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Winnipeg Jets

Jets secure shootout win over Rangers

Mike McIntyre 8 minute read Yesterday at 4:42 PM CDT

NEW YORK — This time, the Winnipeg Jets didn’t shoot themselves in the foot.

Head coach Scott Arniel invited plenty of second-guessing Saturday when he kept his team’s biggest offensive weapons on the bench in favour of Jonathan Toews and Gustav Nyquist — two questionable choices who both misfired in a costly 5-4 extra-time loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Less than 24 hours later, Arniel was back in the same spot, staring down another breakaway competition to settle the deadlocked score. This time, there was no hesitation. Out came the big guns — Kyle Connor and Gabe Vilardi — and both delivered, lifting the Jets to a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers.

“I like the fact two good shooters, KC and Gabe, picked the corners nice,” Arniel told the Free Press inside Madison Square Garden.

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CHARLES KRUPA / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck slides the puck out of the net after the Boston Bruins fifth goal Thursday night.
CHARLES KRUPA / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck slides the puck out of the net after the Boston Bruins fifth goal Thursday night.

Lopsided loss not as damaging as it could have been for the Jets

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Preview

Lopsided loss not as damaging as it could have been for the Jets

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Friday, Mar. 20, 2026

PITTSBURGH — There once was a time in the National Hockey League when a putrid performance like the one the Winnipeg Jets delivered Thursday night in Boston would have carried some painful consequences.

Namely, a next-day practice filled with skating, skating and more skating — and perhaps nary a puck in sight.

But those “old-school” days are long gone, which is why Friday was all about rest and recovery for the Jets. Only a handful of players took part in an optional skate, while the majority stayed back at the team hotel for workouts and video sessions.

“Just reset. That’s a big thing. Do what everybody feels like they need to do today in order to be ready for tomorrow,” said rookie forward Isak Rosen, who was one of the few to hit the ice.

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Friday, Mar. 20, 2026

David Zalubowski / The Associated Press Files

Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche will be in town to take on Mark Scheifele and the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday.
David Zalubowski / The Associated Press Files Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche will be in town to take on Mark Scheifele and the Winnipeg Jets, Saturday.

Jets seek to find way through Avalanche

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

Jets seek to find way through Avalanche

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Friday, Mar. 13, 2026

It’s the equivalent of going toe to toe with the irresistible force and the immovable object.

As the Winnipeg Jets get set to welcome the league-leading Colorado Avalanche to town, the picture has become clear.

If they’re somehow going to turn things around after consecutive losses during an eight-game homestand, they’re going to have to find a way to slow down an Avalanche team that has been the cream of the crop this season.

“Obviously, we know how dangerous they are offensively, but they don’t give up a lot and they control a lot of the game with puck possession,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey. “It’s a great test for us. We play them three times in the next three weeks and we have to rise to the occasion. It’s an opportunity for us to step up.

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Friday, Mar. 13, 2026

Start spreading the news

Ken Wiebe 9 minute read Friday, Mar. 13, 2026

That glimmer of hope hasn’t been fully snuffed out yet, but the Winnipeg Jets slim playoff hopes have taken another significant hit.

Fresh off a lacklustre effort against the Anaheim Ducks, the Jets fell 6-3 to the New York Rangers on Thursday at Canada Life Centre, slipping to 26-28-10 overall. The Jets are 3-2 on this season-long eight-game homestand.

“This team’s not going to just fold,” said Jets left-winger Kyle Connor. “There’s a lot of compete and a lot of will in this room, a lot of belief, too.

“Yeah, we need to respond.”

Fred Greenslade / THE CANADIAN PRESS

The Winnipeg Jets didn’t give their fans much to cheer about Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks.

Fred Greenslade / THE CANADIAN PRESS The Winnipeg Jets didn’t give their fans much to cheer about Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks.

Attendance at Jets’ Tuesday game second-lowest of the season

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Preview

Attendance at Jets’ Tuesday game second-lowest of the season

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

Cole Perfetti has experienced plenty of magical nights inside Canada Life Centre, when his Winnipeg Jets and their loud, loyal fans have come together to create something memorable.

Last spring’s “Manitoba Miracle” sits near the top of that list. Perfetti scored the dramatic, buzzer-beating goal that night — a season-saving moment that sent the downtown rink into pandemonium and became one of the defining highlights in local hockey history.

But on Tuesday, the young forward saw the other side of the coin. This time, the Jets struggled badly on the ice — and the folks in the stands were anything but impressed.

There were loud chants of “Shoot the puck.” Bronx cheers when a puck finally drifted toward the Anaheim net. One fan screaming a vulgarity from the upper deck. And scattered boos as the final minutes ticked away.

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Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2026

FRED GREENSLADE / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES

The Winnipeg Jets 4-0-2 streak since the Olympic break has pulled the club within five points of the final wild-card berth. Defenceman Dylan DeMelo (right) says the break helped the group recharge.
FRED GREENSLADE / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES The Winnipeg Jets 4-0-2 streak since the Olympic break has pulled the club within five points of the final wild-card berth. Defenceman Dylan DeMelo (right) says the break helped the group recharge.

Jets pull within five points of final Western Conference playoff spot

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Preview

Jets pull within five points of final Western Conference playoff spot

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Monday, Mar. 9, 2026

Don’t look now, but that double-digit deficit has been cut by more than half.

By rattling off at least a point in each of the six games coming out of the Olympic break — and by going 11-4-5 during the past 20 games — the Winnipeg Jets have pulled within five points of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

It’s still a tall task, but it looks a whole lot more manageable with 20 games left in the regular season, including Tuesday’s tilt with the Anaheim Ducks.

“You’ve got to keep winning games,” said Jets centre Jonathan Toews. “It just goes to show that anything can happen. It’s a horse race. You never know who is going to come from the back and put on a real charge in the last stretch here.

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Monday, Mar. 9, 2026

Mike Sudoma / Free Press

Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey is aiming to play in Saturday’s clash against the Vancouver Canucks.

Mike Sudoma / Free Press Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey is aiming to play in Saturday’s clash against the Vancouver Canucks.

Morrissey grateful for his time on Olympic squad

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Preview

Morrissey grateful for his time on Olympic squad

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Josh Morrissey has done a good job of resisting to get bogged down by the temptation to ask ‘why me?’

The Winnipeg Jets star defenceman concedes that the thought has crossed his mind on several occasions throughout the past 13 months as his bad luck seemed to spiral out of control.

During that span, Morrissey had a nasty flu virus knock him out of the gold medal game of the 4 Nations Face-Off, where Canada outlasted the United States.

He suffered an upper-body injury that knocked him out of Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues after being on the receiving end of a hard check during last year’s playoff run.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Jeffrey T. Barnes / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES

The Winnipeg Jets picked up Buffalo Sabres forward Isak Rosen in the Logan Stanley-Luke Schenn trade on Thursday.
Jeffrey T. Barnes / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES The Winnipeg Jets picked up Buffalo Sabres forward Isak Rosen in the Logan Stanley-Luke Schenn trade on Thursday.

Jets pick up Rosen, Bryson in Stanley, Schenn trade

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Preview

Jets pick up Rosen, Bryson in Stanley, Schenn trade

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Kevin Cheveldayoff did his best to straddle the fine line.

The Winnipeg Jets general manager went into Friday’s NHL trade deadline with a clear goal in mind: to try and recoup some assets while not subtracting too much from the active roster.

The Jets were in selling mode, though this wasn’t going to be a fire sale, not with a group that has collected points in five consecutive games (3-0-2) coming out of the Olympic break to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

As the Jets continue an eight-game homestand on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks, there will be two new players in the lineup, one of whom (defenceman Jacob Bryson) is getting a test drive before having the ability to become an unrestricted free agent and the other is a prized prospect (forward Isak Rosen) who should benefit from a change of scenery.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Jets pull win from the fire

7 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

It wasn’t quite another Manitoba Miracle, but go figure that Cole Perfetti found a way to score another big, buzzer-beating goal for the Winnipeg Jets.

With their playoff hopes already hanging by a thread, a regulation loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night to kick off a season-long eight-game homestand would have all but buried them for good.

And it sure looked like that was about to happen as the clock ticked down and the home team was on the wrong end of 2-1 deficit.

Cue Perfetti, who clearly has a sense of occasion and a flair for the dramatic. The 24-year-old took a pass from Mark Scheifele, spun around and fired a perfect wrist shot that beat Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight with 38.6 seconds left in regulation.

Godofredo A. Vásquez / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Winnipeg Jets defenceman Luke Schenn (left) said Tuesday, in the looming shadow of the NHL trade deadline, that he still has another playoff run in him.
Godofredo A. Vásquez / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Winnipeg Jets defenceman Luke Schenn (left) said Tuesday, in the looming shadow of the NHL trade deadline, that he still has another playoff run in him.

Jets’ Schenn doesn’t want to hang up skates on career yet

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Preview

Jets’ Schenn doesn’t want to hang up skates on career yet

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 3, 2026

Luke Schenn isn’t going to be taken by surprise this time around.

The veteran Winnipeg Jets defenceman — traded twice in a matter of days ahead of last year’s NHL deadline — knows a similar phone call could arrive at any moment this week.

“Last year definitely caught me off guard. I had a year left on my contract and wasn’t really expecting anything. This year, different situation,” Schenn told the Free Press during a one-on-one chat Tuesday morning.

“Obviously our team’s not in the position we’d like to be in. But I haven’t heard a single thing. It’s been so quiet. Every time I think I got things figured out and know which way my future’s going, that’s typically when things go the other way on me.”

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Tuesday, Mar. 3, 2026

MATT SLOCUM / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES

Winnipeg Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury returned to the lineup for the first time Sunday after suffering a freak injury on Jan. 6.
MATT SLOCUM / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury returned to the lineup for the first time Sunday after suffering a freak injury on Jan. 6.

Jets defenceman thankful to return seven weeks after crashing into boards

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Preview

Jets defenceman thankful to return seven weeks after crashing into boards

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Monday, Mar. 2, 2026

Haydn Fleury remembers the silence.

From his own mouth, unable to form any words after a devastating crash into the end boards. And from the crowd inside Canada Life Centre, stunned at what they had just witnessed.

Nearly two months after the freak accident that ended with him being stretchered off the ice, the Winnipeg Jets defenceman can finally talk about what happened — and the long, painstaking road back into the lineup.

“Happened fast. I was just going back for a puck, and just an unfortunate play, really,” Fleury said Monday, reflecting on the Jan. 6 collision with Vegas Golden Knights forward (and Winnipegger) Keegan Kolesar.

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Monday, Mar. 2, 2026

Kyusung Gong / The Associated Press

Anaheim Ducks defenceman Olen Zellweger, left, and Winnipeg Jets left wing Alex Iafallo battle for the puck during the second period.
Kyusung Gong / The Associated Press Anaheim Ducks defenceman Olen Zellweger, left, and Winnipeg Jets left wing Alex Iafallo battle for the puck during the second period.

Ducks down Jets 5-4 in OT

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Preview

Ducks down Jets 5-4 in OT

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026

ANAHEIM – This was both a point lost and a point gained for the Winnipeg Jets.

As a result, the margin for error just got slimmer.

Despite building a 3-1 advantage early in the third period, the Jets were unable to hold the lead as they fell 5-4 in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night at Honda Center after Chris Kreider scored with 12.3 seconds to go in the three-on-three session.

“Fans certainly got their money’s worth,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “Obviously, we had the two goal lead twice and gave that up. In the second there, we got a little bit into a trading chances scenario where we had some odd man rushes and didn’t execute, then they got odd man rushes the other way.

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Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026

Winnipeg Jets’ Kyle Connor (centre) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks with Dylan DeMelo (2), Logan Stanley (64), Mark Scheifele (55), and Gabriel Vilardi in the first period of the Jets 3-2 OT win in Vancouver, Wednesday. (Ethan Cairns / The Canadian Press)
Winnipeg Jets’ Kyle Connor (centre) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks with Dylan DeMelo (2), Logan Stanley (64), Mark Scheifele (55), and Gabriel Vilardi in the first period of the Jets 3-2 OT win in Vancouver, Wednesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

Reunited top line powers Jets past Canucks in 3-2 OT win

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

Reunited top line powers Jets past Canucks in 3-2 OT win

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026

VANCOUVER – Knowing a run will be required to make things interesting, the Winnipeg Jets came out of the Olympic break mostly playing with authority.

Sure, there was some rust to shake off, but after overcoming a pair of one-goal deficits, forward Cole Perfetti scored at 1:37 of overtime to propel the Jets to a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday at Rogers Arena.

“In that first period, he had some unreal looks and some great opportunities, so it’s nice to see him get rewarded at the end of the game with that winner,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “There was some systems stuff that I’m real happy that we did. There were some mistakes where you can tell it was from guys not playing for a couple of weeks. You didn’t have to really tell them when they came back to the bench. They recognized it.

“We were trying to do some things to play faster and to put the opposition on their heels and I thought we did that. Our (offensive) zone time was huge. If you (have) that, you’ve got the opposition on their heels.”

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Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026

Goalie Connor Hellebuyck, in front, and members of the United States’ Olympic hockey team, attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday. (Kenny Holston / The Associated Press)
Goalie Connor Hellebuyck, in front, and members of the United States’ Olympic hockey team, attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday. (Kenny Holston / The Associated Press)

Hellebuyck faces tough save with Winnipeggers after fool’s gold-plated day with Trump

Dan Lett 5 minute read Preview

Hellebuyck faces tough save with Winnipeggers after fool’s gold-plated day with Trump

Dan Lett 5 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

Connor Hellebuyck has given the people of Winnipeg all the reasons in the world to love him, both as an athlete and a human being.

The star goaltender for the Winnipeg Jets has been a stoic presence in Winnipeg, leading the Jets to the very precipice of glory while also establishing himself as arguably the best netminder in the league. At the same time, he’s been a constant presence in Jets charitable activities, including campaigns to promote mental health and female sports.

And in 2023, at the age of 30, Hellebuyck signed a seven-year extension with the Jets, which may well take him to the end of his National Hockey League career.

At a time when a lot of hockey players shun smaller markets and change teams as often as they change their socks, Hellebuyck is a true role model.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

MATT KROHN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has struggled this past regular season, but the club’s captain Adam Lowry claims that has more to do with the play in front of the netminder.
MATT KROHN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has struggled this past regular season, but the club’s captain Adam Lowry claims that has more to do with the play in front of the netminder.

Jets hope netminder Hellebuyck’s gold medal win quells critics

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

Jets hope netminder Hellebuyck’s gold medal win quells critics

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Monday, Feb. 23, 2026

Adam Lowry has seen this film before — or a real-time version of it — on numerous occasions.

So, as goalie Connor Hellebuyck was being celebrated globally after his exceptional showing in the Olympic gold medal game, the captain of the Winnipeg Jets wasn’t the least bit surprised to see his longtime teammate shine in the biggest moment of his hockey career.

“We’ve been saying this for a few years now: we think he’s the best goalie in the world,” said Lowry. “Sometimes, he gets unfairly criticized for our team’s performance in the playoffs and I think he went out and showed that he can show up in big games and he can win you big games and that’s what we’ve grown accustomed to.

“We’ve been so fortunate to see his entire career here; sometimes I think we take it for granted how great he is, how easy he makes the game look.

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Monday, Feb. 23, 2026

CAROLYN KASTER / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Team USA forward Brock Nelson scored two goals Thursday against Latvia in his Olympic debut. Nelson’s family has a storied past of men’s hockey Olympic glory. The forward almost followed in the footsteps of his 1.0 Winnipeg Jet uncle Dave Christian, but opted to sign with the Colorado Avalanche last NHL season.
CAROLYN KASTER / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Team USA forward Brock Nelson scored two goals Thursday against Latvia in his Olympic debut. Nelson’s family has a storied past of men’s hockey Olympic glory. The forward almost followed in the footsteps of his 1.0 Winnipeg Jet uncle Dave Christian, but opted to sign with the Colorado Avalanche last NHL season.

Nelson following in family’s decorated Team USA footsteps

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Preview

Nelson following in family’s decorated Team USA footsteps

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Monday, Feb. 23, 2026

MILAN — Hindsight, of course, is 20/20. But when it comes to professional sports, it’s always fun to play the what-if game.

For example, what if the Winnipeg Jets had opted to select hometown product Seth Jarvis — who made his Winter Olympics debut Friday night against Switzerland — with the 10th overall pick in 2020?

Winnipeg instead took Cole Perfetti at that spot, and Jarvis had to wait two more turns before the Carolina Hurricanes called his name. Perfetti has shown plenty of promise, but he’s not at the level of Jarvis, who brings both a big game and a huge personality to the table.

Well, here’s another what-if scenario that dawned Thursday night while watching Connor Hellebuyck, Kyle Connor and Team USA skate to a 5-1 victory over Latvia.

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Monday, Feb. 23, 2026

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