Jets thrilled to see teammates on world stage

Jonathan Toews knows exactly what it’s like to be on this massive world stage.

So as Canada prepares to face Czechia in men’s hockey on Wednesday morning in the first of four quarterfinals at the 2026 Olympics in Milan, the Winnipeg Jets centre was more than happy to weigh in on what he’s seen so far.

“It’s awesome. It’s why we, as players, want to have NHLers in the Olympics,” said Toews, who helped Canada win gold in both 2010 and 2014. “For the best on best (element). It’s good for our sport and it’s good for people around the world that aren’t traditional hockey fans, to see how special these guys are as athletes.”

The Jets — other than the four players still competing at the Olympics — were back on the ice on Tuesday afternoon in the first workout since a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens left them staring at an 11-point deficit behind the Anaheim Ducks, who currently hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

There’s still a full week to go before the Jets return to action against the Vancouver Canucks to open a three-game road trip that also includes games against the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, so there’s going to be ample time to discuss the frenetic sprint to the end of the regular season.

That’s why most of the interviews taking place on Tuesday focused on the return of NHLers to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.

People of a certain vintage remember what it was like for Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Mario Lemieux to wear the Maple Leaf along with 1.0 Jets star Dale Hawerchuk at the Canada Cup in 1987.

It’s a similar feeling for the current generation of NHLers to see Sidney Crosby at his third Olympics and skating alongside the likes of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, among others, for the first time on this platform.

“It sheds a great light on hockey and the state of where the NHL game is,” said Jets captain Adam Lowry. “To finally see our best players play on the world stage and have an opportunity to play for their country and showcase their abilities and to get them to all play together, it’s great for the sport of hockey and it’s great for hockey fans in general.

“There are so many great players from so many countries. To finally get to see teams in their best form and competing against each other, it’s been great to watch.”

Toews was 21 when he recorded eight points and was named the top forward in the 2010 Olympics, but he marvels at what Macklin Celebrini has been doing at the ripe age of 19 at this showcase event.

“He’s a special player. He’s definitely a talent and he’s got that elite mentality,” said Toews. “You can see that he’s going to be a big-game player, he’s a leader and he’s going to be the kind of guy who drives the game for his team at both ends of the rink.

“When you’re trying to build a Stanley Cup team, aside from all of the points, he’s going to influence the game and make everyone on the ice better, every time that he’s out there. It’s cool to see him get the opportunity to do what he’s doing right now.”

Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey has been sidelined for the past two games with an injury, but he’s tracking to return for Wednesday’s game.

“It sucks, for sure,” said Jets blue-liner Dylan DeMelo, who is Morrissey’s regular defence partner with the Jets. “I know how much it has meant to him to be on that team and to be playing. He’s a big part of that team, too. So I hope he’s back next game and can do his thing out there.”

Jets winger Nino Niederreiter got his Olympics off to a great start as he was one of the flag bearers for Switzerland during the opening ceremonies and now he’s trying to help them get past Finland on Wednesday and earn a date with Canada.

“What an unbelievable experience for him, just to see him on the television, with the pride he has for his country,” Lowry said of his linemate. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience. To see him leading the Swiss out there, that was really cool.”

While Jets forward Kyle Connor looks like a healthy scratch for Team USA on Wednesday, goalie Connor Hellebuyck has cemented himself as the clear-cut No. 1 guy for the Americans and is ready to face Sweden.

“The way the setup is with this tournament, it starts to build and every game, obviously, it ramps up,” said Jets head coach Arniel. “To see him getting comfortable and making things look easy, not allowing anyone to see the net, controlling his rebounds, all those things, he seems to be dialed in.

“Now, from this point forward, it usually is great goaltending that gets you the gold medal.”

The Jets recalled four players from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League on Tuesday to help get them to full numbers for the on-ice workout, including goalie Dom DiVincentiis, defencemen Elias Salomonsson and Ville Heinola and forward Walker Duehr.

All four players are having excellent seasons in the AHL, prompting some folks to wonder if any or all of the players could stick around after the NHL roster freeze is lifted at 10:59 p.m. CT on Feb. 22.

But it’s too early to speculate on that subject, though Salomonsson’s play with the Jets during his second stint in the NHL suggested he’s ready for more during the stretch run.

The status of the three other recalled players is likely to be determined by possible trades that could be made prior to the Mar. 7 deadline.

Arniel also provided a quick injury update on the trio of blue-liners that were sidelined prior to the break and the most encouraging news revolves around Neal Pionk, who remained in a non-contact jersey but sounds like an option to return to action at some point during the upcoming road trip.

Haydn Fleury continues to progress after his awkward fall into the end boards on Jan. 6 left him with a variety of ailments to sort through.

Fleury was back on the ice as a full participant, though he also remains in a non-contact jersey and will need some additional time to get his conditioning back up after missing more than a month of game action.

Colin Miller, who suffered a knee injury on Jan. 11, skated on his own on Monday and is expected to be back on the ice with strength and conditioning coach Jake Wolff on Wednesday, though there is no timetable for his return yet.

Arniel said the Jets plan to use the next few days as a mini-training camp, digging into some of the finer details that have been challenging to work on due to the compressed nature of the schedule.

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