September 28 Winnipeg Jets’ Opening Day Lineup.

September 30, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Please join host Harley Friesen and Winnipeg Hockey Talk owner/writer Mitch Kasprick for a more in-depth discussion of these Random Thoughts on the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, and the National Hockey League on our new WHT YouTube channel here >>>> https://www.youtube.com/@WpgHockTalk  LIVE every Monday at 7:00 pm.  

This week’s YouTube show

Join Harley and Mitch on YouTube for a look at the opening night roster and viewer questions.

Here >>> https://www.youtube.com/@WpgHockTalk

1. Jets:  It’s a new season, with a new roster, new lines, new goaltenders, and new hope for the Winnipeg Jets. 

To get down to the 23-man roster limit, the Winnipeg Jets assigned Brayden Yager and Domenic DiVincentiis to the Manitoba Moose.

  • Goaltenders: 
  • Stuart Skinner … Clay Stevenson
  • Defencemen:
  • Josh Morrissey … Dylan DeMelo
  • Dylan Samberg … Neal Pionk
  • Mario Ferraro … Tyrel Bauer
  • Hayden Fleury … Jack St. Ivany
  • Forwards:
  • Kyle Connor … Mark Scheifele … Cole Perfetti
  • Isak Rosen … Viggo Bjorck … Gabe Vilardi
  • Morgan Barron … Adam Lowry … Brad Lambert
  • Nino Niederreiter … Vlad Namestnikov … Alex Iafallo … Cole Koepke
  • IR:
  • Garrett Brown … Elias Salomonsson … Walker Duehr

2. Jets:  Poll Question:

What should Chevy do now that Helle is officially a "holdout"?

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 3. Jets:  According to multiple “INSIDERS,” a possible Connor Hellebuyck deal could hinge on a trade between Carolina and St. Louis involving Alexander Nikishin.  This trade may or may not happen, but if it does, then the next domino could be Helle.  Stay tuned!

4. Jets:  The Winnipeg Jets have their history back as the NHL announces consolidation of the Winnipeg Jets’ history and has united both franchise eras into one official statistical history.

The Jets’ history now includes their first stint in Winnipeg (1979-96) as well as their years as the Atlanta Thrashers (1999-2011) and their seasons in Winnipeg since 2011-12.

5. Jets:  Winnipeg Jets 2026 October Schedule.

The 84-game schedule has the Jets playing all their Central Division rivals four times, a pair at home and a pair on the road, for a total of 28 games.  They will play Pacific Division teams three times, while hosting and visiting all 16 Eastern Conference teams once.

Winnipeg has nine back-to-backs this season: six are two straight games on the road, two feature a home-and-road game, and one will be back-to-back games in Winnipeg against the Dallas Stars.

Viewer questions for the show:

From Ben: 

1.  What will Chevy and Helle’s mindsets be on either of the following?  Jets start season 8-2 or Jets start season 2-8.

2.  What kind of leash will Clay Stevenson have to prove himself before they either have to make another move or Milic or Dom get broken in?

From Sparky:

1.  Could the Jets have one of their best 4th lines?

2.  Is Chibrikov’s window closing?

From Andy:

1.  What do you think of our goalie we got off waivers?

2.  How much is Bauer gonna get into the rotation?

 

Check out the video version HERE with Harley and Mitch on YouTube for a much more detailed look, and with the answers to the questions above.

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September 21 Winnipeg Jets’ Training Camp Opens.

September 21, 2026 by

Please join host Harley Friesen and Winnipeg Hockey Talk owner/writer Mitch Kasprick for a more in-depth discussion of these Random Thoughts on the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, and the National Hockey League on our new WHT YouTube channel here >>>> https://www.youtube.com/@WpgHockTalk  LIVE every Monday at 7:00 pm.  

This week’s YouTube show

Join Harley and Mitch on YouTube at 7 pm, Sept. 21.

Here >>> https://www.youtube.com/@WpgHockTalk

1. Jets:  Winnipeg Jets’ training camp officially opened with medicals this past Wednesday, and Connor Hellebuyck was a no-show.  Helle was promptly put on the suspended list. 

Being on the suspended list is not a big deal until it starts costing Helle money, which won’t be for a couple of weeks (Oct.8), and then we’ll see how strong his resolve is.       

2. Jets:  Poll Question:

What should Chevy do now that Helle is officially a "holdout"?

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 3. Jets:  Viggo certainly did not disappoint in his first game as a Winnipeg Jets prospect.  My first impressions of Viggo were very positive. He can skate, has good vision, can pass the puck, and has a very high compete level.  

4. Jets:  The rumblings we heard that Elias Salomonsson’s recovery is tracking toward being ready around training camp or the beginning of the regular season were close.  He is in camp in full uniform, rehabbing, and the soft projection for his return is late October.

5. Jets:  During Kevin Cheveldayoff’s presser on Friday, he was asked about the “promise to win” not being fulfilled with Hellebuyck:

“A contract is a contract in the National Hockey League.  Period.  There are no side agreements; the league doesn’t allow for that, so any notion around that would not have any merit.”

6. Jets:  Kyle Connor described the Hellebuyck situation as “heartbreaking.”  KC also said he tried to talk him out of it, but respects that he has to make his own decision.

7. Jets:  Winnipeg Jets 2026 Pre-season Broadcast Schedule.

8. Jets:  I may be accused of being a little biased, but I thought Thomas Milic acquitted himself fairly well versus Edmonton on Saturday night.

9. Jets:   On paper, the line of Viggo Bjorck, Isak Rosen, and Brad Lambert looked like it should be the Jets’ first line versus Edmonton, and they actually played the part.  They created some good scoring chances and were very dangerous at times 

10. Jets:  I was surprised by Noah Gregor’s speed, but the problem is we have enough of these 4th-line type of players.

Released: 

  • D – Noa Ta’amu (Edmonton – WHL)
    D – Alexandre Taillefer (Quebec – QMJHL)
    F – Jacob Cloutier (Saginaw – OHL)
  • G – Alex Worthington  (PTO)

Next Week:  

  • New look lines.
  • Schedule.
  • Back-to-backs.
  • Were there actually threats on Helle and/or his family?

For a much more detailed look check out the video version HERE with Harley and Mitch on YouTube.

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Apr. 6 Random Thoughts on the Winnipeg Jets

April 6, 2026 by

Please join host Harley Friesen and Winnipeg Hockey Talk owner/writer Mitch Kasprick for a more in-depth discussion of these Random Thoughts on the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, and the National Hockey League on our new WHT YouTube channel here >>>> https://www.youtube.com/@WpgHockTalk  LIVE every Monday at 7:00 pm.  

This week’s YouTube show

Join Harley and Mitch on YouTube for the Apr. 6 Random Thoughts on the Winnipeg Jets.

Listen to a more detailed version of the Curmudgeon’s thoughts.

Note: Because of today’s Jets game, we will be Live at 5:30 pm

1. Jets:  The Winnipeg Jets went 2-1-0 this past week but have failed to gain any ground in their pursuit of the final wildcard in the Western Conference.  Their record currently sits at 33-31-12.  The boys are 3 points out of the playoffs with 6 games remaining in the regular season and still kicking at the cat, but they’re running out of games.

2. Jets:  It’s funny, Brad Lambert hasn’t put any points on the board lately, BUT you’d never know he’s the rookie out there.  

3. Things that make me go hmmm #1 🤔:  Almost all of the local podcasters or YouTube channels dedicated to following the Winnipeg Jets have all said the same thing.

The Winnipeg Jets are a much better team right now, but no thanks to the braintrust that finally made the correct roster moves based on necessity and not good roster management.

Most of us had been begging for these moves months ago, and if a bunch of keyboard warriors and basement dwellers could see it, why couldn’t our illustrious braintrust?  This organisation is so slow to react, if they react at all.  VERY FRUSTRATING.

4. Jets:  From the “Put that in your pipe and smoke it” file.   It’s hard to get “frontier justice” if the intended target doesn’t want to engage, like on Thursday night in Dallas when Jason Robertson executed a legal but dirty reverse-hit on Elias Salomonsson that knocked him out of the game and the next game in Columbus.  The thing is, he (Robertson) tried it again late in the 3rd period on the much smaller Cole Perfetti with the score 3-0, and Neal Pionk wasn’t happy about it and gave him a couple of shots, then challenged him, but Robertson wanted no part of that, and his teammates came to his aid and jumped Pionk.  The part that bothered me about this course of events was that Jets’ captain, Adam Lowry, ended up having to fight Stars’ captain Jamie Benn while the gutless puke stood there and watched, uninvolved and unscathed.  Jason Robertson, who is 6’3 and 200 lbs, is under no obligation to fight if he doesn’t want to, but I’m sorry, if he can’t sack-up and fight the smaller Neal Pionk at 6’0, 190 lbs, he shouldn’t be playing that way.  As far as I’m concerned, this isn’t settled, and I hope the Jets’players don’t forget it either, which they won’t.  I’m sorry to all the snowflakes that won’t like the “frontier justice,” but that’s how it works, so put that in your pipe and smoke it.

5. Jets:  The second period in Columbus might be the most dominant period of hockey they’ve played all season, but it took them 18 min and 14 sec to get something to show for it.

6. Pet Peeve:  Officials/linesmen constantly in the way along the boards affecting play.  GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY FFS.

7. Jets:  This past week, whenever the Jets were in trouble on the ice, it seemed like Dylan DeMelo or Jacob Bryson were the cause.  We are contractually (2 more years) stuck with DeMelo, but I hope Chevy doesn’t do something stupid like offer Bryson a contract.

8. Jets:  Playoff and Lottery Odds:  As of April 6

Watch our WHT YouTube channel.

Note: Because of today’s Jets game, we will be Live at 5:30 pm at

👉 👉 👉 Winnipeg Hockey Talk on YouTube

9. Jets:  Special Teams:  Rule of thumb. 

Have the power play and penalty kill (PK and PP) numbers total at least 100% when added (as your minimum).

  • PP: 28th at 17.20% (net 26th at 15.80%)
  • PK: 19th at 78.30% (net 19th at 81.20%)
  • FO: 12th at 50.80%

10. Jets:  Goaltending:

  • Connor Hellebuyck:  21-21-11 … 2.77 GAA … .898 SV%
  • Eric Comrie:  12-9-1 … 2.85 GAA … .897 SV%

11. Jets:  The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly this past week.

  • Good:  The compete level of the younger players. 
  • Bad:  Helle’s wandering out of the net.
  • Ugly:  How Dallas overwhelmed the Jets with their size.

12. Jets: Tidbits and FYIs:

  • Mark Scheifele has 31 multipoint games this season.
  • On Saturday night, Kyle Connor scored his 35th and 36th goals of the season.
  • Danny Zhilkin notched his first NHL point on Tuesday in Chicago by assisting on Isak Rosen’s goal.
  • Winnipeg is 3 points ahead of its Monday night opposition, the Seattle Kraken

13. WHT on X:

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