When the Winnipeg Jets held their end-of-season media availability inside the player dressing room, one detail stood out as players were seen signing their stalls.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
It was already known the organization was planning a major renovation project this summer. The Matt Frost Media Centre, where members of the media have conducted interviews with Jets coaches and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff for years, is also set to be impacted by the changes coming to Canada Life Centre.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Today, the team sent out an email as they are offering fans a chance to purchase the signed lockers which you can do here. While that in itself was notable, the email laid out the multi-million dollar renovation underway, offering a closer look at the scope of the project.
“Following significant multi-million-dollar front of house projects over the last several seasons, this year’s venue reinvestment turns to operational spaces. A complete overhaul and reconfiguration of the Jets home team complex will add 3,000 square feet of usable space for hockey operations. The Jets complex has not been renovated since the team’s return in 2011.
The renovation will benefit player performance and wellness with enhanced strength and conditioning spaces and a circadian lighting system which mimics natural lighting. State-of-the-art technology and amenities, a leading-edge medical treatment and therapy facility and an enhanced athletic workout space, complemented by elevated finishes and aesthetics, will position the Jets facility among the top tier in the NHL and serve as an asset for player attraction and retention.
The work will be rounded out by a new equipment room, the addition of a tunnel allowing access to the visitors bench without crossing the ice, and the relocation of the Matt Frost Media Centre where press conferences and post-game player availabilities are held.
Through almost three weeks of work, the 12,000-square-foot space has been disassembled and gutted of floors, millwork and built-in units with work underway to demolish interior cinder block walls and mechanical systems and remove concrete slabs to get ready for new slab pours. Being built by PCL Construction and designed by global specialists in arena and stadium design Populous, in collaboration with local firms Number TEN and KGS Group, the scope of the project requires an accelerated schedule and will follow aggressive timelines to ensure completion for the return of the team to start the 2026-27 season.”
One detail that particularly stood out was the addition of a tunnel giving visiting teams direct access to their bench without having to skate across the ice to the existing doorway on the opposite side of the rink. It was a holdover from the building’s previous use and brings the setup more in line with standard NHL practice.
More broadly, the project represents the most significant overhaul of the Jets’ hockey operations space since the franchise returned to Winnipeg in 2011, with upgrades focused on player amenities, recovery spaces and the overall functionality of the team complex ahead of the 2026-27 season.
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