Just Getting Started | RUNWAY, a Winnipeg Jets documentary

wanted to uh obviously you see what’s in the building here. This was we talked about this last year, all right, about our compete structure, embracing the hard areas, 50/50 being strong in 50/50s, 10% more, but it was our edge, right? And it was our compete, your compete, each and in each and every one of you. We did all that stuff and we earned this thing. We earned it. All right? We earned it with how hard we played, how hard we played for each other, how we looked after each other, our attention to detail, our structure, all those things that that we talked about. We put it into practice, put it into games, and we got the results from it. You got to be proud of this. This is something that’s hard to do, and we did it. But we know there’s another trophy that we’d rather see standing here that’s going to have to be that’s going to be this year. But at the end of the day, I just want to recognize that this is something special. Okay? And what you guys did was special. All right? From this point forward, last year’s gone. [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] The anticipation of this season was second probably only to the year after the team ran to the Western Conference final in 2017 2018 because everybody was excited to see where this team could get to with a few additions. One of the biggest headlines off the ice was the signing of Kyle Connor. I mean, what a statement for your organization, your city, your province, and what you’re trying to do and build here when you’ve had three of your biggest stars sign contract extensions, lengthy ones at that, over the last 3 years, including Mark Schiffley and and Connor Halabok. Jonathan TA’s return was also certainly a big headline coming in. Could he come back after not playing for 900 plus days and be an impactful player? That was a story certainly on the ice for the Winnipeg Jets. Not to mention the fact you’re not expecting to have two of your top players, one on the blue line and one in your top six on your forward core, get hurt and be out for extended periods of time. That your depth is already being tested because your captain had offseason hip surgery and isn’t going to be returning probably until later in the fall, maybe early winter. All of that tests your depth immediately when you have three full-time players out going into the regular season coming out of training camp and exhibition play. As we get ready for what you could argue is probably the most anticipated home opener since 2011. We’re excited for another big season. We’re looking for big things from Taves. Proven leader and uh yeah, he’s going to bring that pedigree to Winnipeg. He’s a hometown boy. My expectation from Taves is just to hopefully continue his hockey career where he left off. Yeah. And not expect the world. Just expect him to be a great teammate and a great leader. Well, we just saw the hardware at the end of the arena. Some serious hardware. So, uh I don’t think people realize how special that is for the entire National Hockey League to have those four trophies. There’s obviously one we want more. That’s some special hardware. Yeah, it’s going to be a good year. Winnipeg hockeyy’s happening right now. Corner, boys. Hey, let’s go. Hey, let’s go. Hey, right. Let’s turn things over. The unveiling of the banner. There’s a heck of a lot to be proud of and it was a lot of great performances across the board last year. Guys, just leaving the room now. Let’s go, baby. Come on, dude. I mean, there’s always nerves in the home opener, but surprisingly like I don’t I didn’t feel that nervous. He is a threetime Stanley Cup champion. And tonight, he returns to his team from Manitoba, number 19, Jonathan T. just to look around be like, “Wow, I can’t believe I’m back in the NHL and I can’t believe I’m playing for the Winnipeg Jets.” Uh, I was trying not to smile too hard. I was trying to just keep a straight face, but but definitely uh felt good and and yeah, it was it was a pretty cool moment as well. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2025 2026 Winnipeg Shets. Glad to have you along in a new season here in 2025 2026. Teams will come to center ice. Puck is dropped and it’s showtime from downtown Winnipeg. First rounder. Good pass to the front. Made the save and rent it and scores on the rebound. Mo Ranton opens the scoring and Dallas early on in this one opens up the scoring. It’s one nothing for the Star. Milani will stop off into where the corner now for Strikeley. Back out in front for Connor. He’s the And it’s one- nothing. Turn 1-1 quickly as Winnipeg comes right back. Is it a season opener? Cuz Kyle Connor is going to score. We always want to get off to a good start. Um you know, especially against Dallas, an opponent that knocked us out last year. It was a big game, big central matchup. Um and there’s always excitement coming into the beginning of the season. Uh the energy was great and it was really exciting game. They score. So the Stars come out flying here in this third and Dallas now full control. A four-goal lead. They’ve put up five. Jets are going to look to tighten up their details. Definitely the type of game where you take couple minutes off. They can they can make it pay. And unfortunately we were down pretty big there. And um just focus on the next task at hand. Tipped it off the board. Bracing the puck will pick it up. One-on-one with shooting. Stop. Rebound. He’s gone. Kyle Connor with his second of the night. And it’s now a slim twogoal lead for Dallas. Swings it over. Well pass to defense. Phil Carter shoots and scores. Let those pass fly. It’s a onegoal game. Obviously, anytime you can contribute in that type of way and scoring three for your team, it’s a great feeling, you know, at home through a lot of anticipation and just built up over the summer of of counting down the days to play and um it was overall just yeah, very excited. Bouncing around. It’s out in front and knocked away by Wyatt Johnston. And that’ll do it tonight. A flurry of a finish for Winnipeg, but it comes up one goal short tonight. [Applause] All right, we’ll get ourselves a couple points here out of the Dallas game and then on into LA. Any type of retrieval situations, we put numbers into the battle. This one here, we pull off. Dallas is now three to R2. They end up with a puck along the wall, puck along the wall, and they end up with a whistle there. That’s not us. That’s not our DNA. Usually in the meetings, it’s going over a debriefing of what their their structure, how they uh defend, um what we can do to manipulate it and open up different options and just kind of a general overview of what to expect so you’re not uh surprised by anything. Five on five mentality of pace against this pressure. And when you work at that pace and you work that speed and that support, don’t be surprised with those types of looks against this group. It’s exactly what we need right now. Five on five pace and mindset. Five on five mentality in terms of physical puck protection and retrieval. Everything goes our way here tonight. Let’s be ready for it. The game’s first power play will go to the Jets. Jets. The power play early in this one. The first unit is on now for Scott’s Jets. 0 for four against the Stars on the power play. Fight for the puck out in front by Apollo. A shot. It’s a power play goal. two games in and the Jets have a bit of a snarl to them at that point because they weren’t satisfied, weren’t happy with the way they had played on opening night against Dallas all the way to the goal. We score. It’s not going to be a short-handed goal because Kyle Connor jumps out of the box and actually joins this rush. Freaking short-handed monster right now, fellas. Oh, is it out? trying to get Winnipeg back ahead. Long shot by Morsy T. Shley. Two for Sly and Winnipeg is in the lead. [Music] Gets the feet moving. Centers it. Who’s broke a stick loose in front and Haban gets it. Madness in front of the Jets goal. So out of all this, Neil Pon took a penalty. So talking about the penalty kill being good, they need them. I think they were out there for quite a long shift and in that scenario, usually you just kind of hold tight, don’t give away the the middle of the ice and they were able to block a lot of shots and keep it to the outside and just willing to sacrifice anything. And you know, just shows the character of this team. Finding Kovitar. Saucer pass blocked by Stanley. Jets trying to hang on a minute 15 to go in the third field blocked by the middlefield again. Throw toward the front. Jets need a clear. Keep shoots. Blocked be a shoot. Blocked by Stanley. Stanley has found another level to his game. It’s knocked away and the Jets are going to hang on. They win their first game of the season. They beat the Kings 3 to2. That’s a hockey game. The Winnipeg Jets will win this afternoon. their first game of the season. All right. Hey, first of all, I win those games. That’s big heavy hockey. All right. That’s great job. Great job by everybody. Penalty kill. Awesome job. Way specialy team power play. Great big goal earning in the first period. Great goalending, too. We do have to skate tomorrow. [Applause] We do have to skate tomorrow at 10:00. We got to fly out at 1 to get there cuz we got another 1:00 game. For whatever reason, Winnipeg’s always been really good in Matt Mays and they’re going to have a number of them this year and so how are they going to start with this noon start and they started not necessarily on time. just couple of minutes didn’t look great for the Jets but was terrific and in the end Winnipeg outscores the two nothing after one answer start we battle okay we’re into it now we’re into it now we can’t all be tense we got to try to like you know put my two cents in there when I when I see something or you know rally the troops kind of thing but also we have we have so many good guys in this room you know not not just guys that wear you know wear letters on their jersey. There’s there’s so many guys in this room that are leaders. How about Eric Conry in the first five or six minutes? Oh, he he was absolutely terrific right from the get- go. I mean, the save he had in the first in the first shift of the game and the second, I mean, he was stood very tall for us. I mean, he’s very competitive. I mean, he battles day in day out. But last year we couldn’t give him as many wins for him as we want to, but at the same time he comes in a great smile every single day. Works hard and I’m glad he’s stand so far. So period two is underway in the middle now. Pearson again on the far side for Stanley moving in. Shoots and scores. [Applause] And Winnipeg comes right back and regains their two bowl lead. It’s three to one for the Jets on Stanley’s first of the year. Logan Stanley jumps up, calls for the pass, and squeaks it through Srogan. That’ll do it. Horn will sound and the Winnipeg Jets come in and end a five-game losing skid here on Long Island. And they do so with a convincing 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders. And Winnipeg will start their road schedule victoriously here in 2526. JT, Gus, Cole, Banner, which point says win big, Jess. Wasn’t great. It wasn’t fast. All right. Game of the year, boys. I enjoy a good afternoon game. Um there’s no waiting around throughout the day. You just get up, have some breakfast for me and go to the rink. Um couple coffees and, you know, get warmed up and away we go. It’s going to be nice. We’re going to land at a good time and and uh have a good meal and uh get some rest tomorrow and and then get ready to go for for Thursday night in Phillies. [Music] There’s always the sentiment about getting the team on the road and getting the guys together and and building that team, especially for a group like the Jets that have had five new players in the forward core that weren’t full-time players here last year. Well, it’s nice cuz it’s like you almost want to speed up the process of really getting to know guys and being a part of the locker room. And so many of these guys, they already have such momentum and chemistry and camaraderie in the room. And sometimes you feel like you’re not in on the inside jokes and but again, that’s just one of those things that takes time and it’s uh being on the road and things just happen organically where you’re going to dinner with different guys. You’re getting to know different guys and that’s a lot of fun. I mean, that’s that’s what is special about this game is the time we get to spend together and you know, you’re bonding on and off the ice, too. So, one of those things I’m trying to be patient with, but enjoying at the same time. [Applause] All right. Most important thing, get your game going. Okay? Get yourself going for your linemates and for your D partner. Get yourself going. You have something to contribute each and every shift. Go and do it. Do what you do best. All right? We do that. We’re hard to play against. Let’s go have a good first period here. Let’s go. Come on. We are ready to go finally here in Philadelphia and it’s showtime from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Describe the connection that you and Casey have on the ice. How do you describe the connection that you guys have? Yeah, it’s great. It’s always a work in progress. Um we’re never satisfied. We’re pushing each other. You honestly can’t even really explain it. It’s it’s it’s you can’t really put it into words. It’s just kind of something that is there. you know, even our evolving out of the defensive game, reading off each other and um you know, he’s pretty easy to read off of, but you know, there’s not really any words to describe it. Either with the slot, Brian Paulo heads it back off of the hat. Mark Shley shoot scores point number 812 for Mark Shley. His second goal of the night and Blake Wheeler, you have company on top of the franchise point leading list. Excellent road game from these Winnipeg Jets. They’re going to win this game 5-2. Heck of a road win here for the Winnipeg Jets. They score a power play goal. They get a complete effort from all four lines. All D and Connor Hel. It’s simple. Good teams find ways to wins. The depth has really shown certainly in absorbing the injuries, but also in providing the necessary ingredients for defensive hockey, offensive hockey to win at the National Hockey League. So great. Shley is one of those players that can do it all. He can pass. He can shoot. To me, he’s the the perfect centerman. When Dale Howardchuck uh recommended him to Winnipeg, when he was in coaching in Barry, I tell you, he knew what he was talking about cuz that’s a great center. Talking about a great center. You’re starting to see it now. Obviously the numbers are he’s starting to catch up to people on numbers and records and stuff like that, but um he he he’s a handful when he when when him and his linemates are on their game. He’s they’re they’re tough to defend. Shly set it back toward the line and back again. Shley shoots and scor 813 for Mark Shley. He is the new franchise leader at points and he does it with another goal. And for Shaley, it’s goals at four straight. I don’t think anyone as a young kid thinks that that’s going to happen. And you obviously hope that it happens, but I don’t think it’s the first thing on your on your radar, but um you know, looking you know, looking back at it, it is pretty cool to to reflect on that. And um just hoping there’s, you know, a lot more a lot more good games out there. toward the corner. Back to the line for Stanley. Winds up. Slap shot. Score. Logan Stanley. Just a blast from the point. His second goal of the year. [Applause] Did you hear the stand chance while they were happy? Yeah, I did. That was a good feeling for sure. Uh it was put a smile on my face. The Winnipeg Jets have won four in a row. And Mark Shipley, it was his night, point number 813 to establish a new franchise record for points.

Anticipation for the new season reaches an all-time high as the Winnipeg Jets hit the ice without Adam Lowry, Dylan Samberg and Cole Perfetti — three important pieces that helped them capture their first division title and Presidents’ Trophy.

After not playing in a regular season game for over two years, Jets fans welcomed back Jonathan Toews as he made his return to the NHL.

Mark Scheifele didn’t wait long to move past Blake Wheeler into top spot on the Jets/Thrashers all-time points list tonight. The Jets power play went to work with Kyle Connor hitting a wide open Scheifele who one-timed in career point 813.

“Obviously, I’m tremendously honoured. I’m still trying to catch another guy (Hawerchuk). For that one, it will be cool,” said Scheifele.

Five games into the 2025-26 season, and we’re just getting started.

All that and so much more, in episode two of RUNWAY, presented by Bell!

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