Jets mailbag: storylines to watch as countdown to 16th season begins By: Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe Posted: 12:00 PM CDT Wednesday, Sep. 16, 2026

There’s a chill in the air, which must mean hockey is right around the corner.

Sure enough, the Winnipeg Jets open training camp this week, full of excitement and hope for the upcoming campaign.

However, there are a few other emotions surrounding the club right now, which were evident when we opened up the monthly Free Press mailbag. Specifically when it comes to a certain goaltender who isn’t expected to show his face  while waiting news on a trade he’s demanded.

Among them: Angst. Apathy. Anger.

Hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe dig into your Connor Hellebuyck questions — when might that sordid situation start heating up? — while also covering plenty of other ground.

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1) You’ll get a lot of variations of this I suspect but who the hell does Connor Hellebuyck think he is? TRACEE

MCINTYRE: Oh, where to begin.

Look, I get the frustration. Truly. Hellebuyck committed to the Jets for the long term, and now wants a one-way ticket out of town with five years still remaining on a contract he willingly signed.

From a fan perspective, that stinks. Hellebuyck is one of the best in the world, as proven by his three Vezina trophies, one Hart Trophy and, most recently, one Olympic gold medal.

I’m not going to speak for Hellebuyck, who was clearly spitting fire when we last spoke to him in the spring. I truly believe some of the blowback that came his way — specifically towards his wife — following Milan is a major reason he wants out.

And, to be fair, that’s his right. Anyone is entitled to ask for a change of scenery.

Anyone is entitled to ask for a change of scenery…. But let’s be clear: the Jets don’t have to honour his request.

But let’s be clear: the Jets don’t have to honour his request. And, so far, they have not. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff isn’t going to give him away for nothing, nor should he.

At the same time, a disgruntled Hellebuyck sitting on the sidelines — assuming he essentially goes on “strike” if a trade doesn’t happen before the season starts — doesn’t do anyone any good. The Jets are worse off on the ice, with their MVP MIA and nothing in return for him. And Hellebuyck wouldn’t exactly be upping his trade value, either.

This is a messy situation, for sure. One that I suspect will eventually resolve by Cheveldayoff deciding what’s the best he can get in return for Hellebuyck, and then (reluctantly) pulling the trigger. Whether that happens in the next hour, the next day, the next week or the next month remains to be seen.

One thing is clear: Hellebuyck’s image around here has taken a big hit, and that’s an unfortunate and rather stunning development.

2) Is there any reason why the Jets shouldn’t suspend Connor Hellebuyck if he doesn’t show up for training camp? GORD

WIEBE: With Hellebuyck not attending Monday’s golf tournament, which was an official team event, the expectation is that the Jets franchise goalie isn’t going to be around for medicals and physicals on Wednesday and won’t be on the ice for the first sessions on Thursday either.

If that is indeed the case, the expectation would be that Hellebuyck is suspended by the team for withholding his services, given the fact he has five more seasons remaining on his contract.

Paycheques don’t start rolling in until next month, but if Hellebuyck ultimately decides to hold out, it will add another layer to this situation.

Hellebuyck’s future and next destination are already a big story around the league and this is the next logical step. How long might the holdout last before a trade gets made or the player returns? That is anyone’s guess.

The next real pressure point is the start of the regular season, barring an injury to a prominent goalie in another organization at some point during training camp.

3) Hey, just curious on your thoughts about the whole Connor Hellebuyck situation and what would Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Josh Morrissey’s view be on either staying or going, following along the footsteps of Hellebuyck, Quinn Hughes, Dylan Larkin, and Brady Tkachuk with similar situations to their teams. PATRIC

MCINTYRE: We haven’t heard yet from Kyle Connor — I suspect he’ll speak when camp officially opens Thursday — so I don’t want to make any assumptions. But he is under contract with the Jets through 2034. I’ve heard nothing to indicate Hellebuyck’s U.S Olympic teammate will be looking for an escape route.

As for Scheifele and Morrissey, both men have spoken in recent days and, at least publicly, said all the right things. Both have made it clear they love Winnipeg and the Jets and have no desire for change.

One of the fascinating aspects of the Hellebuyck trade request is what the ultimate return is.

Scheifele is under contract for five more years, while Morrissey is set to become a free agent in the summer of 2028 and no doubt will be due a major raise.

One of the fascinating aspects of the Hellebuyck trade request is what the ultimate return is. If it’s largely/entirely futures-based — think draft picks and prospects — then I do wonder whether the odds of Morrissey (and maybe Connor and Scheifele, too) being moved increase. After all, the Jets at that point may as well embrace a full-blown rebuild.

However, if they get a piece or pieces back from Hellebuyck that help keep the competitive window open, then I suspect those types of difficult conversations with other core players become moot.

It’s a situation worth monitoring, for sure.

4) How do each of you see what the avenue is for the Jets to make the playoffs this season? The Central has gotten better while the Jets have stood still, and the Pacific is also getting better. TERRY

WIEBE: The beauty of September is that many predictions get made — and only some of them come to fruition.

I’m happy to report that I was able to identify the Stanley Cup finalists in our pre-season predictions, but I had the Vegas Golden Knights defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in six games and the roles ended up being reversed.

I had the Minnesota Wild falling out of the playoffs, but that was before the team added defenceman Quinn Hughes. Instead, it was the Jets that dropped off and slipped from first overall to sixth in the Central and 12th in the West.

There is usually some churn when it comes to teams sneaking in and others falling out — like the Ducks and Mammoth replacing the Jets and St. Louis Blues. The Los Angeles Kings appear vulnerable to dip this season, but in order to replace them (or another unexpected team), the formula for the Jets appears simple to identify, though that doesn’t mean it will be easy to execute.

My initial thought is that the Jets look like a bubble team, at least until the Hellebuyck situation is sorted out. For the Jets to finish above the playoff line, they’ll need bounce-back seasons from a number of guys who dealt with injuries either going into the season or throughout it.

Captain Adam Lowry figures to be back at his line-matching best, Cole Perfetti seems primed to be a 55-to-65-point player and the defence pairing of Dylan Samberg is due to return to previous form after some uneven play. Getting back to playing a smothering style of team defence will be a top priority for the Jets and they must show improvement on both special teams units.

Mark Scheifele is coming off the first 100-point season of his career and showing no signs of slowing down, while Kyle Connor eclipsed 90 points for the second time in his career and Gabe Vilardi appeared in all 82 games for the first time and racked up career highs for goals (30), assists (39) and points (69).

Josh Morrissey is healthy and should get back into the Norris Trophy conversation provided he stays healthy. Elias Salomonsson is ready for his first full season, and bringing in Mario Ferraro to bolster the defence corps was a smart move. The addition of Viggo Bjorck to the forward group should bring a boost to secondary scoring and sound defensive play.

Goalie Stuart Skinner is entering his fifth full NHL season and should benefit from the tutelage of goalie coach Wade Flaherty. A lot of things will need to go well for the Jets to punch their ticket to the playoffs, but it would be a surprise to me if the Jets find themselves in the bottom third of the NHL for a second consecutive season.

MCINTYRE: I wouldn’t agree that the Jets have “stood still.” I believe the blue-line is vastly improved, provided everyone can stay healthy, with Ferraro and a full-time Salomonsson in the top six. That’s a huge upgrade over Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn, who held down the third pairing for much of last year.

Up front, I’m expecting much better seasons from Perfetti and Lowry, who were never quite right last year after starting the season with significant injuries. Perfetti, especially, can be a difference-maker, and I’m predicting the best year of his career.

Bjorck has obviously injected a ton of excitement, and while it would be unfair to pin all the hopes and dreams on an 18-year-old rookie, the slick Swede will bring an entirely new dynamic to a Jets team in need of some speed and skill and youth.

Throw in possible expanded roles and, hopefully, development for young players like Isak Rosen, Brad Lambert, Nikita Chibrikov, Brayden Yager, Danny Zhilkin and Parker Ford and I think this team could look a lot different up front.

Obviously goaltending is going to be a question mark, but the Jets didn’t exactly get the best version of Hellebuyck last year.

If the Jets can play with the type of structure and discipline in front of Skinner, the way they did in winning two straight Jennings trophies as the stingiest defensive squad, then I think there’s reason for optimism.

Are the Jets going to challenge for a division title or Presidents’ Trophy? Likely not. But I have them in the mix for a wild-card spot this season.

5) How many games does Scott Arniel last this year? Over/under 42.5. NIK

WIEBE: Arniel enters his third season as the bench boss and fifth with the 2.0 version of the Jets, including his two seasons as associate coach under Rick Bowness. Unless an extension has been signed and hasn’t been announced, Arniel is entering the final year of the three-year pact he signed when he was promoted after Bowness retired.

There is certainly some pressure on Arniel after the Jets dropped from first overall to 26th overall and missed the playoffs, but for me, taking the over seems like a pretty safe bet.

Arniel is entering the final year of the three-year pact he signed when he was promoted after Bowness retired

There have been two times in 15 previous seasons since the Jets relocated from Atlanta that a coaching change has been made and only one of those was an actual firing. That occurred when Claude Noel (the first coach of the 2.0 era) was relieved of his duties on Jan. 12, 2014.

For those keeping score at home, that was 47 games into the season and the Jets sitting at 19-23-5. Paul Maurice decided to step away and resign on Dec. 17 which was 28 games into the 2021-22 season and the Jets sitting at 13-10-5.

The Jets are looking to regroup after a down season and Arniel is determined to help the team turn around and be in the mix for a playoff spot.

It would be surprising to me if Arniel weren’t given the chance to coach this entire season and — if this group is in the post-season mix throughout the course of the campaign — a multi-year extension would be the next step in the process.

6) Name me three players who you think could lose their jobs this pre-season. @frostywinnipeg

MCINTYRE: Nino Niederreiter and Vlad Namestnikov are two that jump out, given that both are aging veterans whose play appears to be on the decline given how last year went. They’re also both entering the final year of their contracts and I wouldn’t suspect any type of extension.

Frankly, I’m shocked Niederreiter is still on the roster. I thought a buyout or trade might be coming this summer, but neither materialized. I’m not sure where he factors in within the top 12. Is there a scenario where, following camp, he’s put on waivers with the idea of a mutual contract termination?

Namestnikov is perhaps a bit more versatile, given that he was the second-line centre when the Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy two years ago. He can also play the wing, but I suspect the days of him being automatically cemented in the starting lineup are declining.

On the blue line, I’d say Haydn Fleury’s role is likely going to take a hit, provided the Jets can stay healthy. Mario Ferraro’s addition and Elias Salomonsson’s emergence means there’s no room in the top six for him. And Fleury will face competition from the likes of Jack St. Ivany, Henry Thrun, Isaak Phillips and even Tyrel Bauer when it comes to depth.

7) Is Viggo Bjorck the next Sid the Kid? CHRIS

WIEBE: Although it’s easy to understand the hype surrounding the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, comparisons to the Pittsburgh Penguins captain fall into the category of way, way too premature.

That’s an unrealistic bar for almost any prospect to try and climb, whether you’re a first overall pick or somewhere else in the Top 10. Sidney Crosby is one of the best to ever do it and his combination of speed, skill, work ethic, defensive reliability and hockey sense is mostly in a class of his own.

But expecting Bjorck to make the kind of impact Crosby did as a rookie… is not a realistic expectation.

Does Bjorck share some qualities that Crosby had as he entered the league? Absolutely. The combination of dogged work ethic, high-end skill, sound defensive play and the ability to make those around him better is certainly there.

But expecting Bjorck to make the kind of impact Crosby did as a rookie, when he had 39 goals and 102 points in 81 games and finished second to Alex Ovechkin in the race for the Calder Trophy is not a realistic expectation.

Having said that, I do see Bjorck sliding nicely into the 2C role, where he could deliver 32-to-40ish points while handling the defensive responsibilities.

If you’re simply asking whether Bjorck can grow into a franchise pillar and be a No. 1C eventually, that answer is yes. But let’s let the youngster establish himself a bit before making any sweeping observations about his ceiling, even if it looks pretty high as this process begins.

8) I was just at the second prospects game in Gatineau and Viggo Bjorck is awesome. He sees the game at 2x speed. Lukas Gustafsson on D was impressive. QB on every offensive shift especially PP. Very vocal. What is the plan/timeline for him, Alfons Freij, etc., for the defence? PAUL

MCINTYRE: I agree that Gustafsson, and Freij as well, both impressed this past weekend.

Look for them to play prominent roles with the Manitoba Moose given that they are both rookie pros. Could they eventually work their way into the call-up conversation? For sure, especially as it relates to Freij, who is a Winnipeg draft pick and on a two-way contract.

Gustafsson was an undrafted college free agent who is signed to an AHL deal, which means he doesn’t count against the 50 NHL contract maximum all teams have. That could always change, as we’ve seen similar players eventually ink pacts with the big club.

The Moose should be a fun team to watch this year, especially with another rookie D — Garrett Brown — getting his feet wet at the pro level, too. Up front, you have the likes of Kevin He and Kieron Walton joining two other college free agent signings in Lucas Wahlin and Davis Burnside (who is on an AHL deal) as rookie pros.

I thought all four looked real good in Quebec.

9) Over/under NHL games for D Garrett Brown this year? Five in March-April? Or is he in first call-up territory? @damaend.bsky.social

WIEBE: The old journalism adage “they said there would be no math” does not apply for the mailbag this month — and I’m here for it.

Defenceman Garrett Brown is one of the intriguing prospects in the Jets organization, given his size (six-foot-three and somewhere in the neighbourhood of 200 pounds, depending on the results of Wednesday’s official weigh-in as part of team medicals and physicals) and skating ability.

Chosen in the fourth round (99th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, Brown is a right-handed shooting blue-liner who is about to play his first professional season after completing his NCAA career with the University of Denver Pioneers.

Brown won two NCAA Frozen Four titles during his tenure, though an injury limited him to just eight games as a freshman in 2023-24.

It’s certainly possible that Brown’s development path allows him to push to make his NHL debut late in the season

Brown suited up in four Calder Cup playoff games for the Manitoba Moose last spring after signing his first pro contract and showed well in games against the Milwaukee Admirals and Grand Rapids Griffins, but going through the grind of a full American Hockey League season likely means you should take the under in this round of over/under.

Now, it’s certainly possible that Brown’s development path allows him to push to make his NHL debut late in the season, but the players ahead of him on the right side on the depth chart already include: Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk, Elias Salomonsson (who is working his way back from shoulder surgery), Jack St. Ivany and Tyrel Bauer.

The focus for Brown will be establishing good habits and being a dependable puck-moving D-man that defends well and by doing those things, he will work himself into the mix for being in consideration for a recall.

10) Comment on giving Logan Stanley and/or Patrik Laine second chance as a Jet? FP

MCINTYRE: Kind of stunning, isn’t it, that both men are still unrestricted free agents as training camps open?

I didn’t have that on my bingo card as it pertains to the pair of 2016 first-round draft picks. Clearly this summer hasn’t gone as planned — whether it was salary, term or both — as they look for their next hockey homes.

I was on board with the Jets seeking a reunion with Laine on a low-risk, potentially high-reward short-term deal with plenty of bonuses built in. And I still am. I suspect if it were going to happen, it would have by now; but never say never, I guess.

As for Stanley, a hard no. That ship has sailed. The Jets have no spot for him with Mario Ferraro now occupying what should be a vastly improved third-pairing and plenty of other depth options in the fold.

11) Just curious about Sascha Boumedienne and Edison Engle not being part of the prospects group? DANNY

WIEBE: You should have no concerns about this and it doesn’t reflect the relationship the players have with the Jets.

In fact, this has nothing to do with the players in question and everything to do with the rules regarding NCAA eligibility.

U.S. college players haven’t participated in this event since the Jets attended their first prospects event in Penticton, B.C., in the fall of 2011, and although the NCAA landscape is in the midst of a number of rule changes, participation in NHL training compass or prospect events isn’t part of them.

This has nothing to do with the players in question and everything to do with the rules regarding NCAA eligibility.

Boumedienne has transferred to Ohio State University this fall for what will be his junior season and it will be interesting to see whether he chooses to turn pro and sign a contract this spring once the Buckeyes’ season is over. The smooth-skating blue-liner remains an intriguing prospect and he told me in July at Jets development camp that he’s excited about switching teams and attacking a new challenge at Ohio State.

Engle, who had a strong season in the OHL last season with the Brantford Bulldogs, is about to begin his freshman campaign with the Western Michigan Broncos, where he will be teammates with 2023 third-rounder Zach Nehring. Engle, chosen in the sixth round of the 2025 NHL Draft, is also a mobile D-man who is a powerful skater and is known for his ability to defend.

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