Fan favorite Chris Thorburn reunites with the 'G-S-T' line as Winnipeg and Montreal finalize star-studded rosters for October’s highly anticipated Heritage Classic weekend showdown at Canada Life Centre.
The Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens have unveiled updated rosters for their highly anticipated Alumni Game this fall, with a familiar name making his way back onto Winnipeg's list.
Former Jets forward Chris Thorburn is once again slated to suit up for Winnipeg when the two alumni squads meet at Canada Life Centre on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Thorburn was one of seven Jets originally announced for the event in January alongside Dustin Byfuglien, Blake Wheeler, Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little, Mathieu Perreault and Paul Stastny.
Photo by Bruce Fedyck/USA Today However, his name disappeared when Winnipeg announced an expanded roster earlier this summer.
At the time, a Jets public relations representative indicated that Thorburn was "no longer a 100 percent commit" following his promotion to director of player development with the St. Louis Blues.
That has since changed, with the Jets confirming to The Hockey News on Thursday that Thorburn is back in for the Alumni Game, thus setting fans up for a trip down memory lane with the 'G-S-T' line.
Two previously announced players are officially out. Nik Antropov and Drew Stafford, both of whom appeared on Winnipeg's expanded roster earlier this summer, will no longer participate.
Michael Hutchinson is currently the lone goaltender committed to the Jets' alumni squad. The club could still add a second netminder, although the remaining bigger-name former Jets goaltenders have declined invitations to participate, according to conversations between The Hockey News and the Jets.
Winnipeg's current group features 13 forwards in Cody Eakin, Eric Fehr, Sam Gagner, Tanner Glass, Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little, Anthony Peluso, Mathieu Perreault, Jim Slater, Tim Stapleton, Stastny, Thorburn and Wheeler.
Byfuglien headlines a defence corps featuring Grant Clitsome, Tobias Enstrom, Ron Hainsey, Derek Meech and Mark Stuart.
Claude Noel, the first head coach of the Jets following the franchise's return to Winnipeg in 2011, will be back behind the bench.
Montreal, meanwhile, has significantly expanded the preliminary roster it announced in January.
Former Canadiens standouts Andrei Markov, Mike Cammalleri, Erik Cole, Maxim Lapierre, Brandon Prust and Jaroslav Halak are among the additions joining the previously announced group of Paul Byron, Mike Keane, David Desharnais, Dale Weise, Patrice Brisebois and David Savard.
The Canadiens' 20-player roster also includes Mathieu Dandenault, Guillaume Latendresse, Glen Metropolit, Chris Wideman, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Francis Bouillon, Stephane Quintal and goaltender Yann Danis.
Chris Nilan and Lucien Deblois will serve as Montreal's coaches.
The Alumni Game will be played indoors at Canada Life Centre at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 24, serving as the opening act for the 2026 Heritage Classic weekend.
One day later, the current Jets and Canadiens will head outdoors for the Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium.
Tickets for the Alumni Game go on sale to the general public Thursday at noon CT.
