The Winnipeg Jets’ 2024-25 season ended on Saturday night, as they fell to the Dallas Stars in overtime of Game 6 by a score of 2-1.
Thomas Harley scored the winner for Dallas on a power play to begin the overtime period. This Winnipeg Jets group fought to the end, which was all the more impressive given the circumstances of the day.
Mark Scheifele plays through tragedy
Saturday morning, Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff addressed the media to pass along a tragic piece of news. Brad Scheifele, Mark Scheifele’s father, passed away the night prior.
This unexpected and incredibly sad news was met with an outpouring of support from Jets fans, Stars fans, and the entire hockey community. A movement began where fans were donating $55 to the True North Youth Foundation, and as per Sportsnet, they ended up raising over $30,000 over the course of the day.
Cheveldayoff made it very clear that they were going to support Scheifele during this time, and whether or not he was going to play the game that night was, obviously, secondary.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Mark Scheifele decided to play, as Scott Arniel shared that Scheifele told him he wanted to play for his dad.
In what was an incredibly poetic moment, Mark Scheifele opened the scoring in this game. This is something that Scheifele, his family, and Jets fans everywhere will never forget. His status for the game was in question due to this tragedy, and when he scored, it certainly brought a tear to many Jets fans’ eyes, and the outpouring of support on social media continued.
Then, in overtime, Scheifele was in the penalty box for the Stars’ overtime winner. Adam Lowry skated directly to the penalty box, and the rest of the Jets’ team followed, as they were there for their teammate.
The on-ice scene as the Jets all hugged Schefiele, and the respect that the Stars showed in the handshake line, was truly a display of hockey at its best.
Adam Lowry, fighting back tears in his postgame media availability, said: “Just an awful day for him. You want to give him the strength. You want to get that (penalty) kill so bad. We just couldn’t do it.”
Neal Pionk was asked what they were trying to show their teammate in that moment. He said, “That we’re there for him. We’re a family, Scheif’s a big part of our family, and we are here for him no matter what. That’s a ‘we weren’t leaving the ice without him’ kind of thing.”
“For him to go through what he had to go through, and then perform the way he did, I’m so proud of him,” Scott Arniel said.
“His dad would be so proud of him. He wanted to win so bad.”
Josh Morrissey’s injury is “not good”
Late in the second period, Josh Morrissey was tangled up with Mikko Rantanen in the corner and immediately went down holding his left knee, and was in some serious pain. He needed to be helped down the tunnel and did not return.
After the game, Arniel said the injury was “not good” and that they’ll have more information on the injury when they return to Winnipeg.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
The current day is May 18. We are exactly four months away from September 18, which is roughly around the time that training camp for the 2025-26 season will begin. That gives Morrissey plenty of time to recover, and Jets fans are certainly hoping for the best in this situation, as knee injuries can be very tricky.
We will likely hear from Scott Arniel on Tuesday when the Winnipeg Jets do their end-of-season availability, and at that point, there will likely be an update on Morrissey’s status.
The Winnipeg Jets’ 2024-25 season comes to a close
With that gut-wrenching loss came the end of a special season.
The Winnipeg Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy as the top team in the NHL during the regular season, they had the “Manitoba Miracle” in Game 7 of round one against the St. Louis Blues, and fought right until the very end against a very good Dallas Stars team.
The way this group rallied around one another when facing adversity, the way they demonstrated the “pushback” that Rick Bowness called for, and the way they lifted each other in sad moments, makes it a season worth celebrating, in my opinion.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
However, they didn’t win the ultimate prize, so this season isn’t without its criticisms either. They held onto their first-round pick and $6 million in cap space at the trade deadline, and this core of players is not getting any younger.
The Jets’ core will be back. They will get another opportunity in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. How many of them will be back for it is the question, with pending UFA Nikolaj Ehlers headlining an extensive list of free agents.
It will be a fascinating offseason in Jetsland, one that can catapult the Jets even further in the playoffs next season or knock them down in the Western Conference.
Up next: The offseason
We are now officially onto the offseason ahead of the 2025-26 regular season. As always, Illegalcurve.com is the spot for the latest Jets news and notes coming out of their season-ending availability, for any offseason storylines, and much more.
