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After notching the Presidents' Trophy in the 2024-25 NHL season, the Winnipeg Jets will be one of the top teams to watch out for in the coming 2025-26 campaign.
That's despite the fact that they failed to reach the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. For one, the Jets have welcomed three-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews in the offseason, with the former Chicago Blackhawks star forward returning to the league and signing a one-year, $2 million contract with his hometown team, Winnipeg.
Among those excited to see Toews hit the ice in Jets threads is none other than Winnipeg star Mark Scheifele.
“I thought it kind of was the perfect storm almost,” Scheifele amid the Rogers Legends of Hockey event as part of the PGA Tour Champions stop at the Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club last Saturday, per Derek Van Diest of the NHL's official website.
Added Scheifele: “Coming back to Winnipeg, coming back from not playing for a couple of years, I thought it all made so much sense. I was obviously hoping that we were the front-runner and we’re very excited to have him.”
Toews, who turned 37 years old in April, decided to step away from the ice in 2023 and had not seen action in the NHL since due to health issues. He took a trip to India in 2024 for a “healing journey,” and now appears ready to put all his focus on hockey again.
It remains to be seen how big Toews' impact on the ice will be with the Jets, but his experience and stature are enough to invigorate Scheifele.
“Obviously he’s a legend not just in the NHL, but Winnipeg especially,” Scheifele said. “I had a number of conversations with him this summer, he’s obviously really excited to get back playing hockey and to be with our group. I’m very excited to have a guy with his stature and his experience and all the above. I’m really excited to play with him.”
Selected third overall in the 2006 NHL draft by the Blackhawks, Toews has 372 goals and 511 assists for 883 points across 1,067 games played, all with Chicago, so far in his NHL career.
