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We have reached the August long weekend here in Canada. Meanwhile, there have been some recent developments around the Winnipeg Jets. Nevertheless, the dog days of the NHL off-season are here.
The NHL Draft and free agency are in the rear-view mirror and training camps are still six weeks away.
Perfetti extended
Cole Perfetti did not reach his arbitration hearing as he and the Jets agreed to a five-year, $30 million contract extension ($6 million cap hit). This was the long-term deal Perfetti’s camp sought for some time. It finally got done. Although his career has been inconsistent up until now, Perfetti has shown flashes of being a big game player for the Jets.
Consequently, the Jets may finally have effectively addressed their second line. Centre Viggo Bjorck (8th overall pick in 2026 draft), he and Perfetti may help boost a lineup spot that has not been able to provide any consistent secondary scoring in recent seasons.
Judging by his comments, it seems as though Perfetti is really thrilled to be in Winnipeg for another five years.
Schedule highlights
The NHL recently released its 2026-27 NHL regular season schedule. This year, each team will play 84 games. Meanwhile, Jets home opener is Friday, October 2 against the Boston Bruins.
Later, the Jets host the 2026 Heritage Classic on Sunday, October 25, when they play the Montreal Canadians at Princess Auto Stadium (home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers).
The Jets will play a total of nine sets of back-to-back games this coming season. Their longest homestand is six games, spanning March 1 to 13. Conversely, the longest road trip is also six games: January 20 to February 2.
Hellebuyck watch continues
When the Jets released all of their promotional material for the upcoming season, one face was conspicuous by its absence. Connor Hellebuck was not to be seen anywhere.
Naturally, the star goaltender’s absence did not go unnoticed. Speculation remains rampant. In fact, It still seems likely get traded before the end of the summer. Could it be before Labour Day?
It’s unfair to the other players, the team or Hellebuyck himself to let this linger too long.
Let’s see what happens. This not some the Jets want to have drag through the summer and training camp.
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