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“I’m really excited to just get playing hockey again, playing meaningful games,” Jets forward Mark Scheifele said on Wednesday. “And it starts off with a big one against Dallas.”
Published Oct 08, 2025 • 3 minute read
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Winnipeg Jets centre Mark Scheifele in action against the Dallas Stars. The Jets open the regular season against the Stars on Thursday night at Canada Life Centre. Photo by Gareth Patterson/The Associated Press /Winnipeg SunArticle content
After weeks of mind-numbing practices and games that counted for nothing, the Jets will finally get a taste of the real thing.
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“I’m really excited to just get playing hockey again, playing meaningful games,” Jets forward Mark Scheifele said on Wednesday. “And it starts off with a big one against Dallas.”
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The Jets begin the 2025-26 NHL regular season on Thursday when the Dallas Stars come to town for a 7 p.m. puck drop at Canada Life Centre.
“It’s always great to play that team that knocked you out — anytime, whether it’s the first game of the year or towards the end, down the stretch, or in the playoffs, we’re going to be seeing these guys and we’re going to have to go through them,” Jets forward Kyle Connor said. “We know what kind of team they are, so we’re going to be excited for that one and it’s a great way to start the year.”
The Stars eliminated the Jets in six games in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs last May.
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Connor received the lion’s share of the media attention on Wednesday, as the club announced his eight-year contract extension worth US $96 million. The contract takes effect next season, paying him $12 million per year.
The newly signed forward says the Stars are a strong early-season litmus test for the Jets.
“We feel we have a lot of unfinished business, as a group,” Connor said. “We took a great step last year, obviously the Presidents’ Trophy, but we realize that it’s all about that next step in the playoffs, getting to that next round and winning and having that consistent presence in the playoffs and going as deep as we can.”
Training camp began on Sept. 18 at the Hockey For All Centre. The club played six exhibition games, and won two of them.
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The head coach is happy where the club is at as he stares down the extended runway that is a hockey season.
‘I felt that training like training camp was good, everybody built their game towards (Thursday),’ Arniel said. “We have checked all the boxes on all the stuff on all the stuff we wanted to present to the players and now it is (just go out there and play the game).”
Arniel says the race for the Central Division begins on opening night. A good start is imperative.
“You want to set the tone off right, not only your opening game, but you want to make sure in our division that we can get out in front of these guys, and we want to get off on a good note,” Arniel said.
Last season, the Jets had the division lead well in hand after winning eight consecutive games right out of the gate. The club’s first loss was to the Maple Leafs on Oct. 28. In total, they won 15 of their first 16 games.
The team will ice a short-handed lineup with captain Adam Lowry on the sidelines with a hip injury. Cole Perfetti is also out with a high ankle sprain, and Dylan Samberg is on the shelf with a broken wrist. All three players are either weeks or months away from returning.
Jonathan Toews is nursing a lower-body injury, but he did practice on Wednesday.
“Toews had a good day (on Wednesday)” Arniel said of the club’s 37-year-old projected second-line centre. “We will make that decision on Thursday.”
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