The Winnipeg Jets are back in the spotlight on a busy September 21, with camp moving into Day 5 and the first exhibition game on deck. Winnipeg will host Colorado tonight in the opener of a home back-to-back, then welcome Edmonton tomorrow night.
Morning skate for the game group is set for 10 a.m. CT, with puck drop at 7 p.m.
CT, and the game will be streamed on the Jets website.
The roster is already starting to tighten up. The team cut one player from the mix by releasing goalie Alex Worthington from his PTO.
There was also no shortage of camp material coming out of Hockey for All Centre. Winnipeg made media availability from yesterday available with Dylan Samberg, Morgan Barron and coach Scott Arniel, offering another look at how the club is sorting through its early preseason looks and line combinations.
It’s not just the Jets getting going, either. Manitoba Moose camp opens today as well, though most of their roster is still tied up with Winnipeg.
The group is expected to include some AHL-contracted players, several skaters from the Moose’s new ECHL affiliate in Bloomington, plus some University of Manitoba Bisons players and others. A larger wave of additions is expected Wednesday, when the Jets are off and have already finished both home exhibition games.
There’s also a fresh layer of outside attention around Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Free Press reported that the Jets are “up against the clock,” noting that even last season the club worked to better match its schedule and routines with players’ circadian rhythms.
And in The Globe and Mail, the conversation around Connor Hellebuyck continues to loom large. The paper wrote, “Every Canadian hockey fan should feel the chill of Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request out of Winnipeg.” As has been discussed publicly in recent days, the feeling is that this situation is not going away quickly, with both sides holding firm to their positions.
In Other News...
Canadiens Linked To A Goalie Dream Target At A Steep Price
Connor Hellebuycks name keeps surfacing whenever the Canadiens are discussed as a team looking to upgrade in net, and the interest is easy to understand from Montreals side. If the Jets ever even entertained moving one of the leagues top goaltenders, his contract status alone would make the discussion difficult. He is signed through 2030-31, carries a significant cap hit, and owns a no-movement clause, so any serious talk would have to account for both the dollars and the full control that comes with that kind of deal.
The question for Montreal is whether a swing that big is even necessary when the organization already has promising young goaltenders in Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler. A pursuit of Hellebuyck would not be a simple hockey decision, because a move like that would almost certainly come at a steep price and would force the Canadiens to weigh immediate certainty against long-term flexibility. For the Jets, it is the kind of rumor that only adds more attention to a situation that already feels far more complicated than a standard trade conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Camp Focus Raises A Bigger Question About Their Identity
Training camp has turned into a reminder that the Jets are looking for more than just a tweak or two this season. Coaches and players have talked openly about getting offense from more spots in the lineup, with a particular push for the blue line to become more involved in the attack. Morgan Barron also said he wants to improve personally and help the team move forward after last seasons finish, a tone that fits a group still trying to sharpen its identity.
One part of that identity question goes beyond puck movement and scoring chances. Winnipeg is also adjusting to changes in Manitobas time system, which could alter travel and recovery routines on the road and even affect when the team chooses to stay overnight. For a club trying to squeeze more out of every shift, those logistical details suddenly matter more than they usually would. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Goalie Question Suddenly Has A Massive Win-Now Twist
Connor Hellebuycks name has suddenly become one of the most intriguing ones on the goalie market, and the timing makes the situation especially relevant for teams still sorting out their crease. The Winnipeg Jets netminder has asked to be moved, and reports have linked him to both Edmonton and Montreal if a deal can be reached, turning what might have seemed like a routine offseason rumor into a potential major domino for clubs with ambition and uncertainty in goal.
For the Oilers, the fit is obvious enough to linger. Edmonton has already reshaped its goaltending group, but the position remains unsettled enough that a proven starter would draw immediate attention. No trade talks have been confirmed, and there is still a long way between availability and a real deal, but Hellebuycks status alone has created a win-now wrinkle that could keep Edmonton in the conversation as the market develops. [Read more 🡒]