‘I love being a Winnipeg Jet’

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This article was published 20/05/2025 (199 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mason Appleton not only wore his heart on his sleeve, he stated his intentions just above the brim of his cap.

As he stood in front of reporters on Tuesday, the Winnipeg Jets right-winger was sporting a lid with WPG on it.

For someone who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, it wasn’t an accident Appleton chose to show his support to a community he’s grown to be a big part of, spending nearly seven-and-a-half of his eight NHL seasons in the Jets’ organization.

“Obviously each side has to talk and stuff has to get figured out. I love being a Winnipeg Jet. It’s all I’ve really known. I was in Seattle for a short while. I love it here and I love this organization. If we could work it out, I’d be happy to be a Jet,” said Appleton, who was asked a follow-up about what was on his checklist for his next contract.

“I’m 29. I’d like some term, some stability on that. But, at the same time, sometimes that changes the numbers on that. I guess I kind of got an idea in my head. We haven’t really had much communication with them. Hopefully, in the next little bit here maybe we could get to work and see what both sides want and go from there.”

With some unknowns surrounding his future, Appleton admits that saying goodbye is a bit different this time around.

“Yeah, it is. I’ve never been in a spot like this, as a potential UFA,” said Appleton, originally chosen by the Jets in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL draft. “When you’ve got a term left on your deal, a loss stings and the season ends and you end up where you dwell and you get over it and then, ‘It’s OK, we’ve got next year.’

“That’s not the reality for me right now. You don’t know what next year brings or where that will be. But, like I said, I love being a Winnipeg Jet.”

Appleton is one of eight pending UFAs in the organization, which includes Nikolaj Ehlers, Brandon Tanev, Dominic Toninato and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, defencemen Haydn Fleury and Dylan Coghlan and goalie Chris Driedger.

Ehlers is the highest profile player on the list and even as he was suiting up for Denmark at the 2025 IIHF men’s world championship, his future was one of the topics discussed.

“I love it here and I love this organization. If we could work it out, I’d be happy to be a Jet.”–Mason Appleton

After being added to the top power-play unit this year, Ehlers saw an uptick in his production, registering 24 goals and 63 points in 69 games before adding five goals and seven points in eight playoff contests.

“He’s an awesome guy to be around and it’s been such a pleasure watching him grow his game — not only on the ice but off the ice as well — and watching him become the guy he is,” said Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck.

“He’s such a big part of this family and the heart and soul of a lot of things we do here. Not only does he bring it on the ice, but just around the rink he’s a pleasure to be around.

“You know he’s going to have your back no matter what you’re going through. He’s a big part of the group.”

Tanev was reminiscing about his first tour of duty with the organization and thankful for a second crack at a playoff run in 2025.

“Obviously, I had my start here and to come back for a second go around, it’s awesome,” said Tanev.

“It was an opportunity to come to a good group, a great city with good people in it and to live out your dream playing in the NHL. I think no matter where you are, your goal is to play in the NHL and to win a Stanley Cup.

“So I’ve always been grateful for my time here in Winnipeg, and it’s been awesome and the fans and everyone have made it that way.”

“Being able to play in a city where hockey matters for me is huge.”–Haydn Fleury

Defenceman Fleury signed a two-way deal to play a depth role, but ended up suiting up in some of the Jets’ most important games of the season, including a Game 7 victory over the St. Louis Blues in the opening round.

There were ups-and-downs to endure, as injuries opened the door for Fleury to see some second pairing minutes with Neal Pionk during the first half of the season, but a lower-body issue he sustained on Dec. 23 against the Toronto Maple Leafs impeded his momentum to the point he was a healthy scratch down the stretch and for the beginning of the playoffs.

But Fleury appeared in 39 games during the regular season and then got into eight of the 13 postseason contests, enhancing his value, whether he sticks around or hits the open market.

“I’d love to stay. I really enjoyed my time here,” said Fleury.

“My wife and my kids really enjoy it. And being able to play in a city where hockey matters for me is huge. And just to be able to show my kids how much a sport can do for a community is something that I’m really proud that I got to show my son this year.”

The Jets already have eight blue-liners under contract for next season, while Elias Salmonsson will be trying to work his way into the equation as well.

THE CHANCE: Appleton had the best chance to give the Jets the lead in Game 6 on Saturday, but Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger made a sprawling glove save to prevent his backdoor shot from going in with roughly eight-and-a-half minutes to go in regulation time.

Appleton brought up the chance unprompted and got emotional when talking about the glorious opportunity to provide the go-ahead goal.

“The puck didn’t really settle how I wanted it to, so I didn’t really hit it how I needed or wanted to,” said Appleton. “You look back at it, (if) you score the goal, you’re winning the game. So, yeah, obviously it’s kind of haunting in a sense. Frustrating.

“But at the same time you see goalies make incredible saves. I didn’t get what I wanted on it, but at the end of the day it’s a game of inches.”

As haunting as the missed chance was, Appleton said it was one of many moments that could have gone either way in the tight series with the Stars.

“You think about those things for days,” said Appleton.

“It’s athletes competing. It’s not pen and paper where you’re just figuring out stuff and it’s yes or no answers. That’s not how the game of hockey works. There’s what ifs in everyday life, but there’s a million in hockey with two teams competing at that pace for 60 minutes. What if they didn’t hit the post there close to the end and it just went in? Like a million what ifs on both sides, but man, yeah, it’s a sport and it is what it is.”

Appleton finished the playoffs with seven assists in 13 games, which left him tied for third on the team with Ehlers and defenceman Pionk.

Only Mark Scheifele (12 points) and Kyle Connor (five goals, 17 points) produced more than Appleton offensively during the first two rounds.

Appleton had 10 goals and 22 points in 71 games during the regular season, a slight dip from the career-high 14 goals and 34 points he had in 82 games in 2023-24.

INJURY UPDATE: During the playoffs, Jets defenceman Luke Schenn dropped a hint that he wasn’t necessarily a healthy scratch when he was replaced by Colin Miller early in the second-round series with the Stars.

On Thursday, he revealed that he had been playing with a pair of cracked ribs, the result of a hit he delivered in the third period of Game 2 against the St. Louis Blues.

“I just went to go hit a guy and felt it right there,” said Luke.

“I had that for the remainder of the playoffs, so yeah, it’s obviously, it’s tough. I mean, that was a hard-fought, physical series and then you’re trying to continue to play with that. So, no, it’s not an excuse, it’s just, you’re trying to battle through that while not being hesitant, that was the grind. But the training staff did an incredible job and just sort of, yeah, tried to push through and help the team any way I could.”

Are cracked ribs the same as broken ribs?

“It’s not, but I’m not the doctor,” said Schenn. “But all I know is it doesn’t feel great.”

Luke wasn’t the only Schenn brother playing through pain.

Nor was he the only member of the Schenn family keeping a secret.

“(Brayden) did not know about that,” said Luke.

“Funny enough, he had an injury that was almost very similar to mine, and I didn’t know about his either, and he comes up after Game 7 and he goes, ‘Yeah, I’m pretty banged up,’ and I go, ‘Point,’ and he shows me the spot, and I’m like, ‘That’s literally where I’m sore, too.’ And my dad knew, and he didn’t tell both of us either.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld