Safety’s been turned off for the Stonewall Jets.
After taking a significant step forward last season in the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League, the Jets believe they’re poised to make an even bigger push in 2025-26 — fuelled largely by the experience they gained last spring.
“I think definitely last year making the playoffs, a lot of guys in that room last year haven’t been in a playoff atmosphere, so just that experience of playing in the playoffs has definitely helped the team grow a lot,” said head coach Pat Power.
“Getting in that playoff experience and I think coming back this year, guys are just hungry to get back to the playoffs again and prove that we can go a little deeper.”
As of last Thursday, the Jets sat fifth in the MMJHL with a 7-7 record.
They are once again led offensively by veterans such as Karson King, Peyton Bateman and Alex Kaczorowski, supported by a forward group that returns much of its scoring punch. Power also points to team-wide depth as a defining strength — 10 players have already reached six or more points this season.
“Our depth is definitely one strength. We have some very, very talented players, and for this group, probably for a lot of them the most talented team they’ve probably played on,” said Power. “Now it’s going to be learning how to play with each other consistently on every night.”
That cohesion is already taking shape. Many Jets players grew up playing together or crossed paths through Interlake Minor Hockey. The leadership group — all from Stonewall or surrounding Interlake communities — has helped create a tight-knit environment that has embraced newcomers from Winnipeg as well.
“It’s a pretty tight group,” Power said. “They get together on their off days, they hang out, and in the dressing room, they’re tight. They have each other’s backs on the ice, and that’s all you could ever ask from a coach — a tight group that sticks up for each other.”
The Jets continue their regular season schedule this week. The MMJHL’s 45-game season runs until March, when the top eight teams advance to the playoffs.
Stonewall’s last league championship came in 2015-16, a season in which they finished fourth in the standings — and the Jets believe they’re inching closer to another run.
Jets end weekend with win, move into fifth in MMJHL standings
The Stonewall Jets ended the weekend on a high note, grinding out a 5–4 victory over the Charleswood Hawks on Sunday after rallying twice and sealing the win with a third-period push at the Veterans Memorial Sports Complex.
Aiden Miller tied the game in the final seconds of the first period, and Gavin Holod pulled Stonewall even again midway through the second before Peyton Bateman gave the Jets their first lead with his ninth of the season at 16:41. The Hawks responded with two quick goals early in the third, but the Jets pushed back. Dean Saunders notched his first of the season at 3:58, and Adam Newcombe buried the eventual winner at 12:10 on feeds from Holod and Talon Hogg.
Spencer Hunnam made 26 saves as the Jets improved to 8-7-1.
The win helped Stonewall rebound from a 4–3 shootout loss to the St. Vital Jr. Victorias on Thursday, a game in which the Jets stormed back with three goals in three minutes early in the third. Bateman tied the game on the power play, followed by Kale Chipman’s first of the year and a quick finish from Kai Smith to give Stonewall a 3–1 lead. St. Vital rallied late to force overtime, then edged the Jets in the ninth round of the shootout. Stonewall still collected a point in the loss.
The Jets now sit fifth in the MMJHL standings. St. Boniface leads the league with 29 points, followed by Transcona with 27. Charleswood is third at 21 points, River East holds fourth with 20, and Stonewall follows with 17 points through 16 games. The Raiders remain close behind with 16, while St. Vital and the Ft. Garry/Ft. Rouge Twins are tied at 14. St. James is ninth with 11 points, and Pembina Valley is last with two.
Stonewall hosts the River East Royal Knights on Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. before visiting the Ft. Garry/Ft. Rouge Twins on Nov. 28 at Century Arena.
