{"id":137644,"date":"2026-07-21T06:44:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T06:44:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/137644\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T06:44:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T06:44:36","slug":"5-must-watch-winnipeg-jets-games-in-2026-27-the-hockey-writers-winnipeg-jets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/137644\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Must-Watch Winnipeg Jets Games in 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers – Winnipeg Jets"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Winnipeg Jets\u2019 2026-27 schedule<\/a> dropped July 16, and while every game on the regular-season schedule counts for the same two points, some just have more hype around them than others. Whether it\u2019s because a former member of the franchise is returning for the first time with an opposing team, because of a budding or long-standing rivalry, or simply because of the time of year, there are some games you just can\u2019t bear to miss.<\/p>\n

Five Jets games in particular stand out as must watches, and we\u2019ll look at each here.<\/p>\n

1: Oct. 2, 2026 \u2014 Jets Host Bruins in Home Opener<\/p>\n

The start of a new season brings (most) fans renewed hope of seeing their team\u2019s good times either continue or begin again.<\/p>\n

Jets fans will be hoping for the latter after their squad\u2019s highly-disappointing 2025-26, when they regressed by 21 wins<\/a> and 34 points to miss the playoffs after winning the 2024-25 Presidents\u2019 Trophy.<\/p>\n

By October, the annual optimism that comes with a fresh slate will be heavy in the Winnipeg autumn air. Any turnaround will have to start with this one \u2014 Game 1 of 84 \u2014 versus the Boston Bruins at Canada Life Centre.<\/p>\n

\"MarkAny Jets rebound this season will have to start with Game 1 \u2013 the home opener. (Terrence Lee-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Even with the need to rebound put aside, hoopla surrounding home openers is always fun as fans usually pack arenas for their first chance to see their team in action during a game that counts, and a win to begin the home portion of one\u2019s schedule always feels a little extra important. With the Bruins being an Original Six team and making their only visit of the season to Winnipeg, expect more than a smattering of black and gold in the seats as well.<\/p>\n

Leaving the home opener happy is something Jets fans have gotten used to: before losing to the Dallas Stars 5-4 in last season\u2019s home opener, the Jets won seven straight dating back to 2018-19.<\/p>\n

2: Oct. 25, 2026 \u2014 Jets & Canadiens Clash Outdoors At 2026 Heritage Classic<\/p>\n

The Jets will clash with the Montreal Canadiens under the bright lights of Princess Auto Stadium in the first opportunity in a decade to see outdoor hockey in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n

The Heritage Classic is more than just game \u2014 it\u2019s a highly-hyped weekend-long event that draws plenty of eyeballs from around North America and sees many out-of-towners flock to the host city. It\u2019s a rare opportunity for Winnipeg to show off on the national stage, and an opportunity to prove that outdoor hockey in Canada just hits differently than the (too?) frequent outdoor NHL games in American markets.<\/p>\n

Considering the passionate fanbases both teams have, expect not only the in-game atmosphere to be fantastic, but the buzz around the city to be palpable all weekend. As a Saturday-evening prelude to Sunday\u2019s event, retired Jets and Canadiens players will suit up for an alumni game<\/a> at Canada Life Centre.<\/p>\n

The Jets will also be looking for their first outdoor goal in Winnipeg: at the 2016 Heritage Classic, the only other time it was in Winnipeg, the Edmonton Oilers shut them out 3-0.<\/p>\n

3: Dec. 28, 2026 \u2014\u00a0Macklin Celebrini\u2019s First Visit of the Season and Mario Ferraro\u2019s First Game Versus His Former Team<\/p>\n

The NHL has some must-see players whose presence in a game helps pack buildings everywhere their team goes. These must-see players have become of increasingly youthful sort, and 20-year-old phenom Macklin Celebrini \u2014 fresh off a 45-goal, 115-point sophomore season with the San Jose Sharks and being named NHL 27\u2019s cover athlete \u2014 is certainly one of them.<\/p>\n

The Sharks are an up-and-coming, high-octane young club<\/a> \u2014 exactly the type that gave the too-old-and-too-slow 2025-26 Jets fits. This post-Christmas matchup will be a good test for the Jets, whose offseason additions and departures have them younger and (ideally) faster.<\/p>\n

In addition to the hype surrounding Celebrini, Will Smith, Michael Misa, et al., it will be new Jets defenseman Mario Ferraro\u2019s<\/a> first game against the team he was drafted by and spent the first seven seasons of his career with.<\/p>\n

4: March 5, 2027 \u2014\u00a0Washington Capitals\u2019 Legend Alex Ovechkin\u2019s (Likely) Last Visit to Winnipeg<\/p>\n

Living legend and all-time NHL goal leader Alex Ovechkin<\/a> will make his only visit to Winnipeg \u2014 and potentially final one of his career \u2014 on March 5. The 40 year old, who has 929 goals and counting, signed a one-year deal with the Capitals and many believe this season will be something of a prolonged retirement tour for the 2004 first-overall pick. <\/p>\n

While any hockey fan should have some reverence Ovechkin\u2019s many career accomplishments, many Jets fans will likely be happy \u201cThe Great 8\u201d might be hanging them up for good after this season: he\u2019s absolutely torched the Atlanta Thrashers\/Jets franchise throughout his career, racking up 58 goals in 77 games, more than against any other franchise.<\/p>\n

5: March 20, 2027 \u2014 Former Head Coach Rick Bowness Returns to Winnipeg<\/p>\n

A hockey lifer who turned out to be incapable of retiring even after he said he would<\/a>, former Jets head coach Rick Bowness will return to Winnipeg for the first time as the Columbus Blue Jackets\u2019 bench boss. <\/p>\n

Despite only coaching the Jets for two seasons (2022-23 and 2023-24), the now 71-year-old made an outsized impact on the franchise. He inherited a team with a broken locker-room culture and lack of identity\u00a0but made a massive positive impact almost immediately with his no-nonsense approach, instituting a stout defensive style and establishing an accountability structure. The team went 98-57-9 during his tenure and his lasting contributions include installing Adam Lowry as captain and helping Josh Morrissey blossom into an elite two-way defenseman.<\/p>\n

\"RickRick Bowness coached the Jets for two seasons and was instrumental in fixing the team\u2019s broken culture. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub\/NHLI via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Bowness, who un-retired after only a year and a half to take on the Blue Jackets\u2019 job midway through last season \u2014 and is returning<\/a> on a one-year contract despite mercilessly roasting the team<\/a> for missing the playoffs and their lack of effort in April \u2014 will undoubtedly be very warmly received in Winnipeg.<\/p>\n

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