The Winnipeg Jets picked up their first preseason win last night, and they did it with a fast start. Gabriel Vilardi, Cole Perfetti and Dylan DeMelo all scored as Winnipeg jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Colorado before closing out a 3-1 victory.
Stuart Skinner also made an immediate impression in his Jets debut. The new Winnipeg goalie stopped 31 of 32 shots and gave the home side exactly the kind of steady night it needed in exhibition action.
There’s no rest for the full group just yet. The game group gets the night off, but still has a skate scheduled for later today.
Meanwhile, the non-game group from Monday shifts into action tonight as Winnipeg hosts Edmonton in its third of four preseason games. Puck drop is set for 7 PM CT, and the game will be streamed on the Jets website.
Around the organization, the Jets also unveiled their new multi-million-dollar dressing-room expansion at Canada Life Centre. The redesigned space now features a ceiling logo, with more upgrades still to come.
At Moose camp, the opening roster was built from AHL-contracted players, Bloomington Bison, University of Manitoba Bisons and PTOs, with more bodies expected once the Jets make their next round of cuts. The Moose were back on the ice at 10:30 AM at hockey for all centre for Day 2 of camp.
There was also a reminder today to be careful about how preseason chatter gets spun into certainty. Steve Simmons wrote in his Simmons Says column that “the nonsense that Connor Hellebuyck won’t play in Canada is senseless.
If he were dealt to Edmonton or Montreal, he would report in a minute.” The note attached to that comment points out that Simmons did not identify a source from Hellebuyck’s camp or anyone with direct knowledge, and that it reads as opinion.
TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger has reported the opposite.
In Other News...
Jets Got Their First Real Hint About Life In Net
Winnipeg got its first real look at life in net in preseason, and Stuart Skinner gave the Jets plenty to think about. In his debut for the club against Colorado, Skinner was sharp behind a lineup that also got offensive help from Gabe Vilardi, Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti, and Winnipeg came away with a 2-1 win in a game that felt more useful than flashy.
The result mattered, but the way it unfolded may matter even more for a team still sorting out its early-season picture. The next stop is Edmonton on the preseason schedule, and after a night like this, the Jets at least have a better sense of what their crease can look like when the pace picks up and the pressure starts to climb. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Rebuild Suddenly Faces A Huge Question In Goal
Connor Hellebuycks future in Winnipeg remains one of the more intriguing threads hanging over the Jets as the 2026-27 season gets closer. The sense around the situation is that neither side wants this to drag into opening night, yet a trade still has not come together, leaving the reigning goalie discussion in limbo for now.
Jamie McLennan floated an unexpected fit that would have plenty of ripple effects beyond Winnipeg, naming the San Jose Sharks as a possible landing spot. The appeal is obvious on paper, with San Jose carrying the kind of cap room and future assets that could make a major move possible, but for now it is still just a framework rather than a confirmed path. [Read more 🡒]
Moose Camp Opens With Little Margin For Players Fighting To Stick
The Manitoba Moose opened training camp with a roster that leaves very little room for comfort, with plenty of players arriving knowing their best chance to stay in the picture will come through every rep. Among the skaters trying to make an impression are Mikey Milne and Deni Goure, two players who talked about the challenge of battling for jobs while the group gets its first look at camp competition.
Public skates will keep the early days moving before the Moose shift into exhibition action against the Iowa Wild, a setting that should start sorting out who can handle the pace and who cant. For players on the bubble, the next stretch is less about settling in and more about proving they belong before the games begin to matter in a more final way. [Read more 🡒]