender Stuart Skinner and defenceman Mario Ferraro as free agency opened on Canada Day.

“We set out to fill a few of the boxes that we needed,” Cheveldayoff said Friday as he spoke with media following the conclusion of Winnipeg’s week-long development camp at Hockey For All Centre.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

NHL

Cassidy Dankochik / THE CARILLON FILES An invitation to the Winnipeg Jets development camp reinforces Adam Vigfusson’s (15) belief that there is more than one path to developing as a player.

Vigfusson vying to impress at Jets development camp

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Preview

Vigfusson vying to impress at Jets development camp

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Tuesday, Jun. 30, 2026

You’ll forgive Adam Vigfusson for having a bit of a “kid in a candy store” mentality these days.

The 20-year-old Gimli product is truly living his best life, fresh off winning a Manitoba Junior Hockey League title, a Centennial Cup championship, Most Valuable Player honours at the national tournament and earning a scholarship to St. Cloud State University that begins this fall.

This week, you’ll find him at Hockey For All Centre, skating alongside the likes of Viggo Bjorck, Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow and the other top prospects in the Winnipeg Jets organization. Vigfusson could hardly believe it when the Jets recently extended an invitation to their annual rookie development camp.

“I got the call asking if I wanted to come and it was like, ‘Oh my goodness, that’s something I never thought would happen.’ Just super excited to be here,” Vigfusson told the Free Press following Tuesday’s skate.

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Tuesday, Jun. 30, 2026

NHL

Nick Wass / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES It would be something for the Winnipeg Jets to pick up Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine.

Long to-do list for Jets

Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Preview

Long to-do list for Jets

Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Monday, Jun. 29, 2026

They have holes to fill, money to spend and questions to answer.

But the biggest one heading into July 1 hangs over the Winnipeg Jets like the dark clouds that have become a fixture around here lately: Is Connor Hellebuyck staying or going?

Clarity on that potentially stormy situation will shape much of general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff’s summer to-do list.

Hellebuyck made it clear during his year-end media availability that he needs to see significant roster improvements around him, seemingly putting enormous pressure on Cheveldayoff to begin delivering when free agency opens Wednesday.

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Monday, Jun. 29, 2026

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