The Capital Region Junior Hockey League has never made its desire to expand a secret.

In fact, the province's southern-based, five-team Jr. B hockey league actually has a request for expansion candidates right on the front page of its website: "The Capital Region Junior Junior Hockey League (CRJHL) will be accepting new team applications to begin play in the 2020-2021 season. Please contact Grant Heather at grant.heather@mts.net, no later than March 31st, 2020 for more information or to submit a franchise application. Applications and presentations will be reviewed at the CRJHL AGM.  The date and time of the meeting is forthcoming, but will likely be in mid-April 2020."

It would appear that even though the league is shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league's executive is still pursuing expansion for the 2020-21 season.

"We are currently talking to three teams," said Selkirk Fishermen head coach and GM Chris Poponick. "Right now, everyone is in a wait-and-see mode. There are a lot of things that have to be discussed. But AGMs are coming up all over the province and it appears as if some teams are ready to make some big changes."

Poponick would not reveal which teams with which the CRJHL board has been negotiating. However, he did say the league is prepared to move quickly.

"We don't know what's going to happen with the pandemic and when we'll get back to some degree of normalcy, but we are ready to get serious about our discussions as quickly as we can," he said. "We have a couple of good seasons under our belt as a five-team league. We've built up a lot of credibility. So we should we act quickly while we've developed all the good will that we have.

"Expanding by three teams would be great. It would be great to have an eight-team league. I've always felt that 10 would be a good number. Of course, whatever we do, we might have to set up the league in divisions, North and South or East and West. I don't know at this stage, but we have to be prepared for hockey to come back and what kind of league we're going to have.

"Ultimately, I'd be happy with six teams. My feeling has always been the same about expansion. The Fish have been around for 100 years and I'll be damned if they're going to go away under my watch. I want the league to big and strong and after two good years, we're ready to get bigger and stronger."

&nbsp;

Despite the Shut Down, CRJHL Still Pursuing Expansion

<h2>SCHEIFELE FIRST STAR AS JETS WHIP PREDS 4-1</h2>The Winnipeg Jets are on a heater.&nbsp;Saturday night in front of a near-sellout (14,309) at Canada Life Centre, the Jets played an outstanding game and got terrific performances from Vladislav Namestnikov, Connor Hellebuyck, Jonathan Toews and Logan Stanley (yes, Logan Stanley) as they whipped the Nashville Predators 4-1.&nbsp;It was Winnipeg’s fourth straight win as the Jets improved to 4-1-0 early in the 2025-26 season, but it was also a statement game for a number of players.&nbsp;<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc02839.jpg">Mark Scheifele scored his sixth goal in five games and became the all-time leading scorer (813 points) in Jets 2.0 history, surpassing Blake Wheeler; Toews played his best game of the year, picked up two assists and appears to be shaking off the rust from two seasons out of the game; and Stanley, well Stanley was simply terrific.&nbsp;In the second period, the oft-maligned 6-foot-7 D-man easily handled big Michael McCarron in a second-period semi-fight (the penalties were assessed for “fighting,” but the semantics could be argued) and then added his second goal of the year early in the third period.&nbsp;When one considers that the three stars were Scheifele, Stanley and Hellebuyck, you get an idea what the evening was like. In all, it was a terrific Hockey Night in Canada for the Jets.&nbsp;<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc07738.jpg">Winnipeg opened the scoring on the power-play at 2:39 of the first period as Scheifele drilled a one-timer past Juuse Saros. It was a perfect three-way passing play as Scheifele scored his sixth of the year from Kyle Connor and Alex Iafallo.&nbsp;At 10:25 the Jets made it 2-0 as Vladislav Namestnikov laid a perfect stretch pass onto the stick of Nino Niederreiter who went in alone on Saros and made a wide deke to score his second of the season. Dylan DeMelo also drew an assist.&nbsp;<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc02801.jpg">Winnipeg outshot Nashville 11-4 in the first period and pretty much dominated play.&nbsp;In the second period, Nashville outshot Winnipeg 16-4, but it was a superb period for the Jets. Yeah, I know, that sounds like an oxymoron, but when you consider the Jets started the period with three chintzy minor penalties then picked up the chintziest of all penalties late in the period, Winnipeg’s penalty-killing unit was splendid.Winnipeg started the period with Morgan Barron in the box for tripping at the 20:00 minute mark of the first period. Then Parker Ford picked up a tripping penalty at 4:40 when Michael Bunting just fell down (sometimes it pays to be a lousy skater) and then with 44 second left in Ford’s penalty, Tanner Pearson was handed an interference penalty when Nick Blankenburg just nonchalantly skated in front of Pearson then fell down.&nbsp;The Jets gave up a few shots while a man (or two) short but there were only a few good scoring chances and reigning MVP Connor Hellebuyck cleaned those up.&nbsp;At the 19:43 mark of the period, Josh Morrissey picked up the stupidest penalty in 15 seasons of Jets hockey when he was assessed a minor for playing without a helmet. Referees Kendrick Nicholson and Graham Skilliter were just making them up as they went along at this stage.&nbsp;<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc03160.jpg">To their credit, the Jets killed off all the penalties in the second period and still led 2-0 after 40 minutes.&nbsp;In the third, the Jets fought off the Morrissey penalty, then at 5:26, Logan Stanley scored his second goal of the season when he unleashed a shot clocked at 94.4 miles per hour that Saros never saw until it came flying out off the back of the net. Gustav Nyquist picked up his third assist of the season and Jonathan Toews contributed his second (NOTE: Connor McDavid has zero goals this season. Logan Stanley has two).&nbsp;The Jets played exceptional defensive hockey for the remainder of the period, but at 16:52, the second power-play unit struck. Toews laid a perfect pass onto the stick of Namestnikov who ripped it top-shelf past Saros. It was Namestnikov’s second of the year and second point of the night. Toews picked up his third assist of the year and second of the night and Niederreiter picked up his third assist of the year and second point of the night.&nbsp;<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc03226.jpg">Sadly, Hellebuyck lost his shutout at the 18:56 mark of the third when Michael Bunting squeezed it past the reigning Vezina Trophy winner to make the final score 4-1.&nbsp;Nashville outshot Winnipeg 31-24, outhit Winnipeg 19-16 and won 58.5 per cent of the faceoffs, but amazingly they were never really in the game. It was a great night for Winnipeg, but an odd one on the statistics sheet.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc05902.jpg">&nbsp;The Jets play again Monday night in Calgary (8:30 p.m. on TSN3) and then play at home again on Thursday night as the Seattle Kraken come to town. Game time is 7 p.m.

Scheifele, Stanley, Toews and Hellebuyck Stand Out as the Jets Beat Nashville 4-1

<h2>Jets Beat KINGs at home</h2>RECAP:The Winnipeg Jets have found their first victory of the 2025-26 NHL season. After dropping their opener 5-4 to the Dallas Stars on Thursday, Winnipeg bounced back with a 3-2 home win over the visiting Los Angeles Kings in a matinee affair on Saturday. The Jets jumped ahead early on a first period power play marker before falling asleep for 19 minutes of the second period.After giving up two goals to the Kings in the middle stanza, Mark Scheifele scored with 1:03 remaining in the period to tie the game at twos.He then found the winner midway through the third period, redirecting a soft, floating point shot from Josh Morrissey, pulling Winnipeg ahead 3-2 - to which the game would end.The Jets were tested heavily once again on the penalty kill, but the four and three-men units would stand the test of time, denying all five Kings power plays, with Hellebuyck slamming the door on 29 of the 31 shots he faced. Next up is a two-game road trip out east, where the Jets will face New York on the Island on Tuesday morning before facing the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. Both games can be found on TSN. HIGHLIGHTS:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1977068596246479309">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1977068596246479309</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1977072614557598036">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1977072614557598036</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1977093058228584510">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1977093058228584510</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1977103441207128302">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1977103441207128302</a>PHOTOS:The extended photo library from Saturday game vs. Los Angeles is courtesy of Scott Stroh:<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc00483.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc00608.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc00629.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc06035.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc00798.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc00829.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc00876.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc00938.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc00974.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc01144.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc01099.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc01135.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc01174.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc01254.jpg">QUOTEABLE:Josh Morrissey on the game-winner:"Yeah, I think if you look at the flow of the game, we came out great. We had a great first period, second period, they got to their game. And, &nbsp;I'd say one sort of majority of that second period, and then in third it's up for grabs. And, you know, we got out there had some really good ozone shifts, kind of, I thought, started to turn momentum there. And then, we got out there with Scheif’s line, we're trying to be aggressive, trying to put the pressure on them. And, it was big, big goal at a big time in that game to kind of give us a chance to close it out and win that hockey game."Mark Scheifele on getting a better start than last game:“I don’t know actually. We weren’t happy with the last game. We know L.A. is a tough team. They make it a hard day all around. We knew we had to come out strong and we were happy with the way we started. We kind of had a little lull, but kudos to the boys for sticking with it.” WHAT’S NEXT:Next up for Winnipeg is two-game, Eastern Conference road trip through New York and Philadelphia. They will face off on the Island at 12:00 noon on Tuesday and 6:00 PM central on Thursday in Philadelphia.

Game On Recap: Winnipeg Jets 3 Los Angeles Kings 2

<h2>Jets Fall again to rival stars</h2>RECAP:The Winnipeg Jets have fallen to 0-1-0 on the season following a 5-4 opening night loss to the Dallas Stars. On the night the team hung its Central Division Champion and Presidents' Cup banners in the rafters and honoured their multi trophy-winning goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck allowed five goals - including three in short order at the start of the third period, which ultimately did the Jets in.Kyle Connor, fresh off his $96 million contract extension, scored three goals, including two in the third period to make it a one-goal game, but the Jets were unable to fully bounce back and could not find the equalizer with Hellebuyck on the bench in the dying seconds. Morgan Barron got Winnipeg's other goal, on what was a sensational shorthanded effort, to which he beat out two members of the Stars to the Dallas net before tucking the puck past Jake Oettinger. In all, it wasn't a horrible game for Winnipeg, just a stretch of 2:22 that saw the visitors strike three times. And it ultimately did the Jets in.Jonathan Toews made his return to the NHL on Thursday, to which he skated in over 18 minutes of ice time, while playing alongside Nikita Chibrikov and Gustav Nyquist/Alex Iafallo on the team's second line. He also played some minutes on the Jets' second power play unit.And he didn't look all that out of place.With time, the 37-year-old should be able to find himself in a comfortable spot when his regular linemates return from injury.The start will not be one that Hellebuyck looks back fondly upon. Luckily it will only be a day-and-a-half until the Jets are back in action, as the Los Angeles Kings make their way to town for a 12:30 PM affair on Saturday afternoon. That game can be streamed live on TSN. HIGHLIGHTS:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976416157554139550">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976416157554139550</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976432418824540543">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976432418824540543</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976437763479355679">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976437763479355679</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976439245247218155">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976439245247218155</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976439536998809984">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976439536998809984</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976449634840289661">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976449634840289661</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976479152699240527">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976479152699240527</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976487045297266774">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1976487045297266774</a>PHOTOS:The extended photo library from Thursday's game vs. Dallas is courtesy of Scott Stroh:<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc09443.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc09601.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc09526.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc05327.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc05330.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc09740.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc09743-2.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc09840.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc09886.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc09866-2.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc05478.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc05534.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc05634.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc05558.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc05666.jpg">QUOTEABLE:Jonathan Toews on his emotions after returning to the game after 910 days away:“I think it is just really exciting before the game. But then once you get your legs out under you, you just go out there and play. But as the game went on you just try not to think about it too much and just enjoyed it. You enjoy it when you play your best, and I just tried to find a way to do that.”&nbsp;Kyle Connor on his team's response being down 5-1:"I mean, that's it. You know, we didn't play a complete 60 tonight. Parts the first, second, we showed spurts of it. And, obviously the five on three, it's almost, it's right there. We almost get it. And, then bad balance and negative momentum. Next thing we're down a couple goals. And you give it a good team like that, 5-1 lead, it's tough, but this is a resilient group. We've shown that a lot throughout the last year and over the past. And yeah, it was a great response. So we can take that out of it for sure." WHAT’S NEXT:Next up for Winnipeg is a Saturday afternoon affair, as the Los Angeles Kings roll into town for a 12:30 PM central start.

Game On Recap: Winnipeg Jets 4 Dallas Stars 5

<h2>Jets Beat Flames 4-2 To win first pre-season game of 2025</h2>Sure, it was just a practice game. And yes, nobody outside the coaching staff will ever remember it was played.But on Saturday night at Canada Life Centre, a number of young Winnipeg Jets made themselves known to the team’s brain trust.Brayden Yager, Parker Ford, Nikita Chibrikov and Jaret Anderson-Dolan all played very well as the Jets won their first pre-season game of 2025, a 4-2 win over the visiting Calgary Flames.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a3574go.jpg">While Neal Pionk, Gabriel Vilardi and Josh Morrissey were the best players on the ice and Eric Comrie played very well in net, the kids were solid as the Jets built up a 4-1 lead after two periods and coasted to what was, essentially, a meaningless victory.It was hardly a Rembrandt, no pre-season games are artistic, but the Jets, with a lineup that included Pionk, Vilardi, Morrissey, Jonathan Toews, Dylan Samberg, Mark Scheifele, Cole Perfetti and Kyle Connor, easily handled a collection of young Flames who will likely spend more time in Stockton than Calgary this season.&nbsp;Off the opening faceoff, the Jets had some jump, attacked quickly and took an early lead.Former Flames winger Walker Duehr opened the scoring for Winnipeg at 5:12 of the first period as he flew down the right wing fired a pass across the crease that deflected off Flame D-man Joel Handley and past Calgary netminder Devin Cooley.&nbsp; Neal Pionk drew the only assist.At 12:02, Nikita Chibrikov took a pass from Brayden Yager in the slot and made it 2-0 with a blistering shot past Cooley.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a0411go.jpg">Then, after Calgary’s Zayne Parekh scored a power play goal at 13:16, the Jets made it 3-1 at 17:37, when Jaret Anderson-Dolan drove down the leftwing and fed a perfect pass through the Flames crease that Parker Ford tipped past Cooley.The Jets were in control, but they should have been. They were essentially playing the Stockton Heat.The Jets scored the only goal of the second period when Neal Pionk fired a blast from the point on the power play at 11:41. Gustav Nyquist and Nikita Chibrikov drew the assists.After two periods, the shots were 18 apiece but the Jets led 4-1.In the third period, Calgary’s kids came out flying and were peppering Eric Comrie with shots when Yan Kuznetsov scored at 5:23 to make it 4-2, but that’s as close as they’d get.&nbsp;<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1h0a1987go.jpg">Winnipeg outshot Calgary 29-24 and the Jets won 60.4 per cent of the faceoffs. Calgary outhit Winnipeg 21-13.&nbsp;Pionk, Chibrikov and Comrie were the three stars, but Yager could easily have been part of that group.The Jets, now 1-3 in the pre-season, play another practice game on Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul. Game time is 7 p.m.

Youngsters Shine as Jets Beat Flames 4-2 to Claim First Pre-Season Win

<h2>Jets Beat Flames 4-2 To win first pre-season game of 2025</h2>Sure, it was just a practice game. And yes, nobody outside the coaching staff will ever remember it was played.But on Saturday night at Canada Life Centre, a number of young Winnipeg Jets made themselves known to the team’s brain trust.Brayden Yager, Parker Ford, Nikita Chibrikov and Jaret Anderson-Dolan all played very well as the Jets won their first pre-season game of 2025, a 4-2 win over the visiting Calgary FlamesWhile Neal Pionk, Gabriel Vilardi and Josh Morrissey were the best players on the ice and Eric Comrie played very well in net, the kids were solid as the Jets built up a 4-1 lead after two periods and coasted to what was, essentially, a meaningless victory.It was hardly a Rembrandt, no pre-season games are artistic, but the Jets, with a lineup that included Pionk, Vilardi, Morrissey, Jonathan Toews, Dylan Samberg, Mark Scheifele, Cole Perfetti and Kyle Connor, easily handled a collection of young Flames who will likely spend more time in Stockton than Calgary this season.&nbsp;Off the opening faceoff, the Jets had some jump, attacked quickly and took an early lead.Former Flames winger Walker Duehr opened the scoring for Winnipeg at 5:12 of the first period as he flew down the right wing fired a pass across the crease that deflected off Flame D-man Joel Handley and past Calgary netminder Devin Cooley.&nbsp; Neal Pionk drew the only assist.At 12:02, Nikita Chibrikov took a pass from Brayden Yager in the slot and made it 2-0 with a blistering shot past Cooley.Then, after Calgary’s Zayne Parekh scored a power play goal at 13:16, the Jets made it 3-1 at 17:37, when Jaret Anderson-Dolan drove down the leftwing and fed a perfect pass through the Flames crease that Parker Ford tipped past Cooley.The Jets were in control, but they should have been. They were essentially playing the Stockton Heat.The Jets scored the only goal of the second period when Neal Pionk fired a blast from the point on the power play at 11:41. Gustav Nyquist and Nikita Chibrikov drew the assists.After two periods, the shots were 18 apiece but the Jets led 4-1.In the third period, Calgary’s kids came out flying and were peppering Eric Comrie with shots when Yan Kuznetsov scored at 5:23 to make it 4-2, but that’s as close as they’d get.&nbsp;Winnipeg outshot Calgary 29-24 and the Jets won 60.4 per cent of the faceoffs. Calgary outhit Winnipeg 21-13.&nbsp;Pionk, Chibrikov and Comrie were the three stars, but Yager could easily have been part of that group.The Jets, now 1-3 in the pre-season, play another practice game on Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul. Game time is 7 p.m.

Youngsters Shine as Jets Beat Calgary 4-2 to Claim First Pre-Season Win

<h2>Jets drop second-straight preseason game</h2>RECAP:The Winnipeg Jets fell 3-2 to the Edmonton Oilers from Canada Life Centre on Tuesday night.No, it wasn't regular season, but there certainly was some buzz in the building on an otherwise non-noteworthy preseason exhibition matchup between the Jets' youngsters and the Oilers' youngsters. Jonathan Toews made his debut for Winnipeg, suiting up in something other than red and white for the first time in almost forever.He skated alongside Gustav Nyquist and Cole Perfetti on the team's top line, to which he managed over 18 minutes of ice time and didn't look all that out of place.His teammates, however, were unable to muster up much offence, while the defence looked suspect at best.Remember, this is a Jets team without Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Gabe Vilardi, Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, Dylan DeMelo, Connor Hellebuyck and others, but it certainly didn't look like the Presidents' Trophy winning club from last season. The Jets fell behind 1-0 in the second period off a Nathan Philp redirection. Colin Miller tied the game with a long-range wrist shot that made its way through a Colby Barlow screen, but it was another second period marker from Edmonton that helped the Oilers ride a lead into the third.The teams exchanged goals in the final period, with Barlow making it close on his first tally of preseason with just one minute to play and goaltender Eric Comrie pulled. But that was all the Jets could manage, as they fell to 0-2 on the preseason with their second loss in as many games at home.They will look to right the ship as they head out on the road for rematch against the Oilers on Friday night. HIGHLIGHTS:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1970632799419015521">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1970632799419015521</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1970641687220494823">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1970641687220494823</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1970641864194916729">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1970641864194916729</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1970661284644545010">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1970661284644545010</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1970680989010796622">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1970680989010796622</a>PHOTOS:The extended photo library from Tuesday's game vs. Edmonton is courtesy of Scott Stroh:<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc06271-2.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc06420.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc06304.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc06270.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc06489.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc06483.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/dsc06473.jpg">QUOTEABLE:Jonathan Toews on his return to hockey:“Some good, some not so good, it is what it is. I felt like I made some plays, but as the game went on I just relaxed a little bit. I think the conditioning is going to come and the jump is going to come."Colby Barlow on getting to the front of the net: "Yeah, just go to the net. Good things happen, whether you get a piece of it or not. You cause chaos from the net spring bowling and no good things happen." WHAT’S NEXT:Next up for Winnipeg is a rematch with the Oilers on the road on Friday night, before the team returns home for a Saturday evening affair vs. Calgary.

Game On Recap: Preseason Game 2 - Winnipeg Jets 2 Edmonton Oilers 3

<h2>Jets drop first preseason contest to wild</h2>RECAP:The Winnipeg Jets are back in action.Preseason action, that is.On Sunday afternoon, the Jets fell to 0-0-1 on the preseason with a come-from-behind loss to the visiting Minnesota Wild.The Jets got off to a strong start, pulling ahead 1-0 and then 2-0 before the game was half a period old. Goals from Morgan Barron and Danny Zhilkin gave Winnipeg its lead. But a third period collapse sent the game to overtime, where the Jets were unable to capitalize on a man advantage, falling 3-2 with 61 seconds to play.Minnesota scored once in the second period, before tying the game at two with 2:58 to play in the third period. With Brad Lambert drawing a tripping penalty on a strong solo breakaway effort, the Jets were unable to score on the ensuing 4-on-3 man advantage. The Wild brought the puck up ice and beat Winnipeg product Isaac Poulter with just over a minute to play in overtime, sealing the deal on a 3-2 win for Minnesota. The two clubs will reconvene on September 30 in Minnesota for Winnipeg's fifth of six preseason games. HIGHLIGHTS:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1969876608195711481">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1969876608195711481</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1969900006414155916">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1969900006414155916</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1969909041012117571">https://x.com/CBrooksie84/status/1969909041012117571</a>PHOTOS:The extended photo library from Sundays' game vs. Minnesota is courtesy of Danny Truong:<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4017.jpeg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a3912.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a3877.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4444.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4501.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4515.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4556.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4588.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4609.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4679.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4789.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4324.jpeg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a4851.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a5048.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a5081.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a5313.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a5339.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/_l9a5352.jpeg">QUOTEABLE:Samuel Fagemo on the move to Winnipeg from LA:“The first days I’ve been a little nervous, a new experience for me to come here to Winnipeg. But I’m slowly getting more comfortable now. But the team is such a nice group of people too, it’s been a lot easier.”WHAT’S NEXT:Next up for Winnipeg is a test against Edmonton on Tuesday night.

Game On Recap: Preseason Game 1 - Winnipeg Jets 2 Minnesota Wild 3 

<h2>Welcome home, johnny!</h2>The first words out of Jonathan Toews’ mouth when he was introduced to the media in Winnipeg was “Hi mom.”&nbsp;His mom, Andrée was sitting in the front row of this week’s news conference, and it wasn’t a surprise to anyone that she would be the first person to lock eyes with the best hockey player produced in Manitoba in a generation.“Today, all the memories flooded back from my childhood,” Toews said, as he looked at his mother. “All the reasons why and when I first fell in love with the game of hockey.“I always wanted to make my family and friends and the people I’ve grown up with proud and try and put on a show when I come back here, and I think it will be even more that way now.”A few weeks ago, Toews signed a one-year, incentive-laden contract and officially became a member of the Winnipeg Jets. On Friday, Toews was re-introduced to the city of his birth, and the 37-year-old former Stanley Cup champion and Olympic gold medallist, could not have been happier.&nbsp;“It really got to a point where I couldn't see myself wearing any other jersey,” Toews said. “To me it wasn't rational at all. It was more of an intuitive thing where it just felt right. You can go over the millions of reasons why, but I just knew in my heart that this is what I wanted to do. It felt good every step of the way. I'm really excited to be a part of it.”Toews is excited and the city of Winnipeg is excited, but there was also a large dose of reality that had to be injected into Friday’s party at the Canada Life Centre.On the one hand, Toews is one of the greatest players of the last two decades. He won three Stanley Cups with Chicago (2010, 2013, 2015), two Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014), a World Cup of Hockey gold medal (2016), two World Junior titles (2006, 2007) and a gold medal at the 2007 IIHF men’s World Championship. He won the 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy, he won the Best Forward Award at the 2010 Olympics, and the 2013 Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward.On the other hand, he has not played hockey for two full years. Chronic Immune Response Syndrome kept Toews on the sidelines for the entire 2020-21 season. After playing 71 games in 2021-22, he played just 53 games in 2022-23 -- out of the lineup from Feb. 21 through the end of March while dealing with the effects of long COVID-19. He returned on April 1, 2023 and played Chicago's final seven games, but his last game of professional hockey came on April 13, 2023. Right after that Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said the team would not re-sign Toews for the 2023-24 campaign.When he asked if he was concerned that Toews might not have what it takes to play at a high level in the best hockey league in the world, Jets head coach Scott Arniel was diplomatic, but said that of course he had concerns.“Yeah, I’m a little concerned,” Arniel said. “But it’s all about him. He’s the one he has done the work and is excited to come back and come here to Winnipeg. He doesn’t know how it’s going to go and we don’t know how it’s going to go, but at the end of the day, he is one of the smartest guys in the game. In that room, we have about 10 guys who consider Jonathan their idol. We’re still growing as a team in the playoffs and he’s excelled in that area and anything we can learn, anything the leadership group can learn, anything I can learn, about how he handles himself and prepares for games, that’s the stuff we’re all going to watch and listen to and that’s the stuff we’re excited about.”What Toews has done to get his body ready to return is commendable. This is not a lark or shot in the dark. He truly believes that he’s ready to have a solid season despite everything that’s happened.“I’d gotten to a point where I pretty much needed to let myself get off a timeline to return,” he admitted. “So, in my mind, I’d kind of accepted in a way that I might not play again. I think that was a challenging thing to do, but also a healthy thing to do. I’d wake up every day and not think about where all this could be going.”“But then, just through the course of working out, I decided that I wanted to keep myself in shape and with or without hockey I had this desire to take care of my body. That’s when I seemed to start getting stronger and stronger with each passing month and toward the end of 2024 and the start of 2025, things had improved to the point where I began to form ideas about what might lay ahead for hockey.”Toews talked openly about the fact that he had travelled to India and underwent an Ayurvedic detox Panchakarma, a traditional Indian therapy that uses massage, herbs and diet to cleanse the body.“That’s not something I would normally consider,” he said. “A guy I was working with had suggested it and for the longest time I wouldn’t even consider doing it. But I was in Europe to handle some commitments, and I had a free month and decided that after almost five years of searching for a way to heal the inflammatory and immune system issues that took me out of hockey, I would give it a try. At this point, I thought why not?”"I ended up going out there, and I was really happy that I did. As soon as I started following that diet and some of the different herbs and tinctures and just supplements that complement the diet, things started changing really fast. I knew right away that there was something to it. I’d say these past five or six months, things have really trended in the right direction, since I started skating in February and March.“There were moments when I thought OK, I still have the hands; the hands are there, the feet will catch up and things have slowly gotten better since then.”The real test of course will occur when training camp begins in September. Until that time, one of the greatest players in the game’s history, a future Hall of Famer, will wear No 19 for the Winnipeg Jets.“I watched a lot of hockey in the playoffs this year and there’s a lot of guys at my age that are still contributing in any way that they can, so that’s the outlook I’m coming into this with, too. I’ll do my best to bring that forward and help the team any way that I can.”

Jonathan Toews: Back in the '204'

<h2>Jets Sign Jonathan Toews to one-year contract</h2>The Winnipeg Jets have made their first splash of the offseason.On Friday, the team announced the signing of Winnipeg-born and raised centreman Jonathan Toews. “I’m grateful to be making my return to the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets,” the newest Jets forward shared on Friday. “It’s very special to come home and play in front of my family and friends in Manitoba. The Jets have been on the rise over the last few seasons and I’m eager to join the group and help however I can.”The news comes in advance of July 1 - the official opening of the free agent signing period - meaning the contract is still unofficial and off the books, but the team and its social media crew have already been sharing details from the signing.It will be a one-year term featuring a $2 million base salary and cap hit.Toews, however, will have the opportunity to increase his rate of pay, based on his rate of play. That $2 million could quickly become more if he stays healthy, and more importantly leads the Jets on a deep playoff run.Having missed the past two seasons of hockey as he dealt with issues stemming from long-COVID, Toews has documented his return to action through various strength and conditioning exercises and regimens over the past number of months, ultimately resulting in his decision to be 100 percent NHL-ready for 2025-26.He will bring 1,067 games on NHL experience to the Jets' lineup - one that will be missing captain Adam Lowry for the first chunk of the season, as he recovers from offseason hip surgery - and is expected to play a bottom-six role as a veteran, Cup-winning forward chock-full of invaluable experience. Toews will earn an addition $550K at the 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 games-played thresholds this season. He will get another $250K per playoff round participated in, and ultimately an extra $1 million if Winnipeg wins the Stanley Cup at season's end. The contract will officially be signed on July 1 and will run through June 30, 2026.

Jets Bring in Toews on One-Year Contract

<h2>All Hart</h2>Simply the best. There is no other way to put it. Connor Hellebuyck was the best player in the NHL during the 2024-25 season.He was recognized - and rightly so - for his incredible achievement on Thursday evening. Not only did the 32-year-old Winnipeg Jets backstop take home the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender, he was also named as the Hart Trophy winner as league MVP.Hellebuyck became just the ninth goaltender to accomplish the feat. He is also the fifth to be named both the Vezina and Hart Trophy winner in the same season and the first to take home the Vezina, Hart, Jennings and Presidents' Trophies in the same year. The league's top backstop posted a 2.00 goals against average, a .925 save percentage, eight shutouts and 47 wins - three of the individual statistical categories were tops across the league. Despite his postseason struggles on the road in both St. Louis and Dallas this spring, Hellebuyck's regular season dominance was what mattered for these awards as voting closed following the final game of the season. As Hellebuyck faltered in the playoffs, so did the Jets, which is exactly what should happen when the league's MVP struggles, should it not?Hellebuyck was surprised with the two trophies by his family and members of the NHL's Hockey Hall of Fame out in the backyard of his Michigan home this past week. The clip aired on Thursday evening at the special NHL Award Night prior to puck drop of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

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