Jets Goalie for Heritage Classic: Skinner or Stevenson After Hellebuyck Trade; Canadiens Starter Not Announced
Winnipeg plays its first game since trading Connor Hellebuyck to New Jersey with Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson as its two NHL goalies. Neither the Jets nor the Canadiens had confirmed a Heritage Classic starter in the sources we checked.
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Jets: unconfirmed (Stuart Skinner or Clay Stevenson). The Winnipeg Jets host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium on Sunday (7 p.m. ET), their first game since trading goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils on Friday, NHL.com's Shawn P. Roarke reports.
The return included forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws, the rights to prospect Alexander Command and two draft picks, per NHL.com. Daws will likely be scratched because the Jets already have two NHL goalies in Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson, Roarke writes. Hellebuyck had been suspended after refusing to report to training camp and had not played for Winnipeg this season, so the trade does not change who has been tending the Jets' net.
We did not find a team or on-site confirmation of Sunday's Jets starter, so we list it as unconfirmed rather than guess.
Canadiens: unconfirmed. Montreal had not named a starter in sources we could verify. The Canadiens are without captain Nick Suzuki, who sustained a lower-body injury Tuesday against San Jose, and Winnipeg (4-3-3) arrives on a four-game losing streak, each loss by one goal, according to NHL.com.
Mercer will be in the lineup on a line with captain Adam Lowry, NHL.com reports. Follow the NHL starting goalies board for updates.