A night of heart and hockey as Scheifele plays through loss
The Winnipeg Jets are no strangers to pressure, but Saturday, May 17 brought a different kind of weight, one not measured in goals or saves but in grief and resilience. Just hours after learning of the sudden death of his father Brad, Mark Scheifele made the difficult decision to suit up for Game 6 of the Western Conference Second Round against the Dallas Stars.
Jets captain Adam Lowry, visibly shaken, described Brad Scheifele as a man whose energy filled every room. “It’s a terrible loss,” Lowry said. “It’s tough to put into words how gutted we all feel for Mark and his family.”
The team first learned of the news on the way to their morning skate, when head coach Scott Arniel addressed the locker room.
Also read: NHL suspends Panthers minority owner Douglas Cifu over “unacceptable” social media posts
“Mark doesn’t want those guys to hang their heads or be down. He wants to win,” Arniel said. “That’s what they’re all talking about. We want to get a win for Mr. Scheifele, get a chance to get ourselves back home for a Game 7.”
Jets rally around Scheifele in emotional NHL Playoff match
Arniel confirmed Scheifele will play in the critical game, saying it was what Brad would have wanted. “As he said, that’d be wishes of his dad. He would want him to play,” Arniel shared. “We got to see him earlier in the St. Louis series, and he’s with us. Mark really wants to play for him tonight.”
Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff echoed the organization’s full support. “We’re a family, and we’re going to do everything we can to support our family,” he said. “As an organization, we’re doing everything we can to support him and give his family our most sincere condolences.”
Scheifele has been a critical part of the Jets’ Stanley Cup Playoff campaign, with 10 points in 10 games, including four points in this series against Dallas. He finished the regular NHL season with 87 points in 82 games, underlining his role as the team’s offensive heartbeat.
Also read: Utah Mammoth unveiled as NHL’s newest identity after fan-led rebranding
With elimination on the line and emotions running high, Winnipeg’s game Saturday night at American Airlines Center is about more than advancing to Game 7, it’s a tribute to family, to loss, and to the power of playing through heartbreak.
The Winnipeg Jets are no strangers to pressure, but Saturday, May 17 brought a different kind of weight, one not measured in goals or saves but in grief and resilience. Just hours after learning of the sudden death of his father Brad, Mark Scheifele made the difficult decision to suit up for Game 6 of the Western Conference Second Round against the Dallas Stars.
Jets captain Adam Lowry, visibly shaken, described Brad Scheifele as a man whose energy filled every room. “It’s a terrible loss,” Lowry said. “It’s tough to put into words how gutted we all feel for Mark and his family.”
The team first learned of the news on the way to their morning skate, when head coach Scott Arniel addressed the locker room.
Also read: NHL suspends Panthers minority owner Douglas Cifu over “unacceptable” social media posts
“Mark doesn’t want those guys to hang their heads or be down. He wants to win,” Arniel said. “That’s what they’re all talking about. We want to get a win for Mr. Scheifele, get a chance to get ourselves back home for a Game 7.”
Jets rally around Scheifele in emotional NHL Playoff match
Arniel confirmed Scheifele will play in the critical game, saying it was what Brad would have wanted. “As he said, that’d be wishes of his dad. He would want him to play,” Arniel shared. “We got to see him earlier in the St. Louis series, and he’s with us. Mark really wants to play for him tonight.”
Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff echoed the organization’s full support. “We’re a family, and we’re going to do everything we can to support our family,” he said. “As an organization, we’re doing everything we can to support him and give his family our most sincere condolences.”
Scheifele has been a critical part of the Jets’ Stanley Cup Playoff campaign, with 10 points in 10 games, including four points in this series against Dallas. He finished the regular NHL season with 87 points in 82 games, underlining his role as the team’s offensive heartbeat.
Also read: Utah Mammoth unveiled as NHL’s newest identity after fan-led rebranding
With elimination on the line and emotions running high, Winnipeg’s game Saturday night at American Airlines Center is about more than advancing to Game 7, it’s a tribute to family, to loss, and to the power of playing through heartbreak.
