In the frigid heart of Winnipeg, a familiar question thaws the ice each September: Can this be the year the Jets finally take the next step? For a franchise that has danced with greatness but never quite embraced it fully, the 2025-26 season opens with a blend of lingering disappointment and burgeoning hope. After claiming the Presidents` Trophy for the NHL`s best regular-season record and securing their first playoff series victory since 2021, the Jets` Stanley Cup aspirations were once again grounded, falling short in the second round. The echoes of that premature exit still resonate, serving as both a painful memory and a powerful motivator.
The Weight of Unfinished Business
General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, reflecting on the team`s journey, articulates a sentiment shared by many within the organization: “I think it`s the opportunity that`s in front of them, and the hunger and the scars and the pain that get left behind when you don`t get as far as you collectively want to, every group learns a certain something along the way.” This isn`t merely corporate boilerplate; it’s the quiet acknowledgment that true contenders are forged in the crucible of past failures. The Jets, by Cheveldayoff`s account, are a “very close group” — a collective that shares in both its triumphs and its tribulations, suggesting a foundational chemistry that could withstand the inevitable pressures of a long season.
Roster Realignments: Navigating the Off-Season Tides
However, the path forward is rarely a smooth one. The off-season brought significant shifts to the Jets` lineup, introducing new challenges and demanding strategic adjustments. The high-octane offensive presence of winger Nikolaj Ehlers departed via free agency, leaving a considerable void in goal-scoring and playmaking. Accompanying him out the door were reliable forwards Mason Appleton and Brandon Tanev, further depleting the team`s depth. Adding to these concerns, veteran centre Adam Lowry is set to miss the initial stretch of the season, recovering from hip surgery until late October or early November. These departures and injuries paint a picture of a team facing an uphill battle to maintain its previous regular-season dominance.
The Return of a Legend: Jonathan Toews Joins the Fold
Amidst these changes, one signing stands out as a beacon of experience and a narrative arc fit for a hockey epic: the acquisition of veteran centre Jonathan Toews. After a two-season hiatus battling illness, the former Chicago Blackhawks captain, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner, makes his highly anticipated return to the NHL, donning a Jets jersey. Cheveldayoff`s excitement is palpable:
“The biggest thing you see is the level of enthusiasm. When you are potentially losing something, then you get a chance to get it back, you really appreciate just how fortunate you are. I am excited for him because he gets to have that chance to play the game that he loves and excited for us because he gets to do it here, and excited for his mom and dad because it is that storybook thing.”
Toews` return isn`t just about his on-ice contribution, though with Lowry sidelined, much will be expected of his veteran leadership and two-way prowess. It`s also about the intangible qualities: his championship pedigree, his calm under pressure, and the sheer narrative weight of a player overcoming adversity to return to the sport he loves. It`s a reunion of sorts, too, as a young Mark Scheifele once shared a dinner with Toews when Scheifele was just 18, a testament to the long and sometimes winding roads professional careers can take.
The Road Ahead: Blending Old Scars with New Ambitions
With a blend of existing talent, a handful of journeymen forwards signed to bolster depth, and the dramatic return of Jonathan Toews, the Winnipeg Jets are poised for a season of intense scrutiny. The question remains: can this new configuration, seasoned by past disappointments and reinvigorated by veteran leadership, finally ascend to the sport`s pinnacle? The “next step” is not merely about winning more games; it is about cultivating a playoff-ready mentality, learning to close out series, and ultimately, hoisting the Cup that has so tantalizingly eluded them. The journey begins now, a compelling narrative unfolding on the ice, where experience meets ambition and hope battles the ghosts of seasons past.
