5 Must-Watch Winnipeg Jets Games in 2026-27

The Winnipeg Jets’ 2026-27 schedule 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’s 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’t bear to miss.

Five Jets games in particular stand out as must watches, and we’ll look at each here.

1: Oct. 2, 2026 — Jets Host Bruins in Home Opener

The start of a new season brings (most) fans renewed hope of seeing their team’s good times either continue or begin again.

Jets fans will be hoping for the latter after their squad’s highly-disappointing 2025-26, when they regressed by 21 wins and 34 points to miss the playoffs after winning the 2024-25 Presidents’ Trophy.

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 — Game 1 of 84 — versus the Boston Bruins at Canada Life Centre.

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’s 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.

Leaving the home opener happy is something Jets fans have gotten used to: before losing to the Dallas Stars 5-4 in last season’s home opener, the Jets won seven straight dating back to 2018-19.

2: Oct. 25, 2026 — Jets & Canadiens Clash Outdoors At 2026 Heritage Classic

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.

The Heritage Classic is more than just game — it’s 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’s 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.

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’s event, retired Jets and Canadiens players will suit up for an alumni game at Canada Life Centre.

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.

3: Dec. 28, 2026 — Macklin Celebrini’s First Visit of the Season and Mario Ferraro’s First Game Versus His Former Team

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 — fresh off a 45-goal, 115-point sophomore season with the San Jose Sharks and being named NHL 27’s cover athlete — is certainly one of them.

The Sharks are an up-and-coming, high-octane young club — 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.

In addition to the hype surrounding Celebrini, Will Smith, Michael Misa, et al., it will be new Jets defenseman Mario Ferraro’s first game against the team he was drafted by and spent the first seven seasons of his career with.

4: March 5, 2027 — Washington Capitals’ Legend Alex Ovechkin’s (Likely) Last Visit to Winnipeg

Living legend and all-time NHL goal leader Alex Ovechkin will make his only visit to Winnipeg — and potentially final one of his career — 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.

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

5: March 20, 2027 — Former Head Coach Rick Bowness Returns to Winnipeg

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

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 but 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.

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