Winnipeg Jets – Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dylan Samberg (54) can become an unrestricted free agent at the age of 29. (Erin Hooley / The Associated Press files)

Jets, Samberg agree to terms on three-year deal

Ken Wiebe 6 minute read Wednesday, Jul. 30, 2025

On the surface, this looks like the epitome of a compromise.

By avoiding Wednesday’s arbitration hearing in Toronto and the shrapnel it may have included, the Winnipeg Jets and Dylan Samberg found a happy medium, agreeing to terms on a three-year deal that carries an average annual value of US$5.75 million.

With the Jets avoiding a one-year award for Samberg that could have walked him to unrestricted free agency next summer, this should be characterized as an important development.

Since the two sides agreed to a term of less than six-to-eight years, many observers will stop short of saying it’s an undisputed victory for Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and company and there are plenty of valid reasons for that particular viewpoint.

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Jets sign Connor in $12-M, eight-year contract extension

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

Jets sign Connor in $12-M, eight-year contract extension

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025

One of the biggest questions surrounding the Winnipeg Jets has been answered.

After negotiations heated up Tuesday, the Jets and star winger Kyle Connor have agreed to terms on an eight-year extension worth US$96 million that carries an average annual value of US$12 million.

It’s also the richest deal in Jets history, eclipsing the matching seven-year, US$59.5 million contracts signed by goalie Connor Hellebuyck and centre Mark Scheifele two years ago by a significant margin.

Connor is the latest homegrown talent to commit his prime years to the Jets, and he will be paid handsomely to do so.

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Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025

Jets winger Kyle Connor during practice at Canada Life Centre on Tuesday. His contract extension, announced Wednesday, will be the richest deal in Jets history. (Mike Deal / Free Press)

Jets rally to earn a 5-4 shootout victory over Flames, but DeMelo and Perfetti leave early

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

Jets rally to earn a 5-4 shootout victory over Flames, but DeMelo and Perfetti leave early

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

You will forgive Scott Arniel if he happened to mutter a quick good riddance to the exhibition season before hopping on the plane back home to Winnipeg on Friday night.

For as much as the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets enjoys the time he got to evaluate and install a few wrinkles to the system during training camp, Arniel had to adjust on the fly once again after a pair of players left the game against the Calgary Flames.

The Jets ended up rallying from a 4-1 deficit to earn a 5-4 shootout victory to finish with a 2-3-1 record in the pre-season, but it came at a cost.

After losing defenceman Dylan Samberg to a broken wrist during the first exhibition meeting between the two teams last Saturday, blue-liner Dylan DeMelo left Friday’s outing with just under seven minutes to go in the first period and forward Cole Perfetti didn’t come out for the third.

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Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

CONNOR HAMILTON / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES
“We’ve got to get him (Cole Perfetti) home here. The first glance doesn’t look great, so we’ll see when we get home. Hopefully it’s not as bad (as it looks),” head coach Scott Arniel said.
Cole Perfetti skates with the puck during the first period against the St. Louis Blues in Game 4 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Sunday, April 27, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Connor Hamilton)

Book closes on Jets training camp

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Preview

Book closes on Jets training camp

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

Training camp is in the books for the Winnipeg Jets. Now comes the hard part for coaches and management — finalizing an opening-night roster that can’t exceed 23 healthy skaters.

The deadline isn’t until Monday under NHL rules, but Friday’s pre-season finale in Calgary may have already tipped the Jets’ hand on how those last cuts will play out.

Consider this: 30 players remain in camp, though that number includes captain Adam Lowry (hip surgery) and defenceman Dylan Samberg (broken wrist), who will both start the season on injured reserve. It also includes third-string goalie Domenic DiVincentiis, who’s headed to the Manitoba Moose this weekend.

That leaves four more moves to make, assuming Jonathan Toews (lower body, day-to-day) is ready for Thursday’s season opener against Dallas and no other surprises crop up via injury, waivers or trades.

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Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES
Winnipeg Jets defenceman Luke Schenn (centre) said the team is trying to get their timing down in the final tune up of pre-season game action against Calgary.

Jets centres fail to finish

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Preview

Jets centres fail to finish

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Tuesday, Sep. 30, 2025

Forget the final result for a minute — a hard-fought 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild.

The biggest takeaway from Tuesday’s pre-season tilt in St. Paul was that the Jets’ top two centres who were dressed for the contest — Jonathan Toews and Vladislav Namestnikov — didn’t make it to the final buzzer.

That’s especially concerning given shutdown centre Adam Lowry (offseason hip surgery) and shutdown defenceman Dylan Samberg (broken wrist) are already sidelined.

Toews, playing his third tune-up of the fall as he returns to the NHL after a two-year health-related hiatus, lasted only until the midway mark of the second period. He logged 10:02 of ice time and won six of 10 faceoffs before exiting. There was no obvious incident leading up to his departure.

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Tuesday, Sep. 30, 2025

ABBIE PARR / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made his pre-season debut against the Wild on Wednesday night in St. Paul, Minn.

Jets’ Hellebuyck good to go, Samberg out 6-8 weeks

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Preview

Jets’ Hellebuyck good to go, Samberg out 6-8 weeks

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Tuesday, Sep. 30, 2025

The Winnipeg Jets already knew they’d be starting the new season without shutdown centre and captain Adam Lowry, who is recovering from hip surgery.

Now comes another big body blow for a club with championship aspirations: defenceman Dylan Samberg will miss six to eight weeks after suffering a broken wrist in what head coach Scott Arniel called a “freak accident.”

“Unfortunate. He’s a big part of our hockey team,” said Arniel.

Samberg, 26, was injured after absorbing a hard but clean hit from Calgary forward Ryan Lomberg during Saturday’s pre-season game at Canada Life Centre. The timeline means he could miss 14 to 20 games, with a projected return between Nov. 8 and Nov. 22.

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Tuesday, Sep. 30, 2025

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES
Winnipeg Jets’ Ethan Frisch (73), Dylan Samberg (54), and goalie Connor Hellebuyck (37) hit the ice during training camp on Sept. 18. Hellebuyck missed Monday’s practice, but was in the lineup in Tuesday’s pre-season game, while Samberg is out with a broken wrist.

Jets ticket sales continue to improve

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Preview

Jets ticket sales continue to improve

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Friday, Sep. 26, 2025

On the ice, the Winnipeg Jets are looking to raise a Stanley Cup. In the seats, fans can now sip from a Slurpee cup — the latest addition to Canada Life Centre’s concessions and a syrupy-sweet symbol of the organization’s broader push to keep fans in their seats.

“It’s been very, very well received to date,” Rob Mullowney, the senior vice president of ticket sales and service for True North, told the Free Press in a wide-ranging interview on Friday.

Who knew a brainstorming session aimed at boosting the box office would include adding brain freezes to the menu? But an official partnership with 7-Eleven makes plenty of sense in the Slurpee capital of the world.

That’s just one of several changes this year as the Jets try to keep heating up sales which had grown cold and put them on the National Hockey League’s radar.

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Friday, Sep. 26, 2025

TREVOR HAGAN / FREE PRESS FILES
True North is emphasizing fan experience to drive up season-ticket sales, with this season’s fan-favourite experience so far being the new Slurpee machine in Canada Life Centre.

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‘I wanted to continue to be part of a winning culture’

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Preview

‘I wanted to continue to be part of a winning culture’

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Friday, Sep. 26, 2025

Phil Di Giuseppe had to wait a dozen seasons as a pro hockey player before experiencing what it was like to finally reach the top of the mountain.

So, while Di Giuseppe is more than happy to discuss the fresh start he’s getting with the Winnipeg Jets organization during his first training camp, you can understand why he’s so appreciative of his recent run to the Calder Cup title with the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League.

“It was awesome. It took me 12 years to win a championship,” said Di Giuseppe. “So, you learn that the chances are tough to come by. Everything needs to go right and you have to have all of the pieces in place to do it.”

Di Giuseppe, who signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Jets on July 1, had appeared in 101 NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks during the past three seasons and at one point was skating on a line with J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser.

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Friday, Sep. 26, 2025

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Jets forward Phillip Di Giuseppe (left) is thrilled to be getting a fresh start with the club.

DeMelo determined to up the ante

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Preview

DeMelo determined to up the ante

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Thursday, Sep. 25, 2025

Dylan DeMelo expects more of himself.

The Winnipeg Jets defenceman provided a critical self-assessment on Thursday when asked for his overarching feelings about last season.

To be clear, DeMelo didn’t think he took a massive step backwards but — given the high standard he sets for himself — he wasn’t trying to convince himself that there wasn’t room for improvement either.

“Personally, my game was up and down,” DeMelo said matter-of-factly. “Everybody in here individually had the highest expectations for themselves. I had two, back-to-back career years — and it wasn’t even just the points that was the biggest thing. It was my steadiness.

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Thursday, Sep. 25, 2025

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Part of Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo’s (centre) plans for this season is for him and his linemate, Josh Morrissey, to be the best pair in the league.

Defenceman dogfight for spot on Jets roster

Ken Wiebe 5 minute read Preview

Defenceman dogfight for spot on Jets roster

Ken Wiebe 5 minute read Thursday, Sep. 25, 2025

Dean Chynoweth wasn’t about to try and sugar coat things.

The Winnipeg Jets assistant coach runs the defence corps and he isn’t about to provide any false hope when it comes to what will be at stake during the final eight days of training camp.

When you boil it all down, there are more capable players than jobs available, which should only ratchet up the intensity with the next round of cuts looming.

“We have numbers. We have lots of D right now, it is extremely competitive back there,” said Chynoweth, who is back for his second season on Scott Arniel’s coaching staff. “All the guys came to camp in really good shape and they can count. So, they know the numbers and they know the situation. We have got to get through the exhibition season and see where everybody is at.”

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Thursday, Sep. 25, 2025

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Jets defenceman Neal Pionk is part of the established top-2 pairings on the club’s roster, with Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo and Dylan Samberg the other three locked in.

Toews impressive in hometown debut

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Preview

Toews impressive in hometown debut

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Tuesday, Sep. 23, 2025

There was no storybook ending Tuesday night. This was, after all, just the opening chapter in Jonathan Toews’ comeback tale. If the Cole’s Notes version is any indication, the season ahead could be a real page-turner for the hometown hockey star.

Skating for the first time as a member of the Winnipeg Jets, Toews showed there’s still fuel in the tank and fire in the belly after a two-year, health-related hiatus. While there were some expected signs of rust in his preseason debut, the overall body of work was solid in a 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at Canada Life Centre.

Not surprisingly, the three-time Stanley Cup champion wasn’t doing any kind of post-game victory lap.

“Some good. Some not-so-good. I felt like I made some plays and as the game went along relaxed a bit,” said Toews. “I think the conditioning is going to come, the jump is going to come.”

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Tuesday, Sep. 23, 2025

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Jets’ Dylan Samberg (54) and Edmonton Oilers’ Adam Henrique (19) look on as a shot gets past goaltender Eric Comrie during second period pre-season NHL action in Winnipeg on Tuesday.

Jets training camp a fresh start for Heinola

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

Jets training camp a fresh start for Heinola

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Tuesday, Sep. 23, 2025

Ville Heinola fully recognizes what is at stake for him.

The Winnipeg Jets defenceman has been around long enough to know that he’s clearly at a crossroads as he works his way through training camp.

Although he’s not that far removed from being a front-runner to becoming a third-pairing regular, a series of injuries opened the doors for others to leapfrog him on the organizational depth chart.

Now that he’s back to full health, Heinola is aiming to get back to the player he was before a freak ankle injury in the final exhibition game of 2023 impeded his progress and has basically been a hindrance ever since.

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Tuesday, Sep. 23, 2025

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Jets’ Ville Heinola (left) battles for the puck against Ashton Sautner at training camp on Thursday. The defenceman firmly believes his best hockey is ahead of him after recovering from injuries.

Ford has eyes on the prize at Jets camp

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

Ford has eyes on the prize at Jets camp

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Monday, Sep. 22, 2025

NHL debuts don’t get much more picture perfect than the one Parker Ford got to enjoy.

As fate would have it, the Rhode Island product suited up in his first NHL game against the Boston Bruins — the team he grew up rooting for.

That would have been memorable enough, but Ford added to the enjoyment for himself and those in attendance at TD Garden when he scored on Joonas Korpisalo as part of a four-goal third period outburst in a 6-2 victory for the Jets.

After Ford had gone through his post-game interviews and took a few moments to try and let the moment soak in, he was serenaded by a large group of his supporters inside the arena before he got on the bus with his teammates.

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Monday, Sep. 22, 2025

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Jets forward Parker Ford has an extra bounce in his step after recovering from an upper-body injury that required surgery.

Stonewall native adds NHL to her long list of officiating milestones

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Preview

Stonewall native adds NHL to her long list of officiating milestones

Mike McIntyre 5 minute read Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

Talk about a “Welcome to the Big Leagues” moment.

Amy Martin, a 30-year-old referee from Manitoba, got one last weekend in Montreal. Invited to help officiate the NHL prospect challenge tournament featuring young stars from four teams, her very first assignment came under the bright lights of the Bell Centre in a clash between the hometown Canadiens versus the Winnipeg Jets.

It didn’t take long before roughly 20,000 fans were chanting “ref you suck” in her direction after what they perceived as a missed infraction.

Offended? Not at all. For Martin, it was a badge of honour.

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Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

ICE WAVE MEDIA PHOTO
Stonewall’s Amy Martin suited up for her first NHL assignment last weekend in Montreal, reffing two Winnipeg Jets games at the prospects tournament.

‘It would be awesome to experience it again’

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Preview

‘It would be awesome to experience it again’

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

The mere mention of the unadulterated elation immediately brings a smile to the face of Tanner Pearson.

Sitting in his new stall inside Hockey For All Centre, the veteran forward casually mentions his career highlight and it’s as though he was immediately transformed into the time machine, landing in the heart of 2014.

Pearson was a second-year pro and had one solitary Stanley Cup playoff game on his resumé — and it came before making his regular-season debut with the Los Angeles Kings.

That would come on Nov. 14 of 2013, when he scored against Kevin Poulin of the New York Islanders.

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Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Tanner Pearson (70), the latest versatile forward to join the Winnipeg Jets, feels like joining the club is his best chance at capturing a career second Stanley Cup.

Encore for Perfetti includes linemate Toews

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Preview

Encore for Perfetti includes linemate Toews

Mike McIntyre 6 minute read Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

As he returned to his hometown in Ontario this summer, Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti was surprised by how many people wanted to talk to him about the “Manitoba Miracle.”

“They’re all Leafs fans and for them to be asking about that and recognizing that I scored that goal, it was really cool to have that,” Perfetti told the Free Press on Friday, referring to his incredible buzzer-beater last April against the St. Louis Blues that staved off playoff elimination and made headlines across the sports world.

“I guess I didn’t right away recognize how big of a goal it was in terms. You go to the grocery store, you go here or wherever it is and people always… the first thing they say is what a goal. They always say they’ll never forget that for the rest of their lives.”

Perfetti’s name is now etched in local hockey history for a dramatic moment his head coach, Scott Arniel, ranks alongside Paul Henderson’s 1972 classic against the Soviet Union, Bobby Orr’s airborne beauty and Sidney Crosby’s golden-goal overtime winner at the 2010 Olympics.

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Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

October 10, 2025

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