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The Winnipeg Jets suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Montreal Canadiens at the 2026 Heritage Classic in Winnipeg at Princess Auto Stadium. A sell-out crowd of 32,343 witnessed the event on a perfect night for an outdoor hockey game in a city that loves hockey.
Dawson Mercer’s Jets debut
After being acquired by the Jets in the trade that sent Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils, right-winger Dawson Mercer made his debut in the Jets line-up. He skated on the Jets third line alongside Adam Lowry and Isak Rosen.
Rosen scored the lone Jets goal. If Mercer can give the Jets 20 goals, a mark he has produced in 3 of his 5 seasons in the NHL, it will be very helpful for a line-up that has lacked offence thus far into the season.
Salomonssson returns
After missing all of training camp and the first 10 games of the season while rehabbing from off-season shoulder surgery, defenceman Elias Salomonsson made his season debut on the Jets blueline. Salomonsson’s return is a welcomed sight for the team.
The Swedenplayed alongside Mario Ferraro in the Heritage Classic. Subsequently, as the season goes, it is a fair expectation to see Salomonsson make his way up to the Jets top defence pair. In his small sample size, he has shown the ability to drive play when on the ice.
Jets lineup misses Morrissey
The Jets have now lost five straight games. Actually, they’ve dropped s out of their last seven. One notable absence during this run of losses has been all-star defenceman Josh Morrissey. In the game against the Colorado Avalanche, a game in which the Jets won 3-2, it appeared as if Morrissey may have broken his hand/wrist when he collided with the boards awkwardly. After initially being listed as day to day, he has since been downgraded to week to week.
His absence cannot be understated. Morrissey is primarily the only Jets defenceman that regularly provides offence. The longer he remains out, the more the Jets will be piling up losses and spiral to the bottom of the league standings. Yes,he’s that vital.
Winnipeg demotes Yager
To make room for Mercer and Salomonsson joining the Jets line-up, Brayden Yager was sent back down to the Manitoba Moose (AHL). Yager only played one game with the Jets in his recent call-up. He did not register a point in the 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars.
Yager does have 11 points (6G, 5A) through seven games with the Moose. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that tearing up the AHL and replicating it in the NHL are two very different things. Nevertheless, with Viggo Bjorck going pointless through his first 11 games on the season, one has to wonder if Bjorck and Yager may swap places at some point to allow Bjorck to develop in the AHL with less immediate performance pressure.
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