Connor Ingram is stepping away from hockey at 29 and turning his focus toward psychology, while St. Louis Blues prospect Adam Jecho has been placed in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. Meanwhile, Mark Scheifele is not buying into the idea that the Winnipeg Jets are suddenly short on belief, even with Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request hanging over the team.
Ingram’s career ends after 143 NHL games, but his next chapter is already taking shape. He plans to go to school for psychology, with the goal of helping others navigate the kind of battles he has already faced.
That part of his story has been public for years. In 2021, Ingram entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program to get help for undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and anxiety.
He also spoke openly about using alcohol to cope. Then in 2025, after his mother died, he reentered the program for support.
Between those two periods, Ingram was recognized with the 2023-24 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
After spending last season with the Edmonton Oilers and the Bakersfield Condors, Ingram had been tied to the Ottawa Senators heading into the offseason. Elliotte Friedman noted that Ingram is retiring and hopes to join a psychology program at a school so he can help others dealing with similar issues.
The Blues’ situation with Jecho is different, but it also centers on a player getting help away from the rink. The NHLPA announced that the 2024 third-round pick has entered the player assistance program. Jecho had been expected to attend Blues training camp before his first professional season, but he will now remain away from the team until program administrators clear him for on-ice competition.
In Winnipeg, the conversation is less about personal recovery and more about whether the Jets still have enough to keep pushing forward. The Athletic’s Murat Ates asked Scheifele a pointed question about whether he should have the same doubts as Hellebuyck, who bought into the same sales pitch in 2023.
Scheifele’s answer was straightforward. He pointed to the talent still in the room, naming Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, Gabe Vilardi, and others as reasons the Jets can still win. He also said younger players such as Viggo Bjorck, Elias Salomonsson, and Brayden Yager should give the group confidence, and he described new additions Mario Ferraro and Stuart Skinner as “some really good pieces”.
Losing a Hart Trophy winner and three-time Vezina Trophy winner would be a major hit for any team, but Scheifele is coming off a career-best individual season and says he feels good about where this group stands heading into the year.
There are still gaps to fill, especially on the second line, but the Jets do have star power, defense, and depth working in their favor. The bigger challenge may be the Hellebuyck situation itself. Winnipeg has been waiting for the right trade return, but after Hellebuyck made his public statement about the request, Kevin Cheveldayoff’s task may have become even tougher.
The return Cheveldayoff is said to want includes a goaltender and an impactful forward, and with training camps beginning, that kind of deal may not be easy to pull off.
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Jets Fans Finally Get An Early Read On Viggo Bjrck
Viggo Bjrck is about to get his first real runway with the Winnipeg Jets at the 2026 Prospect Challenge in Gatineau, Quebec, giving fans an early look at one of the organizations newer names. Jets prospect coach Mark Morrison and Bjrck have already talked through the approach for the weekend, with the emphasis on keeping things simple, playing naturally and letting chemistry with teammates develop as the event unfolds.
That part matters because the setup is hardly ideal for a long evaluation. The prospects had just one skate together before the tournament and will not practice again before their two games over the weekend, so the challenge will be as much about adaptation as execution. For a player like Bjrck, it is the kind of stage where first impressions can carry a little extra weight, even if the bigger picture is still very much ahead. [Read more 🡒]